As far as I can tell, they’re both forms of data storage, but a 1TB flash drive is about $25 cheaper and like 1/10th the size of a 1TB external hard drive. Why would you opt for an external hard drive over a flash drive?
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Nonvolatile memory, like in flash drives has a much faster read write speed than platter storage, like in a hard drive. It also has a much smaller form factor. However, it has a much shorter service life, and data on a flash drive will degrade over time (even sitting on a shelf) in a way that platter storage will not.
If you’re looking for a way to trundle copies of data to and fro, get a flash drive. If you’re looking for semi-permanent backup or supplemental always-connected file storage, go with a hard drive.
Never, ever back anything important up solely on flash media.
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