# CloudFiles vs S3-Link

> CloudFiles delivers complete Salesforce document management across SharePoint, Google Drive, and AWS S3, while S3-Link focuses on direct file storage and access to Amazon S3-compatible storage.

*Compare · Document Management for Salesforce*

## CloudFiles vs S3-Link

A side-by-side look at two ways to manage Salesforce documents: full document management vs. direct S3 storage access.

[Try CloudFiles for free](https://appexchange.salesforce.com/appxListingDetail?listingId=a0N4V00000Gh9uFUAR) · [Consult documents expert](https://meet.cloudfiles.io/salesforce?utm_content=sf-cloudfiles-vs-s3link-hero)

## 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.

| Feature | S3-Link | CloudFiles Document Management |
|---|---|---|
| Connect Salesforce to external storage | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Record-linked file and folder management | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| File operations inside Salesforce | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Folder automation tied to Salesforce records | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Salesforce Flow and developer automation | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Bulk migration of existing Salesforce files | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Experience Cloud support | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| External file sharing | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Document engagement analytics | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Storage and archival scope | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Production setup | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Pricing structure | ✓ | ✓✓ |
| Best suited for | ✓ | ✓✓ |

## 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. [Explore CloudFiles Document AI](https://appexchange.salesforce.com/appxListingDetail?listingId=94ed2229-b5d5-4ec7-b42f-734e4999eabc)
- **Document Generation** — Create documents from Salesforce data and store them automatically Generate contracts, quotes, proposals, and invoices using reusable templates and live Salesforce data. [Explore CloudFiles Document Generation](https://appexchange.salesforce.com/appxListingDetail?listingId=de62e2e1-191d-4aa2-a73e-237b426b4675)
- **Entire CloudFiles Suite** — Explore the full document stack From management to generation to AI, in one Salesforce-native platform. [Explore the CloudFiles suite](/salesforce/)

## 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.

*Security & compliance*

## 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.

Certifications: SOC 2 (Type II), HIPAA (Compliant), ISO 27001 (Certified), GDPR (Compliant)

[Security overview](/security)

## 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!" — **Vishal Talpallikar, Aviva**

> "CloudFiles' SharePoint integration with Salesforce has reduced data storage costs, simplified document management, and enhanced efficiency. Outstanding support. Highly recommend for reducing storage expenses." — **Latha Davuluri, W. R. Grace & Co.**

> "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" — **Mark Salib, BDA Partners**

> "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." — **Adam Ady, Anteriad**

> "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!" — **Ed Pashkin, Rainforest Alliance**

> "CloudFiles seamlessly integrates OneDrive with Salesforce, offers flexible Apex actions, and provides outstanding support. Vishesh and team ensured a smooth setup and file migration." — **Oscar Chacón, Sagicor Financial Corporation**

## Frequently asked questions

**Q: What is the main difference between CloudFiles and S3-Link for Salesforce?**
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.

**Q: Does S3-Link integrate natively with SharePoint?**
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.

**Q: Can CloudFiles replace S3-Link for AWS S3 storage?**
CloudFiles connects to AWS S3 alongside SharePoint, Google Drive, OneDrive, and other platforms, with document generation and AI-powered extraction on top.

**Q: Does S3-Link support bulk migration of Salesforce files?**
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.

**Q: How does CloudFiles compare to S3-Link in pricing?**
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.

**Q: What is the best Salesforce cloud storage integration tool?**
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.

**Q: Does CloudFiles work with Salesforce Experience Cloud?**
Yes - CloudFiles works out of the box with Experience Cloud and external portal users.

**Q: Does CloudFiles reduce Salesforce storage cost?**
Yes - CloudFiles offloads files to external storage by default, so they don't count against Salesforce's storage allocation.

Disclaimer: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](mailto: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.

[Book a demo](https://meet.cloudfiles.io/salesforce?utm_content=sf-cloudfiles-vs-s3link-footer) · [Try CloudFiles for free](https://appexchange.salesforce.com/appxListingDetail?listingId=a0N4V00000Gh9uFUAR)