Blog
September 29, 2025

SharePoint vs OneDrive: Which is Safer for Storing Business-Critical Data?

We explore whether SharePoint or OneDrive is safer for business-critical data, showing why true protection depends on adding intelligent governance with Metomic to safeguard against human error and misconfiguration.

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When it comes to storing business-critical data, Microsoft 365 users usually lean on two platforms: SharePoint and OneDrive. Both tools are part of the same ecosystem, both are widely adopted, and both claim to offer enterprise-grade security.

But when the stakes are high (think customer PII, financial models, or sensitive board documents) which is really the safer choice?

Let’s break it down in plain language, focusing on what really matters: protecting your files, your people, and your peace of mind.

OneDrive: Designed for Personal Productivity

OneDrive is primarily a personal storage solution. It’s like your digital briefcase, giving individual employees a place to create, edit, and store files. It integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Office apps, making it a go-to for day-to-day tasks.

From a security standpoint, OneDrive offers:

  • Encryption at rest and in transit
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • File versioning and recovery

That said, OneDrive is built around individual ownership. Permissions default to the person who created the file, which can make collaboration and governance harder to manage at scale. Sensitive data may sit in personal folders, unclassified and unnoticed, until it’s accidentally shared with the wrong audience.

SharePoint: Built for Collaboration at Scale

SharePoint, on the other hand, is designed for team-based collaboration. Think of it as a digital office where documents, workflows, and projects live.

From a security perspective, SharePoint allows for:

  • Granular access controls at the site, library, or document level
  • Centralized data governance with policies applied across teams
  • Integration with compliance frameworks like ISO, SOC2, and GDPR

Because SharePoint is organization-first, it gives IT and security teams more visibility and control. Data can be governed consistently, reducing the likelihood of sensitive files slipping through the cracks.

However, SharePoint’s complexity can also be its weakness. Misconfigured permissions are common, and with multiple teams collaborating, the risk of oversharing still exists.

‍

💡 Read our Copilot Data Exposure Playbook for AI-era risks

‍

OneDrive vs SharePoint: Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature OneDrive SharePoint
Primary Use Case Personal file storage and productivity Team and organizational collaboration
Ownership Model Individual (files tied to user accounts) Shared/team-based (files tied to sites/libraries)
Access Controls Basic sharing options, user-driven Granular permissions at site, library, and file level
Governance Limited central oversight Strong governance with organization-wide policies
Compliance Features Encryption, MFA, versioning Encryption, MFA, plus advanced compliance integrations (GDPR, ISO, SOC2)
Risk Profile Sensitive data can stay siloed in personal folders, harder for IT to monitor Higher risk of misconfiguration but better visibility and control for IT
Best Fit For Individual productivity, ad-hoc file sharing Enterprise collaboration, regulated environments

‍

The Security Blind Spot: Human Error

Whether you choose OneDrive or SharePoint, one fact remains: most data breaches don’t come from weak tools, but from human mistakes.

Metomic’s 2024 CISO Survey found that while 90% of CISOs are confident in their security training, up to 95% of cybersecurity issues are still traced back to human error. That means even the best-configured SharePoint site or the most secure OneDrive folder can expose your business-critical data if employees accidentally share files externally, forget to classify them, or upload them into unmonitored spaces.

That’s why Metomic’s Human Firewall features are designed to turn employees into active participants in data security — giving them real-time prompts, education, and self-remediation tools to prevent mistakes before they become breaches.

‍

SharePoint vs OneDrive: The Safer Option

If you’re weighing purely by design:

  • OneDrive is safer for personal productivity, when files don’t need wide collaboration.
  • SharePoint is safer for organization-wide collaboration, thanks to its stronger governance and compliance features.

But the real answer isn’t just “pick one.” It’s about layering smart, automated security controls on top of whichever platform you use. That’s where tools like Metomic come in — applying intelligent labels, monitoring access, and enforcing policies without slowing your teams down.

Final Takeaway

So, which is safer for storing business-critical data: SharePoint or OneDrive?

The truth is, neither is inherently safer without the right guardrails. Both offer strong technical protections, but both are vulnerable to human error and misconfiguration.

That’s where Metomic comes in. Whether your data lives in OneDrive or SharePoint, Metomic adds the missing layer of protection by:

  • Automatically classifying and labeling files based on their real content
  • Enforcing access policies in real time without slowing teams down
  • Engaging employees directly with smart prompts and self-remediation to prevent mistakes

With Metomic, you don’t have to choose between productivity and protection. You can collaborate freely in Microsoft 365 while knowing your most sensitive files stay secure, compliant, and under control.

