Choosing the right cloud storage can feel like picking between two beautifully engineered cars. Both will get you where you need to go, but the drive — and the long-term costs — feel very different. After designing architectures on both Cloudflare R2 and AWS S3, I’ve seen those differences up close.
They’re similar on the surface, but once you dive into pricing models and design philosophy, the gaps become impossible to ignore. One of my streaming clients saved six figures simply by moving part of their workload, and the impact was immediate.
This guide breaks down the technical and financial details you actually care about: how storage and retrieval work, what the real-world latency looks like, which features matter, and — most importantly — how the costs stack up. I’ll call out the exact situations where R2’s zero egress fees make an enormous difference, and where S3’s ecosystem is so powerful that it becomes non-negotiable. Let’s get into it.
What Is Cloudflare R2?
Cloudflare R2 is a modern object storage service introduced in 2021, built with one clear mission — to completely remove egress fees. In simple terms, you can store your files there and send them to users without worrying about surprise bandwidth charges every month. It’s designed to give developers predictable costs and peace of mind, especially when their apps handle a lot of downloads.
Why Cloudflare R2 stands out
- Zero egress fees — You can download or serve your files as many times as you want at no extra cost.
- S3-compatible API — You can use the same tools you already use for S3.
- Built-in global CDN — Files automatically get delivered through Cloudflare’s huge worldwide network.
- Works with Cloudflare — Since your code runs closer to users, your app loads faster.
- Simple, clean pricing — The pricing is straightforward with no confusing or unexpected fees.
R2 is perfect when your app handles heavy traffic — for example image hosting, streaming, downloads, or public assets. If bandwidth costs scare you every month, R2 feels like a breath of fresh air.
What Is AWS S3?
Amazon S3 has been the first choice for cloud storage for years. Businesses of all sizes from small to large enterprises have relied on its service ever since it launched back in 2006. People trust it because it’s stable, scales without much effort, and works smoothly with everything else in AWS.
People trust AWS S3 for its stability, scalability and smooth process. Whatever it is, if you run a large application with millions of objects or just need a place to keep a few files, S3 is a perfect choice since it manages them without crashing. S3 is built to stay reliable and can manage you application even if it grows.
Why AWS S3 is widely trusted
- Extremely high durability — S3 offers “11 nines” of durability, meaning your files are extremely safe and it will never be lost.
- Multiple storage options — It provides multiple storage options, you can choose any type of storage you need, whether it’s everyday use, and other purposes.
- Works well with other AWS tools — You can connect S3 with other AWS Services like Lambda, Glue, Athena, and Redshift. You don’t need any extra setup, you can process, analyze, or move your data.
- Easy automation — You can automatically move files to any storage you need, along with that you can archive them, or delete them when they’re no longer needed.
- Strong security — S3 gives you solid protection with encryption, permission controls, and support for major compliance standards.
If you’re already using AWS for your backend or data processing, S3 usually becomes the natural choice.
Where Cloudflare R2 Works Best
1. Media Streaming and Content Delivery : R2 shines when your app sends large files to users — images, videos, audio, or downloads. Since it has no egress fees, you can serve millions of files without worrying about your bill exploding.
2. High-Traffic Apps or Public Assets: If your website or app has lots of traffic, R2 can drastically lower costs and improve delivery speeds thanks to Cloudflare’s massive CDN network.
3. Multi-Cloud or Vendor-Neutral Setups: If you don’t want to depend too much on AWS, Cloudflare R2 gives you flexibility while still being compatible with S3 tools.
Where AWS S3 Works Best
1. Big Data, Analytics & AI Workloads: Tools like Athena, Glue, Lambda, SageMaker, and Redshift integrate deeply with S3. For companies that run analytics or automation, S3 is almost impossible to replace.
2. Long-Term Backups & Archival Storage: S3 has different storage levels — including very cheap cold storage. If your data is rarely accessed, S3 saves more money in the long run.
3. Enterprise-Grade Workloads: S3 has better compliance, security, versioning, and lifecycle controls. Enterprises rely heavily on these advanced features.
A Simpler Breakdown
Here’s the easy way to think about it:
Choose Cloudflare R2 if:
- You have high traffic or lots of downloads.
- You want predictable billing.
- You prefer Cloudflare’s global edge network.
- You want simple pricing with fewer complications.
- You’re avoiding AWS lock-in.
Choose AWS S3 if:
- You already use many AWS services.
- You need advanced storage classes.
- You need strong compliance and enterprise features.
- You run data analytics, automation, or AI workloads.
- You want automated storage lifecycle management.
Using Both Together (A Smart Hybrid Approach)
Many companies don’t pick just one — they use both.
A common setup looks like this:
- Cloudflare R2 for public content Images, videos, downloadable files, and assets that users fetch regularly.
- AWS S3 for internal systems Analytics, backups, logs, and AWS-dependent workloads.
This approach gives you the low-cost benefits of R2 while still taking advantage of the powerful tools in AWS.
You stay flexible, and you don’t get locked into a single cloud provider. It also allows you to slowly shift workloads back and forth depending on needs.
Final Thoughts
Choose Cloudflare R2 if bandwidth cost is your main concern, because it keeps things simple, predictable, and affordable. But if your business relies heavily on AWS tools, go with AWS S3.
R2 is a great choice for small businesses since it’s easier to manage and cheaper. S3, on the other hand, is ideal for large enterprises because it offers more control, reliability, and advanced features.
The best approach? Try both with their free tiers, test your actual workload, and choose what fits your needs — not the hype.
