Best Cloud Storage for Slack in 2020: Start Slacking On
— Last Updated: 2020-03-10T08:33:25+00:00
When it comes to business messaging services, Slack is among the best. Not only does it provide a great user experience, but it also has a massive ecosystem of third-party apps. In addition to having more than 1,500 apps, Slack also has excellent integration with all of our best cloud apps. We’ve created this guide to the best cloud storage for Slack to help you pick the best option for your needs and get you right to work.
Normally, sharing documents in your chats with Slack requires you to copy the link from whatever storage service you’re using and paste it into your channel or direct chat. With integrations, sharing documents to Slack from a compatible cloud storage service is as easy as clicking a button or typing a command.
Our favorite option is Egnyte Connect, for a number of reasons, which we’ll get into below. First, though, let’s look at our complete top five.
Best Cloud Storage for Slack
- Egnyte Connect
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
- Box
- OneDrive
1. Egnyte Connect
Egnyte Connect is a cloud storage service that we have regarded in our full Egnyte Connect review as “perfect for almost every small business,” and it fits in nicely with Slack. As a stand-alone service, Egnyte is the best EFSS (enterprise file sync and share) service available and the highest rated service in our guide
Egnyte Connect offers four plans, ranging from 1TB to 10TB, plus a scalable plan that requires contacting Egnyte directly for a quote. Plans start at $8 per month, and although there is a free trial, Egnyte doesn’t offer any free storage options like some other services. Because Egnyte places its primary focus on businesses, every plan supports multiple users.
Connecting Egnyte with Slack is a straightforward process that you can complete in less than a minute if you already have an Egnyte account. Simply add it through the “add apps” option below direct messages.
After that, you can share files in a few different ways. The first way is to type “/Egnyte” in any Slack chat and hit enter. The Egnyte menu will pop up as a message that only you can see. From there you can share, upload and share, visit the Egnyte website or open the help page.
You can also share files to Slack directly from Egnyte if you install Slack via the “apps & integrations” tab.
Egnyte also integrates with both Google Docs and Microsoft Office 365, and you can both create and edit Docs and Office files within Egnyte. You can share these files to Slack directly from Egnyte, as well, which is great for collaboration.
Egnyte takes security seriously with 256-bit AES encryption, multi-factor authentication and zero-knowledge encryption, though, zero knowledge requires the Enterprise plan. The good news is that Boxcryptor will protect your files if you opt for a smaller Egnyte plan.
Other Things We Like About Egnyte Connect
Egnyte Connect complements Slack well with file sharing within channels and takes it a step farther by being an outstanding cloud storage provider, in general. Its ability to create and edit both Microsoft and Google files means that with just two apps, you can communicate with co-workers and store, create, share and collaborate on most document types.
Really, the only downside to Egnyte is that, although there is a trial period, there is no free storage option. The good news is that there is a low entry barrier, with 1TB of storage for $10 per month.
Pros:
- Easy installation
- Easy sharing within Slack
- Great stand-alone storage service
- Low-cost options
- Large storage options
Cons:
- No free plan
2. Google Drive
If you watch YouTube, listen to Google Play Music, have an Android smartphone, go to school or have a job, chances are that you’ve acquired a Google account somewhere along the way. This means that you can access Google Drive wherever apps and mobile apps are found.
Google Drive is a hugely popular cloud storage service that ties in with the rest of Google’s services — including Google Docs — to backup your files and store your photos, videos and documents. Google Drive also integrates with a ton of services, including Slack.
Connecting Google Drive to Slack is the same process as Egnyte. After installation, you will be prompted to authenticate your Google account, and then you’re up and running.
After you have Google Drive set up, you can not only share but also create new documents within your channels, where others can access your newly created files. These features can all be accessed from the paperclip icon in any Slack chat box.
For security, Google Drive uses 128-bit AES encryption and two-factor authentication, though it lacks zero-knowledge protection. Boxcryptor can easily fix this, though, making zero knowledge a non-issue.
Although Google’s security is good, it’s had some privacy issues in the past, including participating in PRISM, which you can read more about in our Google Drive review.
Google Drive is bundled in with Google One and comes with four standard storage options, ranging from 15GB for free, all the way to 2TB for $9.99 per month. While that might not be as much as Egnyte offers, we appreciate the free storage, and the 2TB plan is inexpensive.
Other Things We Like About Google Drive
Google Drive is an amazing cloud storage service with great third-party integration. Connecting to Slack is easy, and using Google Drive is simple, as well. We wish that searching for files to share within Slack had more organization options, though sharing is still manageable.
Google Drive also has the unique ability to create documents directly within Slack, which adds an element of convenience, though it lacks affordable storage for more than 2TB. Google Drive also poses some possible security concerns, which is the primary reason that Drive came in second to Egnyte.
Pros:
- 15GB of free storage
- Great low & mid-tier storage options
- Easy integration with Slack
- Create documents in Slack
Cons:
- Files can be hard to find in Slack
- Expensive storage options above 2TB
- Security concerns
3. Dropbox
Dropbox has been around for a long time. Like Google, Dropbox has had its security concerns, including PRISM and a large security breach. That being said, Dropbox uses 256-bit AES encryption, two-factor authentication and is compatible with Boxcryptor, which further relieves security concerns. Read more about Dropbox and its security in our Dropbox review.
Connecting Dropbox to Slack works the same as we’ve described above. Simply install Dropbox from the “add apps” menu and, once connected, you can share documents with the paperclip icon.
