What is the Best File Storage Solution for Your Small Business
[content field=”callout1″ format=”true” class=”calloutwide”]Over the past few weeks I’ve taken a look at Dropbox, Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive. All three of these online file storage products let you store and synchronize your files across multiple devices and let you access them from anywhere you can get an Internet connection.
As I’m writing this, I’d be remiss to not mention Citrix , ShareFile and Box solutions as well. For our review we’ll just focus on Dropbox, Drive and OneDrive.
I find all are relatively easy to use and can definitely help you be more productive and save time. While saving files to your computer might be the “norm” for some businesses, those of us who want to work in a mobile world only save files in “the cloud”.
The biggest difference is that OneDrive is fully integrated with Microsoft Office 365 – instead of attaching a file you can seamlessly add a LINK to a file in OneDrive, same holds true for Google Drive and Gmail Users.
With a number of cloud storage options available, the big question is: Which service is the best for small business owners? While there is no ‘one size fits all’ answer, an analysis of the similarities and differences will help you pinpoint your perfect cloud storage solution. To help you out, we’ve looked at arguably the best cloud storage options – Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive – to compare features that are of interest to small businesses.
[Tweet “Online #cloud or local file storage – What’s best for your small #business? Find out here!”]Users
- Dropbox has “more than 300 million people across every continent”
- Google Drive – more than 240 million globally
- OneDrive – over 250 million people
As the numbers show, Dropbox has a significant lead in terms of number of users worldwide, with 50 million or more additional users than the other platforms. However, with each cloud storage option boasting well over 200 million users, all appear to be popular and widespread options.
Free Storage
- Dropbox – Dropbox is a free download for your computer and mobile devices. It begins with 2GB of free storage, and then you have the ability to earn up to 16GB extra by performing extra activities such as referring friends
- Google Drive – Google Drive is available for free to anyone who has a Gmail account. You get 15GB of free storage, which is shared across Google Drive, Gmail and Google+ Photos
- OneDrive – OneDrive is linked to the Windows operating system and Windows Phone. If you have a Microsoft email account (for example, outlook.com or Hotmail.com) then you also have a One Drive. It begins with 15GB of free storage, with the option to earn up to 5GB by referring friends and 3GB when you back up your camera roll.
Examining free storage, Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive are attractive cloud storage options because they start out with a larger storage space (15GB) without having to jump through any extra hoops or perform any extra actions. However, if you’re using Google Drive, keep in mind that that space is also shared with your Gmail files. If you are willing to go the extra mile, you can get extra space from Dropbox and OneDrive. While Google Drive maxes out at 15GB, Dropbox users can potentially earn up to 18GB total, and OneDrive users can earn up to 23GB total.