I'm building a SaaS app that stores uploads and generated PDFs. What storage should I use?

For a SaaS app with uploaded files + generated PDFs, the usual best practice is:

Use object storage, not your database

Store the files in:

• Amazon S3 (most common)
• Google Cloud Storage
• Azure Blob Storage
• or an S3-compatible option like Cloudflare R2, Backblaze B2, DigitalOcean Spaces, etc.

Your app/database should store only:

• file metadata
• storage key/path
• owner/user reference
• size, MIME type, status, timestamps
• access permissions

Why object storage?

It’s a better fit because it gives you:

• cheap storage for lots of files
• durability and redundancy
• easy scaling
• private access control
• signed URLs for secure downloads/uploads
• lifecycle rules for cleanup/archival

Recommended setup

A typical pattern:

1. User uploads file
2. App sends it directly to object storage using a signed upload URL
3. Save metadata in your DB
4. When you generate a PDF, write it to object storage too
5. Serve downloads using signed URLs or a CDN if public

If you need a simple default

Best general choice:

Amazon S3

• mature
• reliable
• widely supported
• easy integration with most frameworks

Best budget-friendly alternative:

Cloudflare R2

• often cheaper for egress-heavy workloads
• S3-compatible API
• good if you expect lots of downloads

If you’re already on a cloud:

• AWS app → S3
• GCP app → GCS
• Azure app → Blob Storage

What not to do

Avoid:

• storing files inside your SQL database as BLOBs unless files are tiny and infrequent
• storing files on your app server’s local disk if you run multiple instances or autoscale

Local disk breaks down quickly when you need:

• horizontal scaling
• deployments
• failover
• background PDF generation workers

A solid SaaS architecture

• DB: Postgres/MySQL for metadata
• Storage: S3/R2/GCS for files/PDFs
• Queue/worker: generate PDFs asynchronously if needed
• CDN: optional for public/static assets
• Signed URLs: for secure access

If you want, I can also recommend:

1. the cheapest option,
2. the best AWS setup,
3. or a multi-tenant file storage design for your SaaS.