Google Drive alternatives for digital asset management

Why teams move from a shared drive to a DAM

Teams move from a shared drive to a DAM when folder structures can no longer carry the metadata, rights and sharing rules the library needs. DAMSelection holds no verified facts file for Google Drive, so this page describes the shared-drive pattern and makes no claim about specific Google Drive features. The DAM vs SharePoint and Google Drive guide sets out the difference.

Digital asset management (DAM) is a system that stores, enriches, governs and distributes an organisation's media files from one controlled library. The table lists common signs, labelled as DAMSelection assessment.

The signs you need a DAM guide and the rights management guide cover the triggers in more depth.

Acquia DAM: published plan limits

Acquia DAM is the DAM of Acquia, built on the Widen platform that Acquia announced it would acquire in September 2021, with Vista Equity Partners as majority owner of Acquia since 2019. Acquia DAM runs as SaaS on AWS, and European customers can opt for storage, processing and backups in the AWS EU West and EU Central regions.

DAMSelection assessment: Acquia DAM fits teams that want plan limits before the first call. Acquia publishes three tiers: Workgroup with 50 users and 1 TB, Mid-Market with 500 users and 5 TB, and Enterprise with unlimited users and 10 TB. AI Search, AI Tagging and an AI knowledge base come in every tier, and the Drupal connector is included.

Worked example: a 50-person marketing team fills the Workgroup limit of 50 users exactly. If 20 partners also need logins, ask whether they count as users before choosing a tier. Verify the following before shortlisting:

• Acquia shows no prices, and Entries, Workflow, Templates, Portals+, Video Creator and Syndicate are quoted as add-ons.
• Natural Language Search is designed for English, with simple searches in other languages.
• The Akeneo connector is built by partner StrikeTru.

Brandfolder: Smart CDN links and Salsify

Brandfolder is a brand and marketing DAM owned by Smartsheet, which funds managed by Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners took private in January 2025. Brandfolder stores assets on Google Cloud Storage, with storage locations in the US and Europe.

DAMSelection assessment: Brandfolder fits teams that publish assets straight to websites and stores. Brandfolder Smart CDN links resize and convert images through URL parameters and stop serving when an asset expires or loses approval. Brandfolder also builds its own Salsify integration, recorded at level 4 in the Fit Map, and runs a Brandfolder panel inside Smartsheet.

Verify before shortlisting: Brandfolder has changed owner twice since 2020, and the security article does not state how a customer selects its storage region. Brand Intelligence is sold as a separate product. The Brandfolder and Bynder comparison sets both side by side.

Bynder: EU-only hosting and audited certificates

Bynder is an Amsterdam-headquartered brand and marketing DAM, majority owned by Thomas H. Lee Partners, and a Leader in The Forrester Wave for DAM systems, Q1 2026. Bynder offers EU-only hosting in Frankfurt, US-only hosting or a Global option.

DAMSelection assessment: Bynder fits teams whose security review is strict. Bynder holds SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001:2022, ISO 27018:2019 and ISO 22301:2019 with annual third-party audits. Bynder lists integrations with Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Canva and Adobe Workfront Fusion.

Verify before shortlisting:

• Bynder prices a custom package on users, storage and usage, with no published prices.
• The AI search features require a contract upgrade, and Natural Language Search is fully optimised for English only.
• Every PIM connector on the Bynder Marketplace comes from a partner.

Canto: region choice and product assets

Canto is an Atlanta-headquartered brand and marketing DAM with a 2021 growth investment from JMI Equity. Canto documents five AWS hosting locations, Ireland, Germany, US West, Canada Central and Australia, and lets the customer choose the region.

DAMSelection assessment: Canto fits teams that sell online as well as market. Canto DAM for Products links images to SKUs and attributes and syncs assets and metadata to Shopify and Amazon. Canto states ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification and shares its SOC 2 Type 2 report under NDA.

Verify before shortlisting: AI Visual Search and the AI Library Assistant are add-ons that run only in the New Library interface. Canto describes all packages on its pricing page as illustrative, and its Akeneo connector is partner-built. The Bynder and Canto comparison lists both records.

Frontify: brand guidelines next to the assets

Frontify is a venture-backed brand and marketing DAM headquartered in St. Gallen, Switzerland, that holds brand guidelines and assets in one platform. Frontify lists ISO 27001:2022, SOC 2 Type II, TISAX and Cyber Essentials.

DAMSelection assessment: Frontify fits teams that want to keep working in Google Workspace. Frontify documents CI HUB and LinkrUI connectors for Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Adobe Creative Suite and Figma. Frontify also builds its own Adobe CC Libraries integration and Figma plugin, free on all plans.

Verify before shortlisting: Frontify bills on monthly active users, counting external partners who log in. The choice between US and EU hosting is documented for enterprise customers only. The Bynder and Frontify comparison sets both side by side.

Migration path from Google Drive

Teams moving from Google Drive start with a content audit and a metadata schema, then convert folder levels into metadata values. The DAM migration plan covers batching and validation, and the replatforming guide covers the business case for moving.

1. Audit the shared drive: file count, owners, duplicates and licensed images with unknown rights.
2. Design the metadata schema before the first demo.
3. Map folder levels to fields. Worked example: a path such as Campaigns, 2026, Spring, Social becomes four values for campaign type, year, season and channel.
4. Delete duplicates and expired licensed files before import.
5. Pilot 500 assets with one team, then test search on 20 real requests.
6. Replace shared folder links with portal links and set the old folders to read-only at cutover.

Price storage growth, partner users and AI features for each candidate in the TCO calculator. The mid-market marketing teams shortlist and the vendor directory list the wider field.