News and announcements

The pricing intelligence platform models identical backup and archive workloads across Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and other storage platforms to deliver in-depth, side-by-side cost comparisons.

SAN FRANCISCO — August 3, 2026 — Purple Koru, Inc. today announced the launch and general availability of Compare IQ, a pricing intelligence platform created to replace spreadsheet-based storage comparisons, inconsistent assumptions, and time-consuming technical analysis with a repeatable commercial workflow. Starting with backup and archive, Compare IQ gives platform providers, solution providers, channel partners, and hyperscaler-aligned teams a clearer way to evaluate multi-year storage economics and present customer-facing recommendations with greater consistency and confidence.

Cloud storage prices can be difficult to compare using published rates alone. The final economics of a storage environment can be affected by storage class, retention periods, capacity growth, retrieval behavior, application programming interface activity, data movement, region, object counts, and other workload assumptions.

As a result, teams frequently rely on spreadsheets, disconnected pricing inputs, and one-off technical analysis. Different assumptions can produce different answers, making comparisons difficult to repeat, explain, or defend in customer conversations. Commercial teams may also depend heavily on solution architects or other technical specialists to rebuild analyses for individual opportunities.

Compare IQ addresses this problem by modeling identical storage workloads across multiple environments. Rather than comparing isolated price-list entries, the platform evaluates how a defined workload behaves over time and shows the assumptions that contribute to the resulting economics.

The first Compare IQ workload module focuses on backup and archive, an area in which retention, growth, retrieval, data movement, and multi-year planning can materially affect storage costs. The platform is designed to expand across additional workload categories over time.

Compare IQ enables platform providers to load their own pricing and compare it with Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud using a consistent workload model. It then turns the analysis into customer-facing, sales-ready outputs that frontline teams can use to explain differences, discuss tradeoffs, and guide the next step in a storage evaluation.

Key capabilities include:

• Identical workload modeling: Applies consistent workload assumptions across Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and platform-provider environments, helping teams make like-for-like comparisons.

• Multi-year storage analysis: Models capacity growth, retention, retrieval, API activity, data movement, region, and workload behavior to show how storage economics can develop over time.

• Provider-pricing comparison: Allows platform providers to load their own pricing and compare it directly with hyperscaler alternatives.

• Customer-facing outputs: Produces sales-ready comparisons that help frontline teams present assumptions, explain cost differences, and support clearer customer conversations.

• Accessible commercial workflow: Gives non-technical users a repeatable comparison process while reducing the need for technical teams to rebuild every pricing analysis from the beginning.

“Storage pricing comparisons are difficult when each provider uses different rate structures or has hidden costs buried behind the rate tables. For a seller, it’s hard to have a fact-based conversation about legitimate options and even harder for a buyer,” said Pete Karolczak, CEO of Purple Koru. 

“Compare IQ provides a consistent way to model the same workload across the hyperscalers and/or alternative storage platforms. The purpose is not to replace commercial or technical judgment. Our goal is to enable a fact-based conversation and ultimately a better informed decision”

Purple Koru developed Compare IQ from its work supporting complex strategic, pricing, commercial, and operational decisions. The company’s team has held senior operating responsibilities across technology and commercial organizations, bringing experience in pricing models, go-to-market execution, business transformation, and executive decision support to the platform’s development.

The launch follows a period of platform development and market engagement intended to translate that experience into a commercial capability for providers and partners. Purple Koru has executed initial customer contracts for Compare IQ. Customer identities and contract details have not been disclosed.

Compare IQ is intended for platform providers, including hybrid cloud, private cloud, consumption-based storage, and storage-as-a-service providers, as well as solution providers, channel partners, and hyperscaler-aligned teams. 

It is available now.

Organizations can request a demonstration or contact Purple Koru at www.CompareIQ.com or www.PurpleKoru.com.

About Purple Koru

Purple Koru, Inc. is a senior operating and advisory company that helps organizations address complex strategic, commercial, pricing, transformation, and execution challenges. Its team brings experience from leading businesses, managing profit-and-loss responsibility, developing pricing and go-to-market models, and executing operational change. Purple Koru developed Compare IQ to translate its real-world pricing and decision-support experience into repeatable software. The company serves executives, providers, partners, and commercial teams that need clearer analysis before making or recommending consequential business and technology decisions. More information is available at www.PurpleKoru.com.

Media Contact

Kevin Thomas

Chief Marketing Officer

Purple Koru, Inc.

kevin.thomas@purplekoru.com

www.PurpleKoru.com

www.CompareIQ.com