Backblaze B2

Backblaze B2 is an S3-compatible object storage service operated by publicly traded Backblaze Inc.

Reviewed by 7wData
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Backblaze B2 is an S3-compatible object storage service operated by publicly traded Backblaze Inc. (Nasdaq: BLZE), offering storage at $6.95/TB/month—roughly 1/5 the cost of AWS S3 for comparable workloads. The company, founded in 2007 and based in San Mateo, manages over 5 exabytes of data across 175 countries for 500,000+ customers. B2 gained traction among backup providers, archivists, and cost-conscious organizations by eliminating surprise egress charges (free up to 3× monthly average storage) and API call fees for standard operations.

In 2026, Backblaze is pivoting aggressively toward AI workloads via B2 Neo, a white-label storage tier designed for neocloud platforms—competitors offering GPU clusters need fast, reliable data pipelines to prevent hardware sitting idle, and B2 Neo bundles branded endpoints, API-driven provisioning, and 1 Tbps throughput to solve that problem. Strengths center on cost and egress-free simplicity; trade-offs are significant: upload speed tests show 13+ minutes for 5 GB on 100 Mbps connections; data centers exist only in North America and Western Europe, creating latency for distant users; and S3 compatibility is incomplete, lacking bucket logging, IAM roles, and object tagging. The service excels for infrequent-access backup and archival but may disappoint workloads needing frequent retrieval or geographic diversity.

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How it works

  1. S3-Compatible API

    Drop-in replacement for AWS S3 that works with existing S3 tools and libraries without code changes.

  2. Free egress up to 3× monthly average storage

    Eliminates per-gigabyte egress charges for data retrieval up to 300% of average monthly stored data; overage charged at $0.01/GB.

  3. B2 Reserve capacity commitment

    Annual upfront pricing (≈$6.50/TB/year) for predictable costs and bundled egress/API calls on committed capacity.

  4. B2 Overdrive for high-throughput workloads

    Premium tier starting at $15/TB/month with unlimited free egress and up to 1 Tbps sustained throughput for AI/ML pipelines.

  5. B2 Neo white-label tier for neocloud platforms

    Branded storage endpoints and API-driven provisioning allowing neocloud operators to offer storage as a native feature without building infrastructure.

  6. Object Lock for immutable backup

    WORM (Write-Once-Read-Many) enforcement preventing ransomware deletion of backed-up data for compliance-critical workloads.

  7. Encryption and SOC 2 Type 2 compliance

    Encryption in-transit and at-rest with formal security audit certification for regulated industries.

Strengths and trade-offs

Strengths

  • Lowest published price point ($6.95/TB/month) among hot object storage—roughly 10× cheaper than AWS S3 for backup/archival patterns.
  • Free egress up to 3× monthly average storage eliminates cost surprises and rewards infrequent-access patterns (backups, disaster recovery).
  • Expanding AI/ML footprint: B2 Neo (Feb 2026) and B2 Overdrive (1 Tbps throughput) signal serious pivot toward high-performance AI training and inference pipelines.

Trade-offs

  • Upload throughput is slow: independent testing showed 13+ minutes for 5 GB at 100 Mbps—significantly slower than hyperscalers on identical connections.
  • Limited geographic footprint: data centers only in North America and Western Europe; distant users face latency penalties and no option for local residency.
  • S3 compatibility is partial: lacks bucket logging, IAM roles, object tagging, and other features despite API compatibility claim; migration from AWS may require code adjustments.

Pricing context

Backblaze B2 uses consumption-based pricing: $6.95/TB/month for standard storage, $15/TB/month for B2 Overdrive (high-throughput), and $19,500/year for 250 TB B2 Reserve (capacity commitment). Free egress up to 3× average monthly storage; overage at $0.01/GB. B2 Overdrive includes unlimited free egress.

All plans offer free Class A, B, and C API calls; Class D transactions cost $0.004 per 10,000 calls (first 2,500/day free). First 10 GB storage is free. No minimum file size or storage duration penalties. Annual billing available for Reserve tier.

Getting started with Backblaze B2

  1. Create a Backblaze B2 account

    Go to the Backblaze website and sign up for a B2 Cloud Storage account. Provide your email, set a password, and verify your email address. The first 10 GB of storage is free, so no payment is required to start.

  2. Generate an application key

    Log into the B2 web console, navigate to the App Keys section, and click 'Generate New Master Application Key'. Copy the key ID and application key—you'll need these to authenticate API calls and connect third-party tools.

  3. Configure an S3-compatible client

    Install an S3-compatible tool like rclone or Cyberduck. Enter your B2 endpoint URL (e.g., s3.us-west-004.backblazeb2.com), key ID, and application key. Set the region to match your bucket's data center location.

  4. Upload your first file

    Create a bucket in the B2 console or via the client, then upload a small file (e.g., a 10 MB backup archive). Verify the upload completes without errors and check the file appears in the bucket listing.

  5. Set up automated backups

    Schedule a cron job or use a tool like rclone to sync a local directory to your B2 bucket daily. Configure the sync command to run at a consistent time, and test it by running a manual sync to confirm files transfer correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Backblaze B2 cost per TB?