👉 See how Metomic protects Microsoft 365 data

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‍

Table of content
Table of contents
Table of contents
Table of contents
Table of contents
Table of contents

When it comes to storing business-critical data, Microsoft 365 users usually lean on two platforms: SharePoint and OneDrive. Both tools are part of the same ecosystem, both are widely adopted, and both claim to offer enterprise-grade security.

But when the stakes are high (think customer PII, financial models, or sensitive board documents) which is really the safer choice?

Let’s break it down in plain language, focusing on what really matters: protecting your files, your people, and your peace of mind.

OneDrive: Designed for Personal Productivity

OneDrive is primarily a personal storage solution. It’s like your digital briefcase, giving individual employees a place to create, edit, and store files. It integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Office apps, making it a go-to for day-to-day tasks.

From a security standpoint, OneDrive offers:

  • Encryption at rest and in transit
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • File versioning and recovery

That said, OneDrive is built around individual ownership. Permissions default to the person who created the file, which can make collaboration and governance harder to manage at scale. Sensitive data may sit in personal folders, unclassified and unnoticed, until it’s accidentally shared with the wrong audience.

SharePoint: Built for Collaboration at Scale

SharePoint, on the other hand, is designed for team-based collaboration. Think of it as a digital office where documents, workflows, and projects live.

From a security perspective, SharePoint allows for:

  • Granular access controls at the site, library, or document level
  • Centralized data governance with policies applied across teams
  • Integration with compliance frameworks like ISO, SOC2, and GDPR

Because SharePoint is organization-first, it gives IT and security teams more visibility and control. Data can be governed consistently, reducing the likelihood of sensitive files slipping through the cracks.

However, SharePoint’s complexity can also be its weakness. Misconfigured permissions are common, and with multiple teams collaborating, the risk of oversharing still exists.

‍

💡 Read our Copilot Data Exposure Playbook for AI-era risks

‍

OneDrive vs SharePoint: Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature OneDrive SharePoint
Primary Use Case Personal file storage and productivity Team and organizational collaboration
Ownership Model Individual (files tied to user accounts) Shared/team-based (files tied to sites/libraries)
Access Controls Basic sharing options, user-driven Granular permissions at site, library, and file level
Governance Limited central oversight Strong governance with organization-wide policies
Compliance Features Encryption, MFA, versioning Encryption, MFA, plus advanced compliance integrations (GDPR, ISO, SOC2)
Risk Profile Sensitive data can stay siloed in personal folders, harder for IT to monitor Higher risk of misconfiguration but better visibility and control for IT
Best Fit For Individual productivity, ad-hoc file sharing Enterprise collaboration, regulated environments

‍

The Security Blind Spot: Human Error

Whether you choose OneDrive or SharePoint, one fact remains: most data breaches don’t come from weak tools, but from human mistakes.

Metomic’s 2024 CISO Survey found that while 90% of CISOs are confident in their security training, up to 95% of cybersecurity issues are still traced back to human error. That means even the best-configured SharePoint site or the most secure OneDrive folder can expose your business-critical data if employees accidentally share files externally, forget to classify them, or upload them into unmonitored spaces.

That’s why Metomic’s Human Firewall features are designed to turn employees into active participants in data security — giving them real-time prompts, education, and self-remediation tools to prevent mistakes before they become breaches.

‍

SharePoint vs OneDrive: The Safer Option

If you’re weighing purely by design:

  • OneDrive is safer for personal productivity, when files don’t need wide collaboration.
  • SharePoint is safer for organization-wide collaboration, thanks to its stronger governance and compliance features.

But the real answer isn’t just “pick one.” It’s about layering smart, automated security controls on top of whichever platform you use. That’s where tools like Metomic come in — applying intelligent labels, monitoring access, and enforcing policies without slowing your teams down.

Final Takeaway

So, which is safer for storing business-critical data: SharePoint or OneDrive?

The truth is, neither is inherently safer without the right guardrails. Both offer strong technical protections, but both are vulnerable to human error and misconfiguration.

That’s where Metomic comes in. Whether your data lives in OneDrive or SharePoint, Metomic adds the missing layer of protection by:

  • Automatically classifying and labeling files based on their real content
  • Enforcing access policies in real time without slowing teams down
  • Engaging employees directly with smart prompts and self-remediation to prevent mistakes

With Metomic, you don’t have to choose between productivity and protection. You can collaborate freely in Microsoft 365 while knowing your most sensitive files stay secure, compliant, and under control.

