SharePoint and OneDrive are both cloud-based collaboration platforms offered by Microsoft, but they serve different purposes and are intended for different use cases.
Understanding the differences between the two can help you determine which platform best suits your business needs.
In this blog post, we will discuss the main differences between SharePoint and OneDrive. We will also outline the advantages and disadvantages of both cloud-based tools so that you can make an informed decision for your business.
In the table below, we have summarised the key differences between SharePoint vs OneDrive.
| Parameters | SharePoint | OneDrive |
| Scope and Purpose | Comprehensive platform for team collaboration, content management, and intranet/extranet portals. | Personal cloud storage service for individual users to store, sync, and share files. |
| User Access and Permissions | Granular access control and permission management for teams and organisations. | Simplified access control and permission settings primarily for personal use. |
| Collaboration Features | Document co-authoring, version history, workflows, task management, calendars, discussion boards, and integration with Microsoft 365 apps. | Real-time co-authoring, commenting on files, basic file sharing, and limited collaboration capabilities. |
| Integration with Other Tools | Closely integrated with Microsoft 365 apps like Teams, Outlook, OneNote, and Yammer. | Integrates with various Microsoft 365 apps and services, focused on personal productivity. |
Both OneDrive and SharePoint are cloud solutions that help share and manage content. With both SharePoint and OneDrive in Microsoft 365, your files are stored in the cloud. You can sync either OneDrive or SharePoint files to your computer.
What exactly sets OneDrive and SharePoint apart from each other?
The main difference between SharePoint and OneDrive is that SharePoint is a collaborative cloud storage tool used for storing work files to be collaborated on or viewed by your group when the file is created.
On the other hand, OneDrive is for storing your personal files that you create and work on yourself, and sometimes share with other team members.
Here are the pros and cons of Microsoft SharePoint:
Document Management: SharePoint offers robust document management capabilities, allowing multiple people to store, organise, and share documents securely. It provides version control, document check-in/check-out, and metadata tagging for easy search and retrieval.
Team Collaboration: SharePoint facilitates collaborating with your teams, also known as the SharePoint team site which provides centralised access to document libraries, calendars, tasks, and discussions. Your team can work together in real time, co-author and create important documents, and share updates seamlessly with the team site.
Customisation: The SharePoint site is highly customisable and allows businesses to tailor the SharePoint team site to their specific needs. It offers customisable workflows, forms, and team site templates, enabling multiple users to create and share various use cases.
Integration with Microsoft Office: SharePoint online integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. You can purchase SharePoint and sign up for OneDrive plans without buying other products. If you prefer not to use the online version of SharePoint, you can also access it as a locally installed software.
Security: Microsoft encrypts your data using industry-standard encryption that SharePoint uses to protect your data in transit and at rest. SharePoint software provides robust security features to protect sensitive information from security breaches. It offers granular permission settings, encryption, data loss prevention (DLP), and multi-factor authentication (MFA) to ensure data security and regulatory compliance for your internal and customer data.
Complexity: The SharePoint platform can be complex to set up and manage, especially for organisations with limited IT expertise. Customising and configuring requires technical knowledge and ongoing maintenance with a dedicated IT team.
Cost: While SharePoint Online is included in Microsoft 365 subscriptions, on-premises deployments include additional costs for licensing, hardware, and infrastructure.
Dependency on Microsoft Ecosystem: SharePoint sites' integration with the Microsoft ecosystem is a strength, but it also means that businesses heavily invested in non-Microsoft technologies may face challenges in integration and interoperability.
Limited Offline Access: While the SharePoint server offers mobile accessibility, offline access to the document and content is limited. Business teams may face difficulties accessing or editing documents when disconnected from the Internet.
Here are the pros and cons of using Microsoft OneDrive:
Seamless Integration: OneDrive platform integrates with other Microsoft products and services, such as Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Outlook, and SharePoint. This integration allows for easy access to files and collaboration across various platforms.
