---
id: cloud-accounts.which-account-type-for-archiving
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/cloud-accounts/which-account-type-for-archiving
category: "Cloud accounts"
subcategory: "Using your accounts"
question: "Which kind of account is best for archiving big files I want off my Mac?"
alt_questions:
  - "Best cloud for archiving large files Storage Studio"
  - "Where to park big video files in the cloud"
  - "S3 vs Google Drive for archive"
  - "Cheapest place for old files"
  - "Long-term storage for big folders"
short_answer: "Bucket storage such as Amazon S3 usually suits large archives best: built for big data, quick to upload to, with cheaper classes for rarely used files. Google Drive and Dropbox work but upload more slowly. An external drive is fastest of all."
tags: ["archiving", "bucket storage", "s3"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/cloud-accounts/which-s3-storage-class-should-i-use", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/cloud-accounts/can-i-copy-from-a-cloud-account-to-my-external-drive"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Which kind of account is best for archiving big files I want off my Mac?

For large archives, bucket storage such as Amazon S3 is usually the best fit: it's built for big amounts of data, is quick to upload to, and offers cheaper classes for files you rarely touch. Google Drive and Dropbox work too, but they limit how fast apps can upload, so very large archives take longer.

An external drive is the fastest and needs no subscription; many people use both — the drive for everyday access and bucket storage as an off-site copy. Compare current prices on each provider's own site.