👉 See how Metomic protects Microsoft 365 data

‍

‍

When it comes to storing business-critical data, Microsoft 365 users usually lean on two platforms: SharePoint and OneDrive. Both tools are part of the same ecosystem, both are widely adopted, and both claim to offer enterprise-grade security.

But when the stakes are high (think customer PII, financial models, or sensitive board documents) which is really the safer choice?

Let’s break it down in plain language, focusing on what really matters: protecting your files, your people, and your peace of mind.

OneDrive: Designed for Personal Productivity

OneDrive is primarily a personal storage solution. It’s like your digital briefcase, giving individual employees a place to create, edit, and store files. It integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Office apps, making it a go-to for day-to-day tasks.

From a security standpoint, OneDrive offers:

  • Encryption at rest and in transit
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • File versioning and recovery

That said, OneDrive is built around individual ownership. Permissions default to the person who created the file, which can make collaboration and governance harder to manage at scale. Sensitive data may sit in personal folders, unclassified and unnoticed, until it’s accidentally shared with the wrong audience.

SharePoint: Built for Collaboration at Scale

SharePoint, on the other hand, is designed for team-based collaboration. Think of it as a digital office where documents, workflows, and projects live.

From a security perspective, SharePoint allows for:

  • Granular access controls at the site, library, or document level
  • Centralized data governance with policies applied across teams
  • Integration with compliance frameworks like ISO, SOC2, and GDPR

Because SharePoint is organization-first, it gives IT and security teams more visibility and control. Data can be governed consistently, reducing the likelihood of sensitive files slipping through the cracks.

However, SharePoint’s complexity can also be its weakness. Misconfigured permissions are common, and with multiple teams collaborating, the risk of oversharing still exists.

‍

💡 Read our Copilot Data Exposure Playbook for AI-era risks

‍

OneDrive vs SharePoint: Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature OneDrive SharePoint
Primary Use Case Personal file storage and productivity Team and organizational collaboration
Ownership Model Individual (files tied to user accounts) Shared/team-based (files tied to sites/libraries)
Access Controls Basic sharing options, user-driven Granular permissions at site, library, and file level
Governance Limited central oversight Strong governance with organization-wide policies
Compliance Features Encryption, MFA, versioning Encryption, MFA, plus advanced compliance integrations (GDPR, ISO, SOC2)
Risk Profile Sensitive data can stay siloed in personal folders, harder for IT to monitor Higher risk of misconfiguration but better visibility and control for IT
Best Fit For Individual productivity, ad-hoc file sharing Enterprise collaboration, regulated environments

‍

The Security Blind Spot: Human Error

Whether you choose OneDrive or SharePoint, one fact remains: most data breaches don’t come from weak tools, but from human mistakes.

Metomic’s 2024 CISO Survey found that while 90% of CISOs are confident in their security training, up to 95% of cybersecurity issues are still traced back to human error. That means even the best-configured SharePoint site or the most secure OneDrive folder can expose your business-critical data if employees accidentally share files externally, forget to classify them, or upload them into unmonitored spaces.

That’s why Metomic’s Human Firewall features are designed to turn employees into active participants in data security — giving them real-time prompts, education, and self-remediation tools to prevent mistakes before they become breaches.

‍

SharePoint vs OneDrive: The Safer Option

If you’re weighing purely by design:

  • OneDrive is safer for personal productivity, when files don’t need wide collaboration.
  • SharePoint is safer for organization-wide collaboration, thanks to its stronger governance and compliance features.

But the real answer isn’t just “pick one.” It’s about layering smart, automated security controls on top of whichever platform you use. That’s where tools like Metomic come in — applying intelligent labels, monitoring access, and enforcing policies without slowing your teams down.

Final Takeaway

So, which is safer for storing business-critical data: SharePoint or OneDrive?

The truth is, neither is inherently safer without the right guardrails. Both offer strong technical protections, but both are vulnerable to human error and misconfiguration.

That’s where Metomic comes in. Whether your data lives in OneDrive or SharePoint, Metomic adds the missing layer of protection by:

  • Automatically classifying and labeling files based on their real content
  • Enforcing access policies in real time without slowing teams down
  • Engaging employees directly with smart prompts and self-remediation to prevent mistakes

With Metomic, you don’t have to choose between productivity and protection. You can collaborate freely in Microsoft 365 while knowing your most sensitive files stay secure, compliant, and under control.

👉 See how Metomic protects Microsoft 365 data

‍

‍

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