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Amazon S3 cost: a comprehensive guide

AUG 25 2024   -   8 MIN READ
Jul 10, 2025
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6 MIN READ

Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) is a popular cloud storage solution that allows businesses to securely store and access data at scale. For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), understanding Amazon S3’s pricing model is important to managing cloud costs effectively while maintaining performance and scalability.

Amazon S3 pricing is based on several factors, including the amount of data stored, data transfer, and the number of requests made to the service. Different storage classes and data management features also impact overall costs. 

This guide breaks down the key components of Amazon S3 pricing to help SMBs make informed decisions and manage their cloud budgets effectively. 

What is Amazon S3?

Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service) is a scalable object storage solution engineered for high availability, durability, and performance. It operates by storing data as objects within buckets, allowing users to upload, retrieve, and manage files of virtually any size from anywhere via a web interface or API. 

The system is designed to handle massive amounts of data with built-in redundancy, ensuring that files are protected against hardware failures and remain accessible even during outages.

Amazon S3’s architecture supports a wide range of use cases, from hosting static website assets to serving as a repository for backup and archival data. Each object stored in Amazon S3 can be assigned metadata and controlled with fine-grained access policies, making it suitable for both public and private data distribution. 

The service automatically scales to meet demand, eliminating the need for manual capacity planning or infrastructure management, which is especially useful for businesses with fluctuating storage requirements.

But while its flexibility is powerful, managing Amazon S3 costs requires insight into how usage translates into actual charges.

How Amazon S3 pricing works for businesses

Amazon S3 costs depend on more than just storage size. Charges are based on actual use across storage, requests, data transfer, and other features. 

Pricing varies by AWS region and changes frequently, so it’s essential to check the updated rates. There are no minimum fees beyond the free tier, and businesses pay only for what they use.

  1. Storage: Businesses are charged for the total volume of data stored in Amazon S3, calculated on a per-gigabyte-per-month basis. The cost depends on the storage class selected (such as Standard, Intelligent-Tiering, or Glacier), each offering different price points and retrieval options. Intelligent-Tiering includes multiple internal tiers with automated transitions.
  2. Requests and data retrievals: Each operation, such as GET, PUT, COPY, LIST, and DELETE, incurs a cost, often billed per thousand requests. These requests are more expensive than GETs in most regions (for example, $0.005 per 1,000 PUT vs $0.0004 per 1,000 GET in S3 Standard). Retrieving data from lower-cost storage classes (like AWS S3 Glacier) may cost more per operation.
  3. Data transfer: Moving data out of Amazon S3 to the internet, between AWS regions, or via Amazon S3 Multi-Region Access Points generates additional charges. Inbound data transfer (uploading to Amazon S3) is generally free, whereas outbound data transfer (downloading) is not. 

Note: 

  • The first 100 GB per month is free.
  • Pricing tiers reduce per GB rate as data volume increases.
  • Cross-region transfer and replication incur inter-region transfer costs.
  1. Management and analytics features: Tools like Amazon S3 Inventory, Object Tagging, Batch Operations, Storage Lens, and Storage Class Analysis add to the bill. These features help automate and monitor storage, but they come with additional fees. Basic Amazon S3 Storage Lens is free, while advanced metrics cost $0.20/million objects monitored.
  2. Replication: Configuring replication, such as Cross-Region Replication (CRR) or Same-Region Replication (SRR), triggers charges for the data copied and the operations performed during replication. RTC (Replication Time Control) adds $0.015 per GB. CRR includes inter-region transfer costs (which are often underestimated).
  3. Transformation and querying: Services like Amazon S3 Object Lambda, Amazon S3 Select, and Amazon S3 Glacier Select process or transform data on the fly, with costs based on the amount of data processed or the number of queries executed.

