The Salesforce Data Storage Limits are allocated 10GB max for data storage, plus incrementally added user storage.

Unlike Google Drive, which is used by so many teams and users, where the available data storage counts for the uploaded document files only. Salesforce in comparison also is counting in site assets, like Email messages, Accounts, Tasks and more into the data storage limit.

Depending on to which extend you are setting up your Salesforce space, this can shrink the available space for your documents significantly and faster than expected.

While the default file size limit in Salesforce for attachments is 25 MB, on Google Drive we’re starting with 50 MB for text documents, up 5 TB for ‘other’ files like PDF, video, zip and similar. Google offers you 15 GB free data storage out of the box, a generous 5 GB more than Salesforce.

How to avoid the Salesforce Data Storage Limit?

One option is to purchase additional data storage space from Salesforce. Another way of upgrading is to take advantage of higher per-user data storage limits, but this applies only to Performance and Unlimited edition users. In any way, it results in a decent amount of cost.

If that doesn’t seem the right solution for you. Our recommendation is to use the free space offered by Google Drive and liberating your files by an external application, like for instance our CloudAnswers Google Drive Integration, to incorporate Google Drive into Salesforce.

This plugin can help you if you:

1. Have files bigger than the size limit in Salesforce
2. Have too many files to store in salesforce (storage limits)
3. Want to share Google Drive files across other teams (eg. contracts/legal)
4. Like the convenience of Google Drive because you can view and edit documents on your phone or desktop easily

What it does

1. Allows you to drag and drop files from your desktop into a salesforce object to make it easier to attach files
2. Creates a Google Drive folder for each record automatically keeping you more organized
3. Frees up Salesforce storage
4. Allows collaborators without additional salesforce licenses

This plugin can help you to overcome the size and storage limits in Salesforce. So it actually can turn into a real cost saver.

Read also the article Effective data storage in Salesforce for every business size