Another recommendation is ensuring services you’re interested in offer integral elements, including comprehensive security tools like encryption and 2FA; adequate storage levels and limits; and knowledgeable, responsive, and professional customer support.
We evaluated, reviewed, and ranked the best cloud storage providers on their premium packages, not only considering performance against security, storage, and support, but also ease-of-use, collaborative tools, file size limits, and more. Let’s get started on finding the top premium cloud storage provider for your needs!
The top 3 best cloud storage services
Check out these exclusive cloud storage deals:
What’s the best cloud storage service?
IDrive is our choice for the best cloud storage provider of premium plans. It offers an extensive, great-value series of features via a high-quality, secure solution, available across an impressive range of competitively-priced plans. IDrive is also ideal for those with smaller storage needs, and is unmatched in terms of features relative to cost.
Google Drive is the go-to cloud storage solution for Google users, thanks to seamless integration and versatility across well-priced subscriptions. Nextcloud’s free, open-source self-hosted file sync and content collaboration platform meanwhile can be installed and administered on your own server, with paid add-ons available.
Other services we highly recommend include pCloud, Box, Microsoft OneDrive, SpiderOak, iCloud, and Mega. Consider these when researching purchasing premium cloud storage, as they offer high-level features and tools that make them stand out.
The best cloud storage platforms, compared
Cloud storage platforms
Lowest-price plan
Storage capacity
Number of devices
Encryption
IDrive $79.50 a year (IDrive Personal)
Up to 10TB (up to 50TB for business plans)
Unlimited
End-to-end
Google Drive $1.99 a month (Google One)
Up to 2TB
Unlimited
Encrypted transfer
Nextcloud $42.60 per user a year (Basic)
Potentially unlimited
Potentially unlimited
Fully customizable
pCloud $4.99 a month (Premium)
Up to 2TB
Unspecified
In transit and at rest
Box $11.50 a month (Personal Pro)
Up to 100GB (unlimited for business plans)
Unlimited (for business plans)
End-to-end
Microsoft OneDrive $1.99 a month (OneDrive Standard)
Up to 6TB
30
AES 256-bit
SpiderOak One $6 a month (150GB Plan)
Up to 5TB
Unlimited
End-to-end
iCloud $0.99 a month (50GB plan)
Up to 2TB
10
2FA
MEGA $5.88 a month (Pro Lite)
Up to 16TB
Unlimited
Zero-knowledge
The best cloud storage providers available
(Image credit: Future)
The best cloud storage for premium users
Specifications
Storage capacity: 5TB
Number of devices: Unlimited
Encryption: End-to-end
Reasons to buy
+ Support for many platforms+ NAS and server backups+ File versioning support+ Unlimited devices
Reasons to avoid
– Relatively slow upload and download speeds– Interface eclipsed by more modern alternatives
IDrive is, in our opinion, the best cloud storage service available for premium users, offering great value for money as well as highly secure storage. Arguably the biggest advantage is that it applies to network drives too, meaning everything from servers to mobile devices is covered. Users can share files via email, Facebook and Twitter, and restore up to 30 previous versions of back-ups.
When it comes to cloud storage for backups , IDrive Express provides a physical hard disk drive in case you lose all of your data, making a backup quick and painless (disk image backup is also covered). The service doesn’t automatically delete cloud files if you delete something on your hardware, so there’s no risk in completely erasing valuable data by accident.
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IDrive’s settings menu offers a wealth of options for configuring backups (Image credit: IDrive)
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IDrive can scan local networks for NAS devices to back up to (Image credit: IDrive)
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As well as file backups, you can back up servers and virtual machines (Image credit: IDrive)
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IDrive offers a useful backup app for Android and iOS (Image credit: IDrive)
IDrive also ranks first among the best cloud storage for photos , and photo-minded users will be happy to hear there’s a facial recognition feature that automatically organizes and syncs images across all linked devices.
Plans start at $79.50 a year for one user, unlimited devices and 5TB of storage (IDrive Personal), while IDrive Team offers five users, five computers and 5TB for $99.50 a year . For a limited time only, you can get 10TB of storage for only $3.98 for the first year .
