Use this tool to estimate the total download (egress) costs from Amazon Glacier, factoring in retrieval fees, data transfer out rates, and your monthly free allowance.
Amazon Glacier Download Cost Calculator
Amazon Glacier Download Cost Calculator Formula
$$\text{Total Cost} = \text{Charged GB} \times (\text{Retrieval Rate} + \text{Egress Rate})$$
$$\text{Charged GB} = \max(0, \text{Total Data} – \text{Free Allowance})$$
Variables
The calculator uses the following key variables to determine your final Glacier download cost:
- Total Data to Retrieve (GB): The total volume of data you are planning to download from the Glacier vault.
- Retrieval Tier: Your chosen retrieval method (Expedited, Standard, or Bulk), which dictates the retrieval cost per GB and the time needed to access the data.
- Data Transfer Out (Egress) Rate ($/GB): The cost charged by AWS for moving data out of the specific AWS region. This is often tiered but simplified here as a constant rate.
- Monthly Free Retrieval Allowance (GB): The amount of data (usually 1GB) that AWS allows you to retrieve for free each month before charges begin.
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What is Amazon Glacier Download Cost?
The Amazon Glacier (now S3 Glacier) download cost refers to the total expense incurred when retrieving data from the archival storage service. Unlike standard S3 where retrieval is mostly free, Glacier is designed for long-term, infrequently accessed data, leading to a distinct two-part cost structure for downloads: **Retrieval Fees** and **Data Transfer Out (Egress) Fees**. Retrieval fees vary significantly based on the tier selected (Expedited, Standard, Bulk), which directly impacts access speed and cost efficiency.
The Data Transfer Out (Egress) fee is typically charged for all data leaving the AWS network to the public internet, regardless of whether it originated in S3 or Glacier. Calculating this cost accurately is crucial because unexpected egress charges are one of the most common surprises in cloud billing. Understanding how the Retrieval Tier choice affects both speed and cost is vital for managing archival budgets effectively.
How to Calculate Amazon Glacier Download Cost (Example)
Let’s calculate the cost for retrieving 500 GB using the Standard tier in a typical region, assuming a $0.01/GB Retrieval Rate and $0.09/GB Egress Rate, with a 1 GB Free Allowance:
- Determine Charged Data Volume: $$500\text{ GB (Total)} – 1\text{ GB (Free Allowance)} = 499\text{ GB (Charged)}$$
- Calculate Retrieval Cost: $$\text{Retrieval Cost} = 499\text{ GB} \times \$0.01/\text{GB} = \$4.99$$
- Calculate Egress Cost: $$\text{Egress Cost} = 499\text{ GB} \times \$0.09/\text{GB} = \$44.91$$
- Calculate Total Cost: $$\text{Total Cost} = \$4.99 + \$44.91 = \$49.90$$
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Expedited is for urgent retrieval (minutes) but is the most expensive per GB. Standard takes a few hours and is moderately priced. Bulk is the cheapest option, designed for non-urgent large datasets (up to 12 hours or more).
Is the Data Transfer Out (Egress) rate the same for every AWS region?No. Egress rates vary based on the AWS region, the destination (e.g., the internet vs. another AWS region), and the volume of data transferred. High volume users often benefit from tiered discounts.
What is the typical “Free Allowance” for Glacier?AWS typically provides a free tier for S3 Glacier. This often includes 1 GB of data retrieval per month from S3 Glacier Flexible Retrieval (formerly Glacier) vaults, though this can change and depends on the specific AWS product and region.
Does this calculator include S3 Request Fees?No. This calculator focuses on the volume-based Retrieval and Egress costs. For a complete estimate, you would also need to factor in per-request costs (GET, PUT, DELETE) which are negligible for large retrievals.