Creative workflows do not need another revolution. They need smarter access to the storage teams already use, and the freedom to choose how to reach it.
Four ways to reach a file
Streaming, syncing, mounting and transferring are all methods of managing access to data. They are often sold as rivals. They are better understood as tools, each right for a different job.
- Stream: pieces of a file arrive as you use them, so you can start before the whole file is local
- Sync: a full copy is kept in step between two locations, so the file is there even without a connection
- Mount: a remote location shows up as a drive, so you can browse and open files where they are
- Transfer: a file moves from one endpoint to another and lands where you need it
How streaming works, step by step
Streaming feels new, but the mechanics are simple. Your app asks for the part of the file it needs next, and the storage sends it.
- The app requests a chunk of the file
- The chunk is fetched over your connection
- The chunk is cached locally on your machine
- Playback keeps going while new chunks arrive
The speed of every step depends on your network connection and on the storage behind the file.
Every stream is cached
However a platform describes it, streaming a file means caching part of it locally. The chunks you have already fetched have to be kept somewhere, or playback would stall. That is true on every platform, including Performm.
What differs is how much control you have: what gets cached, what you pin ahead of time, what stays available offline, and where it is stored.
When syncing is the better answer
Sync earns its place where streaming struggles.
- Slow connections, where a stream falters and a local copy does not
- Very large RAW files, where you may want the whole file on hand
- Offline work, because a file has to be local before you lose the connection
- Backup, because a synced copy is a second copy
Backup is a core principle of storage, and keeping data in sync is just as important for cloud storage as for local storage.
When mounting or transferring wins
Mounting suits browsing: every connected storage appears as a drive, so you can find and open a file where it lives. Cloud storage works in the browser with nothing to install. Local storage needs the desktop app.
Transferring suits delivery. When a file has to move, Performm peer-to-peer transfers go directly between your endpoints, with no storage in the middle, using your resources wherever they are.
Choosing per job
A simple way to decide:
- Opening a big file quickly on a good connection: stream
- Working on a slow connection or offline: pin, precache or sync
- Getting a file to someone else: send a link or transfer
- Keeping a second copy safe: sync
- Browsing what you have across several places: mount
How Performm covers all four
On the Free plan you can connect unlimited storage and drives, search across all of it (free for launch), sync local media to the cloud, and share a file with one link, by email, or collect files with an upload link. Flow, at $20 per user per month, adds shared drives and unlimited transfers.
Editfly (beta), streams audio, video and RAW files from your storage to your timeline, and you cache the parts you need. Pinning and precaching are built. Block streaming, which shows the first part of a file immediately, is coming soon.
At a glance
The four methods compared. Performm plans as of 2026-09-25.
| Method | What moves | Best for | Depends on | In Performm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stream | Chunks on demand, cached locally | Opening large files quickly | Your connection and storage | Editfly, in beta |
| Sync | A full copy kept in step between locations | Backup, offline work, slow connections | Storage space and time to first sync | Free: unlimited syncs |
| Mount | A remote location shown as a drive | Browsing and opening files where they are | Your connection and the app | Every connected storage appears as a drive. Local storage needs the desktop app |
| Transfer | A file moved between two endpoints | Delivery and relocation | Both endpoints | Flow and Teams: unlimited Fastr transfers. Peer-to-peer goes direct |
Pricing and plan details are the dated figures in the source guide, as of September 25, 2026. Check current Amove pricing.
What it means for you
For the creator
Use the method that fits the shoot: stream on a good connection, pin or precache for a slow one, sync for offline, and never be forced into a single way of working.
For the CFO
One platform that covers all four methods means fewer tools and fewer licences to reconcile. Free covers connect, search and sync, and Flow is $20 per user per month.
For the CEO
Your team keeps working the way it works, on the storage it already owns, without being locked to one vendor's method.
Questions and answers
Is streaming better than syncing?
Neither is better everywhere. Streaming suits opening a large file quickly. Syncing and offline copies suit slow connections, very large RAW files and working without a network. Performm lets you use either.
Is every stream really cached?
Yes. Streaming means fetching chunks and keeping them locally while you play. That is true on every platform, including Performm.
Can I work offline with cloud files?
Yes. Pin or precache the files you need, or sync them, so they are stored locally before you go offline.
Do I need to install anything?
Cloud storage works in the browser with nothing to install. Local storage needs the desktop app.
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