8 Best Cloud Storage Solutions for Small Businesses

While you dream about proudly owning a enterprise, you typically take into consideration creating your individual schedule, closing gross sales, and doing what you’re keen on most. You don’t normally take into consideration paperwork and the know-how that retains your knowledge protected.

File administration and doc storage aren’t glamorous, however they’re vital duties for small enterprise homeowners. In any case, when you don’t have an IT staff, it’s as much as you to maintain your knowledge organized and your info safe.

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Take into consideration the place you retain your paperwork. Are they printed and saved in a submitting cupboard? Or are they saved in numerous information in your pc? Whereas these options may go for some time, they’re not sustainable over time. You want a cloud storage system to make importing and sharing paperwork straightforward and protected with prospects and coworkers.

On this submit, we’ll clarify cloud storage and evaluate the perfect instruments for managing paperwork at your online business.

What’s cloud storage?

Cloud storage is a pc program that shops paperwork and information on-line in an app (the “cloud”) accessible to anybody at your online business. When a brand new doc is created, that file is routinely saved in “the cloud,” the place you, your coworkers, and anybody else who has entry can view it. It’s like a shared inbox for paperwork and customer communication, making a protected and safe atmosphere to alternate info.

Cloud storage is nice as a result of it doesn’t take up house in your pc. Slightly than saving information to your laborious drive (which makes use of reminiscence), your information are saved on an app, the place you’ll be able to entry them as long as you may have an web connection.

Some extra benefits of cloud storage are:

• Recordsdata are routinely backed up.
• Information is accessible from anyplace and from any machine.
• It’s simpler to collaborate with coworkers.
• It’s simpler to share information with prospects.
• Cloud storage retains your knowledge organized for faster entry.
• Cloud storage helps you securely store documents online.

1. Thryv

Greatest For: Small Companies

Thryv is a enterprise administration platform that provides advertising, gross sales, and customer communication tools. Its doc administration options are constructed immediately into its CRM, so you’ll be able to create paperwork, replace information, and share info from buyer profiles. You too can add paperwork concurrently and assign them to completely different contacts in your CRM. That saves time transferring paper information like quotes and estimates into your new on-line storage system.

Thryv additionally offers scheduling instruments and software that creates estimates and invoices. You’ll get notifications when prospects approve your estimates, and you may immediately flip these estimates into invoices with only a few clicks. Thryv offers bill templates to create these paperwork rapidly and keep away from repetitive duties.

Execs:

• You can also make information personal and provides entry to particular staff.
• You’ll be able to accumulate pre-payments and deposits after sending an bill.
• You’ll be able to create a devoted view to have a look at paperwork by consumer.

Cons:

• Designed for small enterprise homeowners. Bigger companies could expertise limitations utilizing these instruments.
• This platform doesn’t retailer video or HTML information.

Pricing: $228/month for Plus plan; $382/month for Skilled plan; $533/month for Limitless plan

2. Dropbox

Greatest For: Free Cloud Storage

Dropbox is a free cloud storage tool with loads of useful options for small enterprise homeowners. It permits you to edit paperwork, request approvals and signatures, and observe your progress to make sure information are accomplished on time.

You too can edit information even when they weren’t created in Dropbox. For instance, you’ll be able to edit a PDF in your Google Drive and share it with coworkers and prospects with out leaving the app. You too can observe the progress of that PDF to make sure it’s accredited and signed earlier than its deadline.

Extra options for Dropbox embody computerized backups, video approval choices, and an AI assistant that helps you schedule conferences and create duties.

Execs:

• You’ll be able to edit paperwork even when they weren’t created in Dropbox.
• The superior analytics options enable you to observe your progress over time.
• Dropbox can share giant information and movies.

Cons:

• There are restricted staff collaboration instruments.
• Dropbox doesn’t provide advertising or communication know-how.

Pricing: $10/month for Plus plan; $16/month for Necessities plan; $15/consumer/month for Marketing strategy; $24/consumer/month for Enterprise Plus plan

3. Google Drive

Greatest For: Google Customers

Google Drive is a cloud storage resolution that’s greatest utilized by Google Workspace prospects. When you have Google Workspace, you’ll be able to share information like Google Docs, Sheets (the Excel different), and Slides (the PowerPoint different). These information are saved in your Google Drive; you’ll be able to edit and touch upon them in real-time.

Plus, Google Drive now has AI options. The free AI tool, Gemini, summarizes lengthy paperwork and retrieves fast details, making it straightforward to search out info with out studying every file. You too can scan paperwork and save them on to Google Drive by way of your cellphone, a handy possibility when engaged on the go.

Execs:

• Google Drive is nice for staff collaboration. You’ll be able to work collectively on paperwork in real-time.
• The AI search device makes it straightforward to search out particular info.

Cons:

• Enhancing options are solely out there for paperwork on Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
• Free Google Drive accounts have restricted storage.

Pricing: Free to start out; $6/consumer/month for Enterprise Starter; $12/consumer/month for Enterprise Commonplace; $18/consumer/month for Enterprise Plus

4. iDrive

Greatest For: New Enterprise House owners

iDrive is an easy cloud-based storage resolution for small enterprise homeowners. You’ll be able to add information individually or join your pc and sync information routinely to its system. iDrive is appropriate with Google and Microsoft Workplace, so all of your information can be found no matter the place they’re created.

This platform’s greatest characteristic is its customer support. The 24/7 chat help means that you can get assist instantly, a characteristic that enormous firms like Google and Microsoft don’t provide. This characteristic is nice for individuals new to this software program and might want assist establishing and organizing their knowledge effectively.

