Egnyte vs SharePoint for architecture and engineering firms
SharePoint suits firms that already live in Microsoft 365 and mostly share Office files, because it comes with most Microsoft 365 business plans. Egnyte is a separate subscription that suits firms with big CAD and BIM files across several offices, thanks to an optional office cache, automatic file locking and faster opening of large files.
I'm Igor Dobrovolskiy, founder of As-Built IT in Raleigh. I've spent 15 years in IT, including fixing slow file access at an architecture firm where the real problem was the network and storage, not the computers.
Fair warning: Microsoft 365 admin, SharePoint included, is part of our managed IT plan, and we don't sell Egnyte. So weigh my opinions accordingly, and check the sources linked below (I did, twice).
Also, if your current file system is a shared drive with a folder called FINAL_final_v3_GARY, both of these will feel like a spa day.
On this page: Side by side · Big CAD files · File locking · Several offices · Cost · Box, Dropbox, ShareFile, Newforma · Fix the network first · Mistakes · Questions
Egnyte vs SharePoint, side by side
Egnyte vs SharePoint comes down to how each one handles big files, locking and offices. Here's the short version, with every fact taken from Microsoft's and Egnyte's own pages.
Sources: Microsoft's SharePoint limits, Microsoft on check-out and Egnyte's Smart Cache overview.
Big CAD and BIM files: where the difference shows
Big files are where the two split. Microsoft allows single files up to 250 GB and recommends syncing no more than 300,000 files in one library, beyond which the sync app can slow down.
Egnyte says its Adaptive Block Caching opens large CAD, BIM and GIS files by streaming only the parts the application needs, then uploads only what changed. For a firm whose models are bigger than Gary's entire music collection, that's the headline feature.
File locking: stopping two people editing one drawing
File locking matters the moment two people open the same drawing. SharePoint lets someone check a file out by hand, which works perfectly, assuming everyone remembers to do it every single time (they won't).
Egnyte's Smart Cache locks a file automatically when someone opens it, across offices and the cloud. It also supports Revit co-editing within one office and multi-user Civil 3D work, which is built squarely for design firms.
Left: one file, one editor at a time. Right: two offices sharing the same project files.
Several offices: who's fastest where
For one office, SharePoint's sync works well for most firms. For several offices with big files, Egnyte's optional cache device keeps a local copy at each office, and its desktop app connects people to the nearest office or the cloud.
Either way, the network between and inside the offices decides a lot. A brilliant file platform on a tired network is a racehorse pulling a shopping trolley.
What each one really costs
SharePoint usually costs nothing extra, because it comes with most Microsoft 365 business plans you're already paying for. Egnyte is an extra subscription per user, plus an optional cache device for offices that need one.
Prices change too often to print here, so check both vendors' current pricing. And count the hidden cost of either choice: the hours spent moving files, retraining people and finding FINAL_final_v4_GARY.
Egnyte vs Box, Dropbox, ShareFile and Newforma
Egnyte gets compared with four other names, and they're not all the same kind of tool. In one line each:
- Box: a cloud content platform, strong on sharing and integrations
- Dropbox: simple cloud sync and sharing, popular with small teams
- ShareFile: built around sharing files securely with clients
- Newforma: project information management for AEC firms, more than a file store
If big CAD files and several offices aren't your problem, any of them can work. If they are, Egnyte and SharePoint are the two most firms end up choosing between.
Before you switch platforms, fix the network
Before As-Built IT, I worked with an architecture firm of about 35 people struggling with slow Revit, AutoCAD and file access. The real problem was the network and storage, not the computers.
Redesigning the infrastructure for big files and many users fixed it, along with more secure access from home and project sites. That's the plumbing under any file platform, and it decides how fast everything feels.
Choose the file platform for how your firm works. Fix the network first, or neither will feel fast.
File platform mistakes we see most often
- Switching platforms to fix what's really a network problem
- Syncing every folder to every laptop
- Leaving sharing links open to anyone, forever
- Moving files without cleaning up permissions first
And the classic: migrating eleven years of folders called FINAL_final_v3_GARY, unchanged. Gary, it's time.
Egnyte vs SharePoint questions
Is Egnyte better than SharePoint for architects?
For architecture firms with large CAD and BIM files across several offices, Egnyte's office cache, automatic file locking and large-file streaming are strong advantages. For firms that mostly share Office documents inside Microsoft 365, SharePoint is often enough.
Does SharePoint lock CAD files?
SharePoint lets users check a file out by hand so others can't edit it. Egnyte's Smart Cache locks files automatically when someone opens them.
What is the file size limit in SharePoint?
250 GB per file, according to Microsoft. Microsoft also recommends syncing no more than 300,000 files in a single library.
Is SharePoint included in Microsoft 365?
Yes, SharePoint comes with most Microsoft 365 business plans. Egnyte is a separate subscription.
What's the difference between Egnyte and Newforma?
Egnyte is a file storage and sharing platform. Newforma is project information management software for AEC firms, covering things like project email and transmittals, and it is often used alongside a file platform.
Where to go from here
If your firm is in Raleigh or the Triangle, Microsoft 365 and SharePoint are part of our managed IT services, and secure sharing with consultants is part of our IT support for architects. Or book a free 30-minute call.
Bring your folder structure. We promise not to laugh at Gary's file names. Out loud.
About the author
Igor Dobrovolskiy founded As-Built IT in Raleigh in 2026 after 15 years in IT, including helping lead the technical recovery after a major cyberattack at a global enterprise. He believes every file deserves one clear name.