Cloudflare R2 launched the Super Slurper tool, enabling one-click data migration from AWS S3, Azure Blob Storage, Google Cloud Storage, and other platforms to R2. For website operators and SaaS teams heavily reliant on cloud storage, this tool addresses one of the biggest barriers to adopting alternative storage providers: the cost and complexity of migrating existing data.

Key Features

  • Zero-cost migration: No data transfer fees during migration
  • Fully managed: No need to set up and operate migration servers
  • Incremental sync: Supports continuous synchronization for zero-downtime migration

Super Slurper makes cloud storage migration dramatically simpler than traditional approaches involving aws s3 sync, rclone, or third-party scripts.

S3 vs R2 Cost Comparison

The core driver for migrating from S3 to R2 is cost. Here is a monthly cost comparison for a typical use case (50TB storage, 10TB monthly egress, 10 million API requests):

Cost Item AWS S3 (Standard) Cloudflare R2 Difference
Storage $1,150 ($0.023/GB) $765 ($0.015/GB after 10GB free) Save $385/month
Egress (download) $900 ($0.09/GB, first 100TB) $0 Save $900/month
API Requests $50 ($0.005/1000 PUT + $0.0004/10000 GET) $0 (free requests) Save $50/month
Migration data transfer $0 (inbound is free) $0 (Super Slurper is free) Neutral
Monthly Total $2,100 $765 ~64% savings

Note: Pricing based on Q2 2026 published rates. Actual costs vary by storage class, request patterns, and region. R2's zero egress fee is especially advantageous for high-traffic workloads.

Additionally, R2's integration with Cloudflare CDN means cache-hit traffic is completely free. If your data is frequently served through edge nodes (images, CSS/JS files, video clips), cache hit rates of 30-60% can further reduce effective costs.

Detailed Migration Steps

Here is the step-by-step process for migrating from S3 to R2 using Super Slurper:

Preparation:

  1. Create an R2 bucket. In the Cloudflare dashboard under R2, click "Create Bucket", enter a name, and select a region. Choose a location close to your primary user base.
  2. Generate S3 access credentials. In the AWS IAM console, create an access key with s3:ListBucket and s3:GetObject permissions. Use a dedicated IAM user scoped only to the buckets being migrated.
  3. Configure Cloudflare API token. Create an API token in the Cloudflare dashboard with R2:Read and R2:Write permissions.

Execution:

  1. In the Cloudflare dashboard, navigate to R2 → Data Migration → Super Slurper.
  2. Select "Amazon S3" as the source, then enter the AWS region (e.g., us-east-1), bucket name, and access credentials.
  3. Select the target R2 bucket.
  4. Choose a migration mode:
    • One-time migration: Copies all data once and stops. Suitable for static data or planned maintenance windows.
    • Incremental sync: Continuously monitors the source for changes and syncs new/modified files. Best for zero-downtime migration scenarios.
  5. Click start. The dashboard displays migration progress, file count, and bytes transferred.

Post-migration validation:

  1. Verify total file count and total size match between source and target.
  2. Access a sample of critical files via the r2:// protocol to confirm data integrity.
  3. Update your application's SDK/API configuration to point to R2 instead of S3.
  4. Monitor R2 request volume and error rates in the Cloudflare dashboard.
  5. Retain source data for at least 30 days before cleanup, ensuring the new system is stable.

When to Use R2 and Super Slurper

The suitability of migrating to R2 varies by use case:

Strongly recommended:

  • Image and static asset hosting: Website images, CSS/JS files, PDF documents. These files have high access frequency and bandwidth costs; R2's zero egress fee delivers significant savings.
  • Backup storage: Database backups, log archives, and other infrequently accessed data. While R2's per-GB storage price is slightly higher than S3 Glacier, it has no minimum storage duration or retrieval fees, making it competitive for smaller-scale scenarios.
  • Multi-region content distribution: If your business serves a global audience, R2 leverages Cloudflare's edge network for simpler and more cost-effective origin serving compared to S3 CRR.

Evaluate carefully:

  • High-frequency read/write database workloads: R2's object storage architecture is not suitable as a primary database. If your application requires strong consistency or sub-10ms latency, use a dedicated database service.
  • Applications deeply coupled with the AWS ecosystem: Heavy use of AWS Lambda, Athena, EMR, or other S3-integrated services may require architectural changes when migrating to R2. Start with non-critical data to validate compatibility.
  • Compliance-sensitive data: R2 currently offers fewer data residency options than S3. Confirm that R2 has data centers in your required regions before migrating regulated data.

Summary

Cloudflare R2's Super Slurper tool significantly lowers the barrier to cloud storage migration. Zero migration data transfer fees and zero egress charges are its strongest competitive advantages. For users seeking an AWS S3 alternative — especially those looking to reduce bandwidth costs — R2 and Super Slurper deserve serious evaluation. Start with a small set of non-critical data to validate performance, compatibility, and cost savings before expanding the migration scope.