I need a cloud storage service that supports rclone and does not charge for API requests.

If your main requirement is rclone compatibility + no API request charges, you will generally want to avoid providers that meter operations (common with S3-compatible object storage) and choose services where API usage is included. Rclone supports many providers, including consumer storage and object storage backends.

Good options:

My picks by use case

• Cheapest/easiest personal backup: Google Drive or OneDrive
• Large archive with lots of small files: Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox (because request counting is not your problem)
• Privacy-focused: MEGA or Proton Drive
• Server backups with millions of files: consider a non-S3 consumer provider first; S3-style storage can make API operations expensive

A few things to watch:

• “No API request fees” does not necessarily mean unlimited automation. Some providers impose rate limits.
• Object storage (S3-style) often charges per LIST, GET, and PUT request, even if storage is cheap.
• rclone’s sync and check operations can generate many API calls, especially with huge file counts.

If you tell me your approximate storage size (e.g., 500 GB, 5 TB, 50 TB) and whether this is for backup, media storage, or active file syncing, I can narrow it down.

If you need an rclone -compatible cloud storage provider that doesn't nickel-and-dime you for API requests (PUT, GET, LIST, DELETE), your best options are S3-compatible object storage providers that explicitly bundle or waive transaction fees . Unlike hyperscalers (like AWS S3 or Cloudflare R2) which charge per million operations, a few standout providers do not charge for API calls at all.

Top Recommendations for Rclone with $0 API Request Fees

• • API Request Fees: $0 (All PUT, GET, LIST, and DELETE operations are completely free).
  • Rclone Compatibility: Full native S3 compatibility. You configure it in rclone using the s3 provider type and setting the endpoint to Wasabi's URL.
  • Pricing: Flat rate starting around $7.99 per TB/month.
  • The Catch: They have a 90-day minimum storage retention policy on Pay-As-You-Go plans. If you delete a file before 90 days, you still pay for the remaining days of that 90-day window. Egress (download data) is free up to a reasonable fair-use limit (roughly equal to your active storage volume).
• Rabata
  • API Request Fees: $0 (Zero API request fees for S3 native API calls).
  • Rclone Compatibility: Fully compatible as a drop-in S3 target for rclone.
  • Pricing: Flat monthly pricing structures (e.g., $49 for 10TB plans) with free egress on restores and no hidden transaction fees.
  • The Catch: Geared primarily toward server backups, workloads, and long-term archives, so you'll want to check if their specific tier sizing matches your total capacity needs.
• Consumer Cloud Services (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox)
  • API Request Fees: $0 (No direct monetary charge for API usage).
  • Rclone Compatibility: Native built-in remotes exist for all major consumer drives.
  • The Catch: They don't charge money for API requests, but they do enforce strict rate limits and quotas . If rclone starts hammering Google Drive or OneDrive with hundreds of listing/fetching requests per second to sync millions of small files, you will get temporary HTTP 429/503 rate-limit bans or slow-down pacers rather than extra bills.

Avoid These If You Hate API Fees

• Backblaze B2: Highly popular with rclone , but they do charge for class B/C transactions after you exceed their daily free tier limits.
• Cloudflare R2: Zero egress fees, but they explicitly charge for Class A (writes/lists) and Class B (reads) operations (e.g., $4.50 per million Class A requests), which adds up quickly during deep rclone check or rclone sync runs on massive small-file directories.

If you can share how much data you plan to store and how often files change or get synced , I can help you figure out if Wasabi's 90-day retention or a consumer drive fits your workflow better.

If you are looking for a cloud storage provider that integrates natively with rclone and does not nickel-and-dim you with per-request API fees (unlike AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, or Cloudflare R2's paid tiers), you have a few solid options depending on whether you want a completely free tier or paid hot storage without hidden request overhead.

1. Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage (Paid, Flat-Rate)

• API Request Fees: $0 (No charge for LIST, GET, PUT , or any other API calls).
• Rclone Support: Fully compatible via the S3-compatible backend.
• How it works: Wasabi is a commercial S3 alternative that charges strictly for the gigabytes/terabytes stored (around $6.99/TB/month) with zero egress fees and zero API request fees. Because rclone heavily utilizes LIST and HEAD requests during syncs, comparisons, and directory traversals, Wasabi’s no-API-cost model makes frequent operations completely predictable.
• Note: There is a 90-day minimum storage retention policy per object, making it ideal for backups and long-term data rather than rapid, transient file churning.

2. Rabata (Paid, S3-Compatible)

• API Request Fees: $0 ($0 API request fees on their flat-rate backup/storage tiers).
• Rclone Support: Drop-in S3 target.
• How it works: Rabata offers S3-compatible cloud storage featuring predictable flat-rate pricing (e.g., $49 for 10TB plans) and explicitly waives egress and API request charges, making it a direct fit for rclone workflows.

