What is the best cloud storage service?
Here are my top picks for the best cloud storage to use this year.
1. Dropbox.
Best overall software for cloud storage ($15 per user per month).
Dropbox is a file hosting service that offers cloud storage, personal cloud, file sync, and client software. Now you can save your tools, content, and files in one place and share them with anyone you want.
You can also store content from Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, Microsoft Office files, and Dropbox Paper in your Dropbox folder Dropbox also allows you to access your files from multiple devices such as computers, tablets, phones, laptops, etc. You can also use the Dropbox Gmail add-on, which makes it even easier to share and access your files.
Features
- File recovery - You can also recover accidentally deleted files from the Dropbox backup folder. The recovery software allows you to restore all files deleted in the last 30 days.
- Dropbox transfer - With Dropbox transfer, you can send files up to 100GB to anyone you want. You can also send files up to 250GB with the Creative Tools add-on.
- Content suggestions - It provides content suggestions based on your Dropbox activity, giving you direct access to the files you're most likely to need.
Pricing
Dropbox offers the following four plans:
- Professional: $19.99 per month
- Standard: $15 per user per month
- Advanced: $25 per user per month
- The company: Based on quotes
The professional plan offers a 14-day free trial, while the other two paid plans offer a 30-day free trial.
2. Google Drive.
The best for backing up your data ($1.99 per month).
Google Drive is a cloud-based file storage and sync service that lets you store, share, and collaborate on your files. You can access, store, and share your files from any device like mobile, computer, laptop, tablets, etc.
Additionally, Drive integrates with apps like Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and several other cloud-based apps to help you collaborate with your team. All of your work in Docs, Sheets, Slides, and more is also automatically saved to Drive. It also prevents you from having to migrate and move your content from one tool to another.
Features
- Security measures - Google Drive offers numerous security features, such as data loss prevention, the electronic search vault, and archiving, to protect your data. It also prevents team members from sharing sensitive content with outsiders.
- Offline access - You can create, edit, and view files even if you don't have an Internet connection. Plus, any changes you make while offline are automatically synced when you connect to the Internet.
Pricing
Google Drive offers plans based on the amount of storage provided:
- 100GB: $1.99/mo
- 200GB: $2.99/mo
- 2TB: 9.99/month
- 30 TB: $299.9/mo
3. iDrive.
The best cloud storage tool for backing up ($74.62 for 250GB of storage).
IDrive is a cloud storage and data backup company that allows you to back up an unlimited number of devices to a single account. You can back up any device you want, including PCs, Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Androids.
The storage tool protects all of your data in your cloud account, and the stored data is encrypted with 256-bit AES encryption.
Features
- RemotePC - Use your PC anytime and anywhere from any device. Remote desktop software allows you to manage files, print documents, transfer data, and more remotely.
- Vision - Vision is a free add-on that allows you to improve remote customer support, troubleshooting, and internal training through video assistance.
- Offline viewing - You can use offline viewing to view your files on your mobile devices without an Internet connection.
Pricing
IDrive offers two types of plans for business and personal use.
IDrive Personal:
- 5 TB: $52.12 for the first year
- 10TB: $74.62 for the first year
IDrive Business:
- 250GB: $74.62 for the first year
- 500GB: $149.62 for the first year
- 1.25 TB: $374.62 for the first year
- 2.5TB: $599.62 for the first year
- 5TB: $1124.62 for the first year
- 12.5 TB: $2249.62 for the first year
Additionally, you get a free plan for up to 5GB of cloud storage.
4. Microsoft OneDrive.
Great for those using Windows 10 and working with Microsoft 365 ($1.99 per month).
Microsoft OneDrive is a file hosting and synchronization service provided by Microsoft as part of Microsoft 365. You can save your files in the Microsoft OneDrive folder and access them from anywhere.
You can access, edit, and share your files on any of your devices, anytime, anywhere. In addition to that, you can also take backups of all your important files and restore them whenever you want.
Features
- Personal safe - This feature allows you to store some of your essential files with an additional layer of protection. You can also provide an additional layer of security by using identity verification with your fingerprint, face, SMS code, or other methods.
- Digitizing documents - OneDrive also offers a document scanning feature to help you scan and store notes, receipts, business cards, documents, and more.
Pricing
Microsoft OneDrive comes with four pricing plans:
- OneDrive Basic: $0 per month (5 GB)
- OneDrive standalone: $1.99 per month (100GB)
- Microsoft 365 Personal: $69.99 per year (1TB)
- Microsoft 365 Home: $99.99 per year (6TB)
There are various plans for larger businesses, starting at $5 per user per month for 1TB of storage.
