Best cloud storage for architects in 2026

Last updated September 2026

Architecture firms produce some of the largest, most complex files in any profession. A single Revit model can run past 500MB. A full project folder with drawings, renders, specifications, site photos, consultant documents, and correspondence easily reaches hundreds of gigabytes. And the people who need those files are spread across the studio, the job site, the client's boardroom, and increasingly their home offices. The traditional setup of a local server with a VPN is still common, but it is straining under file sizes that grow with every Revit release and teams that are no longer in one building. Here is what the current options look like, what each handles well, and where each falls short.

Comparison table

Fabric

Fabric is not a BIM coordination platform. It does not do clash detection, model-level version control, or RFI tracking. Those are specialised functions that belong to tools built for them. What Fabric does is solve the storage and retrieval problem that surrounds the BIM workflow.

Architecture projects generate enormous volumes of documents beyond the model itself. Consultant reports, planning submissions, client correspondence, site photographs, material specifications, sketch studies, meeting notes, contracts. These files accumulate across email, shared drives, local folders, and various cloud services. Finding the right version of a drawing package or the specific planning condition that addressed a facade detail means digging through folders, searching by file name, and hoping someone's naming convention was consistent.

Fabric's cloud drive streams files using zero disk space on any device. A principal reviewing drawings on site, a project architect working from home, a technician at a consultant's office can all access the same project files from any platform without a VPN. AI search goes inside documents, so searching for "structural engineer's response to the foundation redesign" returns the specific page in the specific PDF, not a list of files with "structural" in the name. Visual search finds reference images by similarity. Colour search matches material palettes.

The workspace keeps project documentation connected. Notes and documents for design briefs and meeting minutes sit alongside the drawings they reference. The spatial canvas works for concept development and pinning up precedent images. Annotations pin feedback directly onto drawings, renders, or photographs. Publishing with analytics handles sharing drawing packages with clients or planners, tracking who opened what and when.

Fabric connects to Google Drive and Dropbox so existing project files become searchable through Fabric's AI without needing to migrate them. For firms that keep BIM models in Autodesk's ecosystem and everything else scattered across drives, Fabric is the layer that makes the everything else findable.

Pricing starts at $8/mo billed yearly, with a free tier that includes limited storage and AI.

Autodesk Construction Cloud

ACC (formerly BIM 360) is the platform most architecture firms encounter because it is Autodesk's own. BIM Collaborate Pro provides cloud worksharing for Revit, model coordination with clash detection, design review with markups, and issue tracking. For firms working in Revit, the integration is direct: models publish to the cloud, team members work on the same central model, and coordination happens within the Autodesk ecosystem.

The cost is significant. BIM Collaborate Pro runs roughly $945/user/year, and that covers the collaboration layer, not the modelling software itself (Revit is a separate subscription at around $3,985/year). For a mid-size firm with 20 people who need access, ACC alone runs close to $19,000 annually before Revit licences. Storage is included but capped, and overages add up with large model sets.

ACC is strong at what it was built for: BIM coordination and construction-phase document management. It is weak at everything else. There is no AI search across project documents. Finding a specific clause in a specification or a particular planning condition requires manual searching. The platform is tied to the Autodesk ecosystem, so firms using ArchiCAD, Vectorworks, or Rhino get less value from the coordination features. And the interface is oriented toward construction workflows (RFIs, submittals, punchlists) rather than design-phase work.

Egnyte

Egnyte is popular with AEC firms because of its hybrid architecture. A local appliance in the office serves files at network speed while the same files sync to the cloud for remote access. For firms that want the performance of a local server with the accessibility of cloud storage, this is a genuine differentiator. Granular permissions, compliance controls, and content governance handle the security requirements that come with sensitive project documents.

Pricing starts at $22/user/month for the Business plan. Egnyte's adaptive block caching works well with large CAD files, and the platform integrates with Windows file server infrastructure that many firms already have. The limitation is that Egnyte is a storage and governance platform. There is no AI search inside documents, no annotations on drawings, no workspace features for connecting project documentation to the files it references. For firms migrating from an on-premise server, Egnyte replaces the hardware and adds remote access. It does not add intelligence or collaboration tools on top.

Dropbox Business

Dropbox is the cloud storage that most people already know. Smart Sync shows files in Finder or Explorer without downloading them. The admin console provides device management and security controls. Integrations with tools like Slack and Asana connect it to broader workflows.

For architecture firms, Dropbox handles the basics competently. File sync is reliable, sharing is straightforward, and the cross-platform support means it works on whatever hardware the firm uses. The problems are the same ones that affect every general-purpose cloud service: no understanding of what is inside the files. Search is by file name only. There is no way to find the revision of a drawing set that addressed a specific planning condition without opening files manually. At $18/user/month for Business, it is also not the cheapest option for firms with large teams. See Dropbox is too expensive.

Google Workspace

Google Workspace bundles Drive with Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Gmail. For firms that run their email and general documents through Google, the integration is seamless. Real-time collaborative editing works well for written documents, and the admin console provides enterprise controls.

For architecture specifically, Drive's handling of large files is the weak point. Revit models, AutoCAD drawings, and render outputs are not what Drive was built for. Upload speeds for large files are inconsistent, the web interface slows with large folders, and search does not go inside CAD or PDF drawings. Workspace is a productivity suite that happens to include storage, and for a profession that deals in large, complex files, the storage is the bottleneck.

