Key Takeaways: Best Slack Cloud Storage
- Sync.com — Zero-knowledge encryption and excellent security
- Box Business — Feature-rich cloud storage with many external connections
- Egnyte — Highly customizable, with solid security features
- Dropbox — Great sharing and sync features; fast speeds
- Google Drive — Excellent for collaboration and productivity
Slack is a popular communication app that many businesses, teams and groups use to stay in touch with each other. Connecting Slack with one of the best cloud storage providers is a popular option, as this integration allows you to share files within the app. Read on to see if your cloud storage service is among the best Slack cloud storage options.
Establishing a connection to Slack streamlines file sharing. Instead of copying and pasting a shareable link into a conversation, you can quickly share with a click or a command. Check out our Slack review if you need a deeper dive into Slack or a refresher on the service. If you’re looking for a quick answer, we recommend either Sync.com or Box Business.
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11/01/2023 Facts checked
This article was rewritten to include updated service providers, features and pricing.
The Best Cloud Storage for Slack: Cloudwards Editor’s Choice
Sync for Teams is our top choice, as connecting your account to Slack and sharing content is easy. Additionally, you can connect to Slack with a free Sync.com account; the integration is not limited to paid accounts. Once you connect a folder in Sync.com, you can share files from that folder directly in the Slack app.
How to Choose the Best Slack Cloud Storage Service
Sync.com is the top option for Slack, with the integration available to all users. Egnyte’s Slack integration offers plenty of flexibility to share files with commands or directly in the app.
Box Business has several ways to integrate with Slack, but the option is limited to the Enterprise plan. Dropbox’s Slack connection lets you share documents in channels or private messages. Google Drive also lets you share and create new documents.
Every cloud storage service on this list has an external connection to Slack, and most offer multiple ways to share files within the app. However, it takes more than integrability to provide value. Productivity and collaboration tools, in addition to the Slack connection, are essential considerations.
File sharing and synchronization are the bread and butter of cloud storage. Most services give you several ways to share folders or files with others, both internally and externally. File sync keeps your data updated across your devices. Selective sync and block-level sync provide added flexibility that benefits users.
Security and privacy can make the difference when choosing a cloud storage service. All the best cloud features don’t mean much if your data is at risk. Zero-knowledge encryption is a great way to protect your account, as it limits account access to you.
The 5 Best Slack Cloud Storage Services
Sync.com has a great Slack connection that lets you share directly in the app. Additionally, Sync.com is the only cloud storage service on this list to offer zero-knowledge protection for your account.
1. Sync.com
More details about Sync.com:
- Pricing: 2TB for $8 per month (one-year plan)
- Free plan: 5GB
- Provider website: sync.com
Pros:
- Zero-knowledge encryption
- Affordable plans
- Generous file versioning
Cons:
- Slower speeds
- Limited external connections
When you connect Sync.com to Slack, you can share within channels or directly in messages. Once connected, you don’t have to leave the Slack app to share your documents. However, you can’t share individual files that are outside of a folder; the items must be in a folder you connect to Slack first.
Once connected, to share in Slack, simply type the “/sync” command and choose the item you want to share. You can share in channels or directly in a private message.
Sync.com Hands-On Testing
In your Sync.com account, you must navigate to your settings and the “apps” tab to see your connected apps. Once you successfully connect to Slack, you will see it here. The help article has an “add to Slack” button that opens Slack and establishes the connection, making the integration process very easy.
Next, select a folder you want to share in Slack. You will see an option to “connect apps.” Choose this, and then, once back in Slack, you can share files from the connected folder. At the end of this article, we’ll further detail the steps to establish this connection.
without jumping between the two apps.
Notes From the Lab: Sync.com Speed Test Results
| 1st attempt: | 2nd attempt: | Average | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upload time | 09:48 | 18:30 | 14:09 |
| Download time | 15:11 | 15:03 | 15:07 |
Sync.com won’t win any cloud storage speed tests, as slower speeds for enhanced security and privacy are a typical trade-off. Both uploads and downloads averaged 10 minutes or more in our speed tests. However, Sync.com’s speeds shouldn’t hamper productivity.
Notes From the Lab: Sync.com Security Analysis
Sync.com puts a strong emphasis on security and privacy. It has zero-knowledge encryption for your entire account, meaning you control your encryption keys.
Pricing & Value: Is Sync.com Worth It?
and offers affordable paid plans.
Sync.com offers a free plan with 5GB of storage to test out the service. It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. The Pro Solo Basic plan costs $96 annually and comes with 2TB of cloud storage. To learn more, check out our Sync.com review.
- 5GB
- 200GB
- 2TB
- 6TB
- Price per user
- 1TB
- Price per user
- Unlimited GB
2. Box Business
More details about Box Business:
- Pricing: Unlimited storage for $15 per month (one-year plan)
- Free plan: 10GB
- Provider website: box.com
Pros:
- Unlimited storage on business plans
- Third-party integrations
- In-house productivity apps
Cons:
- Not very fast
- No block-level sync
Box Business lets you share with Slack in several ways. You can share in the Slack app when you enable the Slack integration, or through the preview window with the “share with Slack” option.
