Configuring Backblaze B2 with ezS3

Backblaze B2 is a popular choice for teams looking to reduce storage costs without sacrificing reliability. With S3-compatible APIs, ezS3 makes it easy to give your team secure access to B2 buckets.

Why Backblaze B2?

• Lower costs: B2 is significantly cheaper than AWS S3 for storage and egress
• No minimum fees: Pay only for what you use
• S3-compatible: Works with existing S3 tools and workflows
• Reliable: 11 nines of data durability

Step 1: Create a B2 Bucket

1. Log in to your Backblaze account
2. Navigate to “Buckets” in the sidebar
3. Click “Create a Bucket”
4. Choose a unique bucket name and settings

Step 2: Generate Application Keys

Unlike AWS S3, B2 uses application keys instead of access keys:

1. Go to “App Keys” in the B2 dashboard
2. Click “Add a New Application Key”
3. Configure permissions:
   • Name: “ezS3 access” or similar
   • Allow access to Bucket(s): Select your bucket
   • Type of Access: “Read and Write” for full access
4. Copy the keyID and applicationKey (you won’t see the key again!)

Step 3: Connect to ezS3

1. In ezS3, go to Storage Providers and click Add Provider.
2. Select Backblaze B2.
3. Fill in the form:
   • Endpoint — Your B2 S3-compatible endpoint (e.g. https://s3.us-west-004.backblazeb2.com; use the endpoint for the region where your bucket lives).
   • Bucket scopes (optional) — Leave blank to let ezS3 list all buckets the key can access, or enter a comma-separated list of bucket names.
   • Key ID and Application key — From Step 2.
4. Leave Allow ezS3 to update bucket CORS settings (recommended) on. When you save or test the connection, ezS3 can add the ezs3.net origin to your B2 bucket’s CORS policy so browser uploads work.

ezS3 uses the B2 S3-compatible API; you don’t need to configure CORS manually unless you turn off auto-update.

Cost Comparison

Here’s a quick comparison of monthly costs for 1 TB of storage and 1 TB of egress:

Provider	Storage	Egress	Total
AWS S3	~$23	~$90	~$113
Backblaze B2	~$6	~$10	~$16

Prices as of 2025 and subject to change

B2-S3 Compatible API

ezS3 uses B2’s S3-compatible API endpoint: s3.us-west-000.backblazeb2.com

If you encounter any issues, make sure:

• Your bucket name doesn’t contain uppercase letters or special characters
• Your application key has the correct permissions and bucket access
• You’re using the correct endpoint URL for your bucket’s region

Lifecycle Rules

B2 supports lifecycle rules similar to S3:

• Automatically delete files after a set time
• Transition files to cold storage
• Set up automatic file versioning

Configure these in the B2 dashboard, and ezS3 will respect the rules.

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Looking to reduce your storage costs? Sign up for ezS3 and connect your B2 bucket.