# Outdated and expensive EBS volume type | Cloud Efficiency Hub Canonical: https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/outdated-and-expensive-ebs-volume-type Legacy volume types such as gp2 or io1 remain in use, even though AWS has released newer types - like gp3 and io2 - that offer better value: gp3 costs... By: PointFive Updated: 2026-09-28 [Cloud Efficiency Hub](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub) # Outdated and Expensive EBS Volume Type The short version Legacy volume types such as gp2 or io1 remain in use, even though AWS has released newer types - like gp3 and io2 - that offer better value: gp3 costs up to 20% less per GB than gp2, while io2 is priced the same as io1 for storage and for the first 32,000 provisioned IOPS (with lower IOPS rates above that) and adds higher durability. PointFive Research Cloud cost research at PointFive AWS service [AWS EBS](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/cloud-services/aws-ebs) Category [Storage](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/service-category/storage) Reference CER-0079 Type Outdated Version ## Explanation Why the waste happens and who it affects. Gp3 allows users to configure IOPS and throughput independently of volume size, while io2 provides higher durability and more predictable performance than io1. These newer volumes are generally more cost-effective and can be adopted without re-architecting workloads. Many teams continue using outdated types due to default AMIs, automation templates, or simple oversight. ## Billing model The pricing dimensions that drive this cost. EBS volumes are billed per GB-month based on the provisioned size and the selected volume type. Additional charges may apply for provisioned IOPS or throughput beyond the default baseline, depending on the volume type. ## How to detect 5 checks to find it in your estate. - Identify volumes using gp2, io1, or other legacy types - Compare current performance needs (IOPS, throughput) with the default capabilities of newer alternatives - Evaluate whether the volume type was chosen intentionally or inherited from legacy infrastructure - Check whether Elastic Volumes is supported for live migration on the attached instance - Consult with infrastructure owners or automation templates to confirm ongoing default behavior ## How to fix How to remove the waste. Modify the EBS volume type in place - such as changing from gp2 to gp3, or io1 to io2-using the AWS Console, CLI, or API. The change is typically non-disruptive and completes without downtime. In rare cases where in-place modification isn't supported (e.g., older instance types), create a snapshot and restore it to a new volume with the desired configuration. Update AMIs, launch templates, and automation tools to ensure future volumes use cost-effective, modern types by default. ## Documentation Vendor references for pricing and configuration. - [Amazon EBS volume types - Amazon EBS docs.aws.amazon.com](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/ebs/latest/userguide/ebs-volume-types.html) - [Amazon EBS General Purpose Volumes - Amazon Web Services aws.amazon.com](https://aws.amazon.com/ebs/general-purpose/) - [EBS Pricing aws.amazon.com](https://aws.amazon.com/ebs/pricing/) - [Amazon EBS Provisioned IOPS Volume - Amazon Web Services aws.amazon.com](https://aws.amazon.com/ebs/provisioned-iops/) ## Related inefficiencies [Browse the library](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub) - AWS EBS CER-0162 ### [Outdated Provisioned IOPS Volume Type for High-I/O Workloads](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/outdated-provisioned-iops-volume-type-for-high-i-o-workloads) Many environments continue using io1 volumes for high-performance workloads due to legacy provisioning or lack of awareness of io2 benefits. io2 volumes provide equivalent or better performance and durability with reduced cost at scale.... Storage - AWS EBS CER-0154 ### [Delete-on-Termination Disabled for EBS Volume](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/delete-on-termination-disabled-for-ebs-volume) When EC2 instances are provisioned, each attached EBS volume has a \`DeleteOnTermination\` flag that determines whether it will be deleted when the instance is terminated. If this flag is set to \`false\` - often unintentionally in custom... Storage - AWS EBS CER-0178 ### [Overprovisioned EBS Volume](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/overprovisioned-ebs-volume) EBS volumes often remain significantly overprovisioned compared to the actual data stored on them. Because billing is based on the total provisioned capacity - not actual usage - this creates ongoing waste when large volumes are only... Storage --- Source: the public page above. Product screenshots and illustrative interfaces are examples, not live customer data.