Object tiers, lifecycle & protection
Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering vs Blob Storage smart tier
S3 Intelligent-Tiering maps to Azure Blob smart tier.
Both watch access patterns, move cold objects down automatically, move them back on access, and skip retrieval and early-deletion fees in exchange for a monitoring fee.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering | Blob Storage smart tier |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | GA in public-cloud regions with zone redundancy. Still in preview in Azure Government and Azure operated by 21Vianet. |
| What it is | A storage class that moves objects between Frequent, Infrequent (after 30 days without access), and Archive Instant (after 90 days) tiers automatically, with optional Archive and Deep Archive tiers. Objects under 128 KB aren't monitored and stay in Frequent Access. | A default account access tier that moves block blobs from hot to cool after 30 days without access, then to cold after 60 more days, and back to hot on access. No early-deletion, retrieval, or in-tier transition fees; a per-object monitoring fee applies above 128 KiB. Requires a ZRS, GZRS, or RA-GZRS GPv2 account. |
| Pricing model | Per GB-month for each access tier plus a monthly monitoring and automation fee per object of 128 KB or larger. No retrieval fees. | Capacity billed at the hot, cool, or cold rate for wherever each blob currently sits, plus a monthly monitoring fee per object over 128 KiB. No retrieval, early-deletion, or in-tier transition fees, and operations are billed at hot-tier rates. |
| Docs | Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering docs | Blob Storage smart tier docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering pricing | Blob Storage smart tier pricing |
| Exams | SAA-C03 SOA-C03 | AZ-104 AZ-305 |
Key differences
- Timing. Intelligent-Tiering moves objects to Infrequent Access after 30 days and Archive Instant Access after 90. Smart tier moves to cool after 30 days and to cold after 60 more days (90 in total).
- Archive. Intelligent-Tiering can optionally add Archive Access and Deep Archive Access tiers. Smart tier stays on online tiers and never archives.
- Scope. Intelligent-Tiering is a storage class you set per object or with lifecycle rules. Smart tier is the account's default access tier and applies to blobs without an explicit tier. Once a blob gets an explicit tier, it can't go back to smart tier.
- Requirements. Smart tier needs a zone-redundant (ZRS, GZRS, or RA-GZRS) GPv2 account. Intelligent-Tiering works in any general purpose bucket.
- Small objects. Both leave objects under 128 KB (KiB on Azure) in the frequent or hot tier and don't charge monitoring for them.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Per GB-month for each access tier plus a monthly monitoring and automation fee per object of 128 KB or larger. No retrieval fees. Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering pricing →
- Azure
- Capacity billed at the hot, cool, or cold rate for wherever each blob currently sits, plus a monthly monitoring fee per object over 128 KiB. No retrieval, early-deletion, or in-tier transition fees, and operations are billed at hot-tier rates. Blob Storage smart tier pricing →
Certification exam mapping
| Exam | Provider | Level | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate SAA-C03 | AWS | Associate | current Italian version retires after Dec 31, 2026. |
| AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer – Associate SOA-C03 | AWS | Associate | current Replaces AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate (SOA-C02), whose last exam day was Sep 29, 2025. Simplified Chinese and Korean versions retire after Nov 19, 2026. |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure Administrator Associate AZ-104 | Azure | Associate | current |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 | Azure | Expert | current English version updated Apr 17, 2026. |
Relevance is based on each exam's published scope, not a line-by-line objective match. Check the official study guide.
Verification notes
- Smart tier is new, so current AZ-104 and AZ-305 study guides may not cover it yet.
FAQ
What is the Azure equivalent of Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering?
S3 Intelligent-Tiering maps to Azure Blob smart tier. Both watch access patterns, move cold objects down automatically, move them back on access, and skip retrieval and early-deletion fees in exchange for a monitoring fee.
How does pricing compare between Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering and Blob Storage smart tier?
AWS: Per GB-month for each access tier plus a monthly monitoring and automation fee per object of 128 KB or larger. No retrieval fees. Azure: Capacity billed at the hot, cool, or cold rate for wherever each blob currently sits, plus a monthly monitoring fee per object over 128 KiB. No retrieval, early-deletion, or in-tier transition fees, and operations are billed at hot-tier rates. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
Which certification exams cover this topic?
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03); AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer – Associate (SOA-C03); Microsoft Certified – Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104); Microsoft Certified – Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305).