S3 offers multiple storage classes optimized for cost, availability, and retrieval time. All provide 11 nines (99.999999999%) durability. Objects can be moved between classes manually or via Lifecycle rules.
General Purpose:
- Standard – 99.99% availability, low latency, high throughput, multi-AZ. For frequently accessed data.
Infrequent Access:
- Standard-IA – 99.9% availability, multi-AZ, lower cost for infrequently accessed data. Retrieval fee applies.
- One Zone-IA – 99.5% availability, single AZ, cheaper but lost if AZ fails. For recreatable or secondary backups.
Archival:
- Glacier Instant Retrieval – Millisecond access, min. 90 days storage.
- Glacier Flexible Retrieval – Expedited (1–5 min), Standard (3–5 h), Bulk (5–12 h). Min. 90 days storage.
- Glacier Deep Archive – Lowest cost, Standard (12 h) or Bulk (48 h) retrieval. Min. 180 days storage.
Adaptive:
- Intelligent-Tiering – Moves objects automatically between frequent, infrequent, archive instant, archive, and deep archive tiers. Small monitoring fee, no retrieval charges.
S3 Storage Class Transition Rules
- Standard → Standard-IA / One Zone-IA: 30 days minimum
- Any → Glacier (Instant / Flexible / Deep Archive): 30 days minimum
- Glacier Flexible Retrieval: 90 days minimum storage
- Glacier Deep Archive: 180 days minimum storage
- Intelligent-Tiering: no minimum, small monitoring fee per object