Best cloud storage for photographers (2026): 7 options compared
Updated November 2026. Products change often — check each vendor for current cameras, platforms and pricing.
Short answer: for most working photographers, Dropbox is the best cloud storage for delivering files to clients — clean links anyone can open, original files untouched and apps on every platform — and Google Drive is the best value for archives and teams, with the most free space (15 GB, shared with Gmail and Google Photos). If you live on Apple devices, iCloud is the least effort; if you already pay for Microsoft 365, OneDrive's bundled storage is hard to ignore; and Amazon Photos is a strong extra photo backup for Prime members. Below: seven options side by side, how to choose, and how to get photos into any of them straight from the camera.
At a glance
| Tool | Apps | Free storage | Best for | Sharing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dropbox | Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android, web | 2 GB (Dropbox Basic) | Delivering original files to clients | Links anyone can open and download, no account needed |
| Google Drive | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android, web | 15 GB, shared with Gmail and Google Photos | Archives and teams on Google Workspace | Link sharing; smoothest for people with Google accounts |
| Google Photos | iPhone, Android, web | Uses your Google account storage | Browsing, searching and sharing albums | Album links that are easy to view on any phone |
| Microsoft OneDrive | Windows (built in), Mac, iPhone, Android, web | 5 GB | Photographers already paying for Microsoft 365 | Links; smoothest for Microsoft accounts |
| Apple iCloud (Photos and Drive) | iPhone, iPad, Mac; iCloud for Windows; web | 5 GB | Photographers whose devices are all Apple | Shared albums and iCloud links |
| Box | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android, web | 10 GB (Individual), 250 MB per file | Agencies and businesses that already use Box | Links with granular permissions |
| Amazon Photos | iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, web | 5 GB; unlimited full-resolution photos with Prime | An extra photo backup for Prime members | Albums and shared links |
As of November 2026. Product names are trademarks of their owners; no affiliation or endorsement is implied.
The tools, one by one
1. Dropbox
Dropbox
File storage built around fast, dependable sync and simple sharing. Every file — RAW, JPEG, video — is kept exactly as uploaded in folders you name, and a shared link is the cleanest hand-off to clients who may not use any particular service.
- Apps
- Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android, web
- Free storage
- 2 GB (Dropbox Basic)
- Best for
- Delivering original files to clients
- Sharing
- Links anyone can open and download, no account needed
Is Dropbox good for photographers?Strengths
- Original files kept byte for byte, any file type
- Clean shared links that open on any device
- Desktop apps for Mac, Windows and Linux
- CloudTether delivers to it live, a folder per shoot
Limits
- The smallest free tier here — paid plans for real work; check current pricing
- Not a client gallery: no proofing, favourites or print sales
2. Google Drive
Google
Google's file storage, with the most generous free tier of the big services and Shared drives for teams on Google Workspace. It stores any file at original quality, RAW included, and Google One plans add to the same storage pool.
- Apps
- Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android, web
- Free storage
- 15 GB, shared with Gmail and Google Photos
- Best for
- Archives and teams on Google Workspace
- Sharing
- Link sharing; smoothest for people with Google accounts
Dropbox vs Google DriveStrengths
- Most free space of the major services
- Shared drives for teams on Google Workspace
- Docs, Sheets and Slides built in for briefs and shot lists
- CloudTether delivers to it live
Limits
- Storage is shared with Gmail and Google Photos
- No Linux desktop app; RAW previews in the browser are inconsistent
3. Google Photos
Google
A photo library rather than file storage: automatic organisation, search and albums that are a pleasure to browse and share. Original quality counts toward your Google storage; Storage saver compresses photos to save space.
- Apps
- iPhone, Android, web
- Free storage
- Uses your Google account storage
- Best for
- Browsing, searching and sharing albums
- Sharing
- Album links that are easy to view on any phone
Google Drive vs Google PhotosStrengths
- Excellent search, albums and sharing
- Shares storage with Google Drive, so no separate plan
- CloudTether can send images straight into an album as you shoot
Limits
- Built for viewing — keep RAW originals in file storage
- Storage saver compresses; Original quality uses your quota
4. Microsoft OneDrive
Microsoft
Microsoft's file storage, built into Windows and bundled with Microsoft 365 subscriptions. If you already pay for Office, the included storage can be the best-value home for an archive.
- Apps
- Windows (built in), Mac, iPhone, Android, web
- Free storage
- 5 GB
- Best for
- Photographers already paying for Microsoft 365
- Sharing
- Links; smoothest for Microsoft accounts
Dropbox vs OneDriveStrengths
- Storage bundled with Microsoft 365 plans
- Deep Windows and Office integration
- CloudTether delivers to it live
Limits
- Small free tier on its own
- Paid storage is tied to Microsoft 365 plans — check current pricing
5. Apple iCloud (Photos and Drive)
Apple
Built into every Apple device: iCloud Photos keeps your library in sync across iPhone, iPad and Mac, and iCloud Drive stores files. iCloud+ plans raise the storage. It's the least-effort option if you live on Apple hardware.
- Apps
- iPhone, iPad, Mac; iCloud for Windows; web
- Free storage
- 5 GB
- Best for
- Photographers whose devices are all Apple
- Sharing
- Shared albums and iCloud links
Strengths
- Nothing to set up on Apple devices
- Photos library synced across iPhone, iPad and Mac
- With CloudTether saving to the phone's library, shots sync on their own
Limits
- Awkward for clients and teams outside Apple's world
- Small free tier; iCloud+ for real use — check current pricing
6. Box
Box
Business-focused file storage with strong permissions and admin controls, common in agencies and corporate clients. The free Individual plan is generous on space but caps each upload at 250 MB.