Note: 

  • S3 Select is only available on CSV, JSON, or Parquet.
  • Object Lambda also incurs Lambda function costs in addition to data return charges.
  1. Security and access control: Depending on the service and configuration, enabling encryption at rest (SSE-S3) and in-transit encryption (HTTPS) are free. SSE-KMS (with AWS Key Management Service) incurs $0.03 per 10,000 requests + AWS KMS key costs.
  2. Bucket location: The AWS region or Availability Zone where Amazon S3 buckets reside affects pricing, as costs can vary by location.
  3. Free tier: New AWS customers receive a limited free tier, typically including 5 GB of storage, 20,000 GET requests, 2,000 PUT/LIST/COPY/POST requests, and 15 GB of outbound data transfer per month for the first 12 months.

The way Amazon S3 charges for storage and access might not be immediately apparent at first glance. Here’s a straightforward look at the components that make up the Amazon S3 bill for businesses.

Complete breakdown of Amazon S3 costs

Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service) operates on a pay-as-you-use model with no minimum charges or upfront costs. Understanding Amazon S3 pricing requires examining multiple cost components that contribute to your monthly bills.

1. Amazon S3 Standard storage class

Amazon S3 Standard serves as the default storage tier, providing high durability and availability for frequently accessed data. Pricing follows a tiered structure:

Storage range

Price per GB

First 50 TB per month

$0.023

Next 450 TB per month

$0.022

Storage exceeding 500 TB per month

$0.021

This storage class offers high throughput and low latency, making it ideal for applications that require frequent data access.

2. Amazon S3 Standard – Infrequent Access (IA)

Designed for data accessed less frequently but requiring rapid retrieval when needed. Pricing starts at $0.0125 per GB per month, representing approximately 45% savings compared to Amazon S3 Standard. Additional charges apply for each data access or retrieval operation.

3. Amazon S3 One Zone – Infrequent Access

This storage class stores data in a single availability zone rather than distributing across multiple zones. Due to reduced redundancy, Amazon offers this option at 20% less than Standard-IA storage, with pricing starting at $0.01 per GB per month.

4. Amazon S3 Express One Zone

Introduced as a high-performance storage class for latency-sensitive applications. Recent price reductions effective April 2025 include:

Pricing Component

New Price (USD)

Previous Price (USD)

Reduction

Storage (per GB-month)

$0.11 per GB-month

$0.16

31%

PUT requests (per 1,000)

$0.00113 

$0.0025 (approx.)

55%

GET requests (per 1,000)

$0.00003

$0.00020 (approx.)

85%

Data upload (per GB)

$0.0032 

$0.01

60%

Data retrieval (per GB)

$0.0006 

$0.00

60%

Amazon S3 Express One Zone delivers data access speeds up to 10 times faster than Amazon S3 Standard and supports up to 2 million GET transactions per second.

5. Amazon S3 Glacier storage classes

Amazon S3 Glacier storage classes offer low-cost, secure storage for long-term archiving, with retrieval options ranging from milliseconds to hours based on access needs.

  • Amazon S3 Glacier instant retrieval: Archive storage offers the lowest cost for long-term data with millisecond retrieval requirements. Pricing starts at $0.004 per GB per month (approximately 68% cheaper than Standard-IA.
  • Amazon S3 Glacier flexible retrieval: Previously known as Amazon S3 Glacier, this class provides 10% cheaper storage than Glacier Instant Retrieval for archive data requiring retrieval times from minutes to 12 hours. 
    • Expedited: $0.03 per GB
    • Standard: $0.01 per GB
    • Bulk: $0.0025 per GB
    • Requests are also charged: $0.05–$0.10 per 1,000 requests depending on tier.
  • Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive: The most economical Amazon S3 storage class for long-term archival, with retrieval times up to 12 hours. Pricing starts at $0.00099 per GB per month, representing the lowest cost option for infrequently accessed data.

6. Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering

This automated cost-optimization feature moves data between access tiers based on usage patterns. Rather than a fixed storage class, it dynamically transitions data every 30, 90, or 365 days. Pricing depends on the current tier, with an additional $0.0025 per 1,000 objects monthly for monitoring.
Intelligent-Tiering supports six tiers now:

  • Frequent
  • Infrequent
  • Archive Instant
  • Archive Access
  • Deep Archive Access
  • Glacier Deep Archive (opt-in)

Data moves based on access pattern, with zero retrieval fees.

7. Amazon S3 Tables

A specialized storage option optimized for analytics workloads. Pricing includes:

  • Storage: $0.0265 per GB for the first 50 TB per month
  • PUT requests: $0.005 per 1,000 requests
  • GET requests: $0.0004 per 1,000 requests
  • Object monitoring: $0.025 per 1,000 objects
  • Compaction: $0.004 per 1,000 objects processed and $0.05 per GB processed

Amazon S3 Tables deliver up to 3x faster query performance and 10x higher transactions per second compared to standard Amazon S3 buckets for analytics applications.

Additional costs involved with Amazon S3 storage

Additional costs involved with Amazon S3 storage

With storage as just the starting point, SMs' Amazon S3 bill reflects a broader set of operations and features. Each service and request type introduces its own pricing structure, making it important to plan for these variables.

1. Request and data retrieval costs

Request pricing varies significantly across storage classes and request types:

Request Type

Amazon S3 Standard (US regions)

Amazon S3 Standard-IA

Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive

PUT, COPY, POST, LIST

$0.005 per 1,000 requests

$0.01 per 1,000 requests

$0.05 per 1,000 requests

GET, SELECT

$0.0004 per 1,000 requests

GET is charged in S3 Standard-IA at $0.01 per 1,000 requests

N/A

DELETE and CANCEL

Free

Free

N/A

Data retrievals

N/A

$0.01 per GB approx

N/A

Bulk retrievals

N/A

N/A

$0.025 per 1,000 requests

Expedited retrievals

N/A

N/A

$10 per 1,000 requests

2. Data transfer pricing

Amazon charges for outbound data transfers while inbound transfers remain free. The pricing structure includes:

1. Standard data transfer out

  • First 100 GB per month: Free (across all AWS services)
  • Up to 10 TB per month: $0.09 per GB
  • Next 40 TB: $0.085 per GB
  • Next 100 TB: $0.07 per GB
  • Above 150 TB: $0.05 per GB

2. Transfer acceleration

Amazon S3 Transfer Acceleration provides faster data transfers for an additional $0.04 per GB charge. This service routes data through AWS edge locations to improve transfer speeds, which is particularly beneficial for geographically distant users.

3. Multi-region access points

For applications requiring global data access, Amazon S3 Multi-Region Access Points add:

  • Data routing cost: $0.0033 per GB processed
  • Internet acceleration varies by region (ranging from $0.0025 to $0.06 per GB)

While optimizing data transfer can reduce outbound charges, businesses should also consider the cost of managing and analyzing stored data.

3. Management and analytics costs

  • Amazon S3 Storage lens: Offers free metrics for basic usage insights and advanced metrics at $0.20 per million objects monitored monthly.
  • Amazon S3 Analytics Storage class analysis: Helps identify infrequently accessed data for cost optimization, billed at $0.10 per million objects monitored monthly.
  • Amazon S3 Inventory: Generates reports on stored objects for auditing and compliance, costing $0.0025 per million objects listed.
  • Amazon S3 Object Tagging: Enables fine-grained object management, priced at $0.0065 per 10,000 tags per month

While these tools improve visibility and cost management, SMBs using replication must also consider the added costs of storing data across regions.

4. Replication costs

Amazon S3 replication supports both Same-Region Replication (SRR) and Cross-Region Replication (CRR), with distinct pricing components:

Same-Region Replication (SRR)

  • Standard Amazon S3 storage costs for replicated data
  • PUT request charges for replication operations
  • Data retrieval charges (for Infrequent Access tiers)

Cross-Region Replication (CRR)

  • All Same-Region Replication (SRR) costs plus inter-region data transfer charges
  • Example: 100 GB replication from N. Virginia to N. California costs approximately $6.60 total ($2.30 source storage + $2.30 destination storage + $2.00 data transfer + $0.0005 PUT requests)

Replication Time Control (RTC)

  • Additional $0.015 per GB for expedited replication

For SMBs transforming documents at the point of access, Amazon S3 Object Lambda introduces a new layer of flexibility, along with distinct costs.

