CloudFiles vs
S3-Link
A side-by-side look at two ways to manage Salesforce documents: full document management vs. direct S3 storage access.
At a glance
CloudFiles
Full-stack Salesforce document management platform: automation, secure sharing, and AI, connecting Salesforce records to SharePoint, Google Drive, OneDrive, AWS S3, MS Teams, Dropbox, Box, and Azure Blob.
- AppExchange rating: 4.99/5 (142 reviews)
- Compliance: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR
- Storage: SharePoint, OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, AWS S3, Azure Blob
- Automation: native actions plus Salesforce Flow
- Pricing: per-user pricing with volume discounts for large teams; org-based pricing also available for large teams. 14-day free trial.
- Also available: Document Generation and Document AI (add-on SKUs)
S3-Link
Salesforce connector focused on direct file storage and access to Amazon S3-compatible storage, including Amazon S3, Wasabi, and RSTOR. Offers client-side and server-side encryption, with AWS Glacier archival support.
- AppExchange rating: 4.98/5 (155 reviews)
- Storage: Amazon S3, Wasabi, RSTOR
- Extended capabilities: bulk file migration, file versioning, AWS Glacier archival
- Pricing: per-company tiers - Basic $25/mo, Pro $150/mo, Unlimited $250/mo - with per-user pricing available on request
CloudFiles vs S3-Link comparison
Evaluate which Salesforce cloud storage integration and document management solution best fits your enterprise requirements.
CloudFiles Document ManagementConnect Salesforce to external storage
Purpose-built for Amazon S3-compatible storage, including Amazon S3, Wasabi, and RSTOR.
Record-linked file and folder management
Attach S3 files to Salesforce records, sync S3 files and folders with Salesforce, and work with files from record context.
File operations inside Salesforce
Upload, preview, version, download, edit, annotate, search, and move S3 files through Salesforce.
Folder automation tied to Salesforce records
Can auto-create S3 folder structures from templates, with additional Apex and Data Loader options for folder setup.
Salesforce Flow and developer automation
Supports file uploads from Salesforce Flow, Apex methods, REST APIs, and automated transfer workflows.
Bulk migration of existing Salesforce files
Supports bulk transfer of Salesforce files and attachments to Amazon S3. Transfer method varies by file size, and bulk transfer of large files uses a Heroku extension on applicable per-company plans.
Experience Cloud support
Experience Cloud users are supported, with community-user entitlements depending on the selected S3-Link plan.
External file sharing
Supports passcode-protected download URLs, emailing S3 files or links, and upload requests for external users.
Document engagement analytics
Basic tracking - provides tracking for file downloads, previews, and file emails.
Storage and archival scope
S3-focused - built around Amazon S3-compatible storage, with AWS Glacier and Deep Archive workflows for long-term archival.
Multi-cloud - supports document management across AWS S3 plus SharePoint, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, Azure Blob, and other supported storage systems.
Production setup
Requires vendor contact - sandbox install links are public, while Developer and Production installs require contacting the vendor's support team.
AppExchange-based setup - installs through Salesforce AppExchange and connects supported storage systems from the CloudFiles configuration.
Pricing structure
Per-company pricing is published; per-user pricing requires a quote.
Best suited for
Teams primarily standardized on Amazon S3-compatible storage that need Salesforce file offloading, S3 file management, migration, and archival.
Teams that need broader document management inside Salesforce across multiple storage systems, with record-driven automation, Experience Cloud workflows, and deeper engagement visibility.
Where the Gap is Largest
S3-Link Is Primarily an S3 Storage Connector
S3-Link is designed around Amazon S3-compatible storage, with Salesforce file management, migration, versioning, and archival capabilities. CloudFiles Document Management covers a broader set of document workflows across multiple storage platforms, with record-driven automation, Experience Cloud support, and deeper file management inside Salesforce.
CloudFiles Gives Teams More Engagement Visibility
S3-Link tracks file downloads, previews, and file emails. With CloudFiles, teams can also track viewer identity, sessions, time spent, downloads, and page-level engagement, giving Salesforce users more insight into what happens after a document is shared.
CloudFiles Covers More of the Document Lifecycle
S3-Link focuses on managing Salesforce files in Amazon S3-compatible storage. CloudFiles Document Management extends beyond storage with multi-cloud document management, Salesforce automation, Experience Cloud workflows, and governed file access. Teams can also add Document Generation and Document AI when they need broader document capabilities.
Which one is right for you?
S3-Link focuses on Amazon S3-compatible storage. CloudFiles runs Salesforce document management across every storage system your team uses.