Read our comprehensive IDrive review .
IDrive’s pricing plans
Free
Personal
Team**
Business**
Cost per month/year
Free
$5.79* / $79.50
$8.29* / $99.50
$8.29* / $99.50
Storage capacity
5GB
5TB
5TB
250GB
Number of users
One
One
Five
Unlimited
File versioning
✔ (30 versions)
✔ (30 versions)
✔ (30 versions)
✔ (30 versions)
*All prices are based on the undiscounted rate of the cheapest available annual plan. Monthly plans are only available on Business plans with 1.25TB of storage or more, starting at $49.95 a month.
(Image credit: Future)
The best cloud storage for Google-minded users
Specifications
Storage capacity: 2TB
Number of devices: Unlimited
Encryption: Encrypted transfer
Reasons to buy
+ Best-in-class collaboration tools+ Generous storage offering+ AI and search technology
Reasons to avoid
– No password protection on files– No file expiration
For personal and professional projects, Google Drive is the natural go-to for Google Workspace and Android users, due to seamless integration and versatility. You can use the office suite to create and store documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more; and store mobile-based high-quality photos via Google Photos .
While the web interface is somewhat poorly executed and not as user-friendly as elsewhere, native clients allow Windows and Mac users easier file storage through drag-and-drop.
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Google Drive provides collaborative tools for efficient workflow (Image credit: Google Drive)
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Google Drive provides a free storage options as well as competitively priced paid options (Image credit: Google Drive)
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You can integrate several apps into your Google Drive (Image credit: Google Drive)
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Google Drive offers 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption (Image credit: Google Drive)
There’s a 15GB free storage plan, and you can buy more via Google One , starting at $1.99 a month or $19.99 a year for 100GB (when paid annually).
Each subscription can be shared for free with up to five others, but everyone will have to share the same amount of storage. Upgrading to 200GB costs $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year , with 3% cashback in store credit from the Google Store; 2TB of storage and 10% cashback costs $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year .
While this isn’t always clear online, additional storage is also available through Google Workspace . 30GB is available for $6 per user a month , while unlimited storage for teams of five or more users costs $12 per user a month . For $25 per user a month , you’ll also get priority support, data loss prevention, and other perks.
Read our full Google Drive review .
Google Drive’s pricing plans
Free
100GB
200GB
2TB
Cost per month/year
Free
$1.99 / $9.99
$2.99 / $29.99
$9.99 / $99.99
Storage capacity
15GB
100GB
200GB
2TB
Number of users
Six
Six
Six
Six
File versioning
✔ (30-days)
✔ (30-days)
✔ (30-days)
✔ (30-days)
(Image credit: Future)
The best cloud storage “provider” for DIY users
Specifications
Storage capacity: Potentially unlimited
Number of devices: Potentially unlimited
Encryption: Fully customizable
Reasons to buy
+ Open-source platform+ Secure storage and top security features+ Highly configurable
Reasons to avoid
– 24/7 support only comes with higher tier plans– May be time-consuming to set up
Technically speaking, Nextcloud is not an online cloud storage provider. Rather, it’s a self-hosted file sync and content collaboration platform, which provides free software you can install on your own server, and administer cloud storage yourself.
The benefit of a self-hosted product is that you get to keep your data on your servers, offering complete control and faster performance. While this might seem intimidating for beginners, or futile for serverless users, the service offers preconfigured hardware that runs Nextcloud out of the box.
As free open-source software, you can download and install it at no cost, but need to factor in the cost of setting up, running, and administering your own servers. However, if you already have infrastructure in place, using Nextcloud instead of a commercial cloud storage solution could save you money.
