Choosing where to store your data matters. Cloud tools are everywhere, but some businesses still benefit from good old-fashioned local storage. Here’s how to decide.

What Is Cloud Storage?

It’s data stored online through services like:

Google Drive

OneDrive

Dropbox

Zoho WorkDrive

You can access files from anywhere, share them, and usually get auto-backups and version history.

What’s Local Storage?

This means your files live on a physical device:

Laptop hard drives

External SSDs

NAS drives (network-attached storage)

It’s fast and secure — but you’re in charge of backing up and managing access.

Things to Consider

Cost: Cloud = subscription; local = upfront hardware

Access: Cloud is great for remote teams

Security: Both need encryption & backups

Compliance: GDPR? Client data? Use cloud with care

ZappyWiz Recommendations

Use Google Drive or Zoho WorkDrive for most small teams

Creatives? Get a WD My Passport SSD for local file storage

Always back up twice: cloud + localThe best system is the one that’s secure, flexible, and stress-free.

Don’t overthink it — choose what works for your day-to-day needs and grow from there.

Stay smart, stay secure — that’s the ZappyWiz way.