5. Amazon S3 Object Lambda pricing

Amazon S3 Object Lambda transforms data during retrieval using AWS Lambda functions. Pricing includes:

  • Lambda compute charges: $0.0000167 per GB-second
  • Lambda request charges: $0.20 per million requests
  • Data return charges: $0.005 per GB of processed data returned.

For example, processing 1 million objects, each averaging 1,000 KB, with 512MB Lambda functions would cost approximately $11.45 in total ($0.40 for Amazon S3 requests, $8.55 for Lambda charges, and $2.50 for data return).

6. Transform & query cost breakdown

Amazon S3 provides tools to transform, filter, and query data directly in storage, minimizing data movement and boosting efficiency. Each feature has its own cost, based on storage class, query type, and data volume. For SMBs, understanding these costs is key to managing spend while using in-storage processing.

Amazon S3 Select pricing structure

Amazon S3 Select enables efficient data querying using SQL expressions with costs based on three components. For Amazon S3 Standard storage, organizations pay $0.0004 per 1,000 SELECT requests, $0.0007 per GB of data returned, and $0.002 per GB of data scanned. The service treats each SELECT operation as a single request regardless of the number of rows returned.

Amazon S3 Glacier Select pricing

Glacier Select pricing varies significantly based on retrieval speed tiers. Expedited queries cost $0.02 per GB scanned and $0.03 per GB returned. Standard queries charge $0.008 per GB scanned and $0.01 per GB returned. Bulk queries offer the most economical option at $0.001 per GB scanned and $0.0025 per GB returned.

Amazon S3 Object Lambda costs

Amazon S3 Object Lambda processing charges $0.005 per GB of data returned. The service relies on AWS Lambda functions, meaning organizations also incur standard AWS Lambda pricing for request volume and execution duration. AWS Lambda charges include $0.20 per million requests and compute costs based on allocated memory and execution time.

Amazon Athena query costs

Amazon Athena pricing operates at $5 per terabyte scanned per query execution with a 10 MB minimum scanning charge. This translates to approximately $0.000004768 per MB scanned, meaning small queries under 200 KB still incur the full 10 MB minimum charge. Database operations like CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE, and schema modifications remain free.

Where SMBs store their data can also influence the total price they pay for Amazon S3 services. Different AWS regions have their own pricing structures, which may affect their overall storage costs.

Here’s an interesting read: Cloudtech has earned AWS advanced tier partner status

Amazon S3 cost: Regional pricing variations

Amazon S3 pricing can change significantly depending on the AWS region selected. Storage and operational costs are not the same worldwide; regions like North Virginia, Oregon, and Ireland generally offer lower rates, while locations such as São Paulo are more expensive.

Here are some Amazon S3 pricing differences across AWS regions. Examples for Amazon S3 Standard storage (first 50 TB):

Region

Cost per GB

US East (N. Virginia), US West (Oregon), Europe (Ireland)

$0.023

US West (N. California)

$0.026

Asia Pacific (Tokyo, Sydney, Seoul)

$0.025

Europe (Frankfurt)

$0.0245

South America (São Paulo)

$0.0405

These regional differences can impact Amazon S3 costs significantly for large-scale deployments.

AWS free tier benefits

New AWS customers receive generous Amazon S3 free tier allowances for 12 months:

  • 5 GB Amazon S3 Standard storage
  • 20,000 GET requests
  • 2,000 PUT, COPY, POST, or LIST requests
  • 100 GB data transfer out monthly

The free tier provides an excellent foundation for testing and small-scale applications before transitioning to paid usage.

