ECR Archive Storage Class Used Below 150 TB Threshold

Paul Marcelin

CER:

CER-0308

Service Category

Storage

Cloud Provider

AWS

Service Name

AWS ECR

Inefficiency Type

Inefficient Configuration

Explanation

In November 2025, AWS introduced an Archive storage class for private ECR repositories, marketed as a way to reduce storage costs for large volumes of rarely used container images. However, Archive storage pricing is identical to Standard storage pricing for the first 150 TB per month. Below this threshold, Archive provides no storage savings yet introduces a per-gigabyte retrieval charge, a retrieval delay of up to 20 minutes, and a 90-day minimum storage duration. Adopting the Archive storage class before meeting the 150 TB threshold means paying the same storage price but taking on additional fees and operational overhead.

This inefficiency is easy to miss because the AWS announcement emphasized cost savings for "large volumes" without quantifying "large" or prominently disclosing the retrieval charge or the minimum storage duration. In other AWS services, optional storage classes typically offer a storage price reduction from the first byte, in exchange for access penalties. With ECR, however, access penalties apply as described, but the storage price is unchanged for the first 150 TB, a container storage volume that few organizations achieve.

Relevant Billing Model

ECR private repository storage is billed on a per-gigabyte, per-month basis. The two storage classes, Standard and Archive, have the following characteristics:

Storage: Both Standard and Archive storage are billed at 10¢ per GB per month for the first 150 TB. Above this threshold, Archive storage is billed at a rate of 7¢.
Retrieval: No retrieval charge or delay applies when pulling images stored in Standard. Images stored in Archive must be restored for a retrieval fee of 3¢ per GB before they can be pulled. The delay may be up to 20 minutes.
Minimum storage duration: No minimum storage duration applies to Standard. When an image in Archive is deleted before 90 days have elapsed, storage charges for the remaining days apply.
Data transfer: Data transfer pricing does not differ between Standard and Archive.

(Pricing was checked for the us-east-1 region in March, 2026, and is subject to change.)

Detection

Review the total volume of container images stored across all private ECR repositories to determine whether aggregate storage approaches or exceeds 150 TB per month.
Identify any repositories with lifecycle policies configured to transition images to the Archive storage class.
Assess whether any images currently in Archive storage are being retrieved periodically and then returned to Archive storage class by lifecycle policies, which would compound retrieval charges without delivering storage savings.
Identify scripts or other workflows that transition images to the Archive storage class.
Evaluate image retention requirements to confirm whether images are genuinely needed for compliance or could instead be deleted.
Confirm whether images in Archive storage have been deleted before 90 days, the minimum storage duration for which the organization will be billed.
Review billing records to identify retrieval charges, which indicate active use of Archive storage.

Remediation

For organizations storing less than 150 TB of container images throughout the month, restore any archived images to the Standard storage class and update lifecycle policies to prevent archiving. This eliminates the retrieval charge and the retrieval delay without increasing storage costs.
Delete images that are no longer needed, instead of archiving them. Deletion eliminates ongoing storage costs, whereas archiving provides no storage savings unless total volume exceeds 150 TB.
Establish a review process to monitor lifecycle policy changes across all private ECR repositories, ensuring that Archive transitions are only configured when the organization's total image storage volume justifies use of the Archive storage class.
Use Standard storage if an image is expected to be retrieved within 90 days. When restoring images from Archive, be aware that the 90-day minimum storage duration applies.

Relevant Documentation

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