The Backblaze B2 Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Backblaze B2 in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Backblaze B2
The Insider’s Guide
S3-compatible object storage billed per terabyte
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among file storage and sync services, read from Backblaze B2’s own pages.
Made by Backblaze · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Backblaze B2’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Backblaze B2’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 13 of the 91 other file storage and sync services we grade
Backblaze B2 Cloud Storage is object storage for backups, archives, media and application data, billed by the amount stored. It has S3-compatible access, a free allowance of egress, and a free 10 GB. A faster B2 Overdrive tier is sold by quote for performance-heavy workloads.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Backblaze B2, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It needs an API, keys and tooling, so it's a developer service.
- 1
Best for cheap object storage for developers and IT teams
Backblaze B2 is S3-compatible storage at $6.95 per TB a month, with the first 10 GB free.
- 2
Paid plans start at $6.95 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $6.95 per TB / month.
- 3
There is a free plan
The first 10 GB of storage is always free, with free egress up to 3x the data stored.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
S3-compatible object storage
The page describes S3-compatible storage for active archiving, backup and recovery, media and application workloads.
- 6
No minimums on files or duration
There are no minimum file size or storage duration fees, and class A, B and C API calls are free on pay as you go.
- 7
Free egress allowances
Egress is free up to 3x the average data stored, and free to partner CDNs and compute services such as Cloudflare, Fastly and bunny.net.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 13 of 91
That is against the other file storage and sync services we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
Nothing Backblaze B2 does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 2 things listed below take a company.
Backblaze B2 at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $6.95 per TB / month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Backblaze
- Category
- File Storage & Sync
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for cheap object storage for developers and IT teams
Backblaze B2 is S3-compatible storage at $6.95 per TB a month, with the first 10 GB free. It's a service for developers, with no consumer sync app, and egress above 3 times what you store costs extra.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | $6.95 per TB a month matches the category's middle price. This is a different kind of product from consumer storage, billed by the terabyte. |
| Free plan and trial | C | The first 10 GB is always free, with free egress up to 3 times what you store, and you'll pass 10 GB quickly. |
| Features | C | Storage through an S3-compatible API with lifecycle and partner integrations, but the page shows no consumer sync app. It does its narrow job fully. |
| Ease of use | D | It needs an API, keys and tooling, so it's a developer service. No store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | The vendor lists 8 integrations and an S3 API, but it is web only, with no apps. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Backblaze B2 is for
- Fits if you have developers or an IT person to point backup tools at an S3 bucket
- Works for teams storing terabytes of backups that rarely get read back
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a folder that syncs to your laptop, as there is no consumer sync app
- Tight if you read a lot back: egress beyond 3 times your stored data costs $0.01 per GB
- Watch out: API calls past the first 2,500 a day cost $0.004 per 10,000 on Class D transactions
- Watch out: B2 Overdrive is $15 per TB and up, with a multi-petabyte commitment bought by quote
Good to know
Good for
- Backups and archives that are read less than they are stored
- Apps serving data through a CDN partner at no egress cost
- Teams moving off a hyperscaler's object storage
Worth knowing
- Egress beyond 3x the average monthly data stored costs $0.01 per GB, except to partner CDNs and compute services.
- Class D API transactions cost $0.004 per 10,000 calls after the first 2,500 each day.
- B2 Overdrive needs a multi-petabyte commitment and is sold by quote.
- It is a storage service for developers and IT teams; the page shows no consumer sync app.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$6.95
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Backblaze B2 has a free plan. Paid plans start at $6.95 per TB / month.
This is a different kind of product from consumer storage, billed by the terabyte.
Backblaze B2
$6.95
per TB / month, billed monthly on byte-hours stored
Pay as you go, or commit to capacity for 1 to 5 years with discounts. Free egress up to 3x stored data, then $0.01/GB.
B2 Overdrive
$15
per TB / month and up
For AI, HPC and research workloads: dedicated vaults, unlimited free egress and a multi-petabyte commitment. Sold by quote.
The free plan
The first 10 GB of storage is always free, with free egress up to 3x the data stored.
Read from backblaze.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Other savings
Discounts for volume and term commitments
The pricing page says discounts are available when you commit to volume and a 1 to 5 year term; the amounts are not published.
Stated on backblaze.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
S3-compatible object storage billed per terabyte. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, file management.
- S3-compatible object storage
- The page describes S3-compatible storage for active archiving, backup and recovery, media and application workloads.
- No minimums on files or duration
- There are no minimum file size or storage duration fees, and class A, B and C API calls are free on pay as you go.
- Free egress allowances
- Egress is free up to 3x the average data stored, and free to partner CDNs and compute services such as Cloudflare, Fastly and bunny.net.
