Three options for external sharing and file sharing are compatible with WordPress: Dropbox, Google Drive, and Amazon S3. When owning or managing a webpage these options ensure security and protection from potential loss or damage. Further, they increase performance of the site relieving the load on the server. These types of services are an integral part of owning enhancing your website. It allows collaboration between clients, users, and team members. Additionally, they make large file sharing a possibility through uploads online or through email.
Each service like anything has its pros and cons to be sifted through before making a decision. Each webpage owner or manager must decide which one caters to their needs or the needs of their clients the best. Here is my review of each of the three options I listed above:
- Dropbox is accessible to store and securely access files anywhere. Many webpage owners and managers see it as a reliable source highly compatible with a number of platforms and devices. On the downside, if your need for storage is larger than the free amount given, a paid plan would be required. Not only can that become pretty pricy for big websites, but it can be hard when dependence lands on a third party provider.
- Google Drive has flexible storage options available. They allow files to be shared individually with one specific person, or publicly available to access. The collaboration features allow multiple people to access the files and work on them at the same time. Plus, they generously offer a good amount of storage space that is free. On the downside, a paid plan would be necessary if the free storage allotted is unable to meet the website needs. Problems may arise from only depending on storage that is online.
- Amazon S3 is a cloud storage solution that allows websites to handle a high in fluctuation of traffic without affecting the performance of the site. It has great backup features, highly secure, with excellent durability. They offer a limited twelve months on a free storage tier to start up with as a new user. Storage class will determine the cost of the storage based on GBs per month. On the downside, being technical savvy may be necessary to configure properly and get it all setup.
