Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service) is a secure, reliable, and scalable data storage solution offered by Amazon. It allows businesses and individuals to store and retrieve data from anywhere, at any time. S3 is designed for durability, providing comprehensive security and compliance capabilities that meet even the most stringent regulatory requirements. It offers easy-to-use management features, flexible storage options, and cost-effective pricing. This makes it an ideal choice for businesses of all sizes looking to optimize their data storage and management.

  • 01Pros and cons from reviewers
  • 02Main features
  • 03What is Amazon S3?
  • 04How Amazon S3 compare to similar software?
  • 05Who is Amazon S3 best for according to our reviewers?
  • 06Amazon S3 Reviews

What is Amazon S3?

Amazon S3, or Simple Storage Service, is a renowned cloud-based storage service that offers secure, durable, and scalable data storage options for developers and IT teams. It allows users to store and retrieve unlimited amounts of data from anywhere in the world. Beyond just storage, Amazon S3 also serves as a tool for backing up and archiving important business data, and hosting static websites. It has built-in security features including robust access controls, encryption mechanisms, and login credential management. Amazon S3 also offers swift data retrieval times, easy data transfer capabilities, and seamless integration with other Amazon services like EC2 and Elastic MapReduce. This makes it a flexible and reliable solution for businesses needing comprehensive data storage and management.

Pros from reviewers

  • Cost-effective: Amazon S3 offers great value for money in terms of cloud storage. It cuts costs on the web host server as photos, PDF files, and videos are not stored on the main server

  • High-performance processing: Amazon S3 can handle high-performance processing, making it a secure, cost-effective storage solution that forms the backbone of the cloud

  • Integration with other services: Amazon S3 integrates seamlessly with other AWS services and many popular applications, making it a powerhouse in the industry.

  • Improved page loading speeds: Amazon S3 significantly enhances the speed at which pages load, especially for websites with many photos, thus improving user experience

  • Flexible and affordable pricing: The pricing and performance of Amazon S3 adjust based on usage, allowing users to tailor it to their needs. The billing system is pay-as-you-go and easy to operate

Cons from reviewers

  • Lack of user-friendliness: Amazon S3 has a steep learning curve and is not the most user-friendly platform. Incorrect setup could potentially expose sensitive data

  • Confusing fee schedule: The pricing structure of Amazon S3 can be complex and hard to understand, making it difficult to estimate total costs. This could lead to unexpected charges

  • Poor customer service: Some users have reported issues with Amazon S3's customer service, describing it as unhelpful and confusing. This includes difficulties in resolving billing issues and obtaining refunds.

  • Challenging setup and management: Amazon S3 can be difficult to set up and manage, especially if you have many photos or files. This may require additional investment in plugins or tools to automate content upload

  • Ineffective spam protection: The spam protection feature offered by Amazon S3 for email services has been reported as ineffective, failing to filter out spam emails

Main features

Starting Price

N/A

Free Plan

No

High-level security

Cost-effective

Lifecycle policies

Multi-region replication

Intelligent-tiering

Who is Amazon S3 best for according to our reviewers?

  • Backup Users: Amazon S3 is an excellent provider for storage solutions, especially for users who need offsite backup repositories. It integrates seamlessly with many popular applications and offers flexible pricing based on usage

  • Health Services Developers: Developers creating file managers for health services can benefit from Amazon S3's comprehensive documentation and easy integration. It offers affordable file storage and the ability to generate links with set expiry times.