5. Apple iCloud.
Great for regular Macbook, iPhone, and iMac users ($0.99 per month)
Apple iCloud is a cloud storage and composition service provided by Apple that helps you store notes, files, photos, and more. You get up to 5GB of free storage and can add additional storage whenever you want.
It also allows you to manage, share, and edit your documents on the web. You can even give your team and family members access to edit your files and collaborate with you.
iCloud also allows you to access your messages and continue your conversation from any device, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, iPods, etc. You can even read articles from your playlist without Internet access and use the same bookmarks on all of your iOS devices.
Features
- iCloud KeyChain - It automatically stores all confidential data entered into your iOS devices, including passwords, credit card details, and more.
- Find My Device feature - This feature allows you to locate or track all of your Apple devices backed up in iCloud, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, etc. You can also share the location with anyone you want.
- Family sharing - You can share your iCloud account with up to five members for free. So you can share your favorite books, music, media, and other purchases with family members.
Pricing
Apple iCloud offers four plans:
- 5 GB: free
- 50 GB: $0.99 per month
- 200 GB: $2.99 per month
- 2 TB: $9.99 per month
6. Zoolz.
Ideal for large businesses that need mass storage ($14.99 per month).
Zoolz offers cloud storage and backup plans for an unlimited number of users and servers. It offers unlimited uploads and uploads, with no speed limits. Additionally, Zoolz has an AWS-based backend for better security and cloud migration.
Features such as multi-faceted backup, duplication, and redundancy ensure data is available on demand. You can also perform faster backups with features like deduplication, block uploads, and specified file retention. These features also allow you to limit the amount of storage used by a specific file.
Features
- Storage - You can use it to archive files by selecting the data to create instant backups for the least used files. It also offers zero recovery costs and remote recovery.
- Hybrid+ functionality - It creates local copies of backup files to reduce recovery time by using a local repository rather than cold storage.
- Snowball Appliance - It sends the Amazon Snowball appliance to businesses that need to transfer more than 10TB of data.
Pricing
Zoolz offers three pricing plans for an unlimited number of users and servers.
- 1 TB: $14.99 per month
- 2TB: $29.99 per month
- 5TB: $74.99 per month
All plans offer unlimited networked storage (NAS) and external devices, AES-256 data encryption, unlimited servers, etc. Zoolz also offers a long-term plan that costs $30,000 for 100TB of storage for five years.
7. Nextcloud.
Ideal for businesses looking for self-hosted cloud storage software (1900€ per year).
Nextcloud is a self-hosted cloud storage software that helps you share and access photos, files, and documents for work. You can integrate your on-premises storage system with a local network to create a cloud storage system with Nextcloud.
In addition, you have productivity tools such as conf-calls tools and videoconferencing tools private, universal access to files on site, and a Live chat to improve communication.
Features
- Data Retention - You can set policies to ensure data retention and allow for periodic file cleaning. You can also set a time limit on the data to keep it for a specific period of time.
- Automate tasks - You can automate tedious and repetitive tasks like data entry. You can also include flow elements, such as triggers or actions, and create separate flow applications.
- Nextcloud Data Analytics - It turns data into actionable reports and shares them with you and your team members. You can also use it to track and analyze data imported through the API.
Pricing
Nextcloud offers three pricing plans:
- Basic: From 50 users for 1900€ per year
- Standard: From 50 users for 3400€ per year
- Premium: From 50 users for 4900€ per year
You can also purchase add-ons such as installation and configuration support, global installation, branding, etc. You can also contact the sales team to get customized plans based on your specific needs.
8. Icedrive.
The best for browser user interfaces and desktop and smartphone apps ($1.67 per month).
Icedrive is a cloud storage tool that helps you manage and access cloud storage directly in your operating system. You can use it directly on your browser or download a desktop application or a mobile application.
The desktop application provides a native operating system user experience for deleting, editing, downloading, and opening files. On the other hand, the mobile application allows you to stream your media, share files and folders, and take a full backup of your device.
Features
- Advanced download - It offers a browser-based download system that uses “piecemeal downloads” to download large files without interruption.
- Document conversion - You can convert all types of vectors and documents into a particular format in order to preview the documents directly on your browser.
- User interface - Its web-based software offers a user-friendly interface that supports drag and drop and right-click features.
Pricing
Icedrive offers three pricing plans (annual):
- Lite: $1.67 per month for 150GB of storage
- Pro: $4.17 per month for 1TB of storage
- Pro Plus: $15 per month for 5TB of storage
All plans come with features like client-side encryption, sharing delay, password protection, etc. You can also take advantage of the free deal that includes 10GB of cloud storage.
9. LiveDrive.
The best for remote teams ($8.99 per month).
