Cloud Storage is a service that allows users to save data online which can be accessed and shared with those who have permission anytime and anywhere. Cloud storage can also be used as a backup solution to store backup data in a remote location.
Cloud storage solutions became widely popular among businesses of all sizes quickly. These services allow employees to access files from anywhere and anytime. When combined with their security features, these solutions became essential to organizations. Cloud storage services are making sharing and collaboration much easier for millions of companies and individuals. While some of these services are only available with paid subscriptions, most of them offer a free plan to attract more users. Let’s take a look at the most popular cloud storage services.
Google Drive
Google‘s cloud storage solution, Google Drive, is not only popular among businesses but also popular among all Google services users. It enables users to share files easily using Google Docs, which eliminates the need for office software and enables real-time collaboration. It comes with 15 GB of free space, which is shared with the users’ Gmail accounts. It supports many third-party integrations and comes with cross-platform apps, including Windows, iOS, and Android, along with desktop-to-desktop file syncing. Since it’s been developed by Google, many organizations also trust that it is a very reliable service.
Although 15 GB of free space is very generous, users can increase it with subscription plans starting from $1.99 per month. Also, the G Suite business edition costs $12 per user per month and it comes with unlimited storage.
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Microsoft OneDrive
Microsoft‘s cloud storage solution, Microsoft OneDrive, comes with a nice-looking and easy-to-use user interface. It offers automatic backup for files in Windows and can sync Office documents, which makes it popular among Microsoft 365 users. As a security feature, OneDrive provides SSL encryption. Its free plan, OneDrive Basic, offers 5 GB of storage and its paid plans are starting from $1.99 per month with 50 GB of storage.
Microsoft OneDrive is also included in Office 365 Home and Office 365 Personal plans. Office 365 Personal costs $69.99 per year and comes with 1 TB of storage. Office 365 Home costs $99.99 per year with 6 TB of storage for six users. Microsoft also offers OneDrive for businesses in three plans, which start at $60.00 per year.
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Apple iCloud Drive
Apple‘s iCloud Drive is mostly designed for macOS and iOS devices but it can be accessed via Windows computers. While Apple’s mobile devices became popular worldwide, iCloud also became a popular cloud storage solution. iCloud can store all files from iPhones and iPads, including messages, calendars, contacts, and various other data, thus it is an important part of the Apple ecosystem. But it is mainly preferred by individuals who are using mostly Apple products.
Apple iCloud offers 5 GB of free storage. The most important advantage of iCloud is its seamless integration with Apple devices and its automatic backup feature. However, it can only share files with people who have an Apple ID. Its paid subscriptions are starting from $0.99 per month for 50 GB.
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Dropbox
Dropbox is also one of the most popular cloud storage services in the market. The main reasons behind its popularity are its additional features and integrations with other applications. It is also one of the first cloud storage services on the market. Files stored in Dropbox can be accessed from computers and mobile devices, with web interface and apps. The service supports Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, and iOS. However, the free plan only includes 2 GB of storage.
Dropbox is one of the ideal solutions for businesses because it offers premium features, including collaboration via Google Workspace and Microsoft Office. The smart sync feature allows users to set files and folders to be stored locally or online only. Although it comes with multiple nice features, its high prices and lack of encryption are a concern for some users.
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IDrive
IDrive offers the most cost-effective plans on the cloud storage market, providing the most space per dollar. The service is popular among both individuals and businesses. The free account comes with 10 GB of storage. The service has no limit on the number of devices you install, allowing users to back up from unlimited devices. It can also sync files and folders in real time across all the devices that are linked to the service. As a security feature, it provides 256-bit AES encryption, and deleted files can be recovered within 30 days.
Users can back up and manage all connected Linux servers remotely with a web interface. It also allows users to create sub-accounts that are sharing the same storage space to monitor backups. The Mini plan starts at $2.95 per year and offers 100 GB of storage. The personal plan starts at $59,62 per year ($75.50 per year starting from the second year) and offers 5 TB storage for multiple computers. The business plan starts at $74,62 per year ($99.50 per year starting from the second year) and offers unlimited users.
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Sync
Sync is mostly known for its collaboration and privacy protection features, including 365-day history, advanced share control, AES-256-bit encryption, TLS protocol in transit, two-factor authentication restricting downloads, and password-protected sharing. It also provides most of the core features of other service providers, such as unlimited share transfer limits, real-time backup, sync, and access from anywhere. It supports most of the major platforms, except Linux.
Sync includes full support for Microsoft Office formats, such as Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Visio, along with PDF, and PSD. Sync offers affordable plans for both personal and business plans. The service comes with 5 GB of free cloud storage. The personal plans start at $96.00 per year and provide 2 TB of cloud storage. Business plans are starting at $60.00 per user per year and provide 1 TB of storage.
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pCloud
Compared to other cloud storage services, pCloud has a huge advantage for long-term usage. pCloud’s plans aren’t monthly subscriptions. You can buy a cloud storage plan for a lifetime with an upfront fee. Thus, in the long term, it offers the most affordable solution. The service comes with 10 GB of free cloud storage. With a one-time $175 fee, you can increase it to 500 GB, or for $350 you can increase your storage to 2 TB with its personal plans. It also offers annual plans. Annual personal plans start at $49.99 per year for 500 GB and annual business plans start at $95.88 per user per year for 1 TB each.
Along with its interesting plans, it also allows users to back up files from Dropbox, Facebook, OneDrive, Google Drive, and Google Photos. With its built-in media player, it supports all file formats. pCloud also protects your files with AES 256-bit encryption and the TLS/SSL protocol during transfer. It also creates five copies of files and distributes them to at least three different servers.
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