  • Photographers: Amazon S3 is beneficial for photographers looking to enhance their page speed loading and Google ranking. It also cuts costs on the web host server as photos are not stored on the main server

  • Website Owners: Website owners can benefit from Amazon S3 as it significantly improves page loading speeds, especially for sites with many photos. It also saves money by eliminating the need for extra Web Service Space

  • IoT Data Managers: Amazon S3 is perfect for storing unpredictable data generated by IoT devices and voice data for cloud services. It provides top-notch cloud storage with high availability and durability at a low cost per TB

  • Amazon S3 Reviews

    4.1

    Amazon S3 rating

    4.5

    Ease of use

    4.5

    Customer service

    4.5

    Value for money

    4.4

    Likelihood to recommend

    4.6

    Features

    29 Amazon S3 Reviews

    4.1 (29 reviews)
    Leave a review
    • Ryan Rodriguez

      Understanding AWS Pricing: A Personal Journey with Amazon S3

      I recently embarked on an exciting journey with AWS, opening a free tier account to explore its vast potential for hosting my clients' websites. I was thrilled to create 3 EC2 instances for testing, which was a great learning experience. A few months later, I was surprised to see a charge of nearly $15 on my account. This unexpected event actually turned out to be a valuable lesson in understanding the pricing structure of AWS. Although I initially found the documentation a bit challenging, it pushed me to dive deeper and learn more about the platform. This experience has ultimately enhanced my knowledge and understanding of AWS.

      October 20, 2024

    • Edward G

      Exploring AWS Security Features: A Personal Journey

      I've been a loyal user of AWS for over 3 years now and it's been quite the journey! Recently, I had an interesting experience where I discovered some unusual activity on our account from the Netherlands. It was a bit of a surprise, but it gave me a chance to explore the security features of AWS more deeply. When I reached out to the support team, I found out that our current plan doesn't include direct support. At first, it was a bit of a shock, but then I realized it's a great opportunity to upgrade our plan and gain access to their expert support team. It's a bit like getting a VIP pass to a concert - you pay a little extra, but the perks and peace of mind are totally worth it. This experience has made me more aware of the importance of cybersecurity and I'm now considering the value of investing in a higher level of support. It's a learning curve, but with AWS, I feel like I'm in good hands.

      October 15, 2024

    • Nash

      Enhancing Real-Time Workflows: Amazon S's Event Notification Feature

      As an application developer, I value the event notification feature in Amazon S It enables real-time workflows by notifying us when certain events occur.

      October 7, 2024

    • Barbara R

      Amazon S3: A Robust Solution, Not for Novices

      I started using Amazon S3 as an off-site backup tool and gradually expanded to other services. Although it serves its purpose well, it can be somewhat cumbersome due to frequent changes and a strict business model. Amazon S3 was a game-changer in defining the cloud initially, providing disruptive and much-needed services. I think it's a solid choice for backup and file retention. However, it's not suitable for casual users. There are newer, more user-friendly services aimed at small businesses, which offer a better deployment method, are more cost-effective, and have a more grounded approach. I chose Amazon S3 because there were no other platforms that could integrate with cPanel at the time. Switching to Amazon S3 was crucial for backups when dealing with multiple servers. In-house backups leave you vulnerable if your hosting provider encounters severe issues and becomes unavailable. We started storing all our client data in a separate instance to avoid data loss, and Amazon S3 was the perfect fit for this.

      September 28, 2024

    • Ralph

      Adeyeye George's Insights on Amazon S3

      I am currently developing a file manager for health services and Amazon S3 has been our primary choice to make this possible. Without S3, our project might not have been achievable. I appreciate S3 for its comprehensive documentation and easy integration, especially when using the PHP SDK, which has made our project quick and straightforward. Additionally, the cost of using S3 for file storage is more affordable than Dropbox. I also value the ability to generate links and set an expiry time. I hope that S3 will introduce a streaming feature in the future, allowing us to stream large files directly without downloading them. Even though we don't need this feature now, it will be necessary in the future. We chose Amazon S3 over Dropbox because it's more affordable and its integration documentation is robust and excellent. It provides everything we need for our project. We switched to Amazon S3 due to data security concerns.

