For most businesses, the best cloud storage is the service that fits the productivity suite, sharing controls and recovery needs they already have. Start with Google Drive for Google Workspace teams or OneDrive for Microsoft 365 teams. Compare Dropbox for external file sharing, Box or Egnyte for more demanding governance, and Proton Drive for default end-to-end encryption.
- Our top picks at a glance
- How we evaluated these cloud storage solutions for business
- 1. Google Drive — Best overall for collaborative teams
- Google Drive overview
- Google Drive strengths
- Google Drive drawbacks
- Google Drive pricing
- Google Drive best fit
- 2. Microsoft OneDrive for Business — Best for Windows and Microsoft 365 shops
- 3. Dropbox Business — Best for distributed teams and external collaboration
- 4. Box — Best for enterprise governance and regulated industries
- 5. Egnyte — Best for hybrid environments and compliance-heavy mid-market
- 6. IDrive — Best for backup-first protection across devices and servers
- 7. pCloud — Best for media libraries and large-file workflows
- 8. Proton Drive — Best for privacy-first and confidentiality-critical teams
- Proton Drive overview
- Proton Drive strengths
- Proton Drive drawbacks
- Proton Drive pricing
- Proton Drive best fit
- 9. Backblaze B2 — Best for data-heavy companies storing bulk data
- Backblaze B2 overview
- Backblaze B2 strengths
- Backblaze B2 drawbacks
- Backblaze B2 pricing
- Backblaze B2 best fit
- 10. Apple iCloud+ — Best for Apple-only micro-teams
- Tools we considered and left out
- How to choose the right cloud storage solution for your business
- Frequently asked questions
These ten cloud storage solutions for business cover three different jobs: everyday file collaboration, backup and recovery, and object storage for applications or archives. IDrive and Backblaze B2 address the latter two; they are not interchangeable with a shared document workspace. Prices below were checked on October 16, 2026. Amounts are USD; annual plans show their monthly equivalent. Promotions, taxes and local prices may differ. Each linked plan page supplies the current terms.
Our top picks at a glance
| Service and buyer fit | Example plan and price | Storage and minimum purchase | Useful capability | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Drive Workspace collaboration | Business Starter: $7/user/month; one-year commitment | 30 GB pooled/user; Business plans support up to 300 users | Docs co-editing and team-owned shared drives | Vault, DLP and other governance features depend on edition |
| Microsoft OneDrive Microsoft 365 teams | Business Basic with Teams: $7/user/month, paid yearly | 1 TB/user; 1–300 users | Office web/mobile collaboration and SharePoint team sites | Desktop Office apps and advanced governance require other licences |
| Dropbox External file sharing | Standard: $15/user/month, billed yearly | 3 TB for first member; +1 TB/additional active licence; starts with 1 user | Team sharing and 180-day version history | Standard Classic has different rules; confirm plan and market |
| Box Governance-focused teams | Business: $15/user/month, billed annually | Unlimited storage; 3-user minimum ($45/month equivalent) | Administrative controls and business integrations | 5 GB file-upload limit; advanced governance may cost extra |
| Egnyte Hybrid access and governance | Business: $22/user/month, paid annually | Confirm storage allocation and minimum seats in the quote | Smart Cache hybrid access with the required licence | Hybrid, classification and recovery capabilities depend on the package |
| IDrive Device and server backup | Business monthly: $59.99/month | 1.25 TB; unlimited users and multiple computers/servers | Backup coverage across systems | Capacity overages and restore requirements need checking |
| pCloud Media and virtual-drive work | Business monthly: $9.99/user/month | 1 TB/user; 3-user minimum ($29.97/month for 3 TB) | Virtual drive, team controls and included client-side encryption | Personal lifetime plans are a different product |
| Proton Drive Confidential file collaboration | Drive Professional: $7.99/user/month, billed yearly | 1 TB/user; starts with 2 users ($191.76/year for two) | End-to-end encrypted files, Docs and Sheets | Verify Drive-specific identity and governance requirements |
| Backblaze B2 Object storage and backup destinations | B2 pay-as-you-go: $6.95/TB/month | First 10 GB free; no seat or minimum duration requirement | S3-compatible storage and Object Lock | Needs an application or backup workflow; egress conditions apply |
| Apple iCloud+ Personal Apple storage and light sharing | Personal 50 GB plan: $0.99/month, US | 50 GB/account; larger personal tiers available | Apple device integration and iCloud Drive | Personal pricing is not a Managed Apple Account business entitlement |
How we evaluated these cloud storage solutions for business
This is a desk-based comparison of official product documentation, pricing pages and security disclosures, checked on October 16, 2026. We did not run hands-on trials, benchmark sync speeds or time restores. Recommendations reflect the buyer requirements below; a feature listed for an enterprise plan or add-on should not be assumed to exist in its cheapest plan.
