The big cloud comparison: which storage is the most valuable for you?

Last time, we looked at whether and when it makes sense to consider cloud services for your business or organization's needs. Today, we'll take a closer look at one of the important factors to consider when choosing a cloud service provider - price.

However, while cloud services offer a number of benefits such as scalability, flexibility and security, the cost of using cloud services can vary significantly depending on the provider and the specific services used. In this discussion, we will compare service pricing and data storage options among the major cloud service providers, as well as some of the less expensive solutions available. Understanding the differences in pricing will help you make an informed decision when choosing a cloud service provider that fits your budget and business needs.

Main features of the compared platforms

The top five cloud providers are Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Alibaba Cloud and IBM Cloud.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

A comprehensive, evolving cloud computing platform provided by Amazon. It offers a wide range of services including storage, networking, database and application services, as well as various management and security tools. AWS is considered a leader in the cloud computing market and is known for its scalability, reliability and flexibility.

Microsoft Azure

A cloud computing platform and infrastructure created by Microsoft to build, deploy, and manage applications and services across a global network of Microsoft-managed data centers. Azure services are similar to AWS services, but more focused on integration with other Microsoft products and services, and are considered as a powerful alternative for enterprise customers.

Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

A cloud computing platform provided by Google. It offers a variety of services including storage, networking and big data analytics, as well as machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities. GCP is considered a strong player in the cloud services market, particularly for its data analytics and machine learning services.

Alibaba Cloud

Cloud computing platform provided by Alibaba Group. It offers a wide range of services including storage, networking and databases, as well as artificial intelligence and big data analytics capabilities. Alibaba Cloud is particularly popular in the Asia-Pacific region and is considered a strong player in the cloud services market, especially in China.

IBM Cloud

A cloud computing platform provided by IBM. It offers a wide range of services including storage, networking and databases, as well as artificial intelligence and blockchain capabilities. IBM Cloud is considered a strong player in the cloud services market, particularly for its enterprise-level services and focus on hybrid cloud solutions.

The cloud services of these five providers are widely used, have different strengths and areas of focus, and could be considered as great alternatives depending on the use case and specific project requirements.

Pricing models of cloud services

Pricing for cloud services may vary depending on the provider, the specific services used and the customer's usage patterns. However, all of the five major cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP, Alibaba Cloud and IBM Cloud) offer pay-as-you-go pricing models where customers pay only for the resources they use.

AWS and Azure are generally more expensive for certain services and may require larger upfront investments, while GCP may be more cost-effective for certain services and may offer more favourable pricing for long-term commitments. Alibaba Cloud is considered more cost-effective than other major providers, especially for customers in the Asia-Pacific region. IBM Cloud has a more flexible pricing model with various payment options such as subscription, hourly and metered billing or pay as you go.

In general, it is important to assess the pricing of each provider based on the specific services and usage models needed for your project, as well as any discounts or promotions that may be available. In addition, it's also worth considering that some providers may offer free tiers or free trials of certain services, which can be a good way to try out a platform before committing to a long-term contract.

Pricing models for cloud storage

Prices for data storage services may vary depending on the provider, the specific data storage service used and the customer's usage pattern. However, all five major cloud providers offer different storage options, each with different pricing models.

AWS offers a variety of storage options, including S3 for object storage and EBS for block storage. The price for S3 storage is based on the amount of data stored per month and the number of requests made, with a lower price per gigabyte for larger amounts of data stored. EBS pricing is based on the amount of storage provided, the required input/output operations per second (IOPS), and the data transfer from the EBS volume.

Azure offers a variety of storage options, including Blob Storage for object storage and Disk Storage for block storage. Blob Storage pricing is based on the amount of data stored per month and the number of requests made, with a lower price per gigabyte for larger amounts of data stored. The price for disk storage is based on the amount of storage provided, the IOPS required, and the data transferred from the disk.

GCP offers a variety of storage options including Cloud Storage for object storage and Persistent Disk for block storage. Pricing for Cloud Storage is based on the amount of data stored per month, the number of requests made, and the amount of data transferred out. Pricing for Persistent Disk is based on the amount of storage provided, IOPS requested, and data transferred out of the disk.

Alibaba Cloud offers various storage options including Object Storage Service (OSS) for object storage and Elastic Block Storage (EBS) for block storage. OSS pricing is based on the amount of data stored per month, the number of requests made, and the amount of data transferred out. EBS pricing is based on the amount of storage provided, IOPS requested, and data transferred out of disk.

IBM Cloud offers a variety of storage options including IBM Cloud Object Storage for object storage and IBM Block Storage for block storage. Pricing for IBM Cloud Object Storage is based on the amount of data stored per month, the number of requests made, and the amount of data transferred out. Pricing for IBM Block Storage is based on the amount of storage provided, IOPS requested, and data transferred off disk.

