Zoho WorkDrive Review – Better Than Google Drive?

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About Zoho WorkDrive

Zoho WorkDrive is an Indian cloud-based file storage and collaboration software for teams and individual users. It was launched by Zoho in 2019. As of now, over 1 million businesses use it to manage their data.

Besides being a cloud storage solution, the USP of Zoho WorkDrive is its native office editors, audio & video recording tool, workflow builder, and organization management capabilities. Teams can use it to manage their data effectively. 

Zoho WorkDrive Review Video

Coming soon…

Zoho WorkDrive User Interface

The user interface of Zoho WorkDrive is modern and responsive. It features a pleasing color scheme and fast loading speeds across all platforms. The left panel houses all the important features and the top section lets you view your profile, notifications, etc. 

It also lets you toggle between light and dark modes with a button on the bottom right corner of the dashboard. The desktop and mobile apps function well too. It looks similar to Google Drive in terms of appearance and functionality. 

However, there are too many features within the Team dashboard and the admin dashboard. This may be overwhelming for a newbie. Overall, the user interface is pretty good.  

Zoho WorkDrive Data Center Locations

You can find Zoho WorkDrive’s data centers in multiple locations across the globe. These include the US, Europe, India, Australia, Japan, Canada, and Saudi Arabia. The Indian data centers ensure swift speeds and performance for Indian users.

Zoho is headquartered in Chennai (India), which doesn’t fall under any intelligence-sharing networks. This makes it a more secure and reliable service. 

Zoho WorkDrive Speeds

Swift file transfer speeds are essential for an online storage solution. For testing the speeds of Zoho WorkDrive, I tried uploading and downloading a 200 MB video file with a network speed of 30 Mbps. Here are the results. 

Uploading the file on Zoho WorkDrive took 1 minute and 9 seconds. Whereas, downloading the same file from the platform took merely 56 seconds! Overall, I was pretty impressed with the transfer speeds. 

Zoho WorkDrive File Management Features

1) File Preview and Playback

You can upload all types of files on the Drive, including documents, images, videos, audio, and more. It lets you easily view Word documents, PDFs, Presentations, Excel sheets, and more. You also get built-in players for watching videos and listening to audio tracks. 

Within both video and audio players, you can adjust playback speed, seek 5 seconds forward or backward, play media on a loop, and add comments if required. The comments are displayed on the right-hand side. You can even comment on a specific time of the video. 

2) File Editing

Zoho WorkDrive offers built-in apps for editing your files. If you want to create a new file, you can do so using the following apps.

• Zoho Writer (for documents)
• Zoho Sheet (for spreadsheets)
• Zoho Show (for presentations)

They work just like Google apps and sync changes to all devices instantly. 

Externally uploaded files can also be edited using the above apps on the Web. But if you want to work on different PSD files, CAD files, etc, you can use the WorkDrive Genie app for a more convenient experience. (Discussed below!)

Additionally, You can access Zia AI while editing your docs in Zoho Writer. It’s Zoho’s AI Assistant, which helps you create text content. You can select a block of text, summarize it, shorten it, rephrase it, or provide a custom query to get specific output. 

3) File Versions and Activity

Whenever you make edits to any of your files, they are saved as different versions. On all plans, you can create unlimited file versions and delete them manually when required. 

They are available under the file properties. Versions can be deleted, downloaded, and restored as per your requirements. You can also check the activities and access stats (number of views and downloads) for the file. 

If you create a new file using Zoho apps, the versions are managed inside the Zoho editor. However, for externally uploaded office files and documents, each new version is stored as a new file. It may be troublesome to manage dozens of versions!

4) File Syncing

Syncing is an important feature of any document management platform. Zoho WorkDrive supports syncing, which means any data you upload on the web app will be available on the desktop and mobile apps as well. 

It supports two types of sync – Desktop Sync and TrueSync. These are both desktop applications. With the Desktop sync app, you get a selective syncing feature, which lets you select which cloud folders you can sync with the device.

However, it doesn’t let you sync device folders with the cloud. This feature is not supported on TrueSync as well. The TrueSync app functions like a virtual drive comprising all the cloud folders.

They have designed TrueSync with the purpose of mirroring cloud files to save storage space. You can mark certain files as offline, and only those files will occupy local storage. The remaining files will only occupy cloud space. 

Talking about block-level sync, they have planned to introduce it soon. I’m quite excited to see these features implemented on Zoho WorkDrive. 

5) Data Deletion and Retention

Deleted WorkDrive files are moved to the Trash folder. You can specify separate data retention settings for your team folders and the admin console. 

