Cloud storage is one of the fastest-growing industries globally, leading to a significant increase in demand for data storage. By leveraging AI and machine learning, you can significantly reduce the need for human labor and capital expenditure while maximizing returns. Using cloud storage solutions like Capacity’s AI-based cloud-drive allows your cloud storage, knowledge management, and automation to be under the same roof.
The best way to choose the right cloud storage platform for your business is to match your business needs to the platform’s most reliable features. Of course, factors like price, security, and features will play a role, but if it doesn’t serve your business needs in the long run, you’ll need to start the search over before your company realizes all the benefits.
Businesses use several public cloud storage systems today for storing digital assets, documents, and images. At the same time, you will need the power of an AI-powered cloud platform with extended features that include helpful tools like intelligent document processing, a live database, and guided conversations to leverage that data on the cloud drive. This is where Capacity can help!
If you’re interested in learning more about how you can leverage the data in your cloud storage, check out this video. Keep reading to learn about the most popular public cloud storage options today:
- DropBox
- Google drive
- Amazon Cloud Drive
- One Drive
- Box
Here’s our comprehensive review of the most in-demand cloud storage services to consider depending on your specific company needs:
Dropbox
Dropbox is a popular cloud hosting service that lets you store your files online and synchronize them to your device for easy accessibility and security. The service is excellent for team collaboration as it enables members to share folders and files without the hassle of sending large attachments. It comes with a free plan featuring 2GB of storage and a subscription-based plan with up to 3TB of space.
So, how exactly does Dropbox work? When you subscribe, you are allotted a specific storage space amount in an online server. After downloading and installing the Dropbox App across all devices (mobile, PC, tablet, etc.), you can store any files or folders locally, and they get copied to the Dropbox server as well. When you make any changes or updates to your files, the changes are made everywhere automatically. This makes it easy to access and share files.
Dropbox Pricing
Dropbox cloud storage service is currently available in three plans:
- Dropbox Basic – free and comes with 2GB of storage.
- Dropbox Plus – $10/month and increases storage to 2TB.
- Dropbox Professional – $20/month and comes with 3TB of storage space.
Favorite Feature
While dropbox comes with several essential features like content collaboration, effortless accessibility, and file backup, security optimization steals the show for us. The cloud storage service is secured by features like password protection, download permissions, and expiring links. This ensures that only the right people can access your files. What’s more, you can protect your files from cyber threats, unwanted edits, accidental deletions, or viruses. Dropbox keeps a history of your files, enabling you to easily restore and recover them.
Google Drive
Google Drive is a cloud-based file storage and synchronization service developed by Google. It enables you to store your files on an online server and access them anywhere from your PC, tablet, laptop, or smartphone. With Google Drive’s collaborative features and built-in integrations, sharing and backing up files has never been easier.
The primary purpose of a cloud storage service is to help you store files securely and sync them across multiple devices for effortless accessibility. You can upload and edit files online while syncing and continually update them on the cloud as you work. And beyond helping you store your files, the Drive acts as the center of all your Google activities. It integrates crucial apps in its G-suite that enables you to create files, spreadsheets, presentations, surveys, and more.
Favorite Feature
Again, Google Drive includes many useful features, like secure storage and file sharing, but the one that stands out for us is “work offline.” Experiencing internet service downtime? No worries! You simply tap the “work offline” button to make the files available on your device.
Google Drive Pricing
Google Drive offers four plans that vary in pricing depending on the storage space.
- 15GB of storage – Free.
- 100GB of storage – $1.99/month.
- 1TB of storage – $9.99/month.
- 10TB of storage – $99.99/month.
Amazon Drive
Formerly known as Amazon Cloud Drive, Amazon Drive is a cloud storage service that offers file sharing, photo printing, secure storage, and file backup. Using this cloud service, you can save, access, organize, and share your files and folders on a mobile device, PC, or tablet.
Amazon Drive is a fantastic backup solution for essential files, videos, and images that you do not want to lose or misplace. To use the storage service, you simply need to download and install the app and create an account. It has a menu bar to upload any image, video, or file for secure storage.
Favorite Feature
We really like the image recognition feature. This feature makes searching for and filtering photos extremely quick and effortless.
Amazon Drive Pricing
Amazon Drive storage plans start as low as $1.99 a month, and all Prime customers get free, unlimited photo storage, plus 5GB video storage.
OneDrive
OneDrive cloud storage service is designed to make file hosting and synchronization very simple. With OneDrive, you can:
- Upload different files like documents, photos, and videos from your PC or Mac.
- Share the files with others.
- Permit others to edit and work on your files simultaneously.
- Access your files even when offline, thanks to the syncing capability.
- Access your files from anywhere using any device.
The best part is that if you have a Microsoft email address (Hotmail, outlook.com, or live.com), you already have an OneDrive account. If not, you can access the cloud service by visiting their website and signing up.
Uploading files to OneDrive is a piece of cake. All you have to do is open your account, click the “upload” button in the toolbar and select the file or folder you intend to upload. Remember, you can access OneDrive directly via a browser, or you can download the app on iOS, Windows, Android, or Mac.
Favorite Feature
This cloud-based service offers several unique features and capabilities like access control, collaboration, and data import/export. We particularly like the team sharing integration feature that gives teams access control with an option to create sharing links. This ensures the right people within your organization can access work documents and files when needed.
OneDrive Pricing
The cloud storage service has four plans;
- OneDrive Basic – free and includes 5GB storage.
- OneDrive Standalone – costs $1.99 per month and comes with 100GB of storage.
- Microsoft 365 Personal – costs $6.99 per month and includes 1TB of storage.
- Microsoft 365 Family – costs $9.99 per month and includes 6TB of storage.
Box
Box is one of the best cloud storage service providers suitable for colleagues, contractors, and external partners. If you’re looking to maximize your team’s capacity by enabling them to have quick access to files from any device, Box has you covered.
With Box cloud service, you can store and share any type of file, including presentations, documents, photos, and videos. The best part is that the service enables multiple team members to collaborate without any security risks. You’ll fall in love with Box’s online backup system that ensures you can access files anywhere using any device.
Favorite OneBox Feature
All features are superb, but we like Box Zones the most. If your company has internationally distributed data, this feature enables you to store data in-region without any security threat. It guarantees strong data protection, privacy adherence, and end-to-end encryption for safe storage.
Box Pricing
Box offers both individual and business plans. The individual plans are available for free with a storage space of up to 10GB, and you can choose to upgrade to Personal Pro for $11.50 per month, which includes 100GB of storage. The business plans are as follows:
- Starter – $5 per month for 100 GB storage
- Business – $15 per month for unlimited storage
- Business Plus – $25 per month for unlimited storage
- Enterprise – $35 per month for unlimited storage
Wrap-Up
Capacity’s Cloud Drive takes cloud storage to a new level with AI and RPA. With Capacity, your cloud storage, knowledge management, and automation will all be taken care of with one platform. Capacity is unique because it doesn’t just store documents, it transforms documents into dynamic conversations and question-and-answer pairs so you can instantly find the data you need.
Another customer favorite feature is that all documents stored in the Cloud Drive can be embedded into Workflows. So, even your most complex processes can be automated (e.g. onboarding employees, processing loans, and serving customers).