---
title: "Edge Storage vs AWS S3"
description: "Compare Edge Storage to AWS S3. S3-compatible API, lower storage costs, free reads, and zero egress fees — no data transfer bill, ever."
url: https://edge.network/storage/compare/aws-s3/
---

# Edge Storage vs AWS S3

[Storage](https://edge.network/storage)

Storage Comparison

# Edge vs AWS S3

A detailed comparison of Edge Storage and Amazon S3 for object storage.

## How we compare to AWS S3

Amazon S3 defined object storage. It's extremely durable, deeply integrated with
the AWS ecosystem, and offers specialised storage classes for every access
pattern — if you're willing to manage them.

The catch is the bill. S3 charges for storage, for every request, and — most
painfully — for egress at around $0.09/GB. The more your data is used, the more
you pay. [Edge Storage](https://edge.network/storage) is
S3-compatible with a simpler model: $0.013/GB stored, free reads, and zero
egress fees.

If you depend on tight integrations with other AWS services or need archive
tiers like Glacier, S3 may still fit better. For everything else, the same API
costs a fraction as much on Edge — see our
[pricing](https://edge.network/pricing) and the
[getting started guide](https://edge.network/docs/storage/getting-started).

### Key Differences

- **Zero egress fees** – S3 charges ~$0.09/GB to serve your data
- **43% cheaper storage** – $0.013/GB vs $0.023/GB standard
- **Free reads** – S3 bills every GET request
- **One storage class** – No tiering decisions or retrieval fees

## Feature Comparison

How Edge Storage and AWS S3 compare feature by feature.

| Feature | Edge | AWS S3 |
| Storage Cost | $0.013/GB | $0.023/GB |
| Egress Cost | $0 | $0.09/GB |
| PUT/POST Requests | $0.004/1K | $0.005/1K |
| GET/HEAD Requests | Free | $0.0004/1K |
| S3-Compatible API | Native |
| Free Tier | 5 GB, 2 buckets | 12-month trial only |
| Sign Up Without Card |
| Edge Caching | Included | Extra (CloudFront) |
| NVMe Storage | Varies by class |
| Storage Classes to Manage | One | 8+ |
| Multi-Region | Included | Extra cost |
| Decentralized |

* AWS S3 figures are Standard-class list prices in us-east-1 at the time of writing. Prices vary by region and storage class — check AWS's current pricing.

## Monthly Cost Comparison

Real-world scenarios with typical usage patterns. Egress is where the difference explodes.

| Scenario | Edge | AWS S3 |
| 100 GB storage, 1 TB egress/mo | $1.30/mo | ~$92/mo |
| 1 TB storage, 10 TB egress/mo | $13/mo | ~$923/mo |
| 10 TB storage, 100 TB egress/mo | $130/mo | ~$9,230/mo |

* Estimates based on standard published pricing. Actual costs may vary.

## When to Choose Edge

S3 is the incumbent for a reason. Here's when Edge makes more sense.

### You serve data to users

S3's egress fee means costs scale with your success. Edge serves data at no charge — 100 TB out costs $0, not ~$9,000.

### You want simple pricing

S3 has 8+ storage classes, retrieval fees, and per-request billing. Edge has one price for storage, one for writes, and reads are free.

### You already use S3 tools

Edge Storage is S3-compatible, so the AWS CLI, SDKs, and existing integrations work with a change of endpoint. Migration is low-risk.

## Ready to try Edge?

Create a free account — no card required — and get 5 GB of S3-compatible storage free.

[Get Started with Edge Storage](https://edge.network/account) [View All Comparisons](https://edge.network/storage/compare)