• Personal + Team Folders: 7/15/30 days or never.
• Admin Console: 7/30/90/120 days
  

By default, the personal and team folders’ trash is never deleted and the Admin console’s trash is set to 90 days. When you delete a file from a Personal or Team folder, it is moved to the Admin Console’s trash before being permanently deleted within 90 days. 

Also, unlike other cloud storage platforms, Zoho WorkDrive doesn’t offer the Trash and Shared Files options on the left panel. It rather places them with the ‘Manage’ option inside a folder. This makes it quite difficult to locate the deleted and shared files. 

6) Folder Settings

Unlike other cloud storage, Zoho WorkDrive features multiple folder settings. It allows you to zip your folders, add labels for better organization, enable ‘Follow Updates’ to stay informed of any folder changes, check folder properties, assign data templates, etc. 

Zoho WorkDrive Sharing and Collaboration Features

1) File and Folder Sharing

The sharing options in Zoho WorkDrive are quite exceptional. You can share files via links with public or private access. Private links can be shared with users within your organization. You get a range of sharing settings, as discussed below. 

• Members: Choose if you want to share the file with a specific email or a group.
• Access Level: Choose if the receiver can view, view and comment, edit, or share the file.
• Link Visibility: Select who can view the link – Collaborators, anyone in your team, or anyone on the Internet.

Whereas, if you are working with clients or collaborators outside your organization, you can use External Share Links to share data with them. These links are set to view access by default. But you can make the following customizations to them.

• Access Level: Specify if the receiver can view, view and comment, or edit the shared file. 
• Password: You can set a secure password which will be required to access the file. 
• Expiry Date: Set an expiry date, after which the shared link will be deactivated. 
• User Data: Request the receiver to enter details like name, phone, or email before accessing the shared data. 
• Additional Options: You can also enable download and print options. 

The Link Stats option helps you stay updated with the name of the viewer, time of access, and the number of views and downloads on the link. Similarly, you can also add new members to a folder with similar sharing options. Overall, I loved the advanced sharing options. 

If you’re interested in file sharing, check out these 5 Ways to Transfer Large Files for Free! 

2) File Requests

For requesting file uploads from other users, Zoho WorkDrive allows you to create internal and external collections. To start, you can give a name to your collection along with collection details, notes, and folder location where the collection will be stored. 

Besides that, you can also set a file upload limit, file size limit (1 MB to 250 GB), link expiry date, and request for user data (name, email, etc) upon submission. Enabling notifications will ensure you stay informed of all submissions. 

If you want to stay more organized, you can enable the creation of separate folders for each user that uploads files. 

3) Download Links

Want to share a downloadable file or folder with others? You can do so via Download Links. Simply select what you want to share and hit the ‘New Download Link’ button. 

Next, set an expiry date and download limit for your data. When the download limit or the expiry date is reached, the link will become inaccessible.   

4) Team Folders

Team folders are folders you can share within a team. It is a secure shared virtual space for teams to work together on a particular project or task.

So, whenever a file is created or uploaded to a team folder, it’s automatically available to all members in that folder.  You don’t need to share it as a separate file using share links. 

Team folders are of two types: Public and Private. Anyone from your team can contribute to public folders. Whereas, private folders are only accessible to members or groups you manually add. 

You can also specify a granular level of access to the members added to your team folder. These access permissions include Viewer, Commenter, Editor, Organizer, or Admin access. This feature is great for effective collaboration within your team.  

Zoho WorkDrive Admin Console

Admin Console is an essential feature for organizations. Through the admin console, the admin can manage all their team members, workflows, and their activities. Let’s look at the major features of the Admin Console.

1) Manage Team Members

Under the Members tab, you can view the role of each member of your team along with the storage used by each. You can add a new member, change existing members’ roles, set a storage limit, delete or suspend them, or disable external sharing for them.  

If you wish to add new members to your team, you can do so from within the Admin console. You simply need to enter the new member’s email address and assign them a role (member or admin). When you hit the invite button, they will receive an email invitation for the same. 

Similarly, if you wish to invite multiple members to the same role, you can hit the ‘Bulk Invite Members’ and add each email address separated by commas. All of them will be added together to that role. 

2) Invite Client Users

You can invite clients from outside your organization to specific team folders. Add them to a team folder and specify the access level – viewer, commenter, editor, or organizer.

If you want, you can also set an expiry date, so the client’s access to the team folder will end after the specified date. 

