Object tiers, lifecycle & protection · AWS vs Google Cloud
Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering vs Cloud Storage Autoclass
S3 Intelligent-Tiering maps to Autoclass, which moves each object between storage classes based on access.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering | Cloud Storage Autoclass |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| 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. | Moves each object between storage classes automatically based on access, with Nearline or Archive as the configurable coldest class. |
| 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. | Standard storage-class rates for the class an object is in, plus an Autoclass management fee. See Cloud Storage pricing. |
| Docs | Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering docs | Cloud Storage Autoclass docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering pricing | Cloud Storage Autoclass pricing |
Key differences
- Autoclass is enabled per bucket; the coldest class it uses is Nearline by default and can be set to Archive.
- Objects move back to Standard when accessed.
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 →
- GCP
- Standard storage-class rates for the class an object is in, plus an Autoclass management fee. See Cloud Storage pricing. Cloud Storage Autoclass pricing →
And on Azure?
Direct match Azure's equivalent is Blob Storage smart tier. AWS vs Azure comparison →
FAQ
What is the Google Cloud equivalent of Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering?
S3 Intelligent-Tiering maps to Autoclass, which moves each object between storage classes based on access.
How does pricing compare between Amazon S3 Intelligent-Tiering and Cloud Storage Autoclass?
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. Google Cloud: Standard storage-class rates for the class an object is in, plus an Autoclass management fee. See Cloud Storage pricing. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
What is the Azure equivalent?
Blob Storage smart tier (direct match). S3 Intelligent-Tiering maps to Azure Blob smart tier.