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File sharing is easy on Nextcloud (Image credit: Nextcloud)
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Collabora Online enables you to collaborate and edit with others in real-time (Image credit: Nextcloud)
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Nextcloud Calendar makes it easy for you to schedule team meetings (Image credit: Nextcloud)
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Nextcloud’s app store features a huge collection of apps that integrate seamlessly with the service (Image credit: Nextcloud)
There are three pricing plans as an alternative, namely the Basic, Standard, and Premium plans, which are pre-configured and ready to go. These are billed annually, with no monthly payment plans available: Basic costs $42.60 per user a year (based on 100 users) or $33.72 (based on 200 users); Standard costs $76.90 or $57.38 ; and Premium $112.99 or $88.14 .
Third-party providers can deploy, optimize, and maintain your Nextcloud installation for you, and if you have at least 50 users, you can choose Nextcloud Enterprise, a pre-configured, production-ready version.
Read our detailed Nextcloud review .
Nextcloud’s pricing plans
Basic
Standard
Premium
Cost per year
$42.60 / $33.72
$76.90 / $57.38
$112.99 / $88.14
Storage capacity
Potentially unlimited
Potentially unlimited
Potentially unlimited
Number of users
100 / 200
100 / 200
100 / 200
File versioning
✔ (30-day)
✔ (30-day)
✔ (30-day)
(Image credit: Future)
The go-to provider for large files
Specifications
Storage capacity: From 500GB
Number of devices: Unspecified
Encryption: In transit and at rest
Reasons to buy
+ File-versioning and advanced file-sharing + Built-in media player+ Speedy performance
Reasons to avoid
– No real-time collaboration– Free version lacks many tools– Limited customer support
Hailing from Switzerland, pCloud offers no file size limit, making it ideal for storing large media files, although there are some bandwidth limits. You can also send up to 5GB for free with pCloud Transfer, which covers all desktop and mobile platforms, and also has a web-based login. You can also spend more on a monthly, annual or lifetime basis for pCloud Crypto, which can encrypt individual files.
Its appealing, highly-functional interface store files easily via desktop and mobile apps, as well as pCloud’s website. Its simple file-sharing features also provide the ability to share files with non-pCloud users, while built-in streaming features mean you can simply watch or listen to videos or music within the platform.
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pCloud Rewind prevents accidental file deletions (Image credit: pCloud)
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pCloud’s Social Backups automatically saves your photos from platforms like Instagram and Facebook (Image credit: pCloud)
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It’s easy to share files and folders on pCloud (Image credit: pCloud)
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pCloud Crypto is offered free for all business users (Image credit: pCloud)
It’s worth noting that pricing plans include lifetime subscriptions, a fairly unusual sight when it comes to cloud services. Each comes with unlimited remote upload traffic and 30 days trash history, with the difference being the amount of storage and download link traffic: 500GB for Premium, and 2TB for Premium Plus, which cost $4.99 or $9.99 a month , or $47.88 or $95.88 a year respectively.
Read our comprehensive pCloud review .
pCloud’s pricing plans
Free
Premium
Premium Plus
Family
Business
Cost per month / year / lifetime
Free
$4.99 / $47.88 / $175
$9.99 / $95.88 / $350
$500 / $1,000 (lifetime only)
$9.99 per user / $7.99 per user (no lifetime plan)
Storage capacity
10GB
500GB
2TB
2TB/4TB
1TB per user
Number of users
One
One
One
Up to five
Unlimited
File versioning
✔ (15-day)
✔ (30-day)
✔ (30-day)
✔ (30-day)
✔ (180-day)
(Image credit: Future)
Business-oriented storage from a long-standing service
Specifications
Storage capacity: Unlimited (for business plans)
Number of devices: Unlimited (for business plans)
Encryption: End-to-end
Reasons to buy
+ Huge range of app integrations+ Easy-to-use workflow builder automates key processes+ Strong business focus alongside individual plans
Reasons to avoid
– Some aspects of user experience are confusing– Individual plans are quite restricted
One quick look at pricing, and it’s clear Box is prioritizing businesses as its key demographic. However, it offers both individual and business plans, and Box’s pricing structure is very simple for the former.
