Heads up: AWS Snowball Edge is no longer available to new customers (since November 7, 2025). Existing customers can keep using it. AWS now points new customers to AWS Data Transfer Terminal or online transfer with AWS DataSync.
Storage · Offline data transfer appliances
AWS Snowball Edge equivalent in Azure and Google Cloud
AWS Snowball Edge (existing customers only) vs Azure Data Box vs Transfer Appliance
Offline data transfer appliances, side by side on AWS, Azure and Google Cloud. The overlap is only partial, so compare features carefully before migrating.
Storage
Offline data transfer appliances
Partial match
AWS
AWS Snowball Edge (existing customers only)
AWS Data Transfer Terminal
Azure
Azure Data Box
Google Cloud
Transfer Appliance
What's different
AWS closed Snowball Edge to new customers in November 2025. New AWS customers use AWS Data Transfer Terminal (upload from your own drives at an AWS facility) or online transfer with DataSync. Azure Data Box and Google Transfer Appliance are still shipped to you.
Key differences at a glance
Aspect
AWS
Azure
Google Cloud
How it works
Snowball Edge: AWS ships a device (existing customers only). Data Transfer Terminal: you reserve a slot and upload from your own drives at an AWS facility
Microsoft ships a disk or appliance; you copy data and ship it back
Google ships an appliance; you copy data and ship it back
Capacity
Snowball Edge Storage Optimized: 210 TB. Data Transfer Terminal: limited by the devices you bring
Data Box Disk: up to 5 SSDs (~35 TB usable). Data Box 120: 120 TB. Data Box 525: 525 TB
Two sizes: about 40 TB and 300 TB
Best fit by size
Large one-off uploads near a Data Transfer Terminal location
Under 40 TB: Disk. ~40–480 TB: Data Box 120. Above: Data Box 525
Pick the size by data volume; order several units in parallel for more
Pricing model
Snowball: per-job fee plus daily fees. Terminal: per port-hour, no per-GB charge into a same-continent Region
Per order, plus daily fees after the included days and shipping
Per-appliance fee plus daily fees after the included days
When to choose which
AWS
You already have Snowball Edge, or you can bring drives to a Data Transfer Terminal city. Otherwise, use DataSync over the network.
Azure
You want a device shipped to your site. Data Box offers the widest range of sizes and also supports exporting data out of Azure.
Google Cloud
You want a device shipped to your site and are moving data into Cloud Storage.
Migration tips
Below a few tens of TB, an online transfer (DataSync, AzCopy / Storage Mover, Storage Transfer Service) is often simpler than a device.
Account for shipping and copy time: the device's speed is rarely the bottleneck; your local network and disks are.
Plan where the data lands (bucket or storage account) and its storage tier before the device arrives.
What is the Azure equivalent of AWS Snowball Edge?
The Azure equivalent of AWS Snowball Edge is Azure Data Box. The overlap is only partial, so compare features carefully before migrating.
What is the Google Cloud equivalent of AWS Snowball Edge?
The Google Cloud equivalent of AWS Snowball Edge is Transfer Appliance. The overlap is only partial, so compare features carefully before migrating.
What is the AWS equivalent of Azure Data Box?
The AWS equivalent of Azure Data Box is AWS Snowball Edge (existing customers only) and AWS Data Transfer Terminal. The overlap is only partial, so compare features carefully before migrating.
What is the Google Cloud equivalent of Azure Data Box?
The Google Cloud equivalent of Azure Data Box is Transfer Appliance. The overlap is only partial, so compare features carefully before migrating.
What is the AWS equivalent of Transfer Appliance?
The AWS equivalent of Transfer Appliance is AWS Snowball Edge (existing customers only) and AWS Data Transfer Terminal. The overlap is only partial, so compare features carefully before migrating.
What is the Azure equivalent of Transfer Appliance?
The Azure equivalent of Transfer Appliance is Azure Data Box. The overlap is only partial, so compare features carefully before migrating.