3. Backblaze B2 (Freemium / Low Cost)

• API Request Fees: Most Class B and C transactions (downloads, listing file names) are either free or have massive daily free allocations that typical personal rclone usage never breaches. Uploads (b2_upload_file ) are completely free.
• Rclone Support: Native and first-class support.
• How it works: Backblaze gives you the first 10 GB of storage completely free along with generous free daily transaction caps. If you use rclone's --fast-list flag (or set RCLONE_FAST_LIST=true ), you drastically reduce the number of API calls made, keeping your transaction costs at absolute zero for standard sync workloads.

4. Consumer Drives (Google Drive / OneDrive) via Personal Rclone Config

• API Request Fees: Free (provided you use your own custom Client ID).
• Rclone Support: Deep, native integration.
• How it works: If you are connecting consumer storage like Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive, rclone uses built-in default API keys by default. However, Google began shifting toward usage-based quota enforcement for shared default credentials. To keep it completely free and avoid rate limits or potential future platform fees, you must generate your own Custom Client ID and Client Secret within the Google Cloud Console / Azure Portal and plug them into your rclone config.

To help narrow down the best choice, tell me:

• Are you looking for a completely free tier or a paid/budget professional storage provider?
• How much data do you plan to store?

Yes. Wasabi is probably the closest match to what you're looking for.

• wasabi.com — S3-compatible, works with rclone, and does not charge for API requests (GET, PUT, LIST, DELETE, etc.). Its current Pay-Go storage price is $7.99/TB/month.
• Backblaze B2 is another strong option. It supports rclone and gives Pay-As-You-Go customers free Class A, B, and C API calls, although Class D transactions are charged after the free daily allowance.
• Cloudflare R2 supports rclone and has a generous free request allowance, but it does charge API requests beyond the free tier: $4.50/million Class A and $0.36/million Class B for Standard storage.

My pick

If your priority is specifically “I can hammer it with rclone without worrying about API-request charges,” choose Wasabi. It explicitly states that API requests and egress are free, subject to its fair-use policy.

One caveat: Wasabi's current Pay-Go terms have a 1 TB minimum commitment and a 90-day minimum storage duration, so it's less attractive if you're only storing a small amount.

If you tell me roughly how much data you need (e.g. 500 GB, 5 TB, 50 TB), how often you'll upload/download it, and whether it's backup or active storage, I can compare Wasabi vs. B2 and find the cheapest option for your particular rclone workload.

If you need an rclone -compatible cloud storage provider that doesn't charge per-request/API fees (unlike AWS S3 or Backblaze B2, which nickel-and-diming you for GET, PUT , or LIST operations), your best options depend on whether you want a completely free tier or paid flat-rate storage.

• Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage — The industry standard for no API charges . Wasabi fully supports rclone via its S3-compatible API. They charge a flat rate for storage capacity only (around $6.99 per TB/month) with zero egress fees and zero API request fees. Catch: There is a 1 TB monthly storage minimum enforcement ( $6.99/month floor) and a 90-day minimum retention policy on deleted files.
• Rabata — An S3-compatible cloud storage provider that explicitly advertises $0 API request fees alongside flat-rate pricing (such as $49 for 10 TB bundles). It works seamlessly as an S3 drop-in target for rclone, meaning frequent syncs, file listings, and checks won't result in surprise transaction bills.
• Cloudflare R2 — An egress-free object storage option that is fully compatible with rclone's S3 backend. While it does charge for API operations (Class A and Class B) beyond its limits, it features a massive forever-free tier each month: 10 GB of storage, 1 million Class A operations (writes/lists), and 10 million Class B operations (reads) completely free. If your usage fits inside these caps, your API request cost is literally $0.

To help narrow down the ideal choice, let me know:

• How much data do you plan to store?
• Are you looking for a completely free tier or a paid professional plan?

Yes. If your key requirement is rclone + no API-request charges, there are a couple of particularly good choices.

Best fit: Backblaze B2

B2 is probably the closest match to what you're asking for. Backblaze currently says that Class A, B, and C API calls are free for pay-as-you-go customers. Class D transactions are charged, although the first 2,500 per day are free.

It also works very well with rclone because B2 is a supported rclone backend.

Why I'd choose it:

• ✅ rclone support
• ✅ Class A/B/C API calls free
• ✅ First 10 GB storage free
• ✅ No minimum storage duration
• ✅ No minimum file-size fees
• ⚠️ Some Class D transactions can incur charges
• ⚠️ Egress has limits/conditions rather than being universally free

Cloudflare R2 — good alternative, but not truly unlimited API requests

R2 is also S3-compatible and works with rclone.

However, it does charge for API operations above its free allowance:

• 1 million Class A requests/month free
• 10 million Class B requests/month free
• Then $4.50/million Class A
• $0.36/million Class B
• Egress is completely free

So if by "does not charge for API requests" you mean you can hammer the API with millions/billions of rclone operations without an API-request bill, R2 isn't the right choice.

My recommendation

I'd pick Backblaze B2 if your workload generates lots of rclone operations—especially ls, sync, copy, check, and small-file operations.

If you tell me roughly how much storage you need (e.g. 1 TB, 10 TB, 50 TB) and whether you'll upload/download frequently or mainly use it as cold storage, I can compare B2, Wasabi, R2, and a few less-obvious options and find the cheapest one for your particular rclone workload.