      September 22, 2024

    • Deborah

      Impressive Data Transfer Speed of Amazon S3 Accelerates Data Analysis Tasks

      As a data scientist, I find the data transfer speed of Amazon S3 impressive. It significantly reduces the time required for data analysis tasks

      September 15, 2024

    • Nancy Garcia

      Affordable, Trustworthy Cloud Storage Solution

      Amazon S3 has effectively met my storage needs. Previously, I stored everything on my own servers and faced issues when the site went down. I chose S3 due to Amazon's reliability. It's similar to Dropbox/Google Drive, but it's on Amazon's cloud server, providing fast speed and 99.9% uptime. All my public-facing course material is secured on Amazon S3, and I no longer worry about server downtime. However, it has a learning curve and isn't the most user-friendly. There are many options to choose from and if not set up correctly, sensitive data could be exposed. I switched to Amazon S3 from Dropbox because, despite Dropbox being more user-friendly, S3 is more reliable and cost-effective.

      September 7, 2024

    • Theresa Jones

      Streamlined Website Hosting with Amazon S3: A Web Developer's Perspective

      As a web developer, I find the static website hosting feature of Amazon S3 extremely useful. It simplifies the process of hosting our company's website

      September 3, 2024

    • Zoe Jones

      Exploring Amazon S3: A Personal Journey and Learning Experience

      I recently had an interesting journey with Amazon S3. Initially, I was surprised to find that I was charged for two months of services that were supposed to be free for six months. However, this gave me the opportunity to interact with three different departments, each providing me with a unique perspective on the company's operations. It was a bit of a challenge navigating through the process, but it was a learning experience. I decided to focus my energy on other tasks, as time is of the essence. I've also had the chance to explore Google for hosting needs, and it's been a fantastic alternative. It's always great to have options and AWS is definitely one of them!

      August 26, 2024

    • Emma Smith

      Affordable, Trustworthy Object Storage Solution

      I chose Amazon S3 because it allows me to temporarily store all types of data in a data lake, making it perfect for storing unpredictable data generated by IoT devices and voice data for cloud services. With limited local resources, estimating initial investment and scaling up can be difficult, but with S3, there are no upfront costs and I only pay for what I use. It provides top-notch cloud storage with high availability and durability, and I can use storage at a low cost per TB. I can store data from IoT devices, logs from all AWS services, backups of AWS services, etc., in any format without worrying about running out of capacity resources, giving me a great sense of reliability and security. However, the fee schedule is confusing and it's hard to estimate total costs. I would appreciate a more accurate cost simulation function and a safety warning function as incorrect configuration increases safety risks. I chose Amazon S3 because it charges only for the amount used with capacity billing, despite its architecture being different.

      August 19, 2024

    • David

      Cost-Effective Business Solutions with Amazon S

      As a business owner, I appreciate the cost-effectiveness of Amazon S Its pay-as-you-go pricing model allows us to only pay for what we use

      August 13, 2024

    • Celeste

      Exemplary Service and Security: My Experience with Amazon S3

      I must say, Amazon S3 is like a vigilant guardian! They provide top-notch services and are always on their toes to ensure everything is in order. They took an extra step to verify my account on October 1th, which I appreciate as it shows their commitment to security. I promptly sent them all the necessary documents and they got back to me by October 3th. During this period, they continued to provide their services, ensuring no disruption on my end. They did charge my card $1,2 for these services, which I think is fair considering the uninterrupted service I received. Their customer service has been in constant touch with me for the past two weeks, advising me to keep the communication streamlined and not to open new chats. They've assured me that their program team is diligently reviewing my case. I love the fact that they keep me updated via email, which is very convenient for me. I would highly recommend using them. Their commitment to security, continuous service, and constant communication is truly commendable!

      August 6, 2024

    • Ann B

      Exploring Amazon S3: A Powerful Storage Solution with a Catch

      Overall, I consider S3 to be an excellent provider for storage solutions, but it's crucial to monitor the bills. I chose AWS as my main offsite backup repository because it's a powerhouse in the industry. Many popular applications, like Backup Exec, integrate seamlessly with S3 and there's ample documentation on how to use S3 with various products. I also appreciate the free trials for the first year. However, I noticed my data pool was constantly growing due to the types of devices I was backing up. Amazon charges for everything - incoming and outgoing data, data at rest, long term storage, not stored long enough, lists, etc. While these charges aren't high, they started to accumulate in my case, leading me to switch solutions.

