The Best Cloud Storage Solutions for Agencies

“Cloud storage” sounds like one decision. In practice, it’s at least three: where you share files with clients, where you keep your own working files synced, and where your backups live.

Almost nobody in this thread answered with a single tool. The typical answer was a stack: one service for client collaboration, another for backups, often a third for long-term storage. And the most interesting differences were in the reasons for each layer.

This post is a summary of a Tuesday Toolbox discussion inside The Admin Bar community, where agency owners shared the cloud storage setups they rely on and why they work.

The Most Mentioned Cloud Storage Tools

These came up repeatedly in the discussion:

• Google Drive
• Dropbox
• pCloud
• Backblaze
• Cloudflare R2
• Hetzner
• NAS

A number of other tools came up as well (we’ll get to those).

Why Agencies Choose These Cloud Storage Tools

Google Drive

The default for client-facing files, mostly because clients already know it.

Google Drive was the most-mentioned option, and the reason was nearly always the same: everyone already has an account.

“For better or worse, this is just the easiest for anyone we’ve worked with to understand.”

Alex Celeste

Gerson El uses it for client assets because it’s “readily available and everyone has an account.” Nathan Baldwin uses Google Drive or Dropbox for project files and client asset sharing “just because clients already know how to use it.” Chris Hunter uses it for active client shares, Nazar Hotsa for sharing, and Pete Fairclough when he needs to collaborate on a document or spreadsheet. Asing De Naam picked it for integration with other tools.

Notably, very few people use it as their backup layer. It’s where the work and the client conversation happen, and something else holds the safety net.

Best fit: agencies who want the lowest-friction way to share and collaborate with clients, regardless of the client’s technical comfort.

Dropbox

The sync favorite among long-time users.

Dropbox came up from members who’ve been on it for years and see no reason to leave.

“It syncs devices the best (that I’ve tried).”

Vojkan Cvijanovic

Adam Wright has used it “for so long,” with access to his files at any time on any device. James Rice uses it to keep work synced between machines, with a Synology for large files he rarely touches. Stéphane Bergeron and Kyle Peter Alexander also use it as their primary.

László Zsigmond is a long-time Dropbox user for his business and team and asked the group whether anyone has real cons, other than price. Nobody answered directly, which says something on its own.

Best fit: agencies who want dependable, fast device sync for working files and have a team already comfortable with it.

pCloud

The favorite for people who like lifetime deals and flexibility.

pCloud had a dedicated fan base. Several members use it for backups and long-term storage rather than day-to-day collaboration.

“I’m on Linux, and it works seamlessly.”

Elsie Gilmore

Lumia Zee bought the lifetime deal. Irene Koukia called it “secure, affordable and easy to use,” and said it works great with xCloud. Stéphane Bergeron keeps site backups and long-term agency storage there. Vojkan Cvijanovic uses it for photo and some site backups. Mario Marquez Tagliaferro and Angelo Seraphim use it as well.

Best fit: agencies who want an affordable, long-term storage and backup layer, especially Linux users and people who like paying once.

Backblaze

The go-to for backups, in two forms.

Backblaze came up as both its computer backup service and its B2 object storage. In both cases, it was about backups.

Chris Hunter uses it for real-time off-site backup. Marleen Kiral uses it for automated WordPress backups and nightly PC backups. Jon DiPietro backs up his Synology NAS to it. Pete Fairclough uses it for site backups. On the B2 side, Ilias Grigoriadis made it his primary, with different buckets for backups and files. Rob Marlbrough uses B2 for his third-level VM backups. Mario Marquez Tagliaferro pairs Backblaze with rsync and called the pricing and service “incredible.”

Best fit: agencies who want inexpensive, reliable off-site backup, whether for computers, sites, or servers.

Cloudflare R2

The developer’s pick for site backups and media.

R2 came up from three members, with Nathan Baldwin making the clearest case. He uses R2 (or Backblaze B2) for client site backups for three reasons: it’s cheap, there are no egress fees when he needs to restore, and the backups sit in an account he owns rather than inside the host or a plugin vendor’s cloud.

“If a host has a bad day, the backups aren’t on the same box.”

Nathan Baldwin

Saurabh Guttedar uses it as well. James Gatward uses it for AI-assisted coding projects and cloud media storage. He can put his own domain on it, drag and drop whatever he wants, and it will even unpack zip files for him.

Best fit: agencies who want client site backups under their own control, off the host, with predictable restore costs.

Hetzner

The inexpensive second copy.

Hetzner’s Storage Box came up from four members, always as an additional backup location. Nazar Hotsa uses it for backups. Vojkan Cvijanovic uses it for server backups. Paul Underwood stores his monthly full-site backups there, as a European-based copy alongside rotating USB sticks. Mario Marquez Tagliaferro called it about $4 per month for another copy on a different continent and with a different provider.

That “different provider, different location” thinking showed up across the thread.

Best fit: agencies who want an inexpensive, European-hosted extra copy of backups.

NAS

Local storage, still very much alive.

A NAS (network-attached storage) came up from several members, most often Synology. James Rice uses one for large files he rarely touches. Pete Fairclough uses a Synology for project files. Jon DiPietro runs Synology NAS and Drive, backed up to Backblaze. Tim Dickinson keeps a NAS for local backups. Patrick van Elk uses Synology Drive.

