AWS S3 vs UploadThing: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for AWS S3 and UploadThing side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
AWS S3
Scalable object storage by Amazon
Best for you if:
- • You want industry standard
UploadThing
File uploads for TypeScript developers
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
| At a Glance | AWS S3 | UploadThing |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan | Free plan, paid from $10/mo, billed monthly 100GB plan |
Category | Data & Databases Cloud Storage | Developer Tools API Tools |
Rating | 4.7/5 Capterra 4.7 · G2 4.6 2,062 reviews | n/a |
Free plan | No | Yes |
Watch out for | Retrieval fees for Glacier storage | The 2GB free tier fills up fast if your app handles user-generated images or documents. A single app with 100 users uploading profile photos and a few documents each can exhaust 2GB in weeks. |
Choose AWS S3 or UploadThing?
Choose AWS S3 if
- You want industry standard
- You want highly scalable
- You work in data & databases, not developer tools
Choose UploadThing if
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want easy file uploads
- You want TypeScript native
- You work in developer tools, not data & databases
In-Depth Analysis
AWS S3
Scalable object storage by Amazon
AWS S3's pricing is generally fair and highly competitive, especially with its diverse storage classes.
Watch out
Retrieval fees for Glacier storage
Strengths
- Pro: Industry standard
- Pro: Highly scalable
- Pro: Strong ecosystem
- Pro: Many features
Weaknesses
- Con: Complex pricing
- Con: AWS lock-in
- Con: Learning curve
Key features
UploadThing
File uploads for TypeScript developers
UploadThing solves a genuinely painful problem: file uploads in modern web apps are disproportionately complex relative to how simple they should be.
Watch out
The 2GB free tier fills up fast if your app handles user-generated images or documents. A single app with 100 users uploading profile photos and a few documents each can exhaust 2GB in weeks.
Strengths
- Pro: Easy file uploads
- Pro: TypeScript native
- Pro: Next.js focused
- Pro: Good DX
- Pro: Fair pricing
Weaknesses
- Con: Newer platform
- Con: Vendor lock-in
- Con: Limited features
- Con: React/Next.js focused
- Con: Documentation improving
Key features
Plans and prices: AWS S3 vs UploadThing
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| AWS S3 |
| aws.amazon.com/s3/pricing read Oct 14, 2026 |
| UploadThing |
| uploadthing.com read Oct 15, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on AWS S3 pricing and UploadThing pricing.
Key Takeaways
AWS S3
- Choose if you want scalable object storage by Amazon
UploadThing
- Choose if you want file uploads for TypeScript developers
What the data shows
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
- Only AWS S3 has a published user rating (4.7/5 from 2,062 reviews); UploadThing has none we can show.
- UploadThing starts at $10/mo, billed monthly; AWS S3 has no public paid plan price on file.
- Both have a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do AWS S3 and UploadThing compare in 2026?
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair. Only AWS S3 has a published user rating (4.7/5 from 2,062 reviews); UploadThing has none we can show. UploadThing starts at $10/mo, billed monthly; AWS S3 has no public paid plan price on file. Both have a free plan.
What are AWS S3 and UploadThing used for?
AWS S3: Scalable object storage by Amazon. UploadThing: File uploads for TypeScript developers.
What does AWS S3 cost vs UploadThing?
AWS S3 has no public paid-plan price on file. UploadThing's cheapest paid plan is 100GB at $10/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 15, 2026.
What's the main difference between AWS S3 and UploadThing?
AWS S3's main strength: industry standard. UploadThing's main strength: easy file uploads.