What Is Object Storage?

Category: Hosting Basics · Updated 2026-10-30

Object storage is a way of saving data as self-contained "objects," each with its file content, metadata and a unique key, inside flat containers usually called buckets rather than nested folders. It is built to hold huge amounts of unstructured data, such as images, videos and backups, and to scale without the size limits of a traditional file system. Most object storage is accessed over the web through an API rather than a regular folder you browse.

How object storage works

In object storage, every file is stored as an object: the raw data, a set of metadata such as content type and custom tags, and a unique key that identifies it. Objects live inside a flat container called a bucket, and there is no real folder hierarchy, even though most tools let you fake one with slashes in the key name, like photos/2026/event.jpg. Objects are typically read and written over HTTP using an API, not through a mounted drive.

Object storage vs. block and file storage

Type	How data is organized	Typical use
Block storage	Raw fixed-size blocks, like a virtual hard disk	Virtual machine disks, databases needing low-level control
File storage	Traditional folders and files, often shared over a network	Shared drives, legacy applications
Object storage	Flat buckets of objects with metadata and a unique key	Media libraries, backups, static assets, large unstructured datasets

Why object storage scales well

Because there is no deep folder tree to search through and no single disk that has to hold everything, object storage systems can spread objects across many machines and keep scaling as data grows, often well beyond what a single server's disk could hold. This is also why it is commonly used to store backups, website media libraries and large archives that grow continuously over time.

When to use object storage for a website

Offloading large media libraries, like product images or videos, so they stop filling up your hosting account's disk space.
Storing website and database backups somewhere separate from the live server.
Serving static assets directly or through a CDN, since many object storage services pair naturally with one.
Holding large files that an application generates, such as exports, reports or user uploads.

It is a poor fit for files that need constant small edits in place, or for data a database engine expects to sit on fast local block storage.

What to check before choosing a plan

Price per gigabyte stored and per gigabyte transferred out, since downloads often cost more than storage itself.
Whether the service is compatible with common tools and SDKs.
Redundancy: whether objects are copied across multiple drives or locations.
Access controls for making some objects public and others private.
Whether a CDN can be attached directly to the bucket for faster delivery.

Frequently asked questions

What is object storage used for?

Object storage is commonly used for backups, media libraries, static website assets and other large, unstructured files that need to scale beyond what a single server's disk can hold.

What is the difference between object storage and a regular folder?

A regular folder organizes files in a nested hierarchy on one file system. Object storage keeps files as objects with a unique key inside flat buckets, accessed through an API rather than a mounted drive, which lets it scale across many machines.

Is object storage the same as cloud storage?

Object storage is one common type of cloud storage. Cloud storage is the broader category of any online storage service, while object storage specifically refers to the bucket-and-object model used by many of those services.

Can I use object storage instead of regular web hosting?

Not on its own. Object storage can serve static files directly, but it does not run a database or server-side code, so a dynamic website still needs regular web hosting alongside it.

Is object storage good for backups?

Yes. Its scalability and separation from the live server make it a common choice for storing website and database backups, especially when kept in a different location from the hosting account itself.

How is object storage priced?

Most providers charge by the amount of data stored per month plus a fee for data transferred out, and sometimes for the number of operations performed, so costs vary with both how much you store and how often it is accessed.