For files up to 25 MB that your apps and agents upload, tag and search, often yes. For large files, backups, data lakes, or anything that needs fine-grained access policies, S3 is the better tool, and the two can sit side by side.

S3 lists objects by key prefix and takes up to 10 tags per object. For questions across many files, S3 Metadata keeps tables of object details that you query with SQL engines such as Athena. In Stow, searching by tag, text, folder and type is a single API call.

Are files public by default?

Not in S3: new buckets and objects block public access, and you share files with presigned URLs that last up to 7 days. In Stow, files uploaded over the API are public links by default, and a file uploaded with visibility set to private gets no link at all.

Can AI agents use them?

AWS’s managed MCP server can call any AWS API, S3 included. Any agent can call Stow’s HTTPS API with a key, and the Stow MCP server (in early access) has tools to upload, search and read files.

Stow vs AWS S3

Amazon S3 is general-purpose object storage: buckets of any size, fine-grained access rules, and prices that drop at volume. Stow (usestow.com) is smaller and more opinionated: a hosted library for the files and data your apps and AI agents use, with search, private files and a key per app included. Plenty of teams use both.

Checked October 28, 2026. Prices and features change, so confirm the details on AWS S3’s own site before you decide.

At a glance

Topic	Stow	AWS S3
What it is	A hosted library for the files and data your apps and AI agents use, with one HTTP API.	General-purpose object storage from AWS: buckets, access policies, storage classes and regions.
Getting started	Sign up, add an app, and use its key. No buckets or access policies to set up.	An AWS account, a bucket, credentials and access policies, public-access settings, and CORS rules for browser uploads.
Uploading	One request with a file or with text as JSON. The file type is detected from its contents. Up to 25 MB per file.	SDKs, the CLI or the REST API. Up to 5 GB in one request, and up to 50 TB with multipart upload.
Finding files	Built-in search by tags (including key:value tags), text, folder and file type.	List by key prefix. Up to 10 tags per object. S3 Metadata keeps tables of object details you query with SQL engines such as Athena.
Private files	Upload with visibility set to private: the file gets no link at all, and only your keys can read it.	Private by default: new buckets and objects block public access. Presigned URLs share a file for up to 7 days.
Public links	Every public file gets a permanent link, cached for up to a year.	Possible once you lift Block Public Access and allow reads in a bucket policy.
Automatic analysis	On Pro and Scale: audio transcripts, summaries and tags, written automatically.	None in S3 itself. AWS sells analysis as separate services.
AI agents	A plain HTTPS API any agent can call. A Stow MCP server is in early access.	The managed AWS MCP Server (generally available since May 2026) can call any AWS API, S3 included, through one tool.
Free plan	Free: 500 files, 1 GB, 10,000 requests a day, 2 apps.	New AWS accounts get up to $200 in Free Tier credits, usable on S3, on a free plan that lasts up to 6 months.
Paid pricing	Pro $19 a month (50,000 files, 100 GB, 10 apps). Scale $49 a month (500,000 files, 1,000 GB, unlimited apps).	Pay as you go. In US East: $0.023 per GB-month for S3 Standard, $0.005 per 1,000 uploads, $0.0004 per 1,000 reads, and $0.09 per GB transferred out after the first 100 GB a month.

What each does better

Where AWS S3 is stronger

Files of any practical size: 5 GB in one request and up to 50 TB with multipart upload, against Stow’s 25 MB.
Lower storage prices at volume, with storage classes and regions to choose from.
Fine-grained access control with access policies and presigned URLs.
Part of AWS: an agent using the AWS MCP Server reaches S3 and every other AWS service through one tool.

Where Stow is stronger

Search is included: tags (including key:value tags), text, folder and type, with no index to build next to a bucket.
Nothing to configure: no access policies, bucket settings or CORS. Each app gets a key.
Identical files are stored once, recognized by their content hash.
On Pro, audio is transcribed and documents are summarized and tagged automatically.
One monthly plan with visible limits, instead of separate charges for storage, requests and transfer.

Which to choose

Choose AWS S3 if

Your systems are already on AWS, or your files are large: video, backups, datasets.
You need fine-grained access rules, storage classes or a choice of regions.
You store at a scale where the price per GB matters most.

Choose Stow if

You want upload, tag and search in one API, without building an index next to a bucket.
Your files are under 25 MB and shared by several apps or AI agents.
You’d rather not set up access policies, bucket settings and CORS for every project.

Questions

Can Stow replace S3?: For files up to 25 MB that your apps and agents upload, tag and search, often yes. For large files, backups, data lakes, or anything that needs fine-grained access policies, S3 is the better tool, and the two can sit side by side.
Does S3 have search?: S3 lists objects by key prefix and takes up to 10 tags per object. For questions across many files, S3 Metadata keeps tables of object details that you query with SQL engines such as Athena. In Stow, searching by tag, text, folder and type is a single API call.
Are files public by default?: Not in S3: new buckets and objects block public access, and you share files with presigned URLs that last up to 7 days. In Stow, files uploaded over the API are public links by default, and a file uploaded with visibility set to private gets no link at all.
Can AI agents use them?: AWS’s managed MCP server can call any AWS API, S3 included. Any agent can call Stow’s HTTPS API with a key, and the Stow MCP server (in early access) has tools to upload, search and read files.

Sources

Checked October 28, 2026.

Try Stow free

The free plan holds 500 files for up to 2 apps, with no card needed. Upgrade when you want more room, or automatic transcripts, summaries and tags.

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