The Slack app integration is only available for those on the Box Enterprise plan, meaning the Business and Business Plus plans can’t integrate with Slack. However, it makes up for this limitation by offering the option of unlimited storage.
Box Business Hands-on Testing
You can find the Box integration from the “apps” tab in the Slack app. Once you install and connect the two accounts, you can begin sharing with the “/box” command.
and collaborate with team members.
Box has a few third-party apps in its app center for Slack. The Box for Slack integration lets you manage which team members have access and even allows you to manage the metadata. The app also lets you upload from the Slack app to Box.
increasing your capacity to create and share documents.
Notes From the Lab: Box Business Speed Test Results
| 1st attempt: | 2nd attempt: | Average | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upload | 0:07:55 | 0:08:12 | 0:08:04 |
| Download | 0:07:54 | 0:08:06 | 0:08:00 |
Box’s upload and download speeds were slightly higher than the median. Download and uploads both averaged eight minutes. Box had no problem reaching max speed and only suffered a slight dropoff when dealing with larger files.
Notes From the Lab: Box Business Security Analysis
Box does an excellent job of creating a secure environment using AES 256-bit encryption and TLS/SSL encryption protocols. For added account security, Box supports two-factor authentication.
Pricing & Value: Is Box Business Worth It?
Box has a free version with 10GB of storage space. You can try most business plans with a 14-day free trial. For the Slack integration, you’ll need the Enterprise plan, billed annually, which costs $35 per user per month and comes with unlimited storage. We cover pricing and more in our full Box Business review.
- Single user
- 10GB
- Single user
- 100GB
- Price per user, minimum of three users
- 100GB
- Users: No limit
- Unlimited GB
- Users: No limit
- Unlimited GB
- Users: No limit
- Unlimited GB
3. Egnyte
in Slack after establishing the connection.
More details about Egnyte:
- Pricing: 1TB for $20 per month (one-year plan)
- Free plan: None; 15-day free trial
- Provider website: egnyte.com
Pros:
- Flexible customization
- External integrations
- Strong security
Cons:
- No zero-knowledge security
- Expensive
Egnyte has many external connections, one of them being Slack. You can share directly in the Slack app once you add Egnyte to your Slack account and connect the two. You can use the “/egnyte” command in team channels or direct messages.
You don’t have to be in the Slack app to share Egnyte files; you can share from the Egnyte web UI. Once you select a document, choose the Slack option from the share dropdown menu.
Egnyte Hands-on Testing
Click the “add to Slack” button from this help article. Follow the steps and prompts to install the Egnyte connection to Slack. Once completed, find the Egnyte for Slack app in the app center.
Egnyte has several ways to determine who can access file sharing in Slack. Type the “/egnyte” command in the channel or to the person you want to share with and choose the file.
Notes From the Lab: Egnyte Speed Test Results
| 1st attempt: | 2nd attempt: | Average: | |
| Upload | 0:08:25 | 0:08:23 | 0:08:24 |
| Download | 0:08:54 | 0:07:15 | 0:08:05 |
Egnyte is not the fastest cloud storage service, but its upload and download speeds are consistent. Both averaged approximately eight minutes to transfer 5GB of mixed data. Additionally, Egnyte tends to use less CPU processing power than other providers.
Notes From the Lab: Egnyte Security Analysis
Egnyte does not have private encryption or a zero-knowledge folder. However, it does use AES 256-bit encryption to protect your data while at rest on its servers. It also uses TLS/SSL encryption protocols to protect your data during transfers.
Pricing & Value: Is Egnyte Worth It?
you can see the cost if you use the free trial.
However, if you sign up for the free 15-day trial, you will see that it bills for cloud storage per user and offers a host of add-ons. For the Business plan, the price is $20 per user per month. For more, check out our Egnyte review.
- 1-10 users max.
- 1TB
- Price per user; Secure collaboration; Privilege management; Ransomware protection
- 1TB
- Everything in Business; 3rd-party source support; Content lifecycle management; Threat detection
- 1TB
- Everything in Enterprise Lite; Privacy & compliance; Advanced ransomware protection & recovery; Content safeguards
- 1TB
4. Dropbox
More details about Dropbox:
- Pricing: 2TB for $9.99 per month (one-year plan)
- Free plan: 2GB
- Provider website: dropbox.com
Pros:
- Google & MS integrations
- Block-level sync
- Good for collaboration
Cons:
- Poor privacy
- No private encryption
Dropbox and Slack work well together. Like most other cloud storage providers on this list, once you connect your Dropbox and Slack accounts, you can begin sharing files immediately. You’ll see an area for Dropbox under the “apps” tab in Slack. You don’t have to leave the Slack app to upload files from your Dropbox account.
Dropbox supports connecting Dropbox Paper to Slack. With this connection, you can create and edit Dropbox Paper documents in Slack and work directly with members in a channel or one-on-one in direct conversations.