      July 27, 2024

    • Charlotte Williams

      Reliable Amazon S: A Project Manager's Perspective

      As a project manager, I am impressed by the reliability of Amazon S It has never failed us in terms of uptime, ensuring our projects run smoothly

      July 23, 2024

    • Yvette S

      Unexpected Billing with Amazon S3: A Pleasant Surprise

      I am absolutely thrilled with Amazon S3! I've been consistently billed a mere $9 or more monthly for services that I initially signed up for years ago. I remember opting for a free service at first, but I must have agreed to some future commitment knowingly. I'm sure I had once cancelled the billing, received a refund, and made it clear that I had no intention of using their paid service. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I'm being billed again. This would have bothered me if it was a billing error, but their customer service has been so engaging and intriguing, making me believe that this is a deliberate attempt to keep people like me engaged and resolving such issues. I'm not sure how long they've been billing me again. I've noticed others have had similar experiences and have been refunded for a year, even though they were billed for a longer period. I am excited to receive a full refund for all the charges, as I never authorized these payments. It's worth noting that I usually give positive reviews to companies, so it takes a lot for me to write a review. I am so excited to continue my journey with Amazon S3!

      July 16, 2024

    • Richard

      Cloud's Core: Beyond Storage Discussions with Amazon S3

      As a user, I find Amazon S3 to be a secure, cost-effective storage solution that can handle high-performance processing. It forms the backbone of the cloud, providing essential functions. The pricing and performance adjust based on usage, allowing me to tailor it to my needs. The billing system is pay-as-you-go and easy to operate. Given the security, maintenance, and skills required, it's much cheaper than owning a physical computer. I feel safe with its high durability and find data entry convenient through integration with various services. I value the ability to activate Lambda based on S3 events, despite occasional issues. The security configuration is flexible, as is the pricing, which depends on usage frequency and starts off cheap.

      July 6, 2024

    • Rowan

      Efficient Integration with Amazon S3 for Software Developers

      As a software developer, I appreciate the ease of integration that Amazon S3 offers. It seamlessly integrates with other AWS services, making my work much more efficient

      July 1, 2024

    • Hugo G

      Amazon Hosting - It's Decent

      We didn't have any problems with customer support or uptime while using Amazon S3. However, we noticed that our IP was flagged for malicious activity by almost every DNS provider, such as CloudFlare. We suspect that our VPS IP was previously used for illegal activities. We requested a change of our IP, but the new one was also flagged. Apart from the flagged IPs, we haven't had any other issues with Amazon S3. The pricing is reasonable and the uptime is reliable.

      June 23, 2024

    • Joe F

      Exploring the Pros and Cons of Amazon S3

      I mainly value Amazon S3 as it's part of the AWS ecosystem, enabling me to seamlessly integrate it with other AWS services I utilize. However, I wish I could preview image files directly in the S3 UI. I transitioned to Amazon S3 from Dropbox because Dropbox didn't support or promote exposing image files from their storage location, which was a necessity for me.

      June 15, 2024

    • Thomas

      Highly Recommended: Amazon S3 Ensures Data Accessibility and Reliability

      As an IT consultant, I recommend Amazon S3 to my clients due to its high durability and availability. It ensures their data is always accessible when needed

      June 10, 2024

    • Marshall M

      Efficient Versioning: A Lifesaver for Database Managers on Amazon S

      As a database manager, I appreciate the versioning feature of Amazon S It allows us to easily recover from both unintended user actions and application failures

      June 2, 2024

    • David Martinez

      Affordable, Secure Storage Solution

      I use S3 Deep Storage for archiving infrequently accessed backups, saving local storage and money due to its affordable and flexible pricing based on usage and storage type. I can also deliver assets directly from S3 buckets to clients if needed. However, accessing S3 storage requires using their APIs or dedicated software, which is not as straightforward as other storage solutions. I chose Amazon S3 for its cost-effectiveness and reliability.