3) Create Data Templates

Zoho WorkDrive features Data Templates that allow you to classify your documents based on metadata. This can help you find the right file at the right time without any hassle. 

You can create templates for collecting different types of data and even add custom fields. For instance, if I want to collect student records, I can create a template with fields like name, roll number, batch, class, email, mobile no, etc. 

4) Migrate Your Data

If you want to migrate your entire cloud storage data to Zoho WorkDrive, you can do so by submitting a migration request. It lets you migrate from Google Workspace, OneDrive, and Dropbox. The request status can be tracked from the admin console itself. 

Additionally, you can also manage settings for your organization, manage devices, add custom apps, and generate members’ activity reports using filters. 

5) Add Your Branding

Zoho WorkDrive lets you truly personalize your workspace. You can add your brand logo and connect your custom domain with it. These changes will be made across all your team accounts as well.

Zoho WorkDrive Team Account

Now, let’s look at the Team Account Dashboard of Zoho WorkDrive. As a team member, you get all the basic options, including document editing and preview, folder management, file sharing and requesting, etc.

However, you can only share files via links. Team members don’t get access control options or any additional sharing settings. Team members also cannot add or manage other users, cannot create data templates, manage devices, or connect custom apps.

Zoho WorkDrive Security

You get the following security tools with Zoho WorkDrive. 

1) MFA

Multi-factor authentication requires you to verify your identity using a combination of factors. It features various modes of MFA, like Zoho One-Auth (2FA app), SMS-based OTP, OTP Authenticator, Security Key, and Passkey. 

2) Active Sessions and Devices

There are multiple features to check your activity history and which sessions are active in your account. You can also view a list of connected apps, device sign-ins, and app sign-ins. 

3) Geo-fencing and Allowed IPs

You can mark specific geographic regions where you wish to block access to your account. Similarly, you can whitelist certain IP addresses and allow websites you want to provide access to. 

However, unlike popular cloud storage platforms, Zoho WorkDrive lacks zero-knowledge encryption. It is one of the most powerful security features that ensures your data cannot be accessed by anyone else except you.

4) File Encryption

All your files stored on Zoho WorkDrive are encrypted with AES 256-bit encryption at rest and SSL and TLS during transit. 

Zoho WorkDrive Privacy

Zoho’s privacy policy is pretty clean and transparent. They collect personal information (email, billing information, name, contact details) and usage data (page views, device information, OS, pages visited, etc) for providing services and improving user experience.

They state they don’t sell your data to any third parties for advertisement purposes. However, they can share data with Zoho Group companies (for services), third-party service providers (for emails, payments, etc), and government (under specific situations).

Zoho WorkDrive is GDPR Compliant, meaning you can also request a copy of your personal information stored with them or its deletion. They will also notify you in case of data breaches. HIPAA Compliance ensures that medical records and information of patients remain secured. 

To know more, you can check out the Zoho Privacy Policy page. 

Zoho WorkDrive Apps and Integrations

Zoho WorkDrive features desktop apps for Windows and macOS along with mobile apps for Android and iOS devices. The functions available on the mobile and web versions are pretty much the same. 

However, the desktop app is only a virtual drive with basic syncing. They are planning to introduce advanced sync options in the upcoming days. 

It also integrates with popular cloud storage providers like Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, and Evernote. You can connect any of these accounts to back up your data to Zoho WorkDrive. Finally, it also offers functional add-ons for MS Office, Gmail, and Zapier. 

Zoho WorkDrive Additional Features

1) WorkDrive Snap Tool

If you ever wish to record something, you can use the WorkDrive Snap tool. This in-built tool lets you capture screen recordings, video recordings, or audio recordings at your convenience. I found it a very handy tool. 

2) WorkDrive Genie

WorkDrive Genie is a desktop app that simplifies your file editing experience. It enables you to edit your documents or files stored in the WorkDrive web app using native applications on your desktop. 

This cloud-based app can edit all files, including images, videos, audio, text, etc. As soon as you finish editing your files on the device apps, it re-uploads your file as a new version on the cloud. It is available for Windows and Mac devices. 

3) Zia AI

Zia AI is an AI assistant that uses ChatGPT. You can use it to generate AI content and AI images within your organization. However, I wasn’t able to test its AI capabilities due to incorrect API Key configuration. You need to enter your OpenAI Key to use this service.

4) Document Workflows

If you want to get a document reviewed by someone in your organization, you can use Zoho Document Workflows from within Zoho Writer. It offers 3 pre-designed workflows for the most common use cases: Review, Approval, and Review and Approval. 

