Backblaze B2

Overview

Backblaze B2 is the low-cost object storage service from Backblaze, known for transparent pricing and extremely low cost. B2 storage is priced from $6/TB/month, roughly 1/5 the cost of AWS S3, making it ideal for cold data archiving, backup, and static asset hosting.

B2 partners with Cloudflare through the bandwidth alliance, making egress traffic free when B2 data is distributed via the Cloudflare CDN and significantly reducing content distribution costs. B2 offers an S3-compatible API so existing S3-based applications can migrate with standard tooling. Backblaze also provides Computer Backup for unlimited personal computer backup, forming a complete storage and backup system with B2.

Key Strengths

• Extremely Low Storage Cost: B2 storage from $6/TB/month, roughly 1/5 the cost of AWS S3, with transparent pricing and no hidden fees—a top choice for budget-sensitive storage.
• Cloudflare Bandwidth Alliance: Free egress when B2 data is distributed via the Cloudflare CDN, ideal for global static assets and media distribution.
• S3-Compatible API: S3-compatible interface lets existing S3-based applications migrate at low cost with a mature toolchain.
• Computer Backup Unlimited Backup: Unlimited personal computer backup at $9/month with automatic continuous backup and encrypted storage.
• Hard Drive Failure Reports: Public failure-rate data covering 200,000+ drives provides transparent reliability references for storage selection.

Product Ecosystem

B2 Cloud Storage

Low-cost object storage at $6/TB/month with S3-compatible API, versioning, lifecycle management, and server-side encryption, suitable for backup, archiving, and static asset hosting.

Computer Backup

Unlimited backup for personal computers supporting Windows/macOS with automatic continuous backup and encrypted storage and transfer.

Cloudflare Bandwidth Alliance

Deep integration with Cloudflare CDN with free egress, ideal for global content distribution combined with CDN acceleration.

Limitations

• Not a General Cloud Platform: B2 focuses on object storage and backup; it does not provide compute instances, databases, or other general cloud services, requiring other platforms for a complete architecture.
• Higher China Access Latency: No local nodes in mainland China; domestic users face higher latency accessing B2 data, requiring acceleration or local storage.
• Limited Depth vs. AWS S3: Compared to S3's rich feature set and ecosystem, B2 has limited advanced features and third-party integration depth.

Use Cases

• Cold Data Archiving & Backup (★★★★★): Long-term archiving and backup at 1/5 the cost of S3, reliable and economical.
• Static Asset Hosting (★★★★★): Images, video, and static site assets with free egress via Cloudflare CDN.
• S3 Migration Scenarios (★★★★): S3-compatible API supports low-cost migration for budget-sensitive storage needs.
• Personal Computer Backup (★★★★): Computer Backup with unlimited backup for continuous personal data protection.
• China-Focused Users (★★): No local nodes with higher domestic latency; evaluate local storage options.

Pricing

B2 pricing is transparent with no hidden fees. Computer Backup is subscribed monthly or annually; see the official site for current prices.

FAQ

• How does B2 differ from AWS S3? B2 is priced at roughly 1/5 of S3 with an S3-compatible API, ideal for low-cost storage; S3 has a richer ecosystem and toolchain—see the object storage & CDN migration reference.
• Is B2 suitable for Chinese users? No local nodes in mainland China with higher domestic latency; combine local storage or the cross-border website guide.
• Is B2 data secure? Server-side and transfer encryption, versioning, and lifecycle management, combined with the website backup strategy, build a complete data protection solution.
• How does B2 relate to Computer Backup? Both are part of the Backblaze ecosystem: B2 targets developers and businesses needing object storage, while Computer Backup targets personal computer backup—see the storage selection guide.