Cloudflare R2 vs AWS S3: Complete 2025 Comparison Guide

In the rapidly evolving landscape of cloud storage, the battle between Cloudflare R2 and AWS S3 represents a pivotal moment for developers and businesses. With R2's promise of zero egress fees disrupting S3's 19-year dominance, choosing the right platform has never been more critical—or complex. This comprehensive analysis will help you make an informed decision based on real-world testing, production experience, and careful cost-benefit analysis.

Quick Decision Flowchart

Our comprehensive analysis, based on real-world implementations and extensive benchmarking, reveals that while R2 can deliver up to 99% cost savings for certain workloads, S3 maintains critical advantages for enterprise use cases. This guide provides the data, code examples, and decision frameworks you need to make an informed choice.

Quick Comparison Overview

Detailed Pricing Comparison

Feature Comparison Matrix

¹ S3 Express One Zone received up to 85% price reductions in April 2025: 31% storage cost reduction, 55% PUT cost reduction, 85% GET cost reduction

Performance Benchmarks & Speed Tests

We conducted extensive performance testing across multiple regions and workload types. Here are the results from our June 2025 benchmarks using standardized test suites.

Security & Compliance Comparison

S3 API Compatibility Matrix

Production-Ready Code Examples

// npm install @aws-sdk/client-s3
import { S3Client, PutObjectCommand, GetObjectCommand } from "@aws-sdk/client-s3";
import { getSignedUrl } from "@aws-sdk/s3-request-presigner";

// R2 Limits: 50 bucket ops/sec, 1 concurrent write/object, 5 GiB max PUT
// Workers request body limit: 100MB (Free/Pro), 500MB default Enterprise
const r2Client = new S3Client({
  region: "auto",
  endpoint: `https://${process.env.R2_ACCOUNT_ID}.r2.cloudflarestorage.com`,
  credentials: {
    accessKeyId: process.env.R2_ACCESS_KEY_ID,
    secretAccessKey: process.env.R2_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY,
  },
});

// Upload file
async function uploadFile(bucket, key, body) {
  // NOTE: For files >100MB, generate a presigned URL to bypass Workers limit
  const command = new PutObjectCommand({
    Bucket: bucket,
    Key: key,
    Body: body,
    ContentType: "image/jpeg",
  });

  try {
    return await r2Client.send(command);
  } catch (error) {
    if (error.statusCode === 429 || error.statusCode === 503) {
      // Handle rate limit - implement exponential backoff
      console.log('Rate limited, retrying...');
      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 1000));
      return await r2Client.send(command);
    }
    throw error;
  }
}

// Generate presigned URL
async function getPresignedUrl(bucket, key) {
  const command = new GetObjectCommand({
    Bucket: bucket,
    Key: key,
  });

  return await getSignedUrl(r2Client, command, { expiresIn: 3600 });
}

import { Upload } from "@aws-sdk/lib-storage";
import fs from "fs";

async function uploadLargeFile(bucket, key, filePath) {
  const fileStream = fs.createReadStream(filePath);

  const upload = new Upload({
    client: r2Client,
    params: {
      Bucket: bucket,
      Key: key,
      Body: fileStream,
    },
    queueSize: 4, // Concurrent parts
    partSize: 10 * 1024 * 1024, // 10MB parts
  });

  upload.on("httpUploadProgress", (progress) => {
    console.log(`Uploaded ${progress.loaded} of ${progress.total} bytes`);
  });

  return await upload.done();
}

Complete Migration Guide with Code

Platform Limitations

Real-World Use Cases & Examples

Based on our analysis of hundreds of implementations, here are specific scenarios where each platform excels, along with real company examples and architectural patterns.

AWS S3's Latest Innovations (2024-2025)

AWS continues to innovate with S3, introducing several game-changing features that enhance performance, reduce costs, and improve developer experience. Here are the most significant updates:

Hybrid Cloud Storage Strategies

Decision Framework

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The choice between Cloudflare R2 and AWS S3 ultimately depends on your specific use case, budget, and technical requirements. R2 excels in scenarios where egress costs are a major concern, offering significant savings for content-heavy applications. S3 remains the gold standard for enterprise features, compliance, and deep AWS ecosystem integration.

For most modern web applications, especially those focused on content delivery, R2's zero egress fees and global performance make it an increasingly attractive option. However, enterprises with complex data workflows, regulatory requirements, or existing AWS infrastructure may find S3's mature feature set worth the additional cost.

The cloud storage landscape in 2025 offers more choices than ever. With AWS's latest innovations like S3 Express One Zone (10x performance), S3 Tables (analytics optimization), and significant price reductions, the competition intensifies. While R2's zero egress fees represent a paradigm shift for content-heavy applications, S3's mature ecosystem with 33 regions and comprehensive features remains unmatched for enterprise complexity. The key is understanding your specific requirements and choosing accordingly – or better yet, leveraging both platforms where they excel.