You pay nothing for up to 10GB of storage, with a maximum file size of 250MB, or $10 a month for the Personal Pro plan, with up to 100GB of storage and a maximum file size of 5GB. The Box apps for desktop include the Box Drive client, which can be used on both Windows and Mac, while mobile users can use the official Android client.
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Box lets you upload your files to the cloud (Image credit: Box)
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Share files for easy collaboration (Image credit: Box)
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Choose from a huge range of integrated apps with Box (Image credit: Box)
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Easily create automated workflows (Image credit: Box)
With almost 15 years in the sector, Box is a mainstay in cloud content management and file sharing. Its strong points include broad management abilities and an emphasis on security, while its UI is easy to navigate, making you feel you at home immediately. It’s supported by a variety of commonly used app packages, including Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.
Read our full Box review and our Box for Business review .
Box’s pricing plans
Individual
Personal Pro
Business Starter
Business
Business Plus
Enterprise
Enterprise
Cost per month/year
Free
$11.50 / $120
$7 / $60
$20 / $180
$25 / $300
$47 / $420
On enquiry
Storage capacity
10GB
100GB
100GB
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
Number of users
One
One
10 (maximum)
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
File versioning
✔ (one version)
✔ (10 versions)
✔ (25 versions)
✔ (50 versions)
✔ (50 versions)
✔ (100 versions)
✔ (unlimited)
(Image credit: Future)
The best Windows-first option for cloud storage
Specifications
Storage capacity: 6TB
Number of devices: 30
Encryption: AES 256-bit
Reasons to buy
+ End-to-end encryption in the vault+ Easy PC backup+ Deep Microsoft 365 integration
Reasons to avoid
– No backup for Apple devices– More expensive than closest competitors– Not as deeply integrated as other services
Ever since the switch to Windows 10, OneDrive has been the Microsoft cloud storage solution of choice. It’s directly integrated into the file explorer, providing immediate access for users who want to jumpstart their online backup. There are also Android and iOS apps for mobile uploads, as well as an improved app for Mac users.
As a Microsoft platform, OneDrive works closely with Microsoft 365, which is helpful if you’re looking to boost productivity. The Photos app can sync images across all your devices, and you can selectively sync files stored on your hard drive. The mobile app offers interesting features, such as multi-page scanning that allows you to save them as a single document, and access anywhere from any device.
The basic paid plan offers 50GB, and it’s worth noting that if you’re already a Microsoft 365 subscriber, you get 1TB of space off the bat. Its interaction with Microsoft Office apps is OneDrive’s biggest appeal, and its collaborative functions aren’t limited to OneDrive users.
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OneDrive’s encryption framework is solid without being exceptional (Image credit: OneDrive)
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All Microsoft data centers are heavily protected by both physical and network security policies (Image credit: OneDrive)
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The Document Scanner is one of our favourite OneDrive features (Image credit: OneDrive)
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On This Day is a feel-good feature that makes using OneDrive an enjoyable experience (Image credit: OneDrive)
OneDrive has plans for home and business use, with four for home : two of these are OneDrive only, while the others incorporate Microsoft 365.
Prices range from the free Basic plan offering 5GB of storage, up to $9.99 a month ($99.99 a year ), to 6TB with the Microsoft 365 Family plan, which accommodates up to six people (1TB per person). Microsoft 365 plans offer Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Skype. The most expensive plans also come with a one-month free trial.
Read our detailed Microsoft OneDrive review .