In general, it's important to evaluate each provider's pricing based on the specific storage service and usage models needed for your project, as well as any discounts or promotions that may be available. In addition, it's also worth considering that some providers may offer free tiers or free trials of certain storage services, which can be a good way to try out a platform before committing to a long-term contract.

Less expensive options

The most affordable storage options for each provider may vary depending on specific usage patterns and project requirements, but here are a few storage options that are generally considered cost-effective for each of the five major cloud providers:

AWS:

S3 Standard-Infrequent Access (S3 Standard-IA) and S3 Glacier are considered some of the least expensive storage options offered by AWS. S3 Standard-IA is a cheaper class of storage that is designed for data that is accessed less frequently, while S3 Glacier is an extremely inexpensive class of storage that is used for archiving data.

Azure:

Azure Blob Storage Hot and Cool are considered some of the cheapest storage options offered by Azure. The Hot level is for data that will be accessed frequently, and the Cool level is for data that will be accessed less frequently.

GCP:

Google Cloud Storage Nearline and Coldline are considered some of the cheapest storage options offered by GCP. Nearline is for data that will be accessed occasionally, and Coldline is for data that will be accessed even less frequently.

Alibaba Cloud:

Object Storage Service (OSS) and Archive Storage are considered to be some of the cheapest storage options offered by Alibaba Cloud. OSS is a low-cost, highly scalable and secure object storage service, while Archive Storage is a long-term, low-cost storage service for data that is accessed infrequently.

IBM Cloud:

IBM Cloud Object Storage and IBM Cloud File Storage are considered to be some of the lowest-cost storage options offered by IBM Cloud. IBM Cloud Object Storage is a cost-effective, highly scalable and secure object storage service, while IBM Cloud File Storage is a cost-effective file storage service that can be accessed from anywhere.

It is worth noting that these options are considered cost-effective storage, but depending on the use case and requirements, other services such as data transfer, data retrieval, number of requests, etc. may affect the final cost and should be considered.

Some numbers

Specific pricing for storage options may vary depending on specific usage patterns and project requirements, as well as the region in which the services are used. However, here are some examples of approximate costs for each of the five major cloud service providers:

AWS:

S3 Standard-Infrequent Access (S3 Standard-IA): $0.021 per GB per month

S3 Glacier storage: $0.00099 per GB per month

Azure:

Azure Blob Storage Hot tier: $0.0166 per GB per month

Azure Blob Storage Cool tier: $0.01 per GB per month

GCP:

Google Cloud Storage Nearline: $0.01 per GB per month

Google Cloud Storage Coldline storage: $0.004 per GB per month

Alibaba Cloud:

Object Storage Service (OSS) storage: $0.017 per GB per month

Archive Storage: $0.0045 per GB per month

IBM Cloud:

IBM Cloud Object Storage Hot: $0.0227 per GB per month

IBM Cloud File Storage: $0.05 per GB per month

It should be noted that these prices are approximate and may vary depending on the region, type of storage and amount of storage used. In addition, these prices are for storage only and do not include additional charges such as data transfer or retrieval. It is important to review the pricing details and calculate the total cost of the service based on your specific usage patterns and requirements.

Less well-known providers with fewer options

Backblaze B2

Backblaze B2 is a cloud storage provider that offers very low pricing for storage, with long-term storage costs starting at $0.005/GB/month.

Wasabi

Wasabi is a cloud storage provider that offers storage at a lower price. Its prices are based on the amount of storage used per month and start at $0.0059/GB/month.

Vultr

Vultr is a cloud storage provider that offers inexpensive block storage options with costs starting at $0.1/GB/month.

DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean is a cloud storage provider that offers inexpensive block storage options with costs starting at $0.10/GB/month.

Upcloud

Upcloud is a cloud storage provider that offers inexpensive block storage options with costs as low as $0.056/GB/month.

MinIO

MinIO is an open source object storage provider that offers a high-performance S3-compatible storage service. It can be installed locally or in the cloud, enabling cost-effective storage options without being tied to a vendor. Costs from $0.01/GB/month.

Linode

Linode is a cloud hosting provider that offers block storage options with costs starting at $0.10/GB/month.

Conclusion

In summary, price is an important factor to consider along with other factors such as reliability, security and scalability when choosing a cloud provider. Although the major cloud service providers (AWS, Azure, GCP, Alibaba Cloud and IBM Cloud) offer a range of storage options, cheaper alternatives are also available, such as Backblaze B2, Wasabi, Vultr and DigitalOcean.

However, it's important to assess each provider's services based on your specific needs and requirements and consider any additional costs such as data transfer and retrieval fees. By comparing pricing options between cloud service providers, you can make an effective decision that fits your budget and business needs.