Azure Blob Cool Archive compared to Cloud Cold Storage
Pricing taken from CloudZero and CloudColdStorage
Microsoft Azure: Compute & Hot/Cold Storage
Azure offers scalable compute resources through Azure Virtual Machines and other services, supporting workloads from small projects to enterprise systems. Azure Blob Storage provides multiple tiers: Hot for frequent access, Cool for infrequent access, and Archive for long-term storage. While Azure ensures high durability and strong ecosystem integration, retrieval and egress fees can add complexity and cost for less-accessed data.
Cloud Cold Storage: Predictable Nearline Archival
For data that doesn’t need constant access, Cloud Cold Storage delivers a flat-rate nearline archive with zero retrieval or egress fees and proven 99.999% durability. It’s simple, transparent, and cost-effective — perfect for backups, compliance, and other archival needs — helping businesses reduce storage costs without compromising reliability.
Cloud Cold Storage vs Azure Blob Storage (Cool & Archive)
Up to 70% savings over Azure Blob Cool tier, with predictable monthly billing and no access penalties.
| Comparison | Cloud Cold Storage | Azure Blob Cool / Archive |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing (per GB / month) | $0.00155 / GB-month ($1.55 per TB) | Cool: ~$0.0102 / GB-month; Archive: ~$0.00099 / GB-month (variable) |
| Minimum storage duration | No minimum — billed monthly | Cool: 30 days; Archive: 180 days |
| Retrieval latency | Seconds to minutes (streamed back on demand) | Cool: milliseconds; Archive: hours |
| Retrieval / egress fees | None — no retrieval or egress fees | Retrieval & egress fees apply per GB |
| API & ecosystem | S3-compatible API; simple multi-cloud integration | Azure Blob API; integrated within Microsoft stack |
| Durability & infrastructure | 99.999% durability; same datacentre provider as Azure. No power required once written until data is requested | 99.999999999% durability across regions |
| Best fit | Predictable, low-cost nearline for secure archive retention | Optimised for Azure-native apps with variable retrieval costs |