- Capacity commitments
- Customers can commit to a set amount of storage for 1 to 5 years, billed for the full term at contract start with a locked rate.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Cloudflare
- Fastly
- bunny.net
- CacheFly
- CoreWeave
- Vultr
- Equinix Metal
- phoenixNAP
Backblaze B2 is made by Backblaze.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
13/91
Other file storage and sync services it is graded above
Backblaze B2's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 13 of the 91 other file storage and sync services we grade, and level with 20.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 31 of 91) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $6.95 a month, against a middle price of $6.64 for the category: 31 of the 60 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 31 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 92 file storage and sync services we grade, cut by the letter each got. Backblaze B2’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 14 of 91
- CFree plan and trialAbove 18 of 91
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 91
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 91
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 31 of 91
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 66 file storage and sync services. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Backblaze B2 is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Nothing Backblaze B2 does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 2 things listed below take a company.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 58 of the 91 other file storage and sync services grade higher. It costs $83.40 a year.
What you could not
- A file manager working directly on your disk.
- It plugs into other products, Cloudflare, Fastly and bunny.net among them, and has an API.
What this rests on. Backblaze B2’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Wasabi, Storj, IDrive, pCloud and Box
The 5 tools Backblaze B2 is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Wasabi
Free trial · from $7.99/mo
S3-compatible cloud object storage at a flat per-TB rate.
- Backblaze B2 has a free plan. Wasabi does not, though it has a free trial.
- 1.8GPA
Storj
Free trial · from $7/mo
Distributed S3-compatible object storage priced per terabyte.
- Backblaze B2 has a free plan. Storj does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Storj lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- 3.2GPA
IDrive
Free plan · from $0.25/mo
Cloud backup for many devices in one account, with a sync folder.
- Only IDrive lists Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Backblaze B2 also covers file management.
- IDrive also covers file sync and file sharing.
- 2.6GPA
pCloud
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Swiss cloud storage sold by subscription or one-time payment.
- Only pCloud lists Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Only pCloud lists a browser extension.
- pCloud can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.8GPA
Box
Free plan · from $5/mo
Business content storage with e-signatures, workflows and AI.
- Only Box lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Backblaze B2 also covers file management.
- Box also covers workflow automation, file sync and file sharing.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Backblaze B2 free?
Backblaze B2 has a free plan. The first 10 GB of storage is always free, with free egress up to 3x the data stored.
How much does Backblaze B2 cost?
Backblaze B2 lists 2 plans. Backblaze B2: $6.95 per TB / month, billed monthly on byte-hours stored.
What platforms does Backblaze B2 work on?
Backblaze B2 is available on Web.
Does Backblaze B2 offer any discounts?
Backblaze B2 publicly lists the following: Discounts for volume and term commitments.
Does Backblaze B2 have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Backblaze B2 is listed for Web.
Does Backblaze B2 have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Backblaze B2 is listed for Web.
Is Backblaze B2 open source?
Backblaze B2 is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Does Backblaze B2 have an API?
Yes. Backblaze B2 offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Backblaze B2 integrate with?
Backblaze B2's listing names Cloudflare, Fastly, bunny.net, CacheFly, CoreWeave, Vultr, Equinix Metal and phoenixNAP.
Who makes Backblaze B2?
Backblaze B2 is made by Backblaze.
What are the alternatives to Backblaze B2?
The closest alternatives to Backblaze B2 in our directory are Wasabi, Storj, IDrive, pCloud and Box.
How does Backblaze B2 compare with other file storage and sync services?
Backblaze B2's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 13 of the 91 other file storage and sync services we grade, and level with 20.
Is Backblaze B2 good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Backblaze B2 C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $6.95 a month, against a middle price of $6.64 for the category: 31 of the 60 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Backblaze B2?
Nothing Backblaze B2 does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 2 things listed below take a company.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Backblaze B2’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Backblaze B2's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Backblaze. Prices change, so check backblaze.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Backblaze B2, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/backblaze-b2
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Backblaze B2: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/backblaze-b2
Know someone choosing between file storage and sync services?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/backblaze-b2/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded file storage and sync services after Backblaze B2, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- File Storage & Sync Insider's GuideEvery one of the 92 file storage and sync services we grade, compared
- Google Drive Insider's GuideCloud storage tied to Google Docs, Gmail and Photos3.6 GPA
- Filen Insider's GuideEnd-to-end encrypted cloud storage from Germany with open source apps3.4 GPA
- Microsoft OneDrive Insider's GuideMicrosoft's cloud storage, bundled with Microsoft 365 plans3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Backblaze B2’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Backblaze B2 is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Backblaze. Prices and plans change: check backblaze.com before you buy.