Dropbox Hands-on Testing
You will see the Dropbox for Slack option in the app center within the Slack app. Adding it and linking the two accounts takes only a few steps. Once done, you’ll need to connect to Slack from Dropbox. After you establish these connections, you can begin sharing documents in Slack.
The integration is similar if you want to connect to Dropbox Paper and use that app in Slack. You can find Dropbox Paper in the app section in Slack. Adding and connecting it to Slack lets you share, create and edit Paper files.
each providing different features.
Notes From the Lab: Dropbox Speed Test Results
| 1st Attempt: | 2nd Attempt: | Average: | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upload | 0:03:55 | 0:04:10 | 0:04:02 |
| Download | 0:02:50 | 0:02:10 | 0:02:30 |
Dropbox is a fast service with consistent speeds for both uploads and downloads. When we tested 5GB of mixed data, Dropbox averaged seven minutes for downloads and uploads. It quickly got to speed and remained stable until the data transfer was complete.
Notes From the Lab: Dropbox Security Analysis
Dropbox isn’t the best for privacy — it will collect data on you and how you use its services. Additionally, Dropbox does not offer private encryption, although it will be coming to Dropbox Business in the near future. Dropbox uses AES 256-bit encryption and TLS/SSL encryption protocols for security measures.
Pricing & Value: Is Dropbox Worth It?
with most business plans offering a 30-day free trial.
If you want to try Dropbox, you can sign up for a free 2GB of storage space. Many of the business plans come with a 30-day free trial. For more information, including pricing, read our Dropbox review.
- 1 user
- 2GB
- 1 user
- 2TB
- 1 user
- 2TB
- 1 user
- 3TB
- 1 user Signature requests and eSignature templates
- 3TB
- 3 users minimum
- 5TB
- 3 users minimum
5. Google Drive
to share items from within your Drive account.
More details about Google Drive:
- Pricing: 2TB for $8.33 per month (one-year plan)
- Free plan: 15GB
- Provider website: drive.google.com
Pros:
- Native Google Workspace
- Collaboration & productivity
- Strong security
Cons:
- Poor privacy
- No block-level sync
Connecting Slack to your Google Drive account creates a mainly one-way integration. After you link your two accounts, you’ll be able to access your Google Drive files within the Slack app and share in team channels or directly with others. If you need to create a Google Workspace file, type “/” and choose from a document, presentation or spreadsheet.
As mentioned, the interaction between Google Drive and Slack will happen mainly in the Slack app. You won’t see any indication of a connection while using Google Drive. However, you can navigate to your settings and then click “manage apps” to see your Slack connection.
Google Drive Hands-on Testing
As with most providers, you’ll need to find the Google Drive connection in Slack from the “app” tab or by clicking the “+” tab under “apps.” Connect to your Google Drive app by following the prompts. Once done, you can use the commands to share or create files.
If you are an admin for a Slack administrator, you can authorize members to use Google Drive. Additionally, you will receive notifications (unless you disable them) whenever a Google document is created or shared.
Notes From the Lab: Google Drive Speed Test Results
| 1st attempt: | 2nd attempt: | Average: | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upload time | 29:39 | 28:31 | 29:05 |
| Download time | 06:28 | 05:55 | 06:12 |
Google Drive is a speedy service that handles large or numerous files with little impact on your CPU. It reaches max speed quickly and remains stable for uploads and downloads.
Notes From the Lab: Google Drive Security Analysis
Google could be better regarding privacy, as it’s upfront that it collects information about you and how you use its products. It uses AES 256-bit encryption and TLS/SSL encryption protocols for security.
Pricing & Value: Is Google Drive Worth It?
Google Drive has a 15GB plan if you need free storage space. If you opt to purchase, Google One has three plan choices. One has 2TB of storage space for $99.99 per year. Read our Google Drive review for more information.
- Free plan
- 15GB
- 10TB
- 20TB
- 30TB
How to Connect Sync.com Cloud Storage to Slack
Here’s how to connect Sync.com and Slack.
- Navigate to the Help Page
Sync.com has a dedicated page for its Slack connection. Navigate to it, and click on the “add to Slack” button.
- Follow the Prompts
Once you click the button, follow the prompts to connect your Sync.com account to Slack.
- Connect a Folder
You’ll need to connect the folder you want to share files from. Navigate to your Sync.com settings, then the “app” tab. Then, click the “connect folder” button. Once connected, you can share from that folder in Slack.
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Final Thoughts
Integrating Slack with a cloud storage service is a great way to share documents or create and edit with some cloud storage solutions. All the providers on this list let you connect to Slack and have other features, such as private encryption or third-party integrations.
Have you used any of these cloud storage providers with Slack? If so, which do you prefer? Are there other cloud storage services we missed that have a Slack integration? Let us know in the comments section below. Thanks for reading our article.
FAQ: Best Cloud Storage for Slack
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No, but Slack does have integrations with many of the popular cloud storage providers.
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Yes. If a cloud storage service supports a connection to Slack, you can easily integrate the two services and share directly from within the Slack app.
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Sync.com is the best cloud storage service for Slack, as it is a secure provider that protects your data with zero-knowledge encryption.
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