[solatic]

> to even delete it would cost thousands in API calls

raises eyebrow

It's a well-known trick (proposed by AWS Support as well) to set S3 lifecycle rules to empty buckets with too many objects to cycle through via List calls. Doesn't cost anything.

[SteveNuts]

There's still a cost for transitions even if it's not list calls. That might be cheaper I haven't looked in a while.

[QuinnyPig]

Deletes are free in S3, whether done via API or lifecycle.