Alex Celeste’s setup is the most elaborate. A Mac mini “NAS” on the agency’s Tailnet holds a set of server backups made by their own scripts, former client archives, and local Git mirrors. A separate NAS acts as the Time Machine destination for the Macs in the house, so it ends up with client data too. All storage in the house that touches client data is fully encrypted, and external access is secured through Tailscale.

Best fit: agencies who want local control over large files and an extra backup layer, and who can manage the hardware.

Notable Mentions

These also came up in the thread:

• Nextcloud: Rose Newell self-hosts it
• OneDrive: Tim Dickinson uses it for backups but may change after Microsoft’s recent change to storage limits. Kyle Peter Alexander and Asing De Naam use it where needed.
• AWS S3: Gerson El uses it for website backups (“cheap and flexible”), and Alex Celeste for the offsite backups SpinupWP makes
• Proton Drive: Gerson El’s pick for personal and business files, for the privacy
• Drime: Tim Dickinson plans it as a second backup, Mario Marquez Tagliaferro uses it, and Angelo Seraphim is considering it and asked if anyone else uses it
• Frame.io: Chris Hunter uses it for video review
• CrashPlan: Stéphane Bergeron uses it for long-term backups of local files
• Koofr and CloudHQ: Asing De Naam uses Koofr for backup and CloudHQ to sync between services
• Reloops: Angelo Seraphim uses it for client deliverables and file exchanges (“needs a bit of work, but generally better organization options”)
• Sitedrive: Miroslav Medurić pointed to it as the Themeco answer. He is a long-time Themeco user, so treat it as a lead to investigate.
• iCloud: Rob Marlbrough uses it alongside Google Drive for client folders and files
• Plugin-based backups: Paul Underwood runs daily incremental backups with ManageWP, plus a monthly manual full-site backup with All-in-One Migration, stored offline on rotating USB sticks and in a Hetzner Storage Box

Patterns We Noticed

A few things stood out across the thread:

• Almost everyone separates sharing from backups. Google Drive and Dropbox handle the client-facing and day-to-day work. Backblaze, R2, pCloud, Hetzner, and NAS devices handle the safety net. They’re different jobs with different priorities.
• Clients decide the sharing tool. The reasons for Google Drive and Dropbox weren’t about features. They were about not making clients learn something new.
• Backups should live somewhere you control. Nathan Baldwin’s point about keeping backups in an account you own, not inside a host or plugin vendor’s cloud, was echoed by the number of people who keep a second copy with a different provider.
• Layers are normal. Paul Underwood’s setup (daily incremental, monthly full, offline USB rotation, plus a cloud copy) and Mario Marquez Tagliaferro’s (three separate providers) are examples of how seriously some members take this.
• Lifetime deals are a factor. pCloud and Drime both came up because of one-time pricing.
• Pricing changes make people reconsider. Tim Dickinson is rethinking OneDrive for backups after a recent storage limit change. That kind of shift is why people keep a second option ready.
• Privacy and location matter to some. Hetzner, Proton Drive, Nextcloud, and the EU-based choices came up from members who care where their data sits.
• Security isn’t an afterthought for client data. Alex Celeste’s fully encrypted storage with Tailscale-secured access is a good reminder that client files deserve the same care as client sites.

How to Choose the Right Cloud Storage

These questions can help narrow it down:

• What’s the job: client collaboration, working file sync, or backups?
• What do your clients already use? Making them switch is rarely worth it.
• Where do your backups live relative to your host? Are they on the same box or account?
• Do you have a second copy with a different provider or in a different location?
• Do you need real-time backup, scheduled backup, or both?
• Is lifetime pricing or predictable monthly cost more important?
• Are there privacy or data location requirements, for you or your clients?
• Do you want to manage your own hardware, such as a NAS or self-hosted setup?

Frequently Asked Questions About Cloud Storage for Agencies

What is the best cloud storage for sharing files with clients? Google Drive was the most common answer, mainly because clients already have accounts and know how to use it. Dropbox came up for the same reason and for its reliable device sync.

What is the best cloud storage for backups? Backblaze (both its computer backup and B2 storage) was the most mentioned for backups. Cloudflare R2, pCloud, AWS S3, and Hetzner Storage Box also came up. One member’s reasoning for R2 and B2 is that you own the account, so backups aren’t stored on the same host as the site.

Should I use the same service for sharing and backups? Most members don’t. Sharing and collaboration tools are chosen for client familiarity and ease of use. Backups are chosen for cost, reliability, and independence from the host.

Is Dropbox still worth it? Several long-time users say yes, mostly for sync across devices. One member asked whether anyone had real cons other than price and got no direct answer in the thread.

What are the cheapest options for long-term storage? Members pointed to lifetime deals on pCloud and Drime, Hetzner Storage Box (roughly $4 per month, per one member), and Backblaze B2. Check current pricing before choosing, since prices and storage limits change.

Do I need a NAS? It’s optional. A NAS came up for large files, local backups, and Time Machine destinations. Several members who use one also back it up to a cloud service such as Backblaze.

How many backup copies should I have? There’s no single answer in the thread, but a common theme was multiple layers: a local copy, an off-site cloud copy, and ideally one with a different provider or location. Several members described setups with three or more.