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MSP object storage pricing comparison

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MSP presenting object storage pricing comparison to IT manager in a modern European office.

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MSP presenting object storage pricing comparison to IT manager in a modern European office.

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MSP presenting object storage pricing comparison to IT manager in a modern European office.

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A 2025 MSP Object Storage Pricing Comparison for Predictable Margins

13.09.2025

10

Minutes

Christian Kaul

Founder & COO Impossible Cloud

13.09.2025

13.09.2025

10

Minutes

Christian Kaul

Founder & COO Impossible Cloud

Are unpredictable cloud storage bills eroding your MSP margins? A staggering 56% of European organizations overspend on cloud storage, largely due to hidden egress and API fees. This article provides a clear MSP object storage pricing comparison, showing how a predictable cost model is not just a line item, but a strategic advantage.

The topic briefly and concisely

A predictable pricing model with zero egress or API fees is the most critical factor in a true MSP object storage pricing comparison, as it directly protects partner margins.

Offering sovereign, EU-based object storage is a powerful competitive differentiator that meets growing client demand for GDPR compliance and data residency.

An 'Always-Hot' storage architecture simplifies operations, guarantees performance for backups and restores, and eliminates the hidden costs and complexities of tiered storage.

For Managed Service Providers, profitability hinges on predictability. Yet, traditional object storage pricing models, laden with variable egress fees and API call charges, make forecasting nearly impossible. Over half of European IT leaders report budget overruns, delaying critical projects and squeezing margins. This forces a difficult choice: absorb rising costs or pass unpredictable bills to clients. This guide explores a different approach—a sovereign, S3-compatible object storage model designed for MSPs. It focuses on transparent pricing to secure your margins, enhance compliance with EU regulations like GDPR, and deliver enterprise-grade resilience without financial surprises.

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Deconstructing Cloud Pricing: The Hidden Costs Eroding MSP Profits

Traditional cloud storage pricing is a major challenge for 90% of European IT decision-makers, who identify unexpected fees as a primary cause of budget overruns. The issue lies in complex models where costs for data egress and API calls can inflate monthly bills by over 20%. For MSPs offering backup-as-a-service or disaster recovery, these variable charges create significant financial risk, turning profitable contracts into loss leaders overnight. Just over half (55%) of European companies state that these unpredictable data access fees have directly delayed important IT initiatives.

This pricing complexity directly undermines an MSP's ability to offer competitive, fixed-rate services. The average budget overrun for CIOs has reached 30%, forcing cuts in other critical areas. An effective MSP object storage pricing comparison must look beyond the per-gigabyte storage price and scrutinize these operational charges. A transparent model with zero egress or API fees is the only way to guarantee predictable margins and build sustainable client relationships. This financial stability is the foundation of a scalable MSP business.

Sovereignty by Design: A Competitive Edge in the EU Market

Data sovereignty is no longer a niche requirement; for a majority of EU decision-makers, it is a primary selection criterion for cloud services. Storing data within the EU, under the protection of GDPR and outside the reach of foreign laws like the US CLOUD Act, is a powerful differentiator for MSPs. Offering a sovereign storage solution allows MSPs to address the 67% of businesses actively seeking enhanced data residency features. This focus on EU-centric governance builds significant trust with clients in regulated industries like finance and healthcare.

A truly sovereign cloud operates exclusively in certified European data centers and provides country-level geofencing to keep data within predefined regions. This architecture provides the legal certainty that enterprises demand, transforming a compliance necessity into a clear competitive advantage. For MSPs, partnering with a European provider means simplifying the compliance conversation and delivering a service that is inherently aligned with client expectations for data control and security. This strategic alignment is key to winning high-value contracts in a crowded market.

Enterprise-Ready Architecture: The Power of 'Always-Hot' Storage

Many cloud providers use complex storage tiers, which create operational headaches and hidden costs for MSPs. Policies can fail, restores are often delayed, and unexpected fees for accessing 'cold' data can surprise both the MSP and their client. An 'Always-Hot' object storage model eliminates this complexity entirely. All data is immediately accessible without any tier-restore delays or fees, ensuring predictable performance for backup, recovery, and archival workloads. This architectural simplicity is crucial for maintaining service level agreements (SLAs) and ensuring third-party tools, like backup software, operate without API timeouts or errors. An 'Always-Hot' model, combined with full S3-API compatibility, protects an MSP's investment in existing tools and scripts. It ensures that everything from backup jobs to automation pipelines runs smoothly without code rewrites. This reliability underpins the resilient ransomware posture that modern clients require.