We compared six practical requirements:
- Access administration: external sharing visibility, link controls and documented offboarding.
- Security and governance: encryption model, audit evidence, retention, data location and contractual requirements for the exact plan.
- Recovery: deletion retention, version history and a tested restore process. Sync alone is no substitute for a backup strategy.
- Identity integration: supported authentication, provisioning and guest access for the product being bought.
- Total cost: billing term, seat minimums, storage allowance, renewal price and chargeable extras.
- Workload fit: document collaboration, large files, device backups or application object storage.
Before committing company records, review your resilience strategy for cloud security issues. Evaluate AI-driven cloud security alerts alongside access restrictions, recovery procedures and logs your team can review. An alert does not replace an enforced control.
1. Google Drive — Best overall for collaborative teams
Google Drive overview
Google Drive is a practical starting point for teams working in Gmail, Docs and Sheets. In shared drives, files belong to the team and remain available when a member leaves.
Google Drive strengths
Browser co-editing and shared drives suit document-heavy teams. Workspace pools storage across the organisation. Its plan comparison separates everyday collaboration from advanced administration: Business Plus includes Vault, while Enterprise lists DLP and context-aware access. Google’s DLP documentation identifies the supported editions.
Google Drive drawbacks
Price the controls you need, not just the storage allocation. DLP, retention and client-side encryption have edition requirements. Test desktop sync with your actual file types and folder structure, and plan how native Docs files will be exported if you leave.
Google Drive pricing
Business Starter is $7 per user/month with a one-year commitment and 30 GB pooled storage per user. Business Standard is $14 with 2 TB pooled per user. Those allocations are shared across the organisation; they are not fixed private drives. See official Workspace pricing for flexible billing and higher tiers.
Google Drive best fit
Teams already living in Gmail, and small businesses that want one bill covering email, docs and storage.
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2. Microsoft OneDrive for Business — Best for Windows and Microsoft 365 shops
OneDrive overview
OneDrive fits businesses already using Microsoft 365 and Office. Use it for individual work files, with SharePoint team libraries for documents a department needs to own collectively.
OneDrive strengths
The business comparison lists file sharing, co-authoring, version history and Files On-Demand. These reduce the need to copy documents between devices. Advanced identity, retention and investigation requirements need a separate check of the relevant Entra and Purview licences.
OneDrive drawbacks
Set library permissions and ownership before migration. Microsoft’s sync restrictions cover path lengths, filenames and file-count considerations. Pilot a representative folder on Windows and macOS rather than assuming identical behaviour or performance.
OneDrive pricing
Microsoft 365 Business Basic with Teams is listed at $7 per user/month, paid yearly, with 1 TB of OneDrive storage per user. It includes web and mobile Office apps, not the full desktop suite. The no-Teams version and other licences have different prices; check the exact business plan before comparing costs.
OneDrive best fit
Windows-managed organisations with an IT function, especially those already paying for Microsoft 365.
3. Dropbox Business — Best for distributed teams and external collaboration
Dropbox overview
Dropbox is worth comparing when external sharing and cross-device file access matter more than adding another productivity suite. Assess it against the storage already included in your existing subscription.
