File Hosting Services

File sharing services are useful for collaborating on documents and projects, the file sharing services recommended by the IDN provide at least the following features:

  • Ability to synchronise files simply between devices
  • Controlled access, including public and private files

It is crucial to identify that file sharing services do not constitute a data deposit as required by RCUK, however they are often a useful tool for research groups. Remember to use a fully-fledged data repository when publishing your research (data).




  Dropbox.com Google Drive
Free Storage 2Gb 15Gb

App support

Excellent desktop and mobile apps Excellent desktop and mobile apps
Collaboration Support Allows collaboration through Office 365 Applications as well as in-browser tools specific to Dropbox Allows collaboration through Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and more
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