---
id: cloud-accounts.cloud-accounts-vs-data-transfers
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/cloud-accounts/cloud-accounts-vs-data-transfers
category: "Cloud accounts"
subcategory: "Using your accounts"
question: "What's the difference between Cloud Accounts and Data Transfers?"
alt_questions:
  - "Cloud Accounts or Data Transfers which do I use?"
  - "Where do I move files to the cloud?"
  - "Accounts window vs transfers window"
  - "Do I set up transfers in Cloud Accounts?"
short_answer: "Cloud Accounts is where you add, test, edit and remove sign-ins. Data Transfers is where you copy, move or sync files using them. Add an account once, then use it in transfers, Data Parking and Data Backup."
tags: ["cloud accounts", "data transfers"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/cloud-accounts/where-can-i-use-my-cloud-accounts", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/cloud-accounts/how-do-i-add-a-cloud-account"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# What's the difference between Cloud Accounts and Data Transfers?

**Cloud Accounts** is where you connect and look after your sign-ins — add, test, edit and remove accounts. **Data Transfers** is where you actually copy, move or sync files between your Mac, your drives and those accounts.

So the order is: add the account once in Cloud Accounts, then use it as often as you like in Data Transfers, Data Parking and Data Backup. See [Data Transfers](https://storagestudio.us/faq/data-transfers/).