Backblaze B2 standard storage costs $6.95 per TB per month, roughly one-fifth the price of AWS S3 for similar workloads. B2 Overdrive is $15 per TB per month with unlimited free egress. B2 Reserve offers 250 TB for $19,500 per year.

Does Backblaze B2 charge for egress?

Backblaze B2 offers free egress up to three times your average monthly storage. Beyond that, overage is $0.01 per GB. B2 Overdrive includes unlimited free egress. This policy eliminates surprise charges for infrequent data retrieval like backups.

Is Backblaze B2 fully compatible with AWS S3?

Backblaze B2 supports an S3-compatible API as a drop-in replacement for many tools, but compatibility is incomplete. It lacks bucket logging, IAM roles, and object tagging. Migration from AWS may require code adjustments for these missing features.

How fast is Backblaze B2 upload speed?

Independent testing shows Backblaze B2 uploads are slow, taking over 13 minutes to upload 5 GB on a 100 Mbps connection. This is significantly slower than hyperscalers on identical connections, making it less suitable for workloads needing frequent or rapid data uploads.

Where are Backblaze B2 data centers located?

Backblaze B2 data centers are only in North America and Western Europe. This limited geographic footprint creates higher latency for users in other regions and offers no option for local data residency, which may be a drawback for global or compliance-sensitive workloads.

What is Backblaze B2 Neo for AI workloads?

Backblaze B2 Neo, announced in February 2026, is a white-label storage tier for neocloud platforms. It provides branded endpoints, API-driven provisioning, and up to 1 Tbps throughput to support fast data pipelines for AI and machine learning training workloads.

Alternatives in this category

How Backblaze B2 compares

Direct head-to-head against 3 competitors. Picked by 7wData.

This tool

Backblaze B2

Pricing
Backblaze B2 uses consumption-based pricing: $6.95/TB/month for standard storage, $15/TB/month for B2 Overdrive (high-throughput), and $19,500/year for 250 TB B2 Reserve (capacity commitment). Free egress up to 3× average monthly storage; overage at $0.01/GB. B2 Overdrive includes unlimited free egress. All plans offer free Class A, B, and C API calls; Class D transactions cost $0.004 per 10,000 calls (first 2,500/day free). First 10 GB storage is free. No minimum file size or storage duration penalties. Annual billing available for Reserve tier.
Target
Backblaze B2 is an S3-compatible object storage service operated by publicly traded Backblaze Inc.
Strength
Lowest published price point ($6.95/TB/month) among hot object storage—roughly 10× cheaper than AWS S3 for backup/archival patterns.
Watch for
Upload throughput is slow: independent testing showed 13+ minutes for 5 GB at 100 Mbps—significantly slower than hyperscalers on identical connections.

Amazon S3

Pricing
$0.023/GB/month storage; $0.09/GB egress; $0.0004/1,000 PUT requests
Target
Enterprises needing deep feature set, global regions, and compliance controls
Deployment
Public cloud
Strength
Most comprehensive lifecycle policies and object lock features
Watch for
High egress costs ($0.09/GB) can surprise heavy data retrieval users

Cloudflare R2

Pricing
$0.015/GB/month storage; $0.00 egress; $4.50/million Class A ops after free tier
Target
Developers needing zero egress costs for frequent data retrieval workflows
Deployment
Public cloud
Strength
Zero egress fees and excellent global edge network performance
Watch for
Limited immutability features and basic lifecycle rules only

Wasabi

Pricing
$0.0049/GB/month storage (90-day min); $0.00 egress; no API charges
Target
Cost-conscious users for write-once, rarely-accessed archival storage
Deployment
Public cloud
Strength
Lowest storage cost with no egress fees and no API charges
Watch for
90-day minimum storage commitment; limited Asia-Pacific regions

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Sources

Reporting on this tool draws on these publicly available sources.

  1. www.backblaze.com — Exact pricing tiers ($6.95/TB/month standard, $15/TB Overdrive, B2 Reserve annual pricing), free egress to 3× average storage, API call fees.
  2. www.backblaze.com — Company founding (2007), headquarters (San Mateo, California), publicly traded status, customer count (500,000+), data under management (5 exabytes), CEO (Gleb Budman).
  3. www.cloudwards.net — Independent strengths (S3 compatibility, pricing, free egress, UI design) and weaknesses (slow upload speed 13+ mins for 5GB, limited geographic coverage, incomplete S3 features).
  4. www.backblaze.com — B2 Neo announcement (Feb 2026), white-label neocloud partnerships, 1 Tbps throughput, positioning for AI/ML/HPC workloads.
  5. www.businesswire.com — B2 Neo launch date (Feb 23, 2026), neocloud partnership confirmation, largest TCV contract mentions, AI/ML workload support.
  6. news.ycombinator.com — Community discussion of B2 as S3 alternative with cost advantages for backup use cases (0.5 cents/GB/mo, 1 cent/GB egress, 1GB/day free).