Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Amazon FSx for Windows File Server review

#7 of 31 in Cloud File Storage Services

A low-cost AWS file share for Windows workloads that need SMB and Active Directory.

8.8/10Editor score
Visit Amazon FSx
Amazon FSx for Windows File Server8.8 Visit Amazon FSx

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Amazon FSx for Windows File Server is a fully managed cloud file system for shared Windows-compatible storage in AWS. It serves Windows applications, Linux and macOS clients, and AWS services over SMB. Its fit is strongest for business applications, home directories, content management, analytics, media processing, and SQL Server workloads that need Windows file-sharing capabilities rather than broad multi-protocol access.

Pricing starts at $0.013 per GB-month for the Single-AZ HDD storage plan, billed monthly. That plan provides HDD-based managed file storage in one Availability Zone. Paid configurations also support Multi-AZ deployments, SSD or HDD storage, configurable throughput, and configurable SSD IOPS. Actual pricing varies by AWS Region, deployment type, storage type, throughput, SSD IOPS, backups, and data transfer, so the entry rate is most relevant to a specific Single-AZ HDD configuration.

The service’s main strength is its Windows-oriented operational feature set. Microsoft Active Directory integration supports directory-aware environments, while automatic daily and user-initiated backups provide recovery options. Windows shadow copies support point-in-time file and folder restores, and file access auditing plus storage usage reports add visibility. AWS integrations include AWS Backup, Amazon CloudWatch, AWS CloudTrail, AWS CloudFormation, Amazon Kendra, Amazon ECS, and AWS DataSync. Choose it when SMB compatibility and AWS ecosystem fit matter most; consider another service when your workloads require protocols beyond SMB or a simpler, non-provisioned storage model.

Amazon FSx for Windows File Server pros and cons

  • Where it wins
    • SMB access with Microsoft Active Directory integration
    • Daily and on-demand backups plus Windows shadow copies
    • AWS integrations including Backup, CloudWatch, and CloudFormation
  • Where it doesn't
    • Core protocol coverage is limited to SMB
    • The entry plan uses Single-AZ HDD storage
    • Pricing varies with region, deployment, capacity, and data transfer

Amazon FSx for Windows File Server fact sheet, pricing and score →

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Last updated · How we research and update