BIM 360 (legacy)

BIM 360 is Autodesk's predecessor to ACC, and many firms still use it. Document management, model coordination, and field management run on the same platform. Autodesk has been migrating users to ACC since 2023, and BIM 360 is no longer available for new subscriptions.

Firms still on BIM 360 face the same trade-offs as ACC users (tight Autodesk ecosystem coupling, no AI search, construction-oriented workflows) plus the additional pressure of an ageing platform. The migration path leads to ACC, with its updated interface and pricing.

LucidLink

LucidLink streams file data at the block level, presenting cloud storage as a virtual drive on your desktop. For opening large Revit models or AutoCAD drawings directly from the cloud, this can approximate the experience of working from a local server. Zero-knowledge encryption provides strong security.

LucidLink Starter is $7/user/month with 100GB included. The Business tier at $32/user/month provides higher throughput. LucidLink is a specialist at making remote files feel local, but it is not an AEC platform. No BIM coordination, no document management, no search beyond the OS file browser, no mobile app for site access, and no collaboration tools. For firms that need fast remote access to large files and handle everything else through other tools, LucidLink covers one piece of the workflow. See Fabric vs LucidLink.

How to choose

The choice depends on which problem is most pressing. If BIM coordination with Revit is the primary need, ACC is built for that workflow, and the cost is the cost of staying in Autodesk's ecosystem. If a hybrid local-and-cloud setup with governance controls is the priority, Egnyte covers that ground. If fast remote access to large CAD files is the specific need, LucidLink streams them well.

If the problem is broader, and the firm needs project documentation searchable by meaning, drawings and specifications findable by content rather than file name, and a workspace that connects notes, reference images, and project files alongside the models, Fabric is the layer that makes the non-BIM portion of the project findable. Most firms will use a BIM coordination tool and a storage layer. The question is whether the storage layer should also understand what it stores.

Frequently asked questions

Can cloud storage handle Revit files reliably?

Autodesk Construction Cloud and BIM 360 are built specifically for Revit cloud worksharing. LucidLink streams Revit files at the block level for direct editing. General cloud services like Dropbox and Google Drive can store Revit files but are not optimised for the worksharing workflow. Fabric stores and makes Revit files searchable and accessible but is not a Revit worksharing tool.

How much cloud storage does an architecture firm need?

A mid-size firm with active projects typically needs 5 to 20TB of accessible storage, with more for archives. A single large project can generate 50 to 100GB of models, drawings, and documents. Fabric's cloud drive streams from the cloud with zero disk space on your device, so the firm's storage capacity is not limited by individual workstations.

Is cloud storage secure enough for confidential project documents?

Yes, with the right provider. Fabric uses AES-256 encryption at rest and SSL in transit with CASA Tier 2 certification. Egnyte offers granular permissions and compliance controls. LucidLink provides zero-knowledge encryption with customer-managed keys. For projects with specific security requirements (government, healthcare, defence), check the provider's compliance certifications against your project's requirements.

Can I access project files on site from a phone or tablet?

Fabric works on any device and platform including iOS and Android. ACC has mobile apps for site access. Egnyte and Dropbox have mobile apps. LucidLink is desktop only, with no mobile or tablet access. Google Workspace works on mobile. For site visits where you need to pull up a drawing or specification, mobile access matters.

What about firms using ArchiCAD or Vectorworks instead of Revit?

ACC's BIM coordination features are optimised for Revit and other Autodesk products. Firms using ArchiCAD, Vectorworks, Rhino, or SketchUp get less value from the model coordination features and may find a general storage solution like Fabric, Egnyte, or Dropbox more suitable for their files. Fabric's AI search works across all file types regardless of the software that created them.

How does Fabric's AI search help with architecture projects?

Fabric searches inside documents by meaning. Search for "fire rating requirement for the atrium glazing" and Fabric finds the specific page in the specification or planning response. Search for "site photos showing the existing retaining wall" and Fabric finds matching images by visual content. This replaces the manual process of opening files one by one to find information buried in project documentation.

Can I migrate from an office server to cloud storage gradually?

Yes. Most firms migrate in stages: sync the server to a cloud service as backup first, shift active project access to the cloud, then retire the server. Fabric's desktop folder sync can sync from local folders to the cloud. Egnyte's hybrid model explicitly supports keeping a local cache alongside cloud storage, which eases the transition for firms used to server-speed access.

What happens to archived projects in cloud storage?

Archived projects in Fabric remain fully searchable. Years later, when a client returns for an extension or a new project references an old one, AI search finds relevant drawings, specifications, and correspondence across the archive. In traditional storage, archived projects sit in folder structures that require someone to remember where things were filed and what they were called.

Does Fabric replace BIM coordination tools?

No. Fabric is a storage and AI search layer, not a BIM coordination platform. It does not offer model-level version control, clash detection, or RFI tracking. Fabric replaces the general file storage and organisation layer around the BIM workflow: the drawings, specifications, consultant reports, photographs, meeting notes, and correspondence that make up the majority of a project's documentation by volume.

Is Fabric free?

Fabric does have a free tier with limited storage and AI. Paid plans start at $8/mo billed yearly.

See also

• Your CAD files live on one person's laptop

• Revit files are too big for email

• Which version of the drawings is current

• Submittals and RFIs are buried in email

• BIM collaboration without BIM 360

• The project folder structure nobody follows

• Working on site with no access to the server

• Your rendering files need a home

• Fabric vs LucidLink

• Fabric vs Dropbox

• Fabric vs Box

• Best NAS alternative for creative teams

• Best Google Drive alternative for large files

• NAS vs cloud for creative teams

• Your personal cloud