Choose CloudFiles when you need:
- Document management across multiple storage systems, not just Amazon S3-compatible storage
- Independently verified compliance: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR
- Deeper engagement analytics: viewer identity, sessions, time spent, and page-level tracking
- Self-serve setup through AppExchange, without contacting a vendor for production access
- More governed external sharing, with domain restrictions and file requests built in
- Document generation and AI extraction available as add-ons, without switching platforms
Choose S3-Link when you need:
- A storage strategy limited to Amazon S3-compatible storage such as Amazon S3, Wasabi, or RSTOR
- S3 file offloading, versioning, or AWS archival as the primary requirements
- Limited need for one platform covering multiple storage systems, governed sharing, deeper engagement analytics, and optional document generation or AI extraction
Go beyond storage: act on your documents
Connecting Salesforce to external storage should do more than make files accessible. CloudFiles lets teams generate, process, share, and automate documents as part of their Salesforce workflows.
Document AI
Turn stored files into structured Salesforce data Extract key fields from invoices, KYC forms, contracts, and multilingual documents using OCR and AI, written straight back to Salesforce fields.
Document Generation
Create documents from Salesforce data and store them automatically Generate contracts, quotes, proposals, and invoices using reusable templates and live Salesforce data.
Entire CloudFiles Suite
Explore the full document stack From management to generation to AI, in one Salesforce-native platform.
Why Salesforce teams choose CloudFiles
Multi-cloud, not single-cloud
Connect Salesforce to SharePoint, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, Azure Blob, and AWS S3 from one platform, instead of a connector built around a single storage provider.
See what happens after you share
Track viewer identity, sessions, time spent, and page-level engagement on every shared document, not just downloads and previews.
Security you can verify
Independently audited for SOC 2 Type II and certified to ISO 27001, with HIPAA and GDPR compliance built in and backed by a public Trust Center.
Up and running without a vendor call
Install from AppExchange and configure connected storage systems directly in Salesforce, with no vendor contact needed to go live.
Enterprise-grade security and compliance
CloudFiles is independently audited for SOC 2 Type II, certified to ISO 27001, and compliant with HIPAA and GDPR. Data residency is available in the US, EU, UK, and AU. Your files stay in your own storage - we never re-host them or use them to train our AI models.
Loved by teams, backed by results
Don't just take our word for it.
CloudFiles is an excellent, easy-to-use app. It quickly solved our Salesforce to SharePoint file transfer crisis with seamless implementation and outstanding customer support. Highly recommend!
CloudFiles' SharePoint integration with Salesforce has reduced data storage costs, simplified document management, and enhanced efficiency. Outstanding support. Highly recommend for reducing storage expenses.
Flawless app with exceptional support. CloudFiles exceeds expectations in testing, implementation, migration, and automation. Highly recommend exploring this solution for connecting file storage to Salesforce
CloudFiles' SharePoint/Salesforce integration is excellent. The team is collaborative, responsive, and highly knowledgeable. They go the extra mile to meet our needs. Highly recommend.
Using CloudFiles' SharePoint integration with Salesforce has saved us on data storage costs. Their support and flow templates for file permissions are excellent. Highly recommended!
CloudFiles seamlessly integrates OneDrive with Salesforce, offers flexible Apex actions, and provides outstanding support. Vishesh and team ensured a smooth setup and file migration.
Frequently asked questions
CloudFiles is a full document management platform: automation, sharing, and analytics. S3-Link is focused specifically on connecting Salesforce to AWS S3 for storage and access.
No. S3-Link is designed for Amazon S3-compatible storage, including Amazon S3, Wasabi, and RSTOR. SharePoint connectivity is offered separately through another product from the same vendor.
CloudFiles connects to AWS S3 alongside SharePoint, Google Drive, OneDrive, and other platforms, with document generation and AI-powered extraction on top.
Yes. S3-Link supports bulk migration of Salesforce files and attachments to Amazon S3, with different transfer methods for smaller and larger files depending on the plan and setup.
S3-Link publishes per-company plans and also offers per-user pricing by quote. CloudFiles uses per-user pricing with volume discounts for large teams, org-based pricing available for large teams, and a 14-day free trial.
It depends on scope. For AWS S3-specific storage and archival, S3-Link is purpose-built. For full document management across multiple storage systems, CloudFiles is the broader platform.
Yes - CloudFiles works out of the box with Experience Cloud and external portal users.
Yes - CloudFiles offloads files to external storage by default, so they don't count against Salesforce's storage allocation.
Explore CloudFiles pricing→This comparison was prepared by the CloudFiles team, based on publicly available information at the time of writing. Product features, pricing, and capabilities may change. If you notice anything out of date, let us know at marketing@cloudfiles.io and we'll review it.
Is CloudFiles the right fit for your team?
Don't spend weeks evaluating document tools on your own. In a 30-minute consultation, the CloudFiles team will review your workflow, flag automation gaps, and map out your Salesforce-to-SharePoint roadmap. No credit card required.