---
id: data-transfers.data-transfers-vs-data-parking
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/data-transfers/data-transfers-vs-data-parking
category: "Data Transfers"
subcategory: "Data Transfers basics"
question: "Should I use Data Transfers or Data Parking?"
alt_questions:
  - "data parking vs data transfers"
  - "difference between Data Parking and Data Transfers"
  - "which tool to move a folder to my drive"
  - "when to use data transfers instead of data parking"
  - "move folder and keep shortcut vs copy"
short_answer: "Data Parking frees space by moving a folder to your external drive and leaving a shortcut. Data Transfers copies, moves, syncs and downloads between any places, on demand or on a schedule, without shortcuts."
tags: ["data parking", "comparison", "data transfers"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/data-transfers/what-is-data-transfers", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/data-transfers/transfer-between-folders-on-my-mac", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/data-transfers/data-parking-uploads-in-data-transfers"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Should I use Data Transfers or Data Parking?

Use **Data Parking** to free space on your Mac while keeping things where you expect them: it moves a folder to your external drive and leaves a shortcut at the original place, so apps and Finder still find it.

Use **Data Transfers** for everything else that moves data between places: making copies, mirroring a folder, syncing with a cloud account, moving between two clouds, downloading a link, or anything you want on a schedule. It doesn't leave shortcuts.

The two work together: when Data Parking sends files to a cloud account, those uploads run as transfers, and any that need attention appear in Data Transfers.

Related: [Moving folders](https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/) · [What is Data Transfers?](https://storagestudio.us/faq/data-transfers/what-is-data-transfers)