Dropbox strengths
Current Dropbox Standard includes team management and 180-day version history. The first member contributes 3 TB of team storage, with 1 TB added for each additional actively used licence. Password-protected links and transfer features can help teams exchange deliverables with clients.
Dropbox drawbacks
Standard and Standard Classic have different storage and seat rules. Do not apply an older three-seat minimum to the current Standard plan. Features such as external-IdP SSO and additional security controls need a higher-plan check. Test large working files yourself; this comparison establishes no sync-speed winner.
Dropbox pricing
The US yearly comparison lists Standard at $15 per user/month, starting with one user and 3 TB for the team. Advanced is $24 per user/month with a three-user minimum and starts at 15 TB shared. Confirm availability and renewal terms for your market.
Dropbox best fit
Agencies, studios and remote teams whose daily work involves sending large files to clients who don’t share their stack.
4. Box — Best for enterprise governance and regulated industries
Box overview
Box suits teams whose storage decision depends on administration, document workflows and governance. Its entry-level collaboration plans should be distinguished from enterprise compliance packages.
Box strengths
The plan matrix identifies access controls, version limits, integrations and enterprise security features. Governance, Zones, KeySafe and Shield have plan or add-on conditions. Request the relevant evidence and contract terms for regulated work rather than treating the Box brand as a compliance guarantee.
Box drawbacks
Unlimited storage does not mean unlimited uploads: Business has a 5 GB single-file limit. External collaborators require paid accounts on Business; Business Plus includes unlimited external collaborators. Those differences can change the practical cost of a client-facing deployment.
Box pricing
Box Business is $15 per user/month when billed annually, with a three-user minimum and unlimited storage. The minimum subscription is therefore $45 per month equivalent. Business Plus is $25 per user/month annually. See pricing and add-ons; Business Starter is a separate, smaller plan.
Box best fit
Healthcare, financial services, legal and public sector organisations where an auditor will eventually ask who accessed what.
5. Egnyte — Best for hybrid environments and compliance-heavy mid-market
Egnyte overview
Egnyte is a useful shortlist option for organisations combining cloud collaboration with local file access. It also offers governance features at higher tiers.
Egnyte strengths
Smart Cache combines local access with cloud-stored files and global file locking. Egnyte’s pricing matrix separates collaboration from higher-tier classification, lifecycle and recovery features.
Egnyte drawbacks
Smart Cache requires a hybrid licence; it is not automatically included in every subscription. Obtain written storage, seat, recovery and governance allowances for the configuration you need. A team needing only shared Office documents may not need this additional administration.
Egnyte pricing
Business has a published price of $22 per user/month, paid annually; Enterprise Lite is $39. Ultimate requires a quote. The public comparison inspected did not establish a clear storage allocation or minimum seat purchase, so confirm both with Egnyte rather than assuming a capacity. See current plans.
Egnyte best fit
Mid-market firms with legacy file servers, sector-specific compliance obligations and no appetite for a full Microsoft rollout.
6. IDrive — Best for backup-first protection across devices and servers
IDrive overview
IDrive belongs on a backup shortlist. Compare it by what you can restore, from which systems and within what time, rather than by document co-editing features.
IDrive strengths
IDrive’s Business plan covers multiple computers and servers under a capacity allowance, with unlimited users. Its pricing page also separates server and cloud-application backup options. Our guide to choosing an SMB backup solution explains the recovery questions to ask.
IDrive drawbacks
Capacity is still limited even when user and device counts are not. Check overuse charges, the systems supported by your chosen plan and the time required for a full restore. Backup and IDrive Cloud Drive are separate services; activating sync does not validate your recovery process.
IDrive pricing
For a clear non-promotional monthly example, IDrive Business lists $59.99 per month for 1.25 TB, with unlimited users and multiple computers and servers. Annual billing offers a different 500 GB entry configuration and introductory discounts. Compare the capacity, full billing period and renewal rate on the official pricing page.
IDrive best fit
Small and mid-sized businesses that need proof they can restore, not just proof they can share.