Cross-Platform Compatibility: OneDrive app is compatible with multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and web browsers. You can read and edit personal documents from any device with an Internet connection, making it convenient for remote work and collaboration.
File Syncing: OneDrive files are automatically synced across multiple devices, ensuring that the latest version is available across devices. All the changes made to files on one device are automatically updated and reflected across other devices linked to the same OneDrive account.
Version History: OneDrive maintains a version history of files, allowing users to restore previous versions or retrieve deleted files within a certain timeframe. This feature provides an added layer of security and helps prevent data loss.
Storage Options: OneDrive offers flexible storage options, with various subscription plans available for both personal and business users. You can choose the amount of storage needed, with the option to upgrade or purchase additional storage if necessary.
Dependency on Internet Connection: OneDrive relies on an Internet connection for document syncing and access. Users may encounter difficulties accessing files or syncing changes when offline or in areas with poor connectivity.
Syncing Issues: Occasionally, businesses may experience syncing issues with OneDrive, such as delays in syncing, conflicts between different versions of files, or errors in file uploads/downloads. These issues can disrupt workflow and require troubleshooting to resolve.
Integration Limitations: While OneDrive integrates seamlessly with Microsoft products and services, integration with third-party applications or platforms may be limited compared to other cloud storage providers.
Cost of Storage: Although OneDrive offers competitive pricing for additional storage, the cost of storage can add up over time, especially for businesses with large storage requirements.
Here are the four major differences between OneDrive and SharePoint:
SharePoint is a comprehensive cloud platform primarily designed for file collaboration, content management, and intranet/extranet portals among the team site. It allows teams to create websites, store, organise, share, and gain information, documents, and other content in a centralised manner.
OneDrive, on the other hand, is the main hub for a personal document library designed for individuals across businesses for storing documents on devices, syncing and sharing files and collaborating with others. While it can be used as a collaboration tool to some extent, its primary focus is on personal storage and sharing of documents.
SharePoint servers offer robust access control and permission management features, allowing administrators to define granular permissions for individual users or groups at various levels (e.g., site, library, folder, document). This makes it suitable for managing content within teams and organisations.
OneDrive also offers access control and permission settings, but it is more suitable for private work documents that only you can read or edit. You can share files or folders with specific individuals or teams and provide temporary access to whether recipients can view or edit the content.
SharePoint provides several features, including document co-authoring, version history, workflows, task management, calendars, discussion boards, and integration with other Microsoft 365 apps like Teams.
OneDrive offers basic collaboration features such as real-time co-authoring in Microsoft Office documents, commenting on files, and the ability to share files or folders with others. However, its collaboration capabilities are more limited compared to SharePoint.
SharePoint is closely integrated with other Microsoft 365 applications, like Microsoft Teams, Outlook, OneNote, and Yammer. This integration allows users to leverage the full productivity suite for seamless collaboration and communication.
OneDrive also integrates with various Microsoft 365 apps and services, but its integration is more focused on personal productivity rather than collaborating with other teams.
Microsoft offers SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams as cloud-based collaboration platforms, each serving distinct purposes.
SharePoint is a web-based platform primarily used for document management, making collaboration and sharing resources within organisations easier.
OneDrive is a cloud storage service that enables users to share, sync, and store files across multiple devices. It's designed as an online folder system primarily for personal file storage and sharing, but it can also be used for collaborating with teams.
Microsoft Teams is a chat-based collaboration platform that integrates with the Office 365 suite, providing features like video conferencing, file sharing, and real-time collaboration on documents within a team or organisation.
In summary, while SharePoint and OneDrive are cloud-based platforms for storing and sharing files, SharePoint is better suited for collaborating with different teams, managing content, and building intranet/extranet sites. In contrast, OneDrive is more geared towards storing personal documents and simple file sharing.
We at Aztech often use both these platforms i.e. SharePoint and OneDrive for business to meet different needs within our workforce.
If you are unsure whether to use OneDrive and SharePoint or both for your business needs, don't hesitate to get in touch with us for more information.