Beyond location, SMBs' approach to security and access management strategies also factors into their Amazon S3 expenses. Each layer of protection and control comes with its own cost considerations that merit attention.

Amazon S3 cost: security access & control pricing components

Security features in Amazon S3 help protect business data, but they also introduce specific cost elements to consider. Reviewing these components helps them budget for both protection and compliance in their storage strategy.

Amazon S3 Access Grants

Amazon S3 Access Grants are priced on a per-request basis. AWS charges a flat rate for all Access Grants requests, such as those used to obtain credentials (GetDataAccess). Delete-related requests, like DeleteAccessGrant, are free of charge. The exact per-request rate may vary by region, so SMBs should refer to the current Amazon S3 pricing page for the most up-to-date information.

Access Grants helps organizations map identities from directories (such as Active Directory or AWS IAM) to Amazon S3 datasets, enabling scalable and auditable data permissions management.

IAM Access Analyzer integration

Organizations utilizing IAM Access Analyzer for Amazon S3 security monitoring face differentiated pricing based on analyzer types. External access analyzers providing public and cross-account access findings operate at no additional charge. 

Internal access analyzers cost $9.00 per AWS resource monitored per region per month, while unused access analyzers charge $0.20 per IAM role or user per month. Custom policy checks incur charges based on the number of validation calls made through IAM Access Analyzer APIs.

Encryption services

Amazon S3 offers multiple encryption options with varying cost implications. Server-Side Encryption with Amazon S3-Managed Keys (SSE-S3) provides free encryption for all new objects without performance impact. Customer-provided key encryption (SSE-C) operates without additional Amazon S3 costs. 

AWS Key Management Service encryption (SSE-KMS) applies standard KMS pricing for key management operations. Dual-layer encryption (DSSE-KMS) costs $0.003 per gigabyte plus standard AWS KMS fees.

Amazon S3 Multi-Region Access Points

Multi-Region Access Points incur a data routing fee of $0.0033 per GB for facilitating global endpoint access across multiple AWS regions. This charge applies in addition to standard Amazon S3 costs for requests, storage, data transfer, and replication.

Accurate cost planning calls for more than a rough estimate of storage needs. AWS provides a dedicated tool to help SMBs anticipate and budget for Amazon S3 expenses with precision.

AWS pricing calculator for Amazon S3 cost estimation

AWS pricing calculator for Amazon S3 cost estimation

The AWS pricing calculator gives SMBs a clear forecast of their Amazon S3 expenses before they commit. With this tool, they can adjust their storage and access plans to better fit their budget and business needs.

1. Calculator functionality

The AWS Pricing Calculator provides comprehensive cost modeling for Amazon S3 usage scenarios. Users can estimate storage costs based on data volume, request patterns, and data transfer requirements. The tool includes historical usage data integration for logged-in AWS customers, enabling baseline cost comparisons.

2. Input parameters

Cost estimation requires several key inputs, including monthly storage volume in gigabytes or terabytes, anticipated PUT/COPY/POST/LIST request volumes, expected GET/SELECT request quantities, and data transfer volumes both inbound and outbound. The calculator applies tiered pricing automatically based on usage thresholds.

3. Pricing calculation examples

For a basic scenario involving 100 GB of monthly storage and 10,000 each of PUT and GET requests, estimated costs include $2.30 for storage, approximately $0.05 for data requests, plus variable data transfer charges starting at $0.09 per GB for outbound internet transfers.

With SMBs, Amazon S3 costs now clear, the next step is to find practical ways to reduce them. Smart planning and a few strategic choices can help them keep their storage budget in check.

What are the best strategies for optimizing Amazon S3 costs?

With a clear view of Amazon S3 cost components, SMBs can identify practical steps to reduce their storage expenses. Applying these strategies helps them control costs while maintaining the performance and security their business requires.

