Backblaze B2 vs Google Cloud Storage
Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial
Backblaze B2
Low-cost S3-compatible object storage for backups, media and application data.
Google Cloud Storage
Google Cloud's object storage service for files, backups, data lakes and website assets.
The short answer
Backblaze B2 suits developers and IT teams who want cheap, predictable S3-compatible storage with free egress up to 3x stored data and no minimum storage duration. Google Cloud Storage suits teams already on Google Cloud who need storage classes, multi-region buckets and direct links to BigQuery and Vertex AI. The biggest difference is simple low pricing versus deep platform integration.
Backblaze B2 or Google Cloud Storage: our take
Backblaze B2 has a single always-hot storage tier priced per terabyte, starting at $6.95 per TB/month, with the first 10 GB free. Downloads are free up to three times what you store each month, basic API calls are free on pay-as-you-go, and there are no minimum file size or minimum storage duration fees. Google Cloud Storage offers four classes, Standard, Nearline, Coldline and Archive, that trade lower monthly prices for minimum storage periods on the colder ones. Lifecycle rules and Autoclass can move objects between classes automatically. Dual-region Standard storage, for example, is listed at $0.022 per GB/month for each region SKU (Iowa + Oregon). Outbound data transfer is billed, and the number of line items makes costs harder to predict.
Free allowances differ too. B2 gives the first 10 GB of storage free. Google gives 5 GiB of Standard storage per month plus $300 in free credits for new customers.
The bigger split is ecosystem. Google Cloud Storage plugs directly into BigQuery, Vertex AI, Cloud Run and the rest of Google Cloud, and buckets can be regional, dual-region or multi-region. B2 is a standalone service with an S3-compatible API and its own native API, so backup tools, NAS devices and media apps can point at it with little more than an endpoint change. It has fewer regions and fewer managed services around it, though a faster B2 Overdrive tier targets AI and high-throughput workloads, and many CDN and compute partners get free egress.
Pick Backblaze B2 for backups, media archives and app storage where cost and predictable bills matter most and you don't need a surrounding cloud platform. Pick Google Cloud Storage if your compute, analytics or machine learning already runs on Google Cloud, if you need multi-region buckets, or if colder archive classes suit your data.
Which should you pick?
Choose Backblaze B2 if…
- Developers and IT teams who want cheap S3-compatible storage without minimum duration fees
- First 10 GB of storage is free
- No minimum file size or storage duration fees
Choose Google Cloud Storage if…
- Teams on Google Cloud that need durable object storage close to their compute and analytics.
- Four storage classes with automatic lifecycle moves
- Small monthly free allowance plus starting credits
About each app
What is Backblaze B2?
Backblaze B2 Cloud Storage is an object storage service from the company behind Backblaze's personal computer backup. It offers an S3-compatible API alongside its own native API, so backup tools, NAS devices, media workflows and apps can store data in buckets without code changes beyond an endpoint. Pricing is per terabyte stored with a single always-hot tier, and the first 10 GB is free. Downloads are free up to three times the amount you store each month, and many CDN and compute partners get free egress beyond that. Basic API calls are free for pay-as-you-go accounts, and there are no minimum file size or minimum storage duration fees, unlike several rivals. Capacity can also be bought annually with volume discounts, and a faster B2 Overdrive tier targets AI and high-throughput workloads. It runs as a web service with a browser console and command-line tools. It suits developers, IT teams and creators who want cheap, predictable cloud storage.
What is Google Cloud Storage?
Google Cloud Storage keeps files of any size as objects in buckets and serves them over an API, the Google Cloud counterpart to Amazon S3. It offers four main storage classes, Standard, Nearline, Coldline and Archive, which trade a lower monthly price for minimum storage periods on the colder classes. Lifecycle rules and Autoclass can move objects between classes automatically based on access. Buckets can be regional, dual-region or multi-region, and the service plugs directly into BigQuery, Vertex AI, Cloud Run and the rest of Google Cloud. Developers use it for app uploads, static assets, backups, analytics data and machine-learning datasets. Pricing is pay-as-you-go for storage, operations and outbound data transfer, with a small monthly free allowance and starting credits for new customers. It is a sensible default for teams already running on Google Cloud, and less so for those wanting zero egress fees.