- Apps
- Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android, web
- Free storage
- 10 GB (Individual), 250 MB per file
- Best for
- Agencies and businesses that already use Box
- Sharing
- Links with granular permissions
Strengths
- Granular sharing permissions and admin controls
- Often already in use by corporate clients
- CloudTether delivers to it live
Limits
- 250 MB per-file limit on the free plan (fine for stills, not long video)
- Business-oriented plans — check current pricing
7. Amazon Photos
Amazon
Amazon's photo service. Prime members get unlimited full-resolution photo storage, RAW included, plus 5 GB for video; without Prime it's 5 GB in total. It's an inexpensive second copy of your photos rather than a delivery tool.
- Apps
- iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, web
- Free storage
- 5 GB; unlimited full-resolution photos with Prime
- Best for
- An extra photo backup for Prime members
- Sharing
- Albums and shared links
Strengths
- Unlimited full-resolution photo storage with Prime, RAW included
- Phone app can back up the phone's photo library
Limits
- Only 5 GB for video with Prime
- Tied to an active Prime membership; not a CloudTether destination (use the phone library route)
Also worth knowing: Amazon S3 is durable storage you control for an archive or your own pipeline (CloudTether delivers to the bucket you choose, but it needs technical set-up); Backblaze Personal Backup backs up one computer, including attached external drives, as a separate safety net (drives need to be connected regularly to stay in the backup); a Synology or Nextcloud server gives you storage you own, and CloudTether can deliver to it over WebDAV; and Adobe's Lightroom plans include cloud storage for a Lightroom library.
How to choose cloud storage for photos
Does it keep the original file?
File storage — Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud Drive, Box — keeps CR3, NEF, ARW or RAF files byte for byte. Photo libraries are built for viewing: Google Photos' Storage saver compresses, and some services only show RAW files as previews. Keep originals in file storage, and use a library for the viewable set.
How much will you really need?
RAW files from current bodies are large, and a single wedding or event can run to tens of gigabytes. Free tiers are for trying a service, not archiving a year of work. Check current pricing for the tier that fits a year of your shoots, plus growth.
Can clients open what you send?
For delivery, the recipient experience matters more than anything: a link that opens on any phone with no account, folders they can download in one go, and no prompts to sign up. If clients mostly need to view and choose, a client gallery platform may suit better than raw storage.
Which devices and computers?
Check desktop apps for your editing machine (Dropbox has a Linux app; Google Drive for desktop and iCloud for Windows don't cover Linux), and mobile apps for everyone who'll open the files. Apple-only storage is easiest if every device is Apple.
Sync isn't backup
A synced folder mirrors mistakes: delete a file on one device and it goes everywhere. Treat one cloud service as your working copy and keep a separate backup — another service, a drive at home, or a computer backup service — so a single failure or slip can't cost you a job.
How do photos get there?
Most services sync from a computer or back up a phone's camera roll. For camera files, something has to pull them off the camera first; an app that uploads each shot as you take it removes the card-import step completely.
Where CloudTether fits
CloudTether isn't cloud storage — it's how the photos get into the storage you choose. It tethers a Canon, Nikon, Sony or Fujifilm to your iPhone, iPad or Android phone over USB or Wi-Fi and uploads each full-resolution frame as you shoot to Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, Amazon S3 or your own WebDAV server, or images to Google Photos. One upload from the phone can reach several of them at once, so originals can go to Dropbox while a viewable set goes to Google Photos.
For iCloud or Amazon Photos, CloudTether can save every shot into an album in the phone's photo library instead; if iCloud Photos or your phone's photo backup is switched on, the shots sync from there. CloudTether only holds files long enough to deliver them — your photos live in your own accounts.
We make CloudTether, which delivers to several of the services below and isn't a storage provider itself. We've described each service by what it's built for, using facts we checked on the providers' own pages in November 2026. Storage plans and prices change often, so check each provider's current pricing and terms before you commit.
Related
FAQ
What is the best cloud storage for photographers?
For delivering files to clients, Dropbox: original files untouched, clean links anyone can open and apps on every platform. For the most free space and team archives, Google Drive. iCloud suits all-Apple photographers, OneDrive suits Microsoft 365 users, and Amazon Photos makes a good extra photo backup for Prime members.
Which cloud storage is best for RAW files?
File storage keeps RAW files exactly as shot: Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud Drive and Box all store CR3, NEF, ARW and RAF files byte for byte. Amazon Photos stores RAW photos at full resolution for Prime members. Google Photos is built for viewing, so keep originals elsewhere.
Which cloud storage gives the most free space?
Of the big services, Google's 15 GB (shared across Gmail, Drive and Photos) is the most, then Box Individual's 10 GB, then 5 GB on OneDrive and iCloud and 2 GB on Dropbox Basic. Prime members get unlimited full-resolution photo storage in Amazon Photos. None is enough to archive paid work long-term.
Is cloud storage a backup?
Not on its own. Sync services mirror deletions and mistakes to every device. Keep a second copy somewhere else — another cloud service, a drive at home or a computer backup service — so a single failure can't lose a job.
Is Google Photos good for photographers?
For browsing, searching and sharing albums, yes. For keeping RAW originals, no: use Google Drive or Dropbox. Many photographers send originals to file storage and a viewable set to Google Photos; CloudTether can do both from the same shoot.
Can I upload to cloud storage straight from my camera?
Yes. CloudTether tethers your camera to your phone over USB or Wi-Fi and uploads each full-resolution shot to Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, S3 or WebDAV as you shoot, with no card import.
Sources
Third-party facts on this page were checked against these pages in November 2026. Plans and features change — check each vendor for current details and pricing.
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