You can assign any of the above workflows to your document and set them as manual or automatic. For automatic workflows, you can also define a trigger event to activate the workflow. 

Once it is activated, the specified reviewers are informed and the document goes through different review and approval states. You can check the current state of your workflow from the Zoho Writer dashboard.

Overall, I found this to be a systematic method of requesting and providing feedback in an organizational setup. 

Zoho WorkDrive Pricing

Zoho WorkDrive features 3 paid plans, namely Starter, Team, and Business plans catering to different user segments. The following table offers a comparison of its key features.

	Starter Plan	Team Plan	Business Plan
Annual Pricing	₹140/user/month	₹275/user/month	₹550/user/month
Storage	1 TB/team	3 TB/team	5 TB/team
File Upload Limit	10 GB	50 GB	250 GB
Data Templates	No	No	Yes
Webhooks	No	No	Yes
Collect Files	No	Yes	Yes
Branding	No	Yes	Yes
Custom Domain	No	No	Yes
Data Administration	No	No	Yes
Restore Deleted Items	No	No	For up to 120 days

Free Plan and Free Trial

It offers a limited free plan where you get 5 GB of cloud storage space to try out all the features. If you want, you can also avail a 15-day free trial of its Business plan. The best part is that you don’t need to enter your card details to avail of the trial.

Refund Policy

In case you are not satisfied with their service, Zoho WorkDrive tries to fix your issues or offers other workarounds. However, if you’re still not happy, they issue a full refund. The refund limit is 30 days for monthly subscriptions and 45 days for annual subscriptions. 

Payment Methods

It supports the following payment methods: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and PayPal. For annual subscriptions, bank and check transfers are also accepted. 

Zoho WorkDrive Customer Support

There are multiple modes of customer support offered by Zoho WorkDrive. You can contact their team through email and phone calls. They offer 24×5 call support in 19 countries, including India. You can also find a sizable knowledge base of annotated articles on their help center. 

Additionally, they offer video tutorials to help beginners understand how to use the platform. You can also use their community support to interact with other Workdrive users and get your queries resolved.

You can even join their monthly webinars to learn the platform’s features. Overall, their customer support is pretty good! But I wish they also had live chat support.

Zoho WorkDrive Pros

1) Swift Transfer Speeds

Upon testing Zoho WorkDrive to transfer large video files, I observed super fast upload and download speeds. Its servers in multiple geographical locations ensure better speeds throughout the globe. 

2) Good Integrations

It integrates with all popular cloud storage services, so you can safely back up your content on Zoho WorkDrive. It also offers add-ons for MS Office, Gmail, and Zapier. 

3) Supports File Editing

Zoho WorkDrive lets you easily edit your Office documents using Zoho Apps like Writer, Sheet, and Show. 

4) Unlimited File Versions

It does not put a limit on the number of file versions. You can create unlimited file versions. Versions for files created with internal Zoho apps are maintained within the apps. 

5) Good Security

You get a range of security features to protect your account. This includes 2FA, MFA, geo-blocking and whitelisting IP addresses, access to active sessions and devices connected to your account, and more.

6) Advanced Sharing

The sharing options provided by Zoho WorkDrive are exceptional. You can set passwords, and expiry dates, and assign access levels on your shared links. You can also create download links, request files, and create team folders on the platform.

7) Admin Console Access

To manage your organization more effectively, you also get access to the admin dashboard. Here, you can manage your team members, client users, and other settings. 

8) Call Support

Zoho WorkDrive offers phone call support in over 19 countries. This is great for beginners who need personal assistance to get their queries resolved quickly.

9) Affordable Plans

The pricing plans of Zoho WorkDrive are pretty affordable, starting from ₹140/user/month. This is pretty reasonable for the features it offers, like online file management, sharing, collaboration, and admin access. 

10) Document Workflows

Zoho WorkDrive features a convenient option for providing and receiving feedback on your work. Its pre-designed workflows help to keep the feedback and review process more streamlined and transparent.

Zoho WorkDrive Cons

1) No Zero-Knowledge Encryption

Zero Knowledge encryption ensures that your data cannot be accessed by anyone else except you. As of now, this feature is not available on Zoho WorkDrive. 

However, they are working on BYOK (Bring Your Own Key), using which you’ll be able to generate your own encryption keys to secure your data. 

2) UI Can be Overwhelming

Even though the user interface looks quite modern and responsive, it is loaded with lots of features. This may make it a little overwhelming for beginners who have never used a file management service. 

3) Advanced Sync Missing

The functionality of Zoho WorkDrive’s TrueSync app is quite limited. It lacks selective sync and block-level syncing options at the moment. However, they are working on introducing the block-level sync feature soon. 