Microsoft OneDrive’s pricing plans
OneDrive Basic 5GB
OneDrive Standalone 100GB
Microsoft 365 Personal
Microsoft 365 Family
OneDrive for Business (Plan 1)
OneDrive for Business (Plan 2)
Microsoft 365 Business Basic
Microsoft 365 Business Standard
Cost per month/year
Free
$1.99
$6.99 / $69.99
$9.99 / $99.99
$5 (per user) / $60
$10 (per user) / $120
$5 (per user) / $60
$12.50 (per user) / $150
Storage capacity
5GB
100GB
1TB
6TB
1TB (per user)
Unlimited
1TB (per user)
1TB (per user)
Number of users
One
One
One
Up to six
Potentially unlimited
Potentially unlimited
Potentially unlimited
Potentially unlimited
File versioning
✖
✖
✔ (30-days)
✔ (30-days)
✔ (500 versions)
✔ (500 versions)
✔ (500 versions)
✔ (500 versions)
(Image credit: Future)
Zero-knowledge storage for privacy-minded users
Specifications
Storage capacity: 5TB
Number of devices: Unlimited
Encryption: End-to-end
Reasons to buy
+ Excellent focus on data security+ All plans include unlimited device connections+ Attractive desktop user interface
Reasons to avoid
– Quite expensive compared to some alternatives– No phone support– Slow file upload speeds
Zero knowledge cloud storage pertains to encryption, which, according to SpiderOak, takes place before syncing, so it has no idea what you’re storing. You’re the only one who knows what’s being encrypted and saved, which makes your data utterly private. The source code isn’t public though, so you’ll just have to take SpiderOak’s word for it.
There’s a 21-day free trial available, so you can see how the service works and test it before buying, and considering the focus is on security and privacy, it has a simple and straightforward interface, which utilizes a convenient drag-and-drop feature to help with quick and efficient file organization.
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Create new sync folders to use alongside the SpiderOak Hive (Image credit: SpiderOak)
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Secure sharing rooms can be used to share files and folders with anyone you need to (Image credit: SpiderOak)
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SpiderOak has advanced data security policies designed to protect your files (Image credit: SpiderOak)
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SpiderOak enables you to schedule backups as required (Image credit: SpiderOak)
There is native support for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS, although the mobile apps are read-only and don’t allow you to upload files. SpiderOak One has four pricing plans , with the cheapest at $6 a month including 150GB of storage and support for unlimited devices.
For $11 a month , you get 400GB of storage, and 2TB for $14 a month , while $29 a month gets you 5TB, with a small discount of around 5% if you pay annually.
Read our full SpiderOak review .
SpiderOak’s pricing plans
150GB
400GB
2TB
5TB
Cost per month/year
$6 / $69
$11 / $155
$14 / $149
$29 / $320
Storage capacity
150GB
400GB
2TB
5TB
Number of users
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
File versioning
✔ (unlimited)
✔ (unlimited)
✔ (unlimited)
✔ (unlimited)
(Image credit: Future)
Apple’s solution for iOS and macOS users
Specifications
Storage capacity: Up to 2TB
Number of devices: 10
Encryption: 2FA
Reasons to buy
+ Deep integration with iOS, macOS, and iPadOS+ Standalone Photos app+ Seamless device backup
Reasons to avoid
– No real-time collaboration, file passwords or expiration dates– Minimal end-to-end encryption– Only suitable for Apple hardware owners
Right on the heels of Microsoft, Apple’s own cloud storage delivers a sound service. Even if 5GB of free storage won’t back up your iPhone or iPad entirely, the paid subscriptions are competitively priced.
The standout feature is how easily accessible the service is across Apple’s platforms. For instance, you can store anything through the Mac Finder app, which integrates with iCloud Drive, and also sync iWork documents across all your devices, which are saved to iCloud.
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All iCloud data is encrypted, but end-to-end encryption platform wide is lacking (Image credit: iCloud)
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iCloud backs up your device automatically every night (Image credit: iCloud)
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iCloud Drive enables users to upload and organize all their files directly in iCloud (Image credit: iCloud)
If you’re a Windows user with an iPhone, you can also sync files with iCloud Drive via the official client, as well as use the iCloud website to access iWork apps. iCloud’s 5GB for free is better than other providers, but significantly less than the 15GB available with Google Drive.
Additional storage is available at different prices, with 50GB for $0.99 a month , 200GB for $2.99 a month , or 2TB for $9.99 a month . Unfortunately, there aren’t any long-term subscriptions, which could be a significant disadvantage for some users.