LiveDrive is a cloud storage software that provides cloud backup storage for personal, business, and resale purposes. It offers unlimited PC/Mac backups and helps you edit and access files from any location.
LiveDrive can also automatically upload files to its data centers in the United Kingdom. Plus, it allows you to restore files to a new device in case of theft or failure. It is also based on intrusion prevention technology and offers physical security 24 hours a day.
Features
- Backup+ Pro - Easily back up and restore your documents, folders, and files by installing Mac or Windows software. You can also download files in any format from LiveDrive.
- Briefcase - You can put all of your files in a single “Briefcase” folder and then view and edit them from any device. This online file reader feature also supports AES-128 security encryption.
- Co-branding and white label - You can add your own logo, change the name, and replace images or text on the portal.
Pricing
LiveDrive offers various plans for professional and personal use.
Personal products:
- Backup: $8.99 per month
- Pro Suite: $25 per month
- Briefcase: $16 per month
Commercial products:
- Business Express: $50 per month for 2TB of cloud storage
- Business Standard: $160 per month for 10TB of cloud storage
You get a free trial with all plans.
10. BackBlaze Business Cloud Storage.
The best for data encryption ($6 per month).
Backblaze is a cloud storage and data backup company that offers enterprise-grade, S3-compatible storage. You can also quickly migrate your data from Amazon to Backblaze B2 cloud storage.
You can integrate it seamlessly with a SAN, NAS, or your reference software. Additionally, compatibility with native or S3 APIs, GUI, and CLI means that data migration requires minimal coding.
Features
- Internet transfer - Use multithreading to move files across your current Internet bandwidth.
- Fireball rapid ingestion - Move files in batches up to 70TB on-site using Backblaze's Fireball device.
- Equinix server - BlackBlaze partners with Equinix to offer on-demand servers on an hourly basis for high performance.
Pricing
BlackBlaze offers 3 pricing plans:
- Monthly: $6
- Yearly: $60
- Two year plan: $110
All plans offer unlimited cloud storage, the ability to restore multiple old versions of a file, automatic backup, etc. You also get a free trial period to test the product before purchasing any of the plans.
What is cloud storage?
Cloud storage uses a cloud computing model to store data on virtual storage servers. You can upload and download data to the servers of a cloud computing solution that offers data storage and management services.
Here are some of the benefits of using cloud storage services:
- On-demand services for the required storage capacity.
- They only charge you for the amount of storage that you actually use.
- It eliminates the need to buy and manage physical data storage infrastructure.
- You can remove or add data storage capacity in real time to manage retention and performance settings.
- It provides businesses around the world with much-needed scale, agility, and efficiency.
In addition, the centralization of data storage in the cloud also allows efficient information management tasks to be carried out. You can take advantage of automated prioritization or lock down data to meet compliance requirements.
Cloud storage also allows IT teams to efficiently provide the right amount of data storage needed. It also helps solve complex application problems instead of focusing on managing data storage systems.
What features do you need in cloud storage software?
Here are some key features you should look for in a cloud storage service.
- File versioning - You can edit without any problems with file versioning. So, look for a cloud storage service that offers storage for an unlimited number of file versions. It will also help you extract the overwritten data from any version of the files.
- Synchronization - The automatic sync function automatically saves all changes to the file. That means you don't have to worry about losing an edit or edit, even if you're not online.
- Remote access - You need to be able to view and edit files from anywhere and at any time.
- Collaboration tools - Collaboration features can allow teams to work simultaneously on the same file or folder.
- security - Since as many as 48% of businesses surveyed say they don't know when someone breaks into their system, your cloud storage should offer security measures such as file encryption, access control, 256-bit AES and SSL/TLS encryption, and two-factor authentication.
- Storage - You need to be able to scale up and down cloud storage at any time to meet your business needs. It will also help you cut costs when you need less data storage.
Summary.
Here are some of the best cloud storage providers. Cloud storage is one of the best storage options and can help you eliminate complex storage options like USB and hard drives. The best part is that cloud storage is now more affordable than ever and suitable for both personal and business use.
However, each cloud storage platform has its own benefits that may be of interest to you depending on your needs.
For example, you can try Google Drive if you're looking for secure, free cloud storage. If you only use Apple products and need cloud storage for personal use, I suggest Apple iCloud.
Overall my top choice is Dropbox due to features such as:
- 256-bit AES and SSL/TLS encryption
- Two-factor authentication.
- Integration with Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, Microsoft Office files, and more.
- Ability to access your files from multiple devices such as computers, phones, etc.
- And even more.
Overall, be sure to review each cloud storage tool carefully before making your final choice. You can also try several tools, as most of them offer a trial period, ranging from 14 to 30 days.
