different number cloud storage The solutions on the market today can be overwhelming. And things don’t get clearer when two come from the same technology provider. But while Microsoft may have created both SharePoint and OneDrive, the two tools have some differences (as well as a fair amount of overlap).
Of course, choosing between the two will depend on what exactly you’re looking for. While some users peel their eyes for The best document cloud storageand others want The best cloud storage for photosSome are looking for The best cloud storage Inclusive.
When choosing between OneDrive and SharePoint, it’s a good idea to check out our reviews of each platform. our Microsoft OneDrive cloud storage review, for example, it emphasizes the strengths of the platform designed to integrate closely with other Microsoft solutions. Likewise, we have SharePoint Online review Points out its advantages to users.
Perhaps the main difference between SharePoint and OneDrive is that they have a slightly different focus. While OneDrive focuses on cloud storage, SharePoint would be more accurately described as a part of Document management software.
OneDrive vs SharePoint: Features
Since the scope of Microsoft OneDrive is much smaller than SharePoint, it makes sense that it comes with fewer features. What it does do, however, it does very well. In addition to providing basic cloud storage, OneDrive offers mobile document scanning, tight integration with Office solutions, and the ability to add in-document comments and @ mentions. OneDrive also provides autosave history and versions for file types such as Excel and Word.
Disappointingly, OneDrive doesn’t come with unlimited, bare metal backup for your devices and doesn’t support external drives and NAS drives – only your files are supported. But using OneDrive is at least very intuitive. People simply drag and drop a file or folder into OneDrive and it automatically syncs to the cloud so it can be accessed from any device you’re signed into your OneDrive account on. There’s also an option to keep a copy in the cloud, which means you can save on storage. Sharing files and folders with other people is very easy, OneDrive creates a link for you.
SharePoint’s feature list is more comprehensive. The platform allows companies to create an internal website to facilitate collaboration between employees. Of course, you can collaborate using OneDrive but that’s not really its point. SharePoint is part of the Office 365 suite of tools and is also a cloud solution as it is accessed remotely over an internet connection but offers more than just storage.
Among SharePoint’s features, users will find business intelligence solutions, page landmarks for easier document navigation, information rights management, and a mobile-friendly user interface. In addition, SharePoint provides team sites to facilitate collaboration. Team sites are sites where groups can work on projects and share information.
OneDrive vs. SharePoint: Performance
Fast and reliable, OneDrive boasts some respectable upload and download speeds. In our testing, OneDrive completed a 1GB test file upload in just over five minutes. The cloud platform took about seven minutes to download the same file. While ideally this download speed would be a bit faster, it’s worth keeping in mind that, most of the time, the OneDrive desktop client is left to run and sync in the background, and as such, files will generally be available very quickly.
Since SharePoint isn’t really a cloud storage solution, it’s difficult to directly compare its performance to OneDrive. However, there are several ways to improve SharePoint performance. Optimizing images, reducing the use of Web Parts, and using the Page Diagnostics tool can help speed up your SharePoint site.
OneDrive vs. SharePoint: Support
With OneDrive and SharePoint both being Microsoft offerings, the support available is fairly similar. For OneDrove, there are plenty of self-help articles online but getting more help is a bit more of a challenge. While it is true that there are support channels via email and phone, finding these channels buried so deeply in so many listings is a bit disappointing.
Online Help and Support articles for SharePoint are also available, covering a wide range of topics. This includes the full range of questions, from “What is SharePoint?” How to create a SharePoint site. As with OneDrive, there is plenty of help available online but getting more dedicated support isn’t always so easy.
OneDrive vs. SharePoint: Pricing
OneDrive users get 5GB of free cloud storage, with paid plans starting at $5.00 per user, per month. Business users will also enjoy access to the Office suite of tools, which is offered as part of the most expensive OneDrive subscription – at $12.50 per user, per month. At the lowest price point, users only get access to file sharing and OneDrive storage, so they may want to explore pricier options.
Interestingly, Microsoft 365 Business Basic, which is $6 per user per month, comes with SharePoint access. Likewise, SharePoint Online Plan 1 comes with OneDrive bundled in. Of course, you can choose to access OneDrive alone but the interrelated nature of the two programs makes it difficult to compare them on price.
OneDrive vs SharePoint: Our Verdict
OneDrive and SharePoint are like apples and oranges. Although there is some overlap—both systems can be used to store files, for example—they generally serve different purposes. If you’re looking for a straightforward cloud storage solution, it’s worth checking out OneDrive. If you want a collaboration tool, SharePoint might be the tool for you.