What's The Difference Between Cloud Storage And Local Storage?

In an era where computers are at the center of nearly everything we do, human beings are generating a truly unfathomable number of digital files. We snap pictures and videos that fill our smartphones, download movies and music, and create documents that clutter our laptops. To keep from running out of space, we need to save and back up our data on PCs, phones, and all our other digital devices. The tech industry offers two solutions: local storage and cloud storage.

The main difference between cloud and local storage is that the former stores your files on the Internet and the latter keeps them in your physical possession. That's a slight oversimplication, as we'll explain, but for those trying to choose between the two, it's a good starting place. In this article, we'll discuss the broad strokes of both storage solutions, including their fundamental differences, their strengths and weaknesses, and ways to choose which best aligns with your needs.

Essentially, cloud storage is simply data storage that exists outside your digital device. Instead of a physical link to a specific device, users access cloud storage through the Internet or other networking protocols. Cloud storage, and the larger category of cloud computing, is vital at every level of digital-enabled life, from storing pictures and videos to managing the global Internet. Ordinary digital consumers experience cloud storage through various networked solutions to back up their personal files. Most big tech companies offer some kind of consumer-level cloud solution: Apple has iCloud (though iCloud alternatives for iPad and iPhone do exist), Google has Drive, Microsoft has OneDrive etc.

It's also possible to simply engineer your own, personal cloud storage by connecting local drives to a LAN or the Internet. These are called network-attached storage (NAS), but while they're a solid option for some people, we won't be focusing on those setups in this article. Short version: Cloud storage is a hard drive where you can save data even though it's not physically connected to your device.

Unsurprisingly, local storage means the opposite. Local storage is data stored directly on devices you physically own. It includes the built-in storage on your computer, phone, or tablet, as well as things like the SSDs and thumb drives produced by many major brands, plus older media like CDs, SD cards, and even the archaic floppy disk. In simple terms, local storage is the storage you have with you.

To understand the pros and cons of local vs. cloud storage, let's try a hypothetical. Say you happen to catch your daughter's first words on a phone video. You're overjoyed, but also concerned: What happens if the phone breaks? Right now, the video only exists there. How can you preserve this cherished family memory?

Your local storage options for the video include all the drives you own: thumb drives, SD cards, CDs. For a cloud backup, you can upload it to Google Drive, Dropbox, or another cloud storage provider.

Neither is a perfect option. In both cases, it's still possible to lose the video — just less likely. Your cloud provider can lose data through hacks and malfunctions. Local storage can be lost, have its data corrupted, or even be physically broken.

That's the choice in the digital age. Choosing between cloud and local storage is really a choice between entrusting someone else with your files and trusting yourself. You have more control over locally stored data, but it's also more fragile and easier to lose. Large cloud providers aren't as invested in your information as you are, but they have better technology, more redundancies, and experts on staff to save your stuff.

Time for another hypothetical: Suppose you need to store sensitive work documents. You need the files to be easily accessible, but you also need to keep them safe from prying eyes. Should you keep those files in the cloud, where they're password protected in an account — but not under your direct control — or should you keep them on a thumb drive you can keep with you, but might break or lose?

That's security as it applies to cloud vs. local storage. Cloud providers have robust security systems, but hacks do happen: Dropbox had its two-factor authentication hacked in 2013 and hackers stormed iCloud to harass journalist Mat Honan in 2012. Nonetheless, the largest providers encrypt your files, and you can't leave cloud-stored data on a train or have it stolen out of your backpack.

Crucially, you can improve security of local storage yourself. Using a program like Microsoft's BitLocker, you can password-protect your drives to keep your files safe — mostly. Hackers are constantly developing new systems to beat encryption and local storage is necessarily vulnerable to any malware or other issue present on your system. Ultimately, how safe local storage is comes down to how good you are at keeping it safe, and cloud storage is only as safe as the provider makes it.

No hypothetical this time, just cold, hard cash. A major difference between local and cloud storage solutions is how you'll pay for it.

Local storage often has large up-front costs. While some physical media, like thumb drives and SD cards, are comparatively cheap for how much data they hold, larger, more durable devices like encrypted SSDs can get seriously expensive. Intensive local storage solutions like RAIDs (Rapid Access Information Devices; arrays of multiple drives making redundant backups) are often cost-prohibitive for most customers. That said, once you've bought local storage, it's yours for good.

Cloud storage is different. Most cloud services follow a subscription model; you'll pay either monthly or yearly for a set number of gigabytes or terabytes. While cloud storage is usually far cheaper in the short term, subscription fees add up over time. On the other hand, if what you're backing up doesn't take much space, many cloud storage services offer a free tier with limited storage. On Google Drive, for example, free users get 15 GB, and on Dropbox, they get a measly 2 GB.

The last major difference between local and cloud storage is how accessible they are. Cloud storage means your files are stored on somebody else's server farm; you'll need an internet connection to access them. If they're large files, you'll need a robust connection unless you're prepared to wait hours or days for a download.

Local storage, of course, is always accessible — as long as you have it with you. If you travel somewhere without your physical storage devices, you're out of luck.

The decisive factor here should be how frequently you'll find yourself both without an Internet connection and in need of your files. If you don't plan to open them outside of your home, office, or the coffee shop, you're probably going to prefer cloud storage. But if you want to access your files in less networked places, you might need local storage.

One additional consideration is file sharing. If you often need to send files to people to whom you are not in close physical proximity, it is almost always easier to share files stored in the cloud. Since the file is already hosted online, all the recipient needs to do is download it. On the other hand, you will need to upload a local file before sharing it, which often means you'll be putting it in the cloud anyway.

If you can afford to do so, the best practice is to use a combination of cloud and local storage, at least for your most precious files. Since both storage methods have so many drawbacks, you're best off not putting all your eggs in a single, proverbial basket, and since both have unique upsides, you'll benefit from the best of both worlds. For example, you can keep a portable SSD around with enough storage to back up your computer and phone, while also setting up a regular upload to the cloud. As long as you back your stuff up regularly, you'll have multiple redundancies; if you lose a file in one place, your other storage options are there to replace it.

If  budgetary or technical restrictions keep you from using both cloud and local storage, consider all of the differences laid out in this article and determine for yourself which is best for your needs. For the fast-paced college student, cloud storage may be the solution — it may even come free with your school email account. For a high-powered professional handling sensitive data, local storage may offer better control over file management.