How is object storage different from block or file storage?

Object storage stores data as individual objects with metadata and unique IDs, ideal for unstructured data and scalability. Block storage divides data into fixed-size blocks, commonly used for databases and transactional systems. File storage uses a hierarchical structure (files and folders), suitable for shared drives and simple file systems.

Object Storage | Scalable, Secure Cloud Storage for Any Data

Q: What are the benefits of object storage?

Key benefits include virtually unlimited scalability, lower cost for cold or infrequently accessed data, built-in metadata for better data management, high durability and availability, simplified access via APIs (e.g., S3-compatible), and geographically distributed redundancy.

Storage classes
for varied performance needs

Pay only for the data you store or transfer out of your buckets.^*

Standard
Object Storage

Suited for low-cost data storage, Standard Object Storage provides an affordable option for bulk storage while keeping data easily available.

$18 / TB / month^**

Premium
Object Storage

Premium Object Storage is built for a wide range of use cases, such as storing application data, and is designed to be durable, reliable and cost-effective.

$36 / TB / month^**

Performance
Object Storage

Ideal for workloads that internet-based storage just can’t deliver, Performance Object Storage is high-performance, economical storage.

$50 / TB / month^**

Accelerated
Object Storage

Designed for the most demanding use cases, Accelerated Object Storage delivers rapid, low-latency storage for write-heavy use cases.

$100 / TB / month^**

^*Pay only for additional storage and transfer bandwidth exceeding initial storage and bandwidth allotments.
^**Pricing does not include transfer bandwidth, billed at an additional $0.01/TB/month beyond initial data transfer cap.

Vultr Object Storage

Reliable storage for varied performance needs. Select each performance tier for pricing details.

Standard Object Storage

1
TB Selected

Bandwidth

1
TB Selected

$18 /month

1 TB of Storage
1 TB of Bandwidth

$18 per additional TB stored
$10 per additional TB transferred

Scalable, durable architecture

Object storage scales on demand, provides high data reliability, and reduces management complexity.

High durability

Your application is protected from multiple device failures, ensuring high availability with durability exceeding 11 nines, or 99.999999999%.

Scalability

Easily expand and shrink your storage requirement by adding or removing objects, and pay only for what you use.

Cost-efficiency

By only charging for capacity and egress bandwidth, and not charging for API requests, Vultr provides clean, simple, and predictable pricing.

Infinite use cases

Leverage object storage to provide inexpensive, reliable, and hugely scalable storage for your application's data.

Media storage

Easily store static media assets for your applications, such as images, audio, and video. Increase or reduce usage as needed, without maintaining complicated storage clusters.

Automatic backups

Leverage the S3-API or utilize object storage backup solutions from popular platforms like cPanel, Wordpress, and more.

Custom solutions

Create CDN origin points, store cloud-native application data, archive large data sets, save historical logs, set up disaster recovery, and more – the possibilities are endless.

Develop locally, deploy globally®

Vultr Object Storage scales your storage across 32 global regions, with storage hubs available in 11 regions worldwide.

32 regions

Additional resources

Review our FAQ and Vultr Object Storage Doc for more information.

FAQ

How am I billed for object storage?

Your billing depends on which tier you have chosen. All tiers have the following benefits:

File storage included: 1000 GB

Inbound data transfer: Included

Outbound data transfer included: 1000 GB per month

Additional outbound data transfer $0.01 per GB

The tiers with their prices and additional details are below.

Standard Tier: Object storage is priced at $18.00 per month and your additional storage will be priced at $0.018 per GB.

Premium Tier: Object storage is priced at $36.00 per month and your additional storage will be priced at $0.036 per GB.

Performance Tier: Object storage is priced at $50.00 per month and your additional storage will be priced at $0.050 per GB.

Accelerated Tier: Object storage is priced at $100.00 per month and your additional storage will be priced at $0.100 per GB.

What are the key use cases for each tier of object storage?

Standard: Suitable for low-cost bulk storage, while making data easily available for use with Vultr Cloud Compute, Cloud GPU, and Kubernetes. Primary use cases: long-term storage and backup, disaster recovery, log and event data storage.

Premium: Offering more throughput and operations per minute, Vultr Premium Object Storage delivers affordable, reliable, and durable object storage. Primary use cases: content distribution, dynamic websites, application data storage, transaction data recording.

Performance: Ideal for workloads that internet-based object storage just can’t deliver, Vultr Performance Object Storage harnesses NVMe technology for economical yet high-performance storage. Primary use cases: AI and machine learning model training data, cloud-native applications, inventory tracking.

Accelerated: Designed for the most demanding storage workloads, Vultr Accelerated Object Storage is built with NVMe to deliver rapid, low-latency access and performance for write-heavy use cases. Primary use cases: real-time analytics and monitoring, AI deployments for real-time decision making.

Do you offer S3-compatible object storage?

Yes, Vultr Object Storage is our S3-compatible object storage solution.

How do I use object storage on my instances?

Files (objects) can be transferred to Vultr Object Storage directly from Vultr instances by using an S3-compatible tool or SDK. Our Vultr Object Storage documentation includes examples for the popular tool, "s3cmd".

How does object storage differ from block or file storage?

• Object storage stores data as individual objects with metadata and unique IDs, ideal for unstructured data and scalability.
• Block storage divides data into fixed-size blocks, commonly used for databases and transactional systems.
• File storage uses a hierarchical structure (files and folders), suitable for shared drives and simple file systems.

Since my files on object storage are internet accessible, does that mean anyone can access them?

Files (objects) transferred to Vultr Object Storage are "private" by default. This means that you need a secret key in order to access them. However, some tools allow you to override this behavior - be sure to check the documentation included with the tool or SDK that you use to interact with object storage.

What are the benefits of object storage?

Key benefits include:

• Virtually unlimited scalability
• Lower cost for cold or infrequently accessed data
• Built-in metadata for better data management
• High durability and availability
• Simplified access via APIs (e.g., S3-compatible)
• Geographically distributed redundancy

How does Vultr Object Storage handle consistency across distributed nodes?

Vultr Object Storage uses strong consistency models to ensure that once an object is written, all subsequent read requests return the latest version. This guarantees data integrity even in globally distributed deployments.

Can I configure lifecycle policies for automated data tiering in Vultr Object Storage?

Yes. Vultr Object Storage supports lifecycle management, enabling you to automate transitions between storage classes or define retention policies for archiving or deleting data based on access patterns.

What are the performance implications of using Vultr Object Storage for big data analytics?

Vultr Object Storage offers high-throughput access and S3-compatible APIs, making it suitable for storing and retrieving large datasets. It integrates well with analytics tools that support object-based data lakes and can efficiently serve data-intensive workloads.

How does Vultr Object Storage integrate with CI/CD pipelines and developer workflows?

Vultr Object Storage supports programmatic access via S3-compatible APIs and CLI tools, allowing developers to automate asset storage, environment snapshots, and artifact versioning within CI/CD pipelines using standard DevOps practices.