7. pCloud — Best for media libraries and large-file workflows
pCloud overview
pCloud is worth considering for media files and teams that prefer a virtual-drive workflow. Compare its Business account with personal and lifetime products separately.
pCloud strengths
The Business offer includes a virtual drive, team access levels, activity logs and file history. Client-side encryption is included in the business offering. This corrects the assumption that business users must always purchase the personal encryption add-on.
pCloud drawbacks
Check how encrypted files interact with previews and collaboration before moving a media workflow. If you need legal hold, retention policies or eDiscovery, ask for documentation of those exact requirements. A personal lifetime purchase should not be treated as a business team subscription.
pCloud pricing
pCloud Business lists $9.99 per user/month on monthly billing, with a three-user minimum. The displayed three-user configuration costs $29.97 per month for 3 TB total, based on 1 TB per user. See business pricing for annual terms and Business Pro; its introductory discount has separate conditions.
pCloud best fit
Production studios, photographers and marketing teams whose files are big and whose compliance obligations are light.
8. Proton Drive — Best for privacy-first and confidentiality-critical teams
Proton Drive overview
Proton Drive is a strong candidate when confidentiality requires end-to-end encryption by default. Its security model explains encryption of file contents and metadata; that is more useful evidence than a general privacy slogan.
Proton Drive strengths
Drive Professional includes file sharing, an online document editor and a spreadsheet editor. Business plans provide user management and enforced two-factor authentication. Compare the actual plan features before buying a Workspace bundle: storage-only and suite subscriptions are separate choices.
Proton Drive drawbacks
Verify integration, external-IdP SSO, search, retention and eDiscovery requirements for Drive specifically. Features documented for Proton VPN or Pass should not be assumed to apply to Drive. Encryption does not prevent an authorised recipient from copying a file or remove the need for access reviews and prompt offboarding.
Proton Drive pricing
Drive Professional is $7.99 per user/month on yearly billing, charged at $95.88 per user annually, with 1 TB per user and a two-user starting requirement. Workspace Standard is $12.99 per user/month annually and starts with one user. Check Proton’s business pricing; taxes may apply.
Proton Drive best fit
Legal, research, advocacy and executive teams where confidentiality outranks convenience.
9. Backblaze B2 — Best for data-heavy companies storing bulk data
Backblaze B2 overview
Backblaze B2 is object storage for archives, application data and backup destinations. Compare it with storage services billed by capacity and access, rather than treating it as a ready-made document workspace.
Backblaze B2 strengths
B2 supports the S3-compatible API and Object Lock retention. Configure and test retention carefully; an immutable storage destination alone is not a complete backup system. Our guide to off-site backup methods covers the broader recovery design.
Backblaze B2 drawbacks
You need an application, backup tool or integration to supply end-user workflows. Check compatibility, access keys and restore procedures. B2’s current pay-as-you-go rates make Class A, B and C API calls free; Class D has separate charges, so the old blanket warning about B and C transaction fees is outdated.
Backblaze B2 pricing
B2 starts at $6.95 per TB/month, with the first 10 GB free and no minimum storage duration. Egress up to three times average monthly stored data is free; additional standard egress is $0.01/GB, with partner exceptions. See current pricing for API details and commitment options.
Backblaze B2 best fit
Data engineering, media and research teams whose bill scales with bytes rather than headcount.
10. Apple iCloud+ — Best for Apple-only micro-teams
iCloud overview
iCloud is convenient for an Apple user’s files and device backups. Keep iCloud+ on a personal Apple Account separate from an organisation’s Managed Apple Account deployment.
iCloud strengths
iCloud Drive and Apple’s document apps can support light collaboration. Managed Apple Accounts belong to the organisation and provide access to specified services, with different restrictions from personal accounts. A personal iCloud+ price does not establish a managed business entitlement.
iCloud drawbacks
Choose a business document platform when you need organisation-wide retention, audit exports, ownership transfer or legal hold. Confirm account-specific encryption and sharing options with Apple. Do not store the only copy of company records in an employee’s personal account.
iCloud pricing
US personal iCloud+ plans are $0.99/month for 50 GB, $2.99 for 200 GB and $9.99 for 2 TB, billed monthly. These are personal-account prices, not per-seat business plans or bulk Managed Apple Account upgrades. See Apple’s country-specific pricing.
iCloud best fit
Individual Apple users and very small teams with light sharing needs, provided the business separately controls its important records and recovery copies.
