AWS DataSync cost: about a cent and a quarter per gigabyte

Quick answer

DataSync charges about $0.0125 per GB of data copied, plus standard storage and request costs at the source and destination and any cross-region or internet transfer. Cost tracks bytes moved, so transferring only what changed (incremental syncs) and filtering out data you do not need are the levers. A one-time large migration is a one-time charge.

AWS DataSync moves data between on-premises storage, AWS storage services, and across AWS. Its own pricing is refreshingly simple: a flat per-gigabyte fee on the data it copies. The cost to plan for is the volume you move, plus whatever the endpoints charge.

Per-gigabyte copied

DataSync bills about $0.0125 per gigabyte transferred. Moving 10 TB in a migration is around $125 in DataSync charges, a one-time cost. On top of that you pay the normal storage and request costs at the source and destination, and any cross-region or internet data transfer the move incurs.

Move only what you need

Lever	Effect
Incremental syncs	Transfer only changed data after the first run
Include/exclude filters	Skip data you do not need to move
Compression in transit	Fewer bytes over the wire

DataSync transfers incrementally after the first run, so a recurring sync moves only changed data and costs accordingly. Include and exclude filters skip files you do not need, cutting the billed volume directly. For a one-time migration the charge is one-time; for ongoing replication, the incremental behavior keeps recurring cost low.

Controlling DataSync cost

Use incremental syncs for recurring transfers, filter out data you do not need, and be aware of the endpoint and cross-region charges that accompany the move, which for large transfers can rival the DataSync fee. For the surrounding data-transfer picture, see AWS data transfer costs.

FAQ

How much does AWS DataSync cost?

About $0.0125 per GB of data copied, plus standard storage and request costs at the source and destination and any cross-region or internet transfer. Moving 10 TB is around $125 in DataSync charges, a one-time cost for a migration.

How do I reduce DataSync cost?

Use incremental syncs so recurring transfers move only changed data, apply include and exclude filters to skip data you do not need, and account for the endpoint and cross-region transfer charges that accompany the move. Cost tracks bytes moved.

Does DataSync transfer incrementally?

Yes. After the first run, DataSync transfers only data that has changed, so a recurring sync moves and bills for the delta rather than the full dataset each time. This keeps ongoing replication cost low compared to repeated full copies.

What costs accompany a DataSync transfer?

Beyond the per-gigabyte DataSync fee, you pay standard storage and request costs at the source and destination, and any cross-region or internet data transfer the move incurs. For large transfers these endpoint and transfer charges can rival the DataSync fee itself.

Is DataSync cheaper than manual copying?

Usually, for anything non-trivial, because it handles incremental transfer, verification, and scheduling that you would otherwise build. The per-gigabyte fee is modest, and the operational reliability for migrations and ongoing replication typically justifies it over hand-rolled copying.

Does C3X estimate DataSync cost?

DataSync cost is driven by the volume of data copied, a usage input. C3X prices the surrounding storage infrastructure, and you model transfer volume to estimate the per-gigabyte DataSync charge.

What to do next

Estimate the storage around your transfers before you build them. C3X reads your Terraform and prices your resources against a live catalog. Start with the quickstart.