      May 27, 2024

    • Louis D

      Robust Security Features of Amazon S3

      As a system administrator, I value the robustness of Amazon S3's security features. The ability to manage access controls and encryption settings provides peace of mind

      May 20, 2024

    • Michelle N

      Appreciating Amazon S3: A User's Perspective on Email Management and Security

      I utilize AWS for managing emails for my domain and I absolutely love it! They offer a SPAM protection feature which is designed to filter out unwanted emails. While some users may feel it's not as effective, I appreciate the effort to keep my inbox clean. Plus, the mandatory use of VPC for everything is a brilliant security measure. It may require a bit of time to set up, but it's totally worth it for the peace of mind it brings. I find it incredibly reassuring to know that my data is being handled with such care.

      May 14, 2024

    • Albert D

      Challenging Setup, Rewarding Results with Amazon S3

      I use Amazon S3 for my websites that have many photos, and it has significantly improved my page loading speeds. It has saved me money as I no longer need to pay extra for Web Service Space. Amazon S3 works like a Content Delivery Network (CDN) on its own. I also store PDF files on S3 for one of my projects. It offers great value for money in terms of cloud storage and is especially beneficial for photographers looking to enhance their page speed loading and Google ranking. It also cuts costs on the web host server as photos, PDF files, and videos are not stored on the main server. However, it can be challenging to set up and manage if you have many photos or files. You might need to invest in a plugin to automatically upload the content to S3. I chose Amazon S3 primarily for its cost-effectiveness and the quality and reliability of its service. I switched to Amazon S3 due to the cost of storing photos on a web server.

      May 7, 2024

    • Janice B

      Amazon S3: A Data Analyst's Top Choice for Storage and Retrieval

      As a data analyst, I find Amazon S3 to be an excellent tool for storing and retrieving large amounts of data. Its scalability and security features are top-notch

      April 30, 2024

    • Jeffrey R

      My Positive Experience with Amazon S3 and AWS

      I must say, my experience with AWS has been quite interesting. They did suspend my account once, and there was a minor charge of $1. However, I was able to provide all the necessary documents and proof of bill, and they were quick to resolve the issue. I was particularly impressed with the t2 micro type, which is eligible for the free tier - a fantastic feature! Overall, I've had a positive experience with AWS and I'm sure they value the business relationship we've built.

      April 23, 2024

    • Teresa Miller

      An Enthusiastic Endorsement of Amazon S3: A Comprehensive and Reliable Choice

      I wholeheartedly recommend using Amazon S3! There are many alternatives out there, but none quite match up to the comprehensive offerings of AWS. The structure and terminology may seem a bit complex at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's like learning a new language - exciting and empowering. Their billing system is unique, but it's because they offer a la carte services. It's like being on a flight where you have the freedom to choose what you want - the seat, the armrest, the tray-table, the bathroom, and so on. AWS even gives you the option to have an IP address, and if you want an IP4 address, they can provide that too! Yes, they do charge for technical support, but it's because they offer top-notch, round-the-clock assistance. They're considered the best for a reason, right? I'm convinced. I set up a duplicate server with a competitor who charges less, but I found that you get what you pay for. AWS's control panel may take a bit of time to understand, but once you do, it's a breeze to navigate. I tested the response times of both servers and found that AWS was just a tad slower. But considering the robustness and reliability of their system, it's a trade-off I'm willing to make. So, if you're willing to invest in a system that may take a bit of time to understand but offers unparalleled services and reliability, then AWS is definitely for you. Otherwise, you might want to consider their competitors. But for me, AWS is the way to go!

      April 16, 2024

    • Ivan

      Appreciating the Power and Reach of AWS: A Server Manager's Perspective

      As a server manager using EC2 and a proficient user of Linux/Bash, I've come to appreciate the vast capabilities of backend infrastructure. However, in the fast-paced world of startups, I've found that using Heroku allows me to move at a rapid pace. It's a fantastic tool for those who want to hit the ground running. Yet, I must say, once you have a robust team of engineers, returning to AWS is a great move. AWS is truly impressive, powering a significant portion of the internet. It's a platform that commands respect and admiration for its sheer power and reach.

      April 15, 2024

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