Meeting 2025 EU Regulations: NIS-2 and the Data Act

The European regulatory landscape is evolving, and MSPs are directly in the spotlight. The NIS-2 Directive, which expands cybersecurity obligations, now explicitly includes MSPs as critical entities, demanding robust security measures and supply-chain assurance. Non-compliance can result in fines of up to €10 million. Simultaneously, the EU Data Act, applicable from September 2025, mandates data portability and is designed to prevent vendor lock-in by phasing out data egress fees completely by 2027.

Partnering with a storage provider that has baked these requirements into its operations is a significant advantage. Look for a platform that offers:

  • Continuous Security Processes: Alignment with NIS-2 requires documented vulnerability management and incident reporting.

  • Immutable Storage: Object Lock is essential for ransomware defense and audit-ready data retention under NIS-2.

  • Verified Port ability: The Data Act requires providers to facilitate easy switching, a principle that aligns with a zero-egress-fee model.

  • EU-Controlled Operations: Ensures that all data governance and key management align with EU legal frameworks from the start.

This proactive compliance simplifies an MSP's regulatory burden and demonstrates a mature security posture to clients.

Partner-Ready by Design: Tools for MSP Growth and Efficiency

A successful partnership requires more than just a good product; it demands a platform built for the channel. For MSPs, this means features that streamline operations and support growth. A multi-tenant console with role-based access control (RBAC) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) is fundamental for securely managing multiple client environments from a single interface. This centralized control reduces administrative overhead by at least 15% for the average MSP. Automation is another key pillar of MSP efficiency. A provider with a comprehensive API and command-line interface (CLI) allows MSPs to integrate storage management directly into their existing workflows and reporting systems. This programmability is essential for fast onboarding and scalable service delivery. Recent distribution agreements with partners like api in Germany and Northamber plc in the UK further expand local access and support for MSPs across Europe, ensuring a smooth path to market.

A Practical Framework for MSPs: The Migration and Operations Checklist

Transitioning to a new object storage provider should be a seamless process that minimizes risk and protects data integrity. A well-planned migration is key to realizing the benefits of a predictable pricing model without disrupting client services. More than 45% of cloud budget overruns are attributed to unplanned migration activities, highlighting the need for a clear strategy. Here is a practical checklist for MSPs to follow:

  1. Verify S3 API Compatibility: Test your existing backup tools, management scripts, and applications to ensure all object operations, including versioning and lifecycle policies, function as expected.

  2. Map IAM Policies: Replicate your current Identity and Access Management roles and permissions in the new environment, ensuring the principle of least privilege is maintained.

  3. Conduct a Pilot Migration: Start with a non-critical dataset to validate the data transfer process, measure performance, and confirm endpoint configurations.

  4. Perform Test Restores: The ultimate proof of a successful backup strategy is a successful restore. Regularly test data recovery to ensure data integrity and meet RTO/RPO objectives.

  5. Update Monitoring and Reporting: Integrate the new storage platform with your monitoring tools to track performance, capacity, and costs from day one.

Following these steps ensures a smooth transition and allows you to confidently offer enhanced backup and disaster recovery services.

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FAQ

How does a zero-egress-fee model improve my MSP's financial forecasting?

By eliminating egress fees and API call charges, your largest sources of variable cloud costs are removed. This allows you to set fixed prices for your clients for services like Backup-as-a-Service with confidence, knowing your own storage costs will not unexpectedly increase and erode your margins.



Is this storage solution compatible with my existing backup software?

Yes, our platform is fully S3-compatible, which means it works out-of-the-box with leading backup and recovery tools that use the S3 protocol. This ensures you can migrate your workloads without needing to rewrite scripts or change your existing applications.



How does immutable storage help protect my clients against ransomware?

Our platform supports Immutable Storage via Object Lock. This feature prevents data from being deleted or altered for a specified period, even by an administrator. If a ransomware attack occurs, you can restore an uninfected, unencrypted version of the data, rendering the attack ineffective.



Can I restrict my client's data to a specific country within the EU?

Yes. We offer country-level geofencing, allowing you to store data in specific, certified European data centers. This helps you and your clients meet strict data residency requirements for regulatory compliance.



How does your platform help me comply with the EU Data Act?

Our model is built on the principles of the EU Data Act. With zero egress fees and a commitment to open standards (S3 API), we eliminate vendor lock-in and ensure you have a practical, proven exit strategy, aligning perfectly with the Act's data portability requirements.



What kind of support do you offer to new MSP partners?

We provide comprehensive support for fast onboarding, including technical documentation and expert assistance. Our partner console is designed for intuitive multi-tenant management, and our distribution network, including api (DE) and Northamber plc (UK), offers local support.



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