Side by side
| Attribute | Backblaze B2 | Google Cloud Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Platforms | Web | Web |
| Best for | Developers and IT teams who want cheap S3-compatible storage without minimum duration fees | Teams on Google Cloud that need durable object storage close to their compute and analytics. |
| Status | Active | Active |
Backblaze B2 vs Google Cloud Storage pricing
Backblaze B2: free plan + paid
- Starting price: $6.95 per TB/month source
- Free storage: First 10 GB source
- Free egress: Up to 3x stored data source
Google Cloud Storage: free plan + paid
- Free tier: 5 GiB Standard storage per month source
- Free plan: Yes, 5 GB-months of Standard storage source
Platforms
| Platform | Backblaze B2 | Google Cloud Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Web |
Backblaze B2 facts
5 of 5 verified- Starting price
- $6.95 per TB/month
- Checked Nov 8, 2026backblaze.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Starts at $ 6.95 / TB / mo”
- Free storage
- First 10 GB
- Checked Nov 8, 2026backblaze.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “First 10GB storage is always free.”
- Free egress
- Up to 3x stored data
- Checked Nov 8, 2026backblaze.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Free egress up to 3x storage”
- Minimum storage duration
- None
- Checked Nov 8, 2026backblaze.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “No minimum file size fees No minimum storage duration fees”
- S3 compatible
- Yes
- Checked Nov 8, 2026backblaze.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “S3 compatible object storage—at a fraction of the cost.”
Google Cloud Storage facts
6 of 6 verified- Free tier
- 5 GiB Standard storage per month
- Checked Nov 8, 2026cloud.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Get 5 GiB of standard storage, 55,000 operations, 100 GiB of data transfer, and more for free each month.”
- Storage classes
- Standard, Nearline, Coldline, Archive
- Checked Nov 8, 2026cloud.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Product highlights Automatically transition to lower-cost storage classes Standard, nearline, coldline, and archive storage options”
- Minimum duration
- Applies to Nearline, Coldline and Archive
- Checked Nov 8, 2026cloud.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Minimum storage duration A minimum storage duration applies to data stored using Nearline storage, Coldline storage, or Archive storage.”
- Dual-region Standard storage
- $0.022 per GB/month for each region SKU (Iowa + Oregon)
- Checked Nov 8, 2026cloud.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “billed at $0.022 per GB per month”
- Free plan
- Yes, 5 GB-months of Standard storage
- Checked Nov 8, 2026cloud.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Resource Monthly Free Usage Limits 1 Standard storage 5 GB-months”
- New customer credit
- $300 in free credits
- Checked Nov 8, 2026cloud.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “$300 in free credits and 20+ free products.”
Pros and cons of Backblaze B2
- First 10 GB of storage is free
- No minimum file size or storage duration fees
- Free egress up to three times stored data
- Common API calls are free on pay-as-you-go
- Egress beyond three times your stored data is billed
- Fewer regions and managed services around it than AWS
- Some API call types still carry small charges
Pros and cons of Google Cloud Storage
- Four storage classes with automatic lifecycle moves
- Small monthly free allowance plus starting credits
- Works directly with BigQuery and other Google Cloud services
- Regional, dual-region and multi-region bucket options
- Outbound data transfer is billed, unlike Cloudflare R2
- Colder classes carry minimum storage durations
- Pricing has many line items and is hard to predict
Other apps to consider
- WaWasabi
Instead of Backblaze B2
Flat per-terabyte pricing with no egress or API fees at all, though with a 90-day minimum storage period.
Cloudflare R2Instead of Backblaze B2
Unlimited free egress and a free monthly tier, a better fit for data served heavily to the web.
Amazon S3Instead of Backblaze B2
More storage classes, regions and AWS service integrations, at a higher price per gigabyte.
Azure Blob StorageInstead of Google Cloud Storage
Microsoft's equivalent with Hot to Archive tiers, for teams whose workloads run on Azure.
MinIOInstead of Google Cloud Storage
S3-compatible object store you host yourself, for keeping data on your own hardware.
Backblaze B2 vs Google Cloud Storage: common questions
Is Backblaze B2 better than Google Cloud Storage?
Backblaze B2 suits developers and IT teams who want cheap, predictable S3-compatible storage with free egress up to 3x stored data and no minimum storage duration. Google Cloud Storage suits teams already on Google Cloud who need storage classes, multi-region buckets and direct links to BigQuery and Vertex AI. The biggest difference is simple low pricing versus deep platform integration.
Is Backblaze B2 free?
Backblaze B2 has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.
Is Google Cloud Storage free?
Google Cloud Storage has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.
Is Backblaze B2 or Google Cloud Storage open source?
Neither is open source.
Which platforms do Backblaze B2 and Google Cloud Storage support?
Backblaze B2: Web. Google Cloud Storage: Web.