CloudMounter: The App Mounts and Uses Cloud Drives From Your Mac's Finder
Cloud storage is essential, but juggling multiple apps like Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive can quickly become a mess on macOS. That’s where CloudMounter comes in—a simple yet powerful app that lets you mount all your cloud storage accounts directly into Finder, just like external drives. No switching apps. No wasting space. Just seamless access.
TL;DR Summary
✅ CloudMounter mounts major cloud services and FTP/SFTP into Finder like local drives.
💾 It saves space by streaming instead of syncing files.
🔐 Its optional client-side encryption keeps data secure.
🧑💻 Great for devs, freelancers, remote teams, and power users.
💸 Pricing starts at $29.99/year or available via Setapp — includes a 7-day free trial.
⚠️ Limitation: Advanced SFTP features like chmod/chown are not supported.
What is CloudMounter?
CloudMounter is a Mac app that lets you mount cloud services—like Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and even FTP—as local drives in Finder. No more bouncing between apps or eating up space with sync folders. You simply connect and manage them like external storage. Some key features are:
- Mount Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Amazon S3, pCloud, Backblaze B2, WebDAV, etc.
- Encrypt files and folders for enhanced security.
- Access cloud files via Finder as if they’re local.
- Connect to FTP/SFTP servers.
- Work Offline by caching files locally.
- Seamless integration without needing background sync clients.
CloudMounter is available for both macOS and Windows, but the Windows version has fewer features.
CloudMounter Review
As you can see, the claims from CloudMounter are great enough to leave an impression.
We wanted to check how CloudMounter performs in real life. We happen to be the desired customer base for the utility as well, since we deal with multiple cloud storage spaces and cloud accounts. So, we decided to test the CloudMounter app on our M2 MacBook Air, running the latest version of macOS Sequoia.
CloudMounter vs. Cloud Sync Apps
| Feature | CloudMounter | Google Drive App | Dropbox App |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount in Finder | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Uses Local Storage | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Work Offline | ✅ Yes (selectively) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Multiple Accounts | ✅ Unified | ❌ Limited | ✅ But separate apps |
| FTP/SFTP/Remote Drive Support | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Encryption (Client-side) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
Setup, UI, & Navigation
We installed the latest version of CloudMounter from Setapp, and the process took less than a minute. It is impressive that a multipurpose tool like CloudMounter takes up only around 100MB of storage space.
It does not take up a lot of system resources while running in the background, either.
Because CloudMounter is designed to integrate with Finder, the app does not have a full window-based UI. Instead, you can access all the options from the menu bar widget.
As you can see above, CloudMounter shows the list of cloud storage drives you have added. When you hover over the drive, you can find options like Unmount, Encrypt, Show in Finder, Edit, Delete, etc. CloudMounter lets you change the content refresh interval as well.
Overall, getting started with and navigating through CloudMounter is effortless.
Mounting Storage Drives
The first thing you should do when you start using CloudMounter is mount the cloud storage drive to your Mac. The process is easy and can be done in a minute.
The New Drive button from the menu bar widget lets you choose the type of drive you want to mount. You can choose between options like FTP & SFTP, Amazon S3, Backblaze, OpenStack Swift, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, MEGA, WebDAV, and pCloud. Different services require different setup processes.
We tried to set up a MEGA account, and we could mount the drive by entering the account (email) and the password. However, you need to enter the Google account credentials and sign in if you want to mount your Google Drive storage.
As you can guess, CloudMounter offers customization options for FTP & SFTP connections. You can choose between options like Anonymous logins, simultaneous connection limit, and connection Mode. You get to access the drive without issues once you have connected it via CloudMounter.
Integration & Security
After you mount a cloud storage drive to CloudMounter, the drive almost becomes like a local folder on your Mac. We really love how integrated the system is.
Earlier, moving a file from Google Drive to Dropbox meant we had to download the file from one place and upload it again. Now, we can easily drag and drop the file from one place to another. This kind of integration comes in handy when you want to move many files from one cloud storage to another.
More importantly, because macOS treats these files as local files, you can use all options from the right-click menu. It means opening a document using other programs, duplicating, compressing, or using all extensions you have installed on Finder in the first place.
In terms of security, CloudMounter does not disappoint. Because it uses a secure route for connection, the transactions you do via CloudMounter are safe. However, if you want, you can set up additional encryption for each drive you have mounted to make your files extra safe.
Performance & Workflow
We already told you that CloudMounter uses minimal system resources while running in the background. Of course, depending on the size, the app may take a few seconds or minutes to download the file from cloud storage and open it.
