Amazon S3 vs. Microsoft Azure Blob Storage

Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) and Microsoft Azure Blob Storage are both leading cloud storage solutions that offer scalable, durable, and secure storage options for businesses. However, there are competitive differences between the two platforms that organizations should consider when selecting a cloud storage provider.

For example, Amazon S3—part of the Amazon Web Services (AWS) ecosystem—offers a pay-as-you-go model with various storage classes to suit different needs. Its flexible pricing, based on storage capacity, data transfer, and storage tier, enables businesses to optimize costs according to their specific requirements.

In contrast, Microsoft Azure Blob Storage, integrated with the Microsoft cloud ecosystem, features a similar pay-as-you-go pricing model with different storage account types and access tiers (hot, cool, and archive). These tiers allow users to store data based on access frequency and retention period, balancing performance and cost. The choice between Amazon S3 and Microsoft Azure Blob Storage depends on many factors, including but not limited to your organization's existing infrastructure, ecosystem preferences, and storage needs.

Below, we break down the main differences between these two object storage solutions and contrast them with our own service offering, Telnyx Cloud Storage.

Cost comparison: S3, Azure Blob, and Telnyx Storage

Amazon S3	Microsoft Azure Blob Storage	Telnyx Storage
$0.023 per GB/month $5 per 1 million Class A operations $0.40 per 1 million Class B operations $0.09 per GB/month egress Multiple tiers available as well	$0.018 per GB/month $6.5 per 1 million Class A operations $0.50 per 1 million Class B operations ^based on "hot" tier $0.087 per GB/month egress Multiple tiers available as well	$0.006 per GB/month $0.50 per 1 million Class A Operations $0.04 per 1 million Class B operations No egress fees

Notably, Microsoft Azure Blob Storage is cheaper than Amazon S3 when considering the cost per GB, per month. However, the cost of Microsoft Azure Blog Storage increases when it comes to their “hot” tier for Class A and Class B operations. Egress fees are also slightly more expensive with S3. Telnyx Cloud Storage, in comparison, is significantly more cost-effective per GB, per month than either alternative. Egress fees aren’t a consideration with Telnyx Cloud Storage as they remain free.

Winner: Telnyx. Its lower cost and lack of egress fees make Telnyx the clear winner when it comes to affordability.

Amazon S3 vs. Azure Blob performance, security, and scalability

Regarding performance, Amazon S3 is highly scalable with fast data retrieval and transfer fees. Azure Blob hosts high-performance storage with tiered access options and multiple data centers. Both services are highly secure, with Amazon S3 providing strong data protection features, including data encryption, access control, and compliance certifications, and Azure Blob boasting strong data encryption and user access control, with compliance certifications and advanced threat protection features.

When it comes to scalability, both are highly scalable, Amazon S3 supporting unlimited storage and automatic data replication, and Azure Blob supporting large file sizes and automatic data replication. In addition, Telnyx Cloud Storage also hosts high-speed, low-latency storage with multiple data center locations for ease of access and redundancy.

Winner: All three options are pretty equal when it comes to performance, security, and scalability.

Amazon S3 vs. Azure Blob integrations, durability, and ecosystems

Similar to Telnyx Cloud Storage, both Amazon S3 and Azure Blob offer APIs and SDKs for integration with third-party tools and applications. Support on all three platforms is well-established with a reputation for reliability and strong security features. All claim 11 nines of durability with automatic data replication to multiple data centers and all support multi-cloud deployment and integration with other cloud providers.

Regarding ecosystems and integrations, Amazon S3 is part of the broader Amazon Web Services (AWS) ecosystem, while Microsoft Azure is part of the Microsoft cloud ecosystem. Each platform offers a range of additional services and integrations that can enhance the overall cloud storage experience.

Winner: As above, all three options are highly durable. When it comes to ecosystems, the right fit will be dependent on your exact business needs.

Pick the storage solution that’s right for you

Ultimately, all three providers are strong options for your object storage needs. It’s vital for your business to consider all of the factors above when selecting your object storage provider. The right choice can reduce costs, improve IT efficiency, and enhance your overall cloud performance.

By evaluating aspects such as pricing models, storage tiers, data transfer costs, ecosystem integrations, and scalability, you can find the storage solution that supports your infrastructure and business goals.

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Get started with Telnyx Storage today

Enjoy our scale-friendly free tier by signing up for a Telnyx account and logging into the Mission Control Portal. Telnyx offers 24/7/365 support, and our developers have created straightforward API documentation that includes a quickstart guide and step-by-step tutorials so you can create your storage application.

Talk to a storage expert today to learn more.

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Amazon S3 pricing retrieved from aws.amazon.com/s3/pricing on 11/18/2022. All Amazon S3 prices assume data is stored in US-East-1 (Ohio) using S3 Standard storage class. Telnyx Storage pricing retrieved on 12/15/2022.