If your requirement is rclone + no per-API-request charges, the best fits are:

My pick: Backblaze B2

Backblaze B2 is particularly good if your priority is eliminating API-operation costs. Backblaze currently lists Class A, B, and C API calls as free; only certain Class D transactions cost money, with the first 2,500/day free.

It also has an explicit rclone integration, and the current storage price is $0.00695/GB-month after the first 10 GB.

Cloudflare R2

Cloudflare R2 is another excellent option, especially if you'll download a lot. It has no egress charges, and its S3-compatible API works with rclone.

The catch is that API requests aren't unlimitedly free: R2 includes 1 million Class A and 10 million Class B operations per month; after that, they cost $4.50/million and $0.36/million respectively.

Bottom line: If by "does not charge for API requests" you mean you don't want API-call costs to accumulate at all, I'd choose Backblaze B2. If you expect substantial downloads/egress, R2 can be cheaper overall despite its API limits.

The best primary recommendation for cloud storage that natively supports rclone via standard S3-compatible APIs and does not charge for API/transaction requests is Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage . Other viable zero-per-request or alternative options include Rabata and consumer-centric setups, though major players like Cloudflare R2 or Backblaze B2 charge fractions of a cent per operation.

Top Rclone-Compatible Providers with No API Request Fees

Key Details on Using Rclone with Zero API Fee Storage

• Wasabi Configuration: Configure inside rclone config by selecting s3 storage, setting the provider to Wasabi , and pointing to the regional endpoint (e.g., s3.wasabisys.com ). Because it doesn't bill for LIST or GET operations, intensive rclone flags like --fast-list won't inflate your invoice.
• The Retention Catch: While Wasabi has zero API and egress fees, deleted or overwritten files are subject to a 90-day minimum storage retention period . If you frequently delete/re-upload rapidly changing data sets daily, this can add hidden costs.

If you can share your approximate total data size and how often files change or get deleted , I can help you decide if Wasabi's retention policy or a different S3-compatible tier fits your budget best.

Yes. Backblaze B2 is probably the best match for what you're asking for right now.

🥇 Backblaze B2

• Works with rclone: rclone has a dedicated B2 backend and supports syncing, copying, mounting, etc.
• No API-request charges: Backblaze currently lists Class A, B, and C API calls as free. Class D calls have 2,500 free per day, then cost $0.004 per 10,000.
• Storage: $6.95/TB/month, with the first 10 GB free.
• Uploads: Free.
• Egress: Free up to 3× your average monthly stored amount; additional egress is $0.01/GB, with unlimited free egress through certain CDN/compute partners.
• S3 compatible: So you can use either rclone's native B2 backend or its S3 interface.

One important distinction

If by "does not charge for API requests" you mean literally unlimited API requests at $0, B2 is unusually good: its normal storage operations (Class A/B/C) are free. It isn't quite literally every possible API call—Class D has a small charge after the daily allowance.

Cloudflare R2 is not as good for this particular requirement. It supports S3/rclone, but after its free allowance it charges $4.50/million Class A requests and $0.36/million Class B requests.

So if you're doing something like rclone backups with lots of small files, I'd pick Backblaze B2 over R2 specifically because of the free API transactions.

If you tell me roughly how many TB you need and whether you'll frequently download/restore the data, I can compare B2, Wasabi, R2, Hetzner, and a few others and identify the cheapest option.

When using rclone with cloud storage, heavy operations like sync, check , or ls can trigger thousands of API calls. Standard enterprise providers like AWS S3 or Backblaze B2 bill for these transactions (Class B/C calls), which can lead to unexpected bills if you have a massive directory tree.

The best rclone-compatible cloud storage alternatives that explicitly do not charge for API requests include:

• Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage : Fully S3-compatible, charges a flat rate per TB for storage, and has zero fees for API requests or egress (as long as your monthly download volume doesn't drastically exceed your storage volume). Note: They do enforce a 90-day minimum storage retention policy for deleted/modified objects.
• Cloudflare R2 : Offers S3-compatible object storage with $0 API request fees (Class A and Class B operations are completely free) and zero egress/bandwidth fees . You only pay for the exact gigabytes stored ($0.015 per GB/month). Rclone integrates natively via the S3 backend.
• Rabata : An S3-compatible provider that explicitly advertises $0 API request fees alongside flat-rate storage plans (e.g., matching predictable block pricing) and zero egress fees on data restoration.
• Hetzner Storage Box : Supports standard protocols like WebDAV, SFTP, and CIFS—all of which are fully supported by rclone. They charge a low flat monthly fee based strictly on capacity with no extra transaction or API costs.

Tip: When running rclone sync commands on object storage with large numbers of small files, always append the --fast-list flag to minimize the total count of listing requests made to the backend.

If you can share your approximate storage size and how you plan to use rclone (e.g., heavy rclone mount vs. weekly backup scripts), I can help you pick the most cost-effective provider among these options.