4) Some Features Hidden

Important features like Trash and Shared items are not directly accessible and difficult to locate on the dashboard. They should be placed on the dashboard’s left panel like Google Drive. 

5) Versions Can Occupy Storage

When you edit an externally uploaded file, the versions are stored as separate files. If you have hundreds of versions for a single file, they may occupy significant space on your drive. 

6) File Upload Limits

You will encounter file upload limits on all plans of Zoho WorkDrive. The Starter plan has a 10 GB file upload limit. Whereas, the Business plan has a 250 GB upload limit per file. 

Who Should Use Zoho WorkDrive?

Zoho WorkDrive is a versatile solution suitable for small and medium-sized businesses, startups, and large enterprises! Its strength lies in its collaborative features, making it ideal for teams requiring shared document access and efficient file management. 

Its robust security features and compliance with data protection regulations make it ideal for anyone looking for a security-first platform. Its applications can extend across various industries like government, legal, finance, IT, consulting, real estate, healthcare, retail, logistics, and more. 

Zoho WorkDrive Alternatives

1) Dropbox

Dropbox is a popular cloud storage service out there. Similar to Zoho WorkDrive, it excels at providing efficient file-sharing and editing capabilities. It also offers impressive download speeds and strong security features. Both platforms lack zero-knowledge encryption.

While both platforms offer integration with popular productivity tools, Dropbox’s integration with Office 365 and G Suite is particularly strong. The downside is that Dropbox’s free plan is relatively limited compared to Zoho WorkDrive, and its premium plans can be quite expensive. 

In my opinion, Dropbox’s focus on file syncing, collaboration, and a user-friendly interface makes it a strong alternative to Zoho WorkDrive. It is suitable for teams heavily invested in the Office 365 or GSuite ecosystem. The pricing for Dropbox starts at $9.99 per month for 2TB of storage.

2) Google Drive

Google Drive is one of the most widely used cloud storage services. It is equipped with strong integrations and collaboration features, with fast speeds, just like Zoho WorkDrive. Both platforms lack zero-knowledge encryption.

Unlike Zoho WorkDrive, it offers a friendlier UI, a selective sync option, and a faster search algorithm. However, its privacy policy is not as transparent, higher plans may be expensive, and you’ll notice fewer sharing options on Google Drive.

Overall, Google Drive‘s deep integration with other Google Workspace tools makes it an attractive alternative for businesses already invested in the Google ecosystem. Its pricing plans start at $6 per user per month for 30GB of pooled storage.

3) OneDrive

OneDrive shines as a cloud storage for the Microsoft ecosystem. Just like Zoho WorkDrive, it offers robust file-sharing and collaboration features, enabling seamless teamwork. It also features deep integration with Microsoft Office 365, allowing for smooth document editing. 

Unlike Zoho WorkDrive, OneDrive’s interface is more friendly, making it easy to navigate and manage your files. However, it falls short in terms of upload speeds and chat support. Both solutions lack zero-knowledge encryption, too.

Overall, OneDrive’s strong integration with Microsoft Office 365 and its ease of use make it a compelling choice for businesses primarily using Microsoft products. Its pricing plans start from $19.99/year for 100 GB of cloud space.

Why Should You Trust Me?

I’ve been working full-time in the digital industry since 2015. In these years, I’ve tested dozens of paid and free cloud storage services and file transfer tools. Some notable names include Icedrive, Sync, pCloud, and Proton Drive. 

I still have active subscriptions to most of these cloud storage and use pCloud and Icedrive as my primary storage services. Testing out so many cloud storage providers has given me the knowledge and experience to suggest the right one for your needs.

Conclusion

Zoho WorkDrive looks like an excellent solution for businesses seeking a file storage and collaboration solution. Its swift speeds, integration capabilities, advanced file sharing, and security features make it stand out! 

However, the absence of zero-knowledge encryption, advanced sync options, and a cluttered UI might be deal-breakers for some users. The limitations on file upload size and version management are also a concern.

Ultimately, Zoho WorkDrive is an excellent choice for organizations prioritizing speed, collaboration, seamless file management, and security within a controlled environment. You can sign up for its free plan to test out its functionalities before investing. 

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this Zoho WorkDrive Review and found it helpful. Have you used any file management and collaboration tools before? How was your experience with them? And how do you think Zoho WorkDrive compares with them? Share in the comments below.

This is Kripesh, taking your leave. Cheers, and keep shining! 🙂