Execs:

• The 24/7 buyer help makes this software program straightforward to study and use.
• iDrive secures your knowledge by automatically encrypting the information in your database.

Cons:

• The Google Drive and Microsoft options are solely out there with a paid account.
• There are not any real-time collaboration instruments.

Pricing: Free to start out; $3/yr for iDrive Mini plan; $70/yr for iDrive Private, iDrive Group, and iDrive Enterprise plans

Shopping for Software program
Guidelines

With so many software program choices, we’ll enable you to decide which instruments are proper to your small enterprise and the way to decide on the perfect ones on this free e book.

5. CrashPlan

Greatest For: Corporations With Delicate Information

Source

CrashPlan is a cloud storage resolution for firms with sensitive data, like instructional institutes, healthcare firms, and authorities companies or contractors. It backs up your knowledge each quarter-hour, so you’ll be able to relaxation straightforward understanding your information are safe and protected from hackers. There’s additionally limitless model historical past, which helps you to see who modified your information and revert paperwork in case one thing fishy occurs.

Extra options for CrashPlan embody computerized safety alerts and ransomware restoration. Ransomware is when a hacker locks you out of your pc till a particular sum is paid. CrashPlan thwarts these makes an attempt by routinely backing up your knowledge each jiffy.

Execs:

• CrashPlan is compliant with HIPAA and different safety rules.
• CrashPlan is appropriate with Mac, Microsoft, and Linux operation programs.

Cons:

• Since CrashPlan is so safe, it’s harder to share information.
• Deleted information can be found for a restricted time (until you pay for an Enterprise plan).

Pricing: $3/month for CrashPlan Important plan; $88/consumer/yr for CrashPlan Skilled plan; $120/consumer/yr for CrashPlan Enterprise plan

6. Egnyte

Greatest For: Enterprise Companies

Egnyte is a cloud storage resolution for firms with complicated storage wants. It offers enterprise-level safety and simplifies compliance documentation with an AI assistant.

Different options embody a PDF editor, giant file restoration, signature collection, and reporting options that notify you when a doc is accessed or modified. It’s excellent for intently monitoring your knowledge and collaborating with coworkers. You too can ship knowledge requests to shoppers with computerized notifications and reminders about upcoming conferences.

Execs:

• You’ll be able to share information as hyperlinks as a substitute of e mail attachments or downloads.
• You’ll be able to preview information earlier than you open them.

Cons:

• Egnyte is designed for giant firms. Smaller companies could not have as many makes use of for all its options.
• This platform doesn’t present advertising or buyer communication options.

Pricing: $20/consumer/month for Marketing strategy; $38/consumer/month for Enterprise Lite plan

7. Backblaze

Greatest For: Backup Recordsdata

Backblaze is a cloud storage resolution for backing up knowledge. It affords limitless storage and restoration, so you’ll be able to revert your account to any earlier level when you lose a doc. That protects your knowledge in opposition to hackers and makes it straightforward to get better info even when you by chance delete it.

Right here’s the way it works. First, you create “buckets” to retailer completely different information. Then, add paperwork manually or join that bucket to a different app and routinely sync its knowledge. It takes a while to arrange, however Backblaze creates a dependable document storage system best for individuals utilizing a number of apps.

Execs:

• Limitless storage means that you can add as many paperwork as you desire to.
• The highly effective reporting instruments present how a lot knowledge you’ve used and the information individuals have downloaded.

Cons:

• It is advisable perceive APIs to attach Backblaze to exterior apps.
• It’s a must to pay to import knowledge in bulk by way of the “Fireball” characteristic.

Pricing: $6/TB/month for Cloud Storage plan; $99/yr for Private and Enterprise Backup plans; $1,560/20TB/yr for Cloud Storage Reserve plan

8. OneDrive

Greatest For: Microsoft 365 Customers

OneDrive is a cloud storage resolution for Microsoft 365 prospects. Though it’s appropriate with Apple and Android, its seamless integration with Microsoft Workplace makes it the plain selection for Microsoft prospects. You’ll be able to work on paperwork, Excel sheets, and PowerPoints privately, then add them to OneDrive and share them along with your staff.

The Enterprise Fundamental and Commonplace plans embody e mail, calendar, and Microsoft Groups (so you’ll be able to host on-line conferences, too). You too can create an account free of charge and sync it along with your Gmail and Google calendar. Even when you’re a Google consumer, OneDrive can nonetheless be a strong cloud storage resolution to your small enterprise.

Execs:

• OneDrive backs up images and information throughout all of your gadgets.
• You’ll be able to entry extra options like e mail, calendar, and Microsoft Groups.

Cons:

• OneDrive works greatest with Microsoft merchandise and customers.
• The free account has restricted storage.

Pricing: Free to start out; $5/consumer/month for Marketing strategy; $6/consumer/month for Enterprise Fundamental plan; $12.50/consumer/month for Enterprise Commonplace plan

Doc Sharing for Small Enterprise

Managing your paperwork doesn’t need to be a headache. Eliminate the huge quantities of paperwork and save house by storing your information within the cloud. Use this listing to evaluate the perfect cloud storage options, and take a look at the information beneath that can assist you decide the appropriate system for your online business.

Shopping for Software program
Guidelines

With so many software program choices, we’ll enable you to decide which instruments are proper to your small enterprise and the way to decide on the perfect ones on this free e book.