No affiliate links or sponsorship, and BravoTech isn’t affiliated with any provider listed. This guide is research-based: plans, storage, and US prices come from each provider’s official pricing or help pages, checked October 19, 2026. We didn’t run hands-on tests or speed tests, and there are no screenshots or test results.
Quick answer
The best cloud storage for small teams in the US is usually the one bundled with your email: Google Workspace (from $7 per user per month with 30 GB pooled per user) or Microsoft 365 Business (from $7 per user with 1 TB of OneDrive each). For file-first teams, Dropbox Standard ($15 per user, billed yearly) and Box Business lead; Sync.com Teams and Proton Drive suit teams that want end-to-end encryption (US list prices, October 19, 2026).
Key takeaways
- Most storage for the money: Microsoft 365 Business Basic includes 1 TB of cloud storage per user for $7/user/month, paid yearly.
- Pooled vs per-user: Google Workspace pools storage across the organization (30 GB, 2 TB, or 5 TB per user by plan); Microsoft gives each user 1 TB.
- Dedicated file platforms: Dropbox Standard starts at 3 TB for the team with 180-day file restore; Box Business has unlimited storage and a 3-user minimum.
- End-to-end encryption: Sync.com Teams starts at $6/user/month billed annually (regular price) with a 3-user minimum; Proton Drive Professional is $7.99/user billed yearly.
- Sync isn’t backup: CISA’s 3-2-1 rule still applies: 3 copies, 2 media types, 1 offsite.
Our verdict
Already on Gmail or Outlook with your own domain? Use the storage you already pay for: Google Workspace’s pooled Drive storage or Microsoft 365’s 1 TB of OneDrive per user. Our Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace comparison helps you pick between them.
Teams that live in big files (design, video, client deliverables): Dropbox Standard or Advanced, or Box Business if you need unlimited storage and stricter controls.
Confidential client files: Sync.com Teams or Proton Drive Professional, both end-to-end encrypted.
Best cloud storage for small teams compared
Here are the entry business plans of eight providers, side by side. Prices are US list prices per user per month on annual billing unless noted, checked October 19, 2026. Several providers were running introductory discounts; we show regular prices.
| Provider | Entry team plan | US price | Storage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Workspace | Business Starter | $7/user (1-year commitment) | 30 GB pooled per user | Standard $14 (2 TB), Plus $22 (5 TB); up to 300 users |
| Microsoft 365 | Business Basic | $7/user, paid yearly | 1 TB per user | Standard with Copilot $23.50; Premium with Copilot $32; up to 300 users |
| Dropbox | Standard | $15/user, billed yearly | Starts at 3 TB for the team | Advanced $24/user (3+ people, starts at 15 TB) |
| Box | Business Starter; Business | See vendor pricing | Starter 100 GB; Business unlimited | Starter up to 10 users; Business 3-user minimum |
| Egnyte | Business | $22/user, paid annually | See vendor pricing | Team plan also offered |
| Sync.com | Teams 1TB | $6/user billed annually ($8 monthly) | 1 TB per user | End-to-end encrypted; 3-user minimum |
| Proton Drive | Drive Professional | $7.99/user, billed yearly | 1 TB per user | End-to-end encrypted |
| pCloud | pCloud Business | See vendor pricing | Pooled, with per-user quotas | Client-side encryption |
How we compared
We compared eight providers using only their official pricing and help pages, all checked October 19, 2026 (PKT). We looked at price, included storage, user minimums and caps, restore windows, and encryption. We didn’t upload files, time syncs, or run trials, so the picks are editorial judgments based on documented plans, not test results. There are no scores or ratings.
What does a 5-person team pay?
For five people on an entry plan, list prices run from $30 to $110 a month. These are our own calculations from the published per-user prices, before tax.
| Plan | Price basis | 5 users, per month | Total storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sync.com Teams 1TB | $6/user, billed annually | $30 | 5 TB (1 TB each) |
| Google Workspace Business Starter | $7/user, 1-year commitment | $35 | 150 GB pooled |
| Microsoft 365 Business Basic | $7/user, paid yearly | $35 | 5 TB (1 TB each) |
| Proton Drive Professional | $7.99/user, billed yearly | $39.95 | 5 TB (1 TB each) |
| Google Workspace Business Standard | $14/user, 1-year commitment | $70 | 10 TB pooled |
| Dropbox Standard | $15/user, billed yearly | $75 | Starts at 3 TB for the team |
| Egnyte Business | $22/user, paid annually | $110 | See vendor pricing |
Provider-by-provider notes
What each provider documents, and who it suits. New to the basics? Start with our cloud storage guide.
Google Workspace: best if your team uses Gmail and Docs
Business Starter ($7), Business Standard ($14), and Business Plus ($22) are priced per user per month with a 1-year commitment, and include 30 GB, 2 TB, and 5 TB of pooled storage per user, shared across the organization. The three Business plans can be bought for up to 300 users (Google). Workspace accounts can also use shared drives, where members share ownership of files and a person’s files stay when they leave (Google Drive Help). See our explainer on what Google Drive is for the basics.
Microsoft 365 Business: best storage per dollar
Business Basic ($7 per user per month, paid yearly) includes web and mobile Office apps, business email, Teams, and 1 TB of cloud storage per user. Business Standard with Copilot ($23.50) adds desktop Office apps, and Business Premium with Copilot ($32) adds advanced security; all are for 1 to 300 users (Microsoft). Our What is OneDrive? guide explains how OneDrive storage works.