Tools we considered and left out
Jottacloud. Its business subscriptions are another option to evaluate. Check the business plan’s storage, administration and data-location terms; a personal unlimited-storage offer is not evidence of the business allowance.
Sync.com and Tresorit. Compare Sync.com and Tresorit alongside Proton Drive when encryption is a requirement. Identity integration, administrator recovery, sharing restrictions and pricing can differ substantially; similar encryption labels do not make the products interchangeable.
Amazon S3, Azure Blob and Google Cloud Storage. These belong in an engineering-led object-storage comparison alongside B2. Model storage class, region, requests, retrieval and egress; Amazon S3’s pricing shows why a single per-GB figure cannot describe a whole deployment.
Wasabi. Check its minimum storage and duration terms against your retention and deletion pattern. Compare the resulting bill, rather than only the advertised capacity rate.
Nextcloud and ownCloud. Evaluate Nextcloud and ownCloud when you want more deployment control. Budget for hosting, updates, access management, monitoring and backup, whether you operate the service or use a managed provider.
MEGA. Review the business plan against your identity, transfer, recovery and audit requirements. A generous personal free tier is not enough to establish suitability for company records.
ShareFile. Its legal document workflows merit a separate comparison if client portals and document exchange are the main requirement. Evaluate the workflow before replacing a broader team workspace.
How to choose the right cloud storage solution for your business
Use these five checks to choose a configuration you can operate and afford.
1. Match your existing accounts. Compare storage already included in Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 before buying another subscription. Confirm SSO, provisioning, guest access and offboarding for the exact product and plan.
2. Specify the controls you need. List the required access logs, retention, data regions, key management and contractual terms before shortlisting. A provider’s certification or audit does not by itself make your deployment compliant. Obtain product-specific evidence and configure the service accordingly.
3. Separate collaboration from recovery. Version history and sync are useful, but deleted or corrupted files can propagate. Specify a separate recovery copy, retention period and restore test. These cloud-storage selection questions help make that distinction.
4. Pilot your real workload. Test a copy of representative documents, large media files and deep folder trees. Check access on the devices your team uses, an external recipient’s experience, and recovery after an accidental deletion. Record the results rather than relying on general performance claims.
5. Price operation and exit. Include seat minimums, add-ons, renewal rates, overages and export costs. Businesses that have moved systems to the cloud also need a way to export documents and permissions when changing suppliers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best cloud storage for a business?
Start with Google Drive for Workspace teams or OneDrive for Microsoft 365 teams. Compare Dropbox for external sharing, Box or Egnyte for more demanding governance, and Proton Drive for default end-to-end encryption. The best choice is the plan that meets your access, collaboration and recovery requirements at a sustainable total cost.
How much does business cloud storage cost?
Checked US examples range from Google Workspace Business Starter at $7 per user/month with an annual commitment to Box Business at $15 per user/month annually with a three-user minimum. Backblaze B2 instead charges by capacity, starting at $6.95 per TB/month. These services solve different jobs. Compare storage, seat minimums, add-ons, taxes and renewal terms; evaluating cloud computing costs requires the full configuration.
Is Google Drive or Dropbox better for business?
Choose Drive when the team already works in Workspace and needs shared documents and co-editing. Compare Dropbox when client file exchange and cross-device access justify another subscription. Check sharing restrictions, recovery history, file limits and the exact plan. This desk review did not benchmark their sync speeds.
What is the most secure cloud storage for business?
Define the threat first. Default end-to-end encryption can reduce provider access to file contents; administrator controls, account recovery and sharing policies address different risks. Verify the product’s security model and required governance features, enforce MFA, review external access and test recovery. No provider name, encryption label or certification removes those operational responsibilities.
