Azure Blob Storage vs Cloudflare R2

Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial

Azure Blob Storage

Microsoft Azure's object storage for unstructured data, backups, archives and data lakes.

Paid

Visit Azure Blob Storage Azure Blob Storage profile

Cloudflare R2

Cloudflare's S3-compatible object storage with no egress fees and a monthly free tier.

Free plan + paid

Visit Cloudflare R2 Cloudflare R2 profile

The short answer

Azure Blob Storage suits organisations on Microsoft Azure that need several access tiers, Entra ID access control and a data lake layer. Cloudflare R2 suits developers serving files to the web who want no egress fees and an S3-compatible API. The biggest difference is cost of serving data: Azure bills data transfer out, while R2 charges none.

Azure Blob Storage or Cloudflare R2: our take

These two services are both object storage but aim at different jobs. Azure Blob Storage is a full enterprise storage platform inside Microsoft's cloud. Cloudflare R2 is a simpler store tuned for delivering data over the internet and for apps running on Cloudflare's developer platform.

Azure Blob Storage offers five access tiers (Premium, Hot, Cool, Cold and Archive) with lifecycle rules to move data between them, Data Lake Storage for analytics engines, and access control through Entra ID and role-based access control. It is used for backups, media, tape replacement and analytics pipelines. Billing covers storage, operations and data transfer out, with reserved capacity discounts for large volumes; there is no permanent free tier, only a $200 credit for 30 days on new accounts. It is not S3-compatible, so S3 tools need adapting.

Cloudflare R2 charges no egress fees on any storage class, prices Standard storage at $0.015 per GB-month, and includes a free tier of 10 GB of storage plus a monthly allowance of operations. It speaks the S3 API, so existing S3 SDKs work after an endpoint change, and it has a native API for Cloudflare Workers. It also has migration tools to copy data in from other providers. The trade-offs are fewer storage tiers and data management features, retrieval fees on its Infrequent Access class, and relatively expensive write operations.

Choose Azure Blob Storage when data needs to stay close to Azure workloads and Microsoft identity, or when archive tiers and analytics matter. Choose R2 when the main cost would be bandwidth, such as public assets, downloads or media, or when building on Workers. Some teams use both: Azure for internal data and archives, R2 for public delivery.

Choose Azure Blob Storage if…

Organisations on Microsoft Azure that want object storage tied into Entra ID and Azure analytics.
Five access tiers from Premium down to Archive
Entra ID and role-based access control built in

Choose Cloudflare R2 if…

Developers serving files to the web who want to avoid egress fees, especially on Cloudflare Workers
You want a free option (Azure Blob Storage is paid only)
No egress charges for any storage class
Free tier of 10 GB storage and millions of operations a month

What is Azure Blob Storage?

Azure Blob Storage is Microsoft's object storage service, holding files of any kind as blobs inside storage accounts. You choose an access tier per object or account: Premium for low-latency workloads, Hot for frequently used data, Cool and Cold for infrequent access, and Archive for long-term retention at the lowest price, with lifecycle rules moving data between them. Data Lake Storage adds a hierarchical file namespace on top for analytics engines. Access can be controlled with Microsoft Entra ID and role-based access control, and data is encrypted at rest. It is used for app uploads, media, backups, tape replacement and analytics pipelines, and integrates with the rest of Azure. Billing is pay-as-you-go per gigabyte stored, operations and data transfer, with reserved capacity discounts; new accounts can try Azure free for a limited period. It suits organisations already invested in Microsoft's cloud and identity tools.

What is Cloudflare R2?

Cloudflare R2 is an object storage service on Cloudflare's developer platform. It exposes an S3-compatible API, so existing S3 tools and SDKs work after switching the endpoint, and it also has a native API for Cloudflare Workers, which lets serverless code read and write buckets without managing keys. The main draw is that R2 charges nothing for egress, so serving files, images or datasets to the internet doesn't add bandwidth bills. You pay for stored data and for two classes of operations, with a Standard class and a cheaper Infrequent Access class that adds retrieval fees. A free tier covers 10 GB of Standard storage plus a set number of reads and writes each month. Migration tools can copy data from other S3-style providers, either in bulk or gradually as objects are requested. It runs entirely in Cloudflare's network and is managed from the dashboard, API or CLI. It suits developers serving public assets or building apps on Cloudflare.

Side by side

Attribute	Azure Blob Storage	Cloudflare R2
Pricing	Paid	Free plan + paid
Open source	No	No
Self-hostable	No	No
Platforms	Web	Web
Best for	Organisations on Microsoft Azure that want object storage tied into Entra ID and Azure analytics.	Developers serving files to the web who want to avoid egress fees, especially on Cloudflare Workers
Status	Active	Active