Accessibility, security and control are the main factors to consider when deciding on cloud or local data storage. You can access your documents from any place with internet access and your files are automatically saved, so cloud storage is perfect for working remotely. Since your files are not on-site, you don’t have to worry about them being damaged or lost, because they are protected by many safety measures. Still, cloud storage requires a good internet connection and might involve costs that keep coming up and there could be privacy issues if the service does not have strong encryption.
If you want to have your data with you all the time, local storage is a good option, since it gives you total control and you won’t need the internet to access it. Although cloud storage is safer from online attacks, it is still possible for the data to be lost, stolen or damaged physically and you need to purchase more devices if your storage needs increase. Backing up and maintaining the system manually is necessary and sometimes it is tough to access files remotely.
If you need to focus on accessibility, working together and quick recovery in case of disaster, cloud storage is usually a better option. If you want to have full control, access your data without the internet and transfer data quickly, local storage could be the best choice. A lot of users believe that combining the two options gives them the best balance between ease and safety.