Storing and accessing data are now easier through cloud storage services. The flexibility of online data storage is the leading key factor that drives companies in all sizes to invest in cloud storage solutions. In fact, more and more small to midsize businesses are now transferring their online files from in-house servers to cloud data storage. It is also one of the reasons why a lot of the companies nowadays highlight this cloud hosting benefit.
Whether you are merely looking for a simple tool to access, store, or share files, there is always the right cloud solution for you. Check out these awesome online storage solutions recommended for small businesses:
1. Google Drive
Most small businesses do not require a huge storage limit as compared to large companies. Thus, a reliable, convenient, and affordable storage solution is the ultimate choice. Google Drive is a leading storage service which is known for its productive and collaborative office-suite performance.
Pro’s:
User-friendly Interface
Unlike other cloud storage services like Amazon, Google Cloud Storage is less complicated and easy to use. For small businesses that only deal with reasonable online files, a complicated cloud storage service is a total turn off.
Excellent File Sharing and Management
Google Cloud Storage allows smooth sharing and integration with your other Google accounts. So, if your business mostly uses Gmail for client transactions, it is the best option. You can also share documents and spreadsheets for a real time collaboration.
Big Price Drop
If the service rate is your top concern, Google Cloud Storage is still a top dog in this department. Just recently, Google dropped their 100GB rate from $4.99 to $1.99 per month!
Con’s:
Declining Reliability
Since Google is a well-known provider of Internet-related services and products, many people think that it is reliable and secure. However, just last April 11, 2016, Google received backlash after their cloud platform went down. Although the cloud outage didn’t specifically affect the cloud storage, it certainly did tarnish the company’s reputation when it comes to service reliability.
2. Microsoft OneDrive
It is part of the cloud hosting services of the tech giant Microsoft. OneDrive is multi-functional and is the top choice for office storage.
Pro’s:
Excellent Cross-Platform Syncing
The syncing service of OneDrive is very flexible. You do not have to worry about syncing it to various devices like Mac, Android, Windows and Windows phone.
Powerful Plans
For small businesses that stores data both for your own usage and team usage, OneDrive offers comprehensive plans for the business. It offers OneDrive for Business plan to employees that work and store personal data like confidential business documents.
Con’s:
A downgrade storage limit
Earlier this year, Microsoft announced a downgrade in storage limit which saddens most companies. However, for small businesses that do not need a massive amount of data storage, the shrinking of data limit is not that critical.
3. Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3)
Amazon is another prominent name in cloud-based hosting. As the name entails, it provides simple solutions for small businesses that want bigger storage space for a low price.
Pro’s:
Vast Plan Options
If you are worried about purchasing 200GB storage but end up consuming less, Amazon has the perfect solution for this issue. You can have the “Pay as you Go” plan. This plan allows you to pay only those resources that you consumed.
Configurable Lifecycle Policy
This is an efficient Amazon S3 feature that allows you to manage data. You will also have an automatic migration of data to its appropriate file storage class.
Con’s:
A Series of Downtime History
With just a quick search on the net, you can confirm a series of downtime issues that the Amazon Web Services encounter in various places. For small businesses that rely on most of the transactions online, this could be a potential threat.
Complex Interface
While using S3 is easy for old users of other Amazon Web Services, it can be quite intimidating for startup businesses that are still trying to learn the ropes in cloud storage system. Beginners will most likely find S3’s interface complicated because of its advance features.
4. Zoolz
It is another storage service favorite which has various servers and users, making it easy for your business to choose the right kind of service that you want.
Pro’s:
Tribrid Backup Service
Zoolz tribid backup service allows the users the chance to access three cloud storage options: local storage on your network or server, cold storage for those files that you don’t access often, and instant storage for files that you access frequently.
Deduplication Feature
All your files are deduplicated first, then processed and uploaded. The deduplication feature consists of three levels: machine, company, and global. This ensures that no duplicate files are uploaded to your storage, saving you more space for other data.
Reliability is High
If you want a storage solution that has a high level of security and backup services, then Zoolz is an excellent choice. The fact that it is trusted by big organizations like NASA and National Institutes of Health speak so much about its reliability.
Con’s:
Pricey Service
With this kind of high-quality service, it is understandable that the pay is high. However, for small businesses that are trying to save as many resources and are tight on budget, Zoolz can be very expensive. Its basic 100GB rate is $14.99 per year, but it only has one user, standard support, and no external drives for storage.
Slow Restoration for Low Cost Plan
For a small business, especially startup ones, low-cost plans are common. If you are going to get a low-cost plan on Zoolz, you might as well not avail any of its services altogether. Slow restoration process and unavailability of external drives are just some of the issues you can encounter.
5. Dropbox
It is one of the most popular cloud storage solutions in the marketplace for the past few years now. As of June last year, it boosted a total of 400 million registered users since its release last June 2007.
Pro’s:
Hassle-Free Synchronization
Dropbox is one of the simplest yet convenient file-syncing services out there. You can sync your account to other PC or mobile device easily. It also has a smooth and effortless integration with other app supports. You can store, sync, and access data from any devices anytime, anywhere.
File-Sharing with Non-Dropbox Users is Possible
This feature is very useful for small businesses that deal with clients who use other storage services. Just right click the file you want to send and select share. You have the option to let the other party view or edit the files. Lastly, copy the shareable link and send it.
Applicable to All Operating System
Whether you use Mac, Windows, or Linux, this cloud storage solution is supported by all operating systems. Even if you are using a linux operating system on your PC or IOS on your mobile, you can still access your files on both devices.
Reliable and Secured
Anything stored in the cloud has the potential to be breached, but Dropbox has since made the move to form a dedicated team of security engineers to ensure the privacy of the cloud accounts. They also run multi-layers of security protocols to protect the users’ privacy from any threat.
Con’s:
Expensive Service Fee
Unlike Google and Microsoft that offer free 15GB free storage, Dropbox only offers 2GB free storage per user. If you want to have a bigger cloud storage, you need to avail their subscription plan starting at $8.25 per month. This is more expensive as compared to other cloud storage services.