However, as we said, you have an option to keep all files offline. This way, even if you add a new file from another device, CloudMounter will keep it ready on your device. You also get to decide how often the app will fetch data from cloud servers.
Download/Upload Speeds
We did not find any impact on download/upload speeds, either. We uploaded the same file to Google Drive using a web browser and the CloudMounter app. Both took the same time with the upload speeds capped at 20 Mbps.
Note that there will be a few seconds’ delay when modifying an existing file. CloudMounter works by making a copy of the file, where you make the changes. Then, this file would replace the actual file. It does not cause any sharing-related issues, though.
Stability
We also noticed that the CloudMounter app is surprisingly stable. Your Mac would thank you for using this single app instead of multiple dedicated apps from cloud storage providers. The limitation here is that you cannot use additional functions like backup.
Then again, you can use another backup solution (like Get Backup Pro) to store the backup files in one of the cloud storage folders. If you want synchronization instead of scheduled backup, you can find macOS apps to do so.
Potential Use Cases
We believe there are many potential use cases for CloudMounter for Mac.
Storage Extension
Getting built-in storage on your Mac is an expensive affair. CloudMounter has become an easy way to extend storage space by connecting cloud storage options. Because you can connect as many accounts as you need, you can use multiple storage drives to expand storage for free. Thanks to Finder integration, the process is seamless.
Cross Cloud Management
As we said, we use CloudMounter to manage files across multiple cloud storage providers. This is easier and quicker than the download-copy-upload routine you usually do. While at it, you also save yourself from the ordeal of managing multiple web browser tabs.
In our workflow, we need to manage multiple Google Drive accounts: our personal drive, work drive, and the department drive. We used to rely on the Spaces feature of Arc Browser to deal with this situation. However, with CloudMounter, we can access convenient folders from the Finder sidebar. So, unless there is a need to share something, we don’t need an extra tab open.
SFTP/FTP Connections
CloudMounter is particularly useful for developers and IT pros who frequently interact with SFTP or FTP servers. With support for mounting SFTP as a local disk, it eliminates the need for dedicated apps like Cyberduck—streamlining workflows right from Finder.
Who CloudMounter is for
- Remote workers or Web admins managing remote servers
- Freelancers juggling personal and client cloud accounts
- Developers needing SFTP/FTP access
- Digital nomads minimizing storage bloat
- Agencies handling multiple client assets in the cloud
- Content creators automating remote backups
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Eliminates the need for multiple cloud storage clients.
- Integrates cloud storage directly into Finder for seamless access.
- Saves disk space by not syncing all files locally.
- Regular updates providing ongoing support and improvements.
Cons
- Occasional need to remount drives to see server-side changes.
- You cannot use the sharing functions with the drives.
- Does not support advanced SFTP operations like changing file permissions (chmod) or ownership (chown).
Pricing & Value
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | $29.99/year or $74.99 lifetime | Individuals with multiple cloud accounts |
| Teams | $99.99/year or $249 lifetime | Small teams/organizations |
The 7-day free trial is available, and you can get CloudMounter via the Setapp subscription as well.
Considering the different ways it can improve your digital lifestyle, the price you pay for CloudMounter is reasonable. If you use the right strategy, you can save several hundred dollars that you may spend on storage expansion options like portable SSDs or paid subscriptions. We should also count the convenience it offers.
FAQs
Does CloudMounter sync files locally?
No, CloudMounter does not sync files locally by default. It streams files directly from the cloud, saving disk space. However, you can enable Work Offline mode to cache specific files on your Mac.
Is the encryption truly secure?
Yes. CloudMounter offers client-side encryption, meaning your files are encrypted before they’re uploaded to the cloud. Even your cloud provider can’t access the content—only you hold the decryption key.
Can I access files without an internet connection?
Yes, but only if you’ve enabled Work Offline for that drive. This feature stores a local copy of the cloud files so you can access them without a connection.
Can it replace Dropbox/Drive official apps?
Yes, for basic file access and management via Finder, CloudMounter works well. But it doesn’t support native features like file sharing, selective sync, or real-time collaboration.
Can I use CloudMounter alongside official cloud apps?
Yes, CloudMounter can work alongside apps like Dropbox or Google Drive. Just note that some duplication in access or syncing might occur if both are running simultaneously.
Conclusion
After using CloudMounter for a month, it’s clear: this is a sweet utility if you deal with multiple cloud services on your Mac. It saves time, simplifies access, and even helps you reclaim local storage. Whether you’re a casual user or a power user juggling work and personal accounts, CloudMounter just works.