Cloud Storage Cost
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Most providers advertise only the base storage cost per GB. Your actual bill includes egress fees (charged when you download or transfer data), API operation costs (charged per read/write request), and in some cases per-user seat fees. For businesses with active data workflows, these additional charges often exceed the base storage cost.

Among decentralized providers, StorX charges zero egress fees; Storj includes 1× stored-volume free egress monthly (then $0.02/GB); Filecoin retrieval costs vary by provider deal but are typically very low. Among hyperscale providers, AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, and Microsoft Azure charge egress fees for data transferred to the internet. Dropbox, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and Carbonite include data access within their per-user plans.

For storage cost per GB, yes — Backblaze B2 charges $0.006/GB vs AWS S3's $0.023/GB. However, egress fees apply on Backblaze above the free allowance (3× monthly stored data). For use cases with low retrieval, Backblaze is significantly cheaper. For high-retrieval workloads, the gap narrows. StorX’s plans start at $9.99/month for 500 GB with zero egress, which often outperforms both for moderate to high retrieval workloads.

Tools like Dropbox Business, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365 charge per user per month regardless of how much storage each user consumes. For small teams with large storage needs, usage-based providers like AWS S3 or StorX are often more cost-effective. For large teams with moderate storage needs, flat per-user plans may be simpler — though per-user costs can escalate quickly as you hire.

It depends on your retrieval patterns. For pure storage with minimal retrieval, Backblaze B2 has the lowest per-GB storage cost. For businesses that regularly access their data, StorX offers the lowest total cost because it charges zero for both egress and operations. For teams that need collaboration tools bundled with storage, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 may offer better overall value despite higher apparent storage costs.

Centralized providers (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Dropbox, Carbonite, Pure Storage) store your data in company-owned data centers. You trust one vendor to keep it available, secure, and private. Decentralized providers (StorX, Storj, Filecoin) distribute encrypted data across independent nodes worldwide — no single company or data center holds your files. Decentralized storage typically offers lower egress costs, stronger privacy guarantees, and no vendor lock-in, but may require more technical setup (especially Filecoin, which is token-based).

Filecoin is a decentralized storage marketplace where storage providers compete on price. Costs are denominated in FIL tokens, which fluctuate with the cryptocurrency market — making costs variable and hard to predict in fiat terms. Estimates suggest ~$0.30/TB/month at current FIL prices, significantly cheaper than AWS or Azure. However, Filecoin requires cryptocurrency wallets, technical setup, and retrieval can be slower than traditional cloud. It's best suited for archival, research, or technically sophisticated teams comfortable with Web3 tooling. For businesses needing predictable pricing and fast data access, StorX, Storj, or Backblaze B2 are more straightforward alternatives.