Free and Cheap Online Storage Sites
Free and cheap online storage sites can provide a safe, secure place to store your files so you always have access to them when you need them.
Aliza Sherman
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Free and Cheap Online Storage Sites
Hi there, The Digital Marketer here, ready to help you put the power of the Internet and technology to work for your business.
Are you looking for a free or cheap way to store, share, or back up large files online? There are many solutions out there, but which one is right for your business.
Graphics, photographs, presentation files…businesses sure do generate some big files. What are some of the best services out there today to store, back up, and send your very large files?
Popular Storage and Backup Sites
One of the more recognized names in online storage is Box.net. Their free Lite account gives you 1 gigabyte of storage space on their servers for your files. For a 5 gigabyte box, Box.net charges $7.95 US per month. If you want more than one user to access the account, Box.net’s business level is $19.95 per month for 5 users and 15 gigabytes of space. Box.net also offers an enterprise level for $15 per user per month.
Using Box.net’s individual account, you can upload files or drag and drop files onto your browser using their uploading interface. You can also grant access to your files (although others cannot upload files to your account). Box.net also integrates iPaper to preview documents, Picnik to edit photos, and Zoho to edit your documents online.
Another file storage and sharing site is MediaFire. MediaFire offers unlimited storage for files up to 100 megabytes each; unlimited uploads, downloads, and bandwidth; and doesn’t require any sign up or software installation. MediaFire does offer an enterprise level solution — MediaPro — ranging from $6.95 per month for 100 gigabytes of bandwidth up to $49.97 per month for 1000 gigabytes of bandwidth.
I’ve been testing out a new file storage site that is currently in beta called DropBox. I have a handy little box icon on my computer, and all I have to do is drag files and drop them into the box if I want to store them online in my DropBox account. I’ll let you know when DropBox goes live to the public.
Sending Your Big Files
If you need to send very large files to somebody and don’t want to store them online permanently, you can avoid clogging up the recipient’s email account by using a file sending service such as SendThisFile or YouSendIt. SendThisFile offers a FileBox which is like an inbox where you can receive big files. Depending on the plan you select — including a limited free plan — files expire from the site after anywhere from 3 to 14 days. Prices range from $4.95 per month to $65.70 per month.
At YouSendIt, you can immediately send a big file to others without having to register. YouSendIt offers premium, add-on services including password protected secure delivery, certified delivery tracking, and return receipt requested. Pricing for YouSendIt runs from the pro level at $9.99 per month to the corporate suite level where pricing can run into thousands of dollars.
How Safe Are Your Files?
When it comes to storing, sharing, and sending files online, security is only as good as the companies offering the services and the money they have invested to make their systems secure. Using a service that has a good track record is better than going with a fly-by-night outfit you’ve never heard of before.
Bottom Line: Technology is not perfect and there is ultimately no guarantee of total security for your files. Still, the convenience with large file storage, sharing, and sending services is huge for small businesses with limited budgets and very big files.
Contact Me
That’s all we have time for today. Visit the show’s website at digitalmarketer.quickanddirtytips.com for links to all of the sites mentioned in the show. If you’d like to ask a question or request a topic for The Digital Marketer, email me at digitalmarketer@quickanddirtytips.comcreate new email or leave a message by calling 206-339-6279.
If you would like more information about keynote speeches, workshops, or other appearances by me, Aliza Sherman, host of Small Biz Tech Girl, visit www.mediaegg.com for details.
The Digital Marketer’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Building Your Business With Web Tools is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips network at quickanddirtytips.com. Tune in for another business boost from The Digital Marketer, the host who’s not afraid to go under the Internet’s hood & get a little dirty!
Resources
Box.net – Box.net Cloud storage service
iPaper – iPaper Document hosting and sharing
Picnik – Picnik Online photo editing tool
Zoho – Zoho Online office suite and productivity tools
DropBox – DropBox File sharing and cloud storage
MediaFire – MediaFire File hosting and cloud storage service
Mozy – Mozy Online backup service
SendThisFile – SendThisFile File transfer service
YouSendIt – YouSendIt File sharing and cloud service