Choose cloud storage when sharing, access across devices and a copy outside the home matter most. An external HDD suits periodic backups of a large local collection, while an external SSD suits frequent portable transfers; use cloud and a local drive together when you want both an off-site copy and a separately controlled one. Check which files are actually backed up, account recovery, capacity and device compatibility before committing.
If a laptop is lost, stolen or damaged, a copy stored outside the home can help keep photos and documents accessible. Cloud storage also allows selected files to be shared across devices, provided the relevant folders are included and the account remains accessible. Which? and the Information Commissioner's Office describe these cloud-storage uses.
For a growing collection copied periodically from a computer, an external HDD provides local storage without making a cloud plan the only place for the files. Which? describes HDDs as suited to long-term computer-file backups. Keep another copy of anything difficult to replace.
Someone regularly carrying photo or video folders between compatible computers may prefer an external SSD. Which? distinguishes SSDs by faster transfer use, although the devices, ports and cable still affect the speed achieved.
Start with the copy you need to protect, then decide whether everyday access, local capacity or frequent transfers change the choice. A cloud account, an HDD and an SSD do different jobs; combining cloud and local storage can address needs that neither covers alone.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Copy beyond the home | Confirm that the cloud backup or sync includes the files that matter. Keep a separate local copy if losing those files would be difficult to recover from. | If my computer and the drive beside it are lost together, I still need to reach our photos and documents. About 33% of consumers put an off-site copy first. |
| Access and sharing | Check access on the household's devices and how the chosen plan shares storage or folders. Include other services that use the same allowance. | We use files on several devices and need to share selected folders without passing a drive around. For about 27% of consumers, cross-device access and sharing are the primary need. |
| Local archive capacity | Compare the current collection and likely growth with the drive's capacity. Plan another copy for irreplaceable files. | A growing photo and laptop-file archive needs room for periodic backups, and I want a copy I control locally. Local capacity is the leading concern for about 27% of consumers. |
| Portable transfers | Check the ports and cable on the devices involved, plus the format needed for writing files on each computer. | I regularly move large folders between computers, so transfer speed and portability matter more to me than an archive that stays put. About 13% of consumers prioritise those transfers. |
For a drive used with both Mac and Windows computers, check read and write access before filling it. Apple Support notes that a Mac may read an NTFS-formatted drive without being able to write to it. For cloud storage, check account-recovery options as well as capacity: an off-site copy is less useful if the person responsible for it cannot regain access.
A drive kept beside the computer can be lost or damaged in the same incident. It also cannot provide remote access on its own.
Keep an additional copy of files that would be difficult to replace, preferably in another location or through a suitable cloud service. Periodically check that the copied files open.
The available space may also be used by email, photos or other services. A plan change can affect uploads and syncing if the stored files exceed the new allowance.
Check the account's storage breakdown, sharing arrangements and what happens after cancellation before moving a large collection. Google and Microsoft both describe storage shared across more than one of their services.
A fast-drive label or USB-C connector shape does not establish the speed of the whole connection. Seagate Support notes that transfers are limited by the slowest device or connection in the chain.
Check the computer's port, the drive's stated interface and the cable you will use rather than treating a maximum interface rate as a promised copy speed.
A drive that can be read on one computer may not be writable there. Apple Support notes this distinction for NTFS-formatted drives on a Mac.
Decide which computers must write to the drive before loading files. Copy existing contents elsewhere before erasing or reformatting it.
iCloud+ is relevant to households centred on iPhone, iPad and Mac devices that want cloud storage and family sharing.
Google One is relevant when Google Photos, Gmail and Google Drive already hold much of the household's collection.
OneDrive is relevant to Windows and Microsoft 365 households wanting cloud access alongside desktop file workflows.
Seagate offers portable external-drive lines relevant to local file storage and backups.
Western Digital is relevant when comparing direct-attached external storage for a household computer.
These Joybuy selections are external HDDs for local archives and external SSDs for portable file storage. Each is a local drive, so consider a separate off-site copy for family files that would be difficult to replace.
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Consider this SSD if you regularly carry and transfer family files. Its name specifies 1 TB and USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 (3.1 Gen 2); check your devices' ports and whether 1 TB covers the collection and expected growth.
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This 2 TB portable HDD is an option for periodic local copies of photos, documents and laptop files. Compare its capacity with your collection, and confirm the connection and read/write setup for the computers that will use it.
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For a Mac-centred household considering a larger local archive, this My Passport Ultra for Mac is identified as a 5 TB portable HDD. If Windows computers must also write to it, confirm the required format or software setup before moving the archive.
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This 2 TB portable SSD is a local-storage choice if you frequently move photo, video or document folders. Check its connector, cable and read/write compatibility with the devices you intend to use, as well as whether the capacity fits your files.
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This 4 TB portable HDD offers a capacity to consider for a larger local family-file archive; its product name specifies USB 3.0. Check the computer connection and whether each intended device can write to the drive before making it part of a backup routine.
An external drive can provide local capacity, but one kept at home does not provide an off-site copy. Add suitable cloud storage if remote access or protection from an incident affecting both computer and drive matters; keep both kinds of copy for files you would struggle to replace.
Measure the files you intend to store, allow for growth and check what else uses the same allowance. Google One Help says the included 15 GB is shared across Drive, Gmail and Photos; Microsoft Support says its free 5 GB is shared across OneDrive files, Outlook.com attachments and Microsoft 365 apps. Apple Support lists UK iCloud+ tiers starting at 50 GB. The right allowance depends on your collection and the particular plan's sharing rules.
Make sure the account holder's recovery information is current before relying on the account for family files. Google Help describes recovery options for lost account access, Apple Support documents recovery contacts, and Microsoft Support warns that losing access to alternate methods with two-step verification can prevent support-assisted recovery.
You can use a drive with both if its format and any required software allow the read and write access you need. Apple Support identifies ExFAT as Windows-compatible and notes that a Mac may read, but not write to, an NTFS-formatted drive. Check the intended backup software too, and copy existing files elsewhere before reformatting.