  • Storage class selection: Choose appropriate storage classes based on access patterns. For example, storing 1 TB of infrequently accessed data in Amazon Standard-IA instead of Standard saves approximately $129 annually ($153.60 vs $282.64).
  • Lifecycle policies: Implement automated transitions between storage classes as data ages. Objects can move from Standard to Standard-IA after 30 days, then to Amazon Glacier after 90 days, and finally to Amazon Deep Archive after 365 days.
  • Data compression: Store data in compressed formats to reduce storage volume and associated costs.
  • Object versioning management: Carefully manage object versioning to avoid unnecessary storage costs from retaining multiple versions.
  • Monitoring and analytics: Use Amazon S3 Storage Lens and other analytics tools to identify optimization opportunities, despite their additional costs.

How Cloudtech helps SMBs reduce Amazon S3 costs with AWS best practices

Cloudtech is an AWS Advanced Tier Partner specializing in offering AWS services to many SMBs. Many SMBs struggle with complex Amazon S3 pricing, underused storage classes, and inefficient data management, which can lead to unnecessary expenses. 

Cloudtech’s AWS-certified team brings deep technical expertise and practical experience to address these challenges.

  • Amazon S3 Storage class selection: Advise on the optimal mix of Amazon S3 storage tiers (Standard, Intelligent-Tiering, Glacier, etc.) to balance performance needs and cost efficiency.
  • Lifecycle policy guidance: Recommend strategies for automated data tiering and expiration to minimize storage costs without manual intervention.
  • Usage monitoring & cost optimization: Help implement monitoring for Amazon S3 usage and provide actionable insights to reduce unnecessary storage and retrieval expenses.
  • Security and compliance configuration: Ensure Amazon S3 configurations align with security best practices to prevent costly misconfigurations and data breaches.
  • Exclusive AWS partner resources: Cloudtech offers direct access to AWS support, the latest features, and beta programs for up-to-date cost management and optimization opportunities.
  • Industry-focused Amazon S3 solutions: Customize Amazon S3 strategies to SMB specific industry needs in healthcare, financial services, or manufacturing, aligning cost management with regulatory and business requirements.

Conclusion

With a clearer understanding of Amazon S3 cost structures, SMBs are better positioned to make informed decisions about cloud storage. This knowledge enables businesses to identify key cost drivers, choose the right storage classes, and manage data access patterns effectively, transforming cloud storage from an unpredictable expense into a controlled, strategic asset.

For SMBs seeking expert support, Cloudtech offers AWS-certified guidance and proven strategies for Amazon S3 cost management. Their team helps businesses maximize the value of their cloud investment through hands-on assistance and tailored solutions.

Reach out to Cloudtech today and take the next step toward smarter cloud storage.

 FAQs about Amazon S3 cost

  1. Are incomplete multipart uploads charged in AWS S3?

Yes, incomplete multipart uploads remain stored in the bucket and continue to incur storage charges until they are deleted. Setting up lifecycle policies to automatically remove these uploads helps SMBs avoid unnecessary costs

  1. Are there charges for monitoring and analytics features in AWS S3?

Yes, features such as Amazon S3 Inventory, Amazon S3 Analytics, and Amazon S3 Storage Lens have their own pricing. For example, Amazon S3 Inventory charges $0.0025 per million objects listed, and Amazon S3 Analytics costs $0.10 per million objects monitored each month.

  1. Is there a fee for transitioning data between storage classes?

Yes, moving data between Amazon S3 storage classes (such as from Standard to Glacier) incurs a transition fee, typically $0.01 per 1,000 objects.

  1. Do requests for small files cost more than for large files?

Yes, frequent access to many small files can increase request charges, since each file access is billed as a separate request. This can significantly impact costs if overlooked.

  1. Is data transfer within the same AWS region or availability zone free?

Data transfer within the same region is usually free, but transferring data between availability zones in the same region can incur charges, typically $0.01 per GB. Many users assume all intra-region traffic is free, but this is not always the case.

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Ashtutosh Yadav
Ashtutosh Yadav
Sr. Data Architect

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