Read our full iCloud review .
iCloud’s pricing plans
Free (5GB)
50GB
200GB
2TB
Cost per month/year
Free
$0.99 / $11.88
$2.99 / $35.88
$9.99 / $119.88
Storage capacity
5GB
50GB
200GB
2TB
Number of users
One
One
One
One
File versioning
✖
✖
✖
✖
(Image credit: Future)
Cloud storage with enhanced security features
Specifications
Storage capacity: Up to 15TB
Number of devices: Unlimited
Encryption: Zero-knowledge
Reasons to buy
+ Zero-knowledge encryption+ Built-in chat function+ Intuitive interface
Reasons to avoid
– Limited support options– Below-average speed
A 50GB free plan is a real rarity in cloud storage, so MEGA delivers right from the start. Add in an easy-to-use, drag-and-drop interface, and you have one of the best cloud storage solutions. A mobile app allows uploading of files and photos, while desktop users have sync clients at their disposal.
The invention of the infamous Kim Dotcom, MEGA allows you to upload files via an encrypted connection, and maintain control over your encryption key. That effectively prevents others, including MEGA, from scanning your content. In addition, its sync client is open-source and open to vulnerability checks.
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File sharing is easy and secure on MEGA (Image credit: MEGA)
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MEGA has a built-in communication channel that supports video and phone calls (Image credit: MEGA)
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MEGA saves older versions of your files automatically (Image credit: MEGA)
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MEGA places great emphasis on security and offers zero-knowledge encryption (Image credit: MEGA)
For those seeking a paid option, there are four tiers ranging from Pro Lite to Pro III: the only main difference being storage and transfer amounts (all four maintain the same additional features). There’s also a Business plan with 15TB of storage, unlimited data transfer, and other features, starting at $5.89 per user .
Pro Lite has 400GB of storage and a 1TB transfer limit per month for $5.88 , with the others offering 2TB storage and transfer (Pro I at $11.78 a month ), 8TB storage and transfer (Pro II at $23.56 a month ) and 16TB storage and transfer (Pro III at $35.35 a month ).
Read our full MEGA review .
MEGA’s pricing plans
Free
Pro Lite
Pro I
Pro II
Pro III
Business
Cost per month/year
Free
$5.88 / $58.93
$11.78 / $117.88
$23.56 / $235.77
$35.35 / $353.66
$5.89 per user
Storage capacity
20GB
400GB
2TB
8TB
16TB
15TB
Number of users
One
One
One
One
One
Three (minimum)
File versioning
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
Cloud storage FAQs
What is cloud storage?
Cloud storage stores data on a physical drive, and makes it accessible to users whenever and wherever they want to view it via an online software platform. It comes in three main forms: self-hosted , storage as a service (StaaS) , and hybrid cloud storage , with cloud sync technology utilized by leading services.
How secure is cloud storage?
The best secure cloud storage services provide leading security and encryption , despite theoretically not being as secure as local storage.
Two highly-desirable features to look for are end-to-end encryption and zero-knowledge architecture : respectively meaning providers are essentially hack-proof, and that not even staff can access your data, even if law enforcement compels them to.
It’s also worth looking for in-transit and at-rest encryption if end-to-end isn’t offered: data is totally indecipherable even should a cybercriminal intercept it. StaaS organizations utilize highly-secure data centers, protected by 24/7 security, biometric entry authorization, and frequent auditing.
Make sure to look out for extra features like 2FA : while it’s only natural to have concerns about data security, the best cloud storage services’ strong features and security tools are cutting-edge.
How to choose and use cloud storage
Watch our video to learn everything you need to know about choosing, and then using, cloud storage
How to choose the best cloud storage for business
What you need to know about free cloud storage
Next steps when choosing cloud storage
If you’re set on purchasing cloud storage, but have little budget to do so, learn about reducing cloud storage costs and what you need to know. If you’re interested in Microsoft’s cloud storage products, you want to learn what OneDrive is .
We’ve also undertaken interviews with IDrive’s CEO Raghu Kulkarni and pCloud’s Digital Marketing Manager Ivan Dimitrov .
If cloud computing interests you beyond storage, look into the best cloud computing services , the best cloud management software , and the best cloud HCM software .
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