Google Drive vs OneDrive vs Dropbox vs S3: where should agency files live?
Most agencies already pay for storage. The real decision is which kind of storage suits which kind of file, and who holds the account.
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The short answer: if your team already lives in Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, keep everyday documents and design files in Google Drive or OneDrive and SharePoint, because the storage is already paid for and everyone knows how to use it. For heavy video, raw footage and long-term archives, an S3-compatible bucket is usually cheaper per terabyte and easier to control as it grows. Choose your own server over WebDAV (Nextcloud, Synology, QNAP) when files must stay on hardware you own. Many agencies end up splitting: documents in their suite, video in bulk storage.
Below is how to weigh the options on cost, speed and control, and how to tell when it is time to split.
What “bring your own storage” means#
Most agency tools keep the files you upload on their own servers. “Bring your own storage” flips that: you connect storage you already own, and the tool saves files straight into it. Your files stay in your account, under your admin controls and your retention settings, and they are still there if you change tools.
It also means one bill fewer to think about. You are not paying a project tool for storage on top of the storage you already pay your productivity suite for.
The options, compared#
| Option | Best for | Strengths | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Drive | Teams on Google Workspace; docs, decks, design files | Already paid for with your seats; familiar; good sharing controls | Storage is pooled from your plan; large video libraries fill it fast |
| OneDrive and SharePoint | Teams on Microsoft 365; client folders with strict permissions | Strong admin and retention controls; SharePoint sites suit per-client libraries | Folder structures and permissions need planning up front |
| Dropbox | Creative teams used to desktop sync and large files | Mature desktop sync; familiar to freelancers and clients | Check how your plan counts storage and seats before you grow |
| S3-compatible buckets (Amazon S3, Cloudflare R2, Backblaze B2, Wasabi, DigitalOcean Spaces) | Raw footage, exports, archives, anything large | Priced per gigabyte; scales without adding seats; you usually choose the region | Pricing models differ, especially for downloads (egress) and minimum storage periods |
| Your own server over WebDAV (Nextcloud, Synology, QNAP, ownCloud) | Agencies that want files on hardware they own | Full physical control; no per-seat storage cost | You own the uptime, the upgrades and the off-site backup |
Cost: how to think about it#
Suite storage (Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox business plans) is mostly bundled with seats. That makes it feel free until you hit the limit, and then the answer is often more seats or a higher tier, bought for storage rather than for people.
Object storage is priced differently: you pay for how much you keep, sometimes for requests, and with some providers for data downloaded out of the bucket. Cloudflare R2, for example, is known for not charging egress fees, while other providers price downloads in different ways. Check each provider’s current price list rather than relying on any article, including this one.
Example arithmetic
The numbers here are illustrative only, not any provider’s price. Say a video team adds 4 TB of footage and exports a year, and bulk storage costs an example $6 per TB per month.
- After year one you store 4 TB: 4 × $6 = $24 a month.
- After year three you store 12 TB: 12 × $6 = $72 a month.
Now compare that with what your suite would charge to hold the same 12 TB, including any seats you would add only for space. For most video-heavy teams, the gap is the argument for splitting.
TipDelete or archive by policy, not by panic. A simple rule such as “raw footage moves to archive 90 days after final approval” keeps costs predictable.
Speed and working habits#
Storage is only fast if it matches how people work. Editors cutting 4K footage need local copies, whatever the storage behind them. Designers passing files to clients need quick share links. Account managers need to find last month’s contract in seconds.
- Sync-first storage (Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox) suits people who open files from their desktop all day.
- Object storage suits files that are written once and read occasionally: finished exports, archives, raw footage after the edit.
- Your own server can be the fastest option in an office, and the slowest for a remote team on home connections.
Control and compliance#
Who administers the account matters more than which brand it is. A very common problem is agency files living in personal accounts: a founder’s old Dropbox, a freelancer’s Google Drive. When that person leaves, so does your access.
- Agency-owned accounts only. Every folder with client work belongs to an account the agency controls, with at least two admins.
- Region. With object storage you can usually choose the region your bucket lives in, which can help when clients ask where their files are.
- Versioning and retention. Turn on versioning or retention where your provider offers it, so an accidental deletion is recoverable.
- Offboarding. Removing a person should remove their access to client folders the same day.
If you handle personal data for clients in Europe, Australia or the US, where files sit is part of your answer to them. Our guides on GDPR for agencies and agency data ownership cover the wider picture.
When to split video into bulk storage#
You don’t need two stores on day one. These signs say it is time:
- Your suite warns about storage more than once a quarter.
- You have bought seats or a higher tier mainly for space.
- Finished projects hold terabytes nobody opens, but you can’t delete them.
- Voice notes and screen recordings are filling the same space as contracts and briefs.
A sensible split for most agencies
- Suite storage: briefs, decks, contracts, design files, anything people edit together.
- Bulk object storage: raw footage, video exports, voice notes, archives.
- Off-site copy: backups of whatever matters most, in a different provider or region from the original.
How Crewqo works with your storage#
Crewqo is built on bring-your-own-storage. You connect Google Drive, OneDrive or SharePoint, Dropbox, any S3-compatible bucket (Amazon S3, Cloudflare R2, Backblaze B2, Wasabi, DigitalOcean Spaces and others) or your own server over WebDAV (Nextcloud, Synology, QNAP, ownCloud). Files from team chat, the client portal and the file manager are streamed straight into it.
- Tested before use. Crewqo writes a test file, reads it back and deletes it, then checks each connection daily.
- A separate store for heavy media. Videos and voice notes can go to a different store from everything else, such as a low-cost bucket.
- No permanent copy on our servers. Files pass through on their way to your storage; a short playback cache clears itself.
See your own storage and files in your storage for the details.
Checklist: choosing where files live#
Before you commit to a storage setup
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Drive or Dropbox better for an agency?
If your team already uses Google Workspace, Drive is usually the simpler choice because the storage comes with your seats. Dropbox suits teams that rely heavily on desktop sync and share large files with freelancers. The bigger decision is keeping files in an agency-owned account.
Is S3 storage good for video?
Yes, for footage and exports that are written once and opened occasionally. Object storage is priced per gigabyte and grows without adding seats. Editors still work from local copies while cutting.
What is egress and why does it matter?
Egress is data downloaded out of a storage provider. Some providers charge for it and some, such as Cloudflare R2, are known for not charging it. If clients or editors download large files often, it can change which provider is cheapest.
Can I use my own office server with Crewqo?
Yes. Crewqo connects over WebDAV to servers such as Nextcloud, Synology, QNAP and ownCloud, and tests the connection before using it. See your own storage.
Written by the Crewqo team. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at hello@crewqo.com.