As a cloud storage software, Dropbox allows you to create documents with Microsoft Office and Google Docs directly from the Dropbox interface, streamlining the creating-to-sharing process. With Dropbox, you can also create notes with Paper and sign documents with HelloSign.
In addition to its 2GB free plan, Basic, Dropbox has two paid individual plans: 2TB and 3TB for $9.99 per month and $16.58 per month, respectively. There are also three business plans, including the Standard plan, which provides 5TB for $12.50 per user per month, and the Advanced plan, which will get you as much space your team needs for $20 per user per month.
There’s also the Enterprise plan, which provides customizable solutions, but you’ll have to contact Dropbox for a quote. You can also check out the business options in our Dropbox Business review.
Other Things We Like About Dropbox
Dropbox is a very effective service with great cloud storage options and useful features. Dropbox would be rated higher if not for its multiple security concerns, though it’s still a service that’s worth looking at.
Pros:
- Good storage options
- Decent security
- Office and Google Docs compatibility
Cons:
- Privacy concerns
- Possible security concerns
4. Box
Box is another service that’s rated highly in our best EFSS review. The service itself is easy to use and navigate. It operates like a traditional file manager, and the main page has convenient access to your files and pretty much every other useful feature that Box offers. There are settings, of course, but there isn’t really any feature that’s buried in a menu.
Connecting Box with Slack just requires installing the app and authenticating Box. Once that’s out of the way, you can share files one of two ways. The first way is with the paperclip icon, and the second way is to type “/Box” in a Slack chat box, which will provide you with sharing options, as well.
Like Egnyte and Dropbox, Box allows you to natively create documents with Microsoft and Google Docs, and you can also create notes with the Box note app. You can create a blank note and start from scratch or you can use one of its business-oriented templates.
Box offers a free 10GB Individual plan and a $10-per-month Personal Pro plan with 100GB of storage. Box also offers business plans, including a range of unlimited plans that provide various benefits, such as HIPAA compliance and admin delegation, depending on the plan that you select. You can read more about Box’s plans and pricing in our full Box review.
Other Things We Like About Box
For security, Box uses 256-bit AES encryption and 2FA. Boxcryptor can further secure Box with end-to-end encryption, protecting your information from pretty much any unwanted eyes.
Box is a service that’s easy to learn, and it offers unlimited storage for unlimited users in many of its business plans. It also provides Office and Google Docs support and multiple ways to share files within Slack.
Box loses points in one major category, though. Box has an incredibly small file-size upload limit that maxes out at 5GB. For comparison, Google Drive allows uploads up to 5TB.
Pros:
- Unlimited storage with many business plans
- Easy to use
- Great business features
- Google & Office document support
Cons:
- Small file-size upload limit
5. OneDrive
OneDrive is Microsoft’s cloud storage service, and it works really well. A OneDrive subscription is also an Office 365 subscription, which means access to Microsoft’s powerful and time-tested Office suite.
Although you can technically purchase 100GB of storage — without access to Office 365 — for $1.99 per month, it’s worth paying the $6.99 per month for 1TB of storage, Office 365 and all of the other features that come with an Office 365 account, which you can read about in our OneDrive review.
Connecting OneDrive to Slack is the same process as the rest of the list. Once authenticated, you can share files easily with the paperclip icon. You can also type “/OneDrive” to disconnect your account or reset your preferences.
OneDrive uses 256-bit AES encryption plus 2FA to secure your account. Although OneDrive doesn’t provide zero-knowledge encryption, Boxcryptor has you covered if you want it.
Although OneDrive has pretty good security, Microsoft was reportedly involved in PRISM, as well. You can read more about OneDrive, PRISM and Microsoft’s security in our full OneDrive review.
Other Things We Like About OneDrive
OneDrive works well with Slack, and most plans come with Office 365, making OneDrive a powerhouse for businesses. Unfortunately, Microsoft’s involvement in PRISM casts doubt on their seriousness when it comes to your privacy. Still, if you already have a Microsoft account or prefer OneDrive, you can take steps to further protect your account, and OneDrive is still a good option.
Read our Dropbox vs Google Drive vs OneDrive piece to see how they all compare.
Pros:
- Office 365
- Easy to use
- Good looking UI
Cons:
- PRISM involvement
What Makes the Best Cloud Storage for Slack?
When selecting the best cloud storage for Slack, we wanted to make sure that each service connected well with Slack and that, as an actual cloud storage provider, each option had a decent selection of storage plans. All of the cloud storage services that integrate with Slack are popular services, in general, so those boxes are ticked for the most part.
We also checked for additional functionality, such as being able to create documents within a chat or channel, or being able to share files with a command. Finally, we graded the security of each cloud storage service to make sure that your files are safe from unwanted eyes.
Final Thoughts
Although all of Slack’s compatible cloud storage providers accomplish the same basic goal, they all have different features behind the scenes, as well as varying degrees of security and privacy. After using them all, we’ve ranked Egnyte Connect as number-one cloud storage for Slack in that it allows you to get right to work using it.
Egnyte’s third-party app support complements Slack, and files can be easily shared with your channels from both Slack and from Egnyte. You can also create and edit Office and Google documents directly inside of Egnyte, meaning that you can manage a lot from just two apps.
As always, we would love to hear your take. Do you agree with our selection, or would you pick a different option as your favorite? Is there a cloud storage service that you wish was compatible with Slack? Let us know in the comments, and thank you for reading.