Dropbox: best for large files and restores
Dropbox Standard costs $15 per user per month billed yearly, starts at 3 TB for the team, restores deleted files for 180 days, and allows transfers up to 100 GB. Advanced ($24, for 3 or more people) starts at 15 TB, keeps deleted files for a year, and adds tiered admin, end-to-end encryption, and single sign-on (Dropbox). Comparing it with Google? Read Dropbox vs Google Drive.
Box: best for unlimited storage and controls
Box Business Starter is for up to 10 users with 100 GB of storage and a 2 GB upload limit. Box Business has unlimited storage, a 5 GB upload limit, and built-in Box AI; Business plans need at least 3 users. Box also says it may limit shared-link download bandwidth above 2 TB per user per month on Business plans (Box). Business prices didn’t render on the page we checked: see vendor pricing.
Egnyte: best for teams replacing a file server
Egnyte’s Business plan is $22 per user per month paid annually, with desktop and mobile apps, external user accounts, Google Workspace integration, and Microsoft 365 co-editing; Enterprise Lite ($39) adds ransomware and suspicious-login detection (Egnyte). It costs more than the suites, so it fits teams with heavy file workflows.
Sync.com: best budget end-to-end encryption
Sync.com Teams 1TB is $6 per user per month billed annually or $8 monthly at the regular price, with an administrator account and a 3-user minimum; Teams 2TB is $9 ($12 monthly) and Teams 10TB is $15 ($18 monthly). Sync.com says its storage is end-to-end encrypted and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. It was showing 25% off the first year when we checked (Sync.com).
Proton Drive: best for privacy-first teams
Proton Drive Professional is $7.99 per user per month billed yearly ($95.88 a year) with 1 TB per user and a document and spreadsheet editor. Workspace Standard ($12.99, billed yearly) adds Proton Mail, Calendar, VPN, and Pass. Proton offers a 14-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee (Proton).
pCloud Business: client-side encryption
pCloud Business offers client-side encryption, access levels, teams, shared folders, per-user activity logs, and custom quotas assigned from the overall storage pool (pCloud). Prices didn’t render on the page we checked: see vendor pricing. Our pCloud review covers its personal plans.
Pooled or per-user storage: which is better?
Pooled storage is better when a few people hold most of the files; per-user storage is better when everyone stores a similar amount. Google Workspace pools its allowance, so a 5-person Business Standard team shares 10 TB (Google). Microsoft 365 gives each person 1 TB, which one heavy user can’t exceed without extra storage (Microsoft). Dropbox Standard starts with 3 TB for the whole team (Dropbox).
How to choose
- Start with your email provider. If you pay for Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, test their storage before buying another tool.
- Count heavy users. Video and design teams may outgrow 30 GB per user quickly; look at Business Standard, OneDrive’s 1 TB, or Dropbox.
- Decide how much encryption you need. End-to-end encryption (Sync.com, Proton Drive, Dropbox Advanced) is designed so the provider can’t read file contents; check each provider’s documentation for which features work with it.
- Check minimums. Box Business and Sync.com Teams require 3 users; Dropbox Advanced is for 3 or more people.
- Check restore windows. Dropbox documents 180 days on Standard and 1 year on Advanced.
Is cloud storage a backup?
Not on its own. Sync services copy deletions and ransomware damage across devices too, so keep an independent backup.
The 3-2-1 rule
CISA recommends the 3-2-1 rule: keep 3 copies of any important file (1 primary and 2 backups), on 2 different media types, with 1 copy stored offsite (CISA). A cloud plan can be the offsite copy, but it shouldn’t be the only one.
FAQ
What is the best cloud storage for a small business?
For most small businesses, it’s the storage bundled with their email: Google Workspace (from $7 per user, 30 GB pooled per user) or Microsoft 365 Business Basic ($7 per user, 1 TB each). Dropbox and Box suit file-heavy teams. Prices checked October 19, 2026.
Which cloud storage gives the most space per user?
Among entry plans, Microsoft 365 Business Basic gives 1 TB per user for $7 a month paid yearly, as do Sync.com Teams 1TB and Proton Drive Professional. Box Business offers unlimited storage; see Box’s pricing page for the price.
Is Google Drive or Dropbox better for teams?
Google Drive is better value if you already use Gmail and Docs. Dropbox Standard ($15 per user, billed yearly) adds a 180-day restore window and 100 GB transfers, which helps teams that send large files.
Which business cloud storage is end-to-end encrypted?
Sync.com Teams and Proton Drive say their storage is end-to-end encrypted, and Dropbox lists end-to-end encryption on its Advanced plan. pCloud Business offers client-side encryption.
How much does cloud storage cost for 5 users?
At list prices on entry plans, about $30 to $75 a month: Sync.com Teams $30, Google Workspace Business Starter or Microsoft 365 Business Basic $35, and Dropbox Standard $75. Egnyte Business is $110.
Do I still need a backup if I use cloud storage?
Yes. CISA’s 3-2-1 rule calls for 3 copies on 2 media types with 1 offsite. Cloud storage can be your offsite copy, but keep another backup too.
Sources
Official provider pages and CISA only. All checked October 19, 2026 (PKT).
Show all 10 sources
- Google Workspace: Pricing
- Google Drive Help: Store and share files with shared drives
- Microsoft: Compare all Microsoft 365 business plans
- Dropbox: Plans
- Box: Pricing
- Egnyte: Pricing
- Sync.com: Pricing (Teams)
- Proton: Proton Drive for Business pricing
- pCloud: pCloud Business
- CISA: Data Backup Options (PDF)
Changelog
- October 19, 2026: First published. Business plans, storage, and US list prices for Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Dropbox, Box, Egnyte, Sync.com, Proton Drive, and pCloud checked on official pages. No hands-on testing.
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