Cloud storage for cold archives is the cheap tier of object storage. AWS S3 Glacier, Azure Archive Blob, GCP Archive Storage. The trade-off is retrieval time: cold archives are 10-100x cheaper than hot storage, but the retrieval can take minutes to hours.
Table of contents
- What cold archive storage is
- The major providers
- The trade-offs
- The retrieval options
- When to use it
- How to migrate
- FAQ
What cold archive storage is
Cold archive storage is the cheapest tier of object storage, designed for data that is accessed rarely (less than once a quarter, often less than once a year). The cost is 10-100x lower than standard object storage; the trade-off is the retrieval time and the minimum storage duration.
The minimum storage duration is the most surprising trade-off. AWS S3 Glacier Deep Archive has a 180-day minimum; Azure Archive Blob has a 180-day minimum. The team that stores data for 30 days and deletes it still pays for 180 days.
The major providers
The major providers in 2026:
- AWS S3 Glacier. Three tiers: S3 Glacier Instant Retrieval (millisecond retrieval, $0.004/GB/month), S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval (minutes to hours, $0.0036/GB/month), S3 Glacier Deep Archive (hours, $0.00099/GB/month).
- Azure Archive Blob. Two tiers: Cool (30-day minimum, $0.01/GB/month), Archive (180-day minimum, $0.00099/GB/month). The Archive tier has hours of retrieval time.
- GCP Archive Storage. $0.0012/GB/month. Coldline and Archive tiers with similar trade-offs to AWS and Azure.
The trade-offs
The trade-offs the team needs to understand:
- Cost. Cold archive is 10-100x cheaper than standard storage. The savings on a large archive are significant.
- Retrieval time. Cold archive has minutes to hours of retrieval time. The team cannot use it for the workload that needs the data in seconds.
- Minimum storage duration. The minimum storage duration is 90-180 days. The team that stores data for less than the minimum still pays for the minimum.
- Retrieval cost. The retrieval is not free. The team pays per GB retrieved, and the cost can be significant for large retrievals.
The retrieval options
The retrieval options, with the most common use case for each:
- Expedited. Minutes to hours. The right answer for the workload that needs the data urgently.
- Standard. Hours. The right answer for the workload that can wait a few hours.
- Bulk. Hours to a day. The right answer for the workload that can wait a day.
- Bulk (cheapest). The right answer for the workload that is willing to wait.
When to use it
The team that should use cold archive storage:
- The team that has a workload that needs to store data for months or years (backups, archives, log retention, compliance data).
- The team that has a workload that accesses the data less than once a quarter.
- The team that is willing to pay the minimum storage duration.
- The team that has a budget pressure to reduce the storage cost.
How to migrate
The migration that works for most teams:
- Identify the data that is accessed less than once a quarter.
- Move the data to the cold archive tier (S3 Lifecycle, Azure Blob lifecycle, GCP Object Lifecycle).
- Test the retrieval time and the retrieval cost.
- Document the lifecycle policy and the retrieval runbook.
- Monitor the storage cost and the retrieval cost.
FAQ
What is cold archive cloud storage?
The cheapest tier of object storage, designed for data that is accessed rarely. The cost is 10-100x lower than standard storage; the trade-off is the retrieval time.
What is the cheapest cold archive storage in 2026?
AWS S3 Glacier Deep Archive at $0.00099/GB/month, GCP Archive Storage at $0.0012/GB/month, Azure Archive Blob at $0.00099/GB/month.
What is the minimum storage duration for cold archive?
AWS S3 Glacier Deep Archive: 180 days. Azure Archive Blob: 180 days. The team that stores data for less than the minimum still pays for the minimum.
How long does it take to retrieve from cold archive?
AWS S3 Glacier: minutes to hours, depending on the tier. Azure Archive Blob: hours. GCP Archive Storage: hours. The retrieval can be expedited for a higher cost.
How do I migrate to cold archive storage?
Identify the data that is accessed less than once a quarter. Move it to the cold archive tier using the cloud provider’s lifecycle policy. Test the retrieval time and the retrieval cost. Document the policy and the runbook.
If you are sizing the storage tier for a new project, the RunxBuild hosting calculator is the place to model the line items. The hot storage, the cold archive, the egress, the retrieval - each one is a separate number, and the team’s mental model for the platform is the sum of those numbers. The RunxBuild dashboard is where the team sees the actual storage usage in one place.