Easy Cloud Storage
Cloud storage stores data on a physical drive, and makes it accessible online for users via software from any internet-connected device, whenever and wherever a user wants to access them: hence the term \"cloud\". Some users utilize multiple cloud services in what is called a multi-cloud service.
easy cloud storage
Self-hosted cloud storage works by using on-premises (on-prem) infrastructure to provide storage, rather than managed, remotely-based servers. You need to manage these types of services yourself.
Storage as a service (StaaS) uses externally managed, third-party infrastructure and data centers, and offers large, affordable amounts of online storage. Designed for collaboration, they can also be described as storage and syncing platforms.
Hybrid cloud storage combines cloud and local storage (or public and private storage) together to give you the benefits of both types. This is aimed more at businesses than individuals.
Paid plans are available in monthly, annual, and even lifetime models, ranging from around $50 a year (this price depends entirely on factors including storage levels and additional features). Monthly plans can be as low as a few dollars a month, and in general pricing depends entirely on what plan you want, what tools and security coverage you seek, and the encryption on offer.
When we compare on-prem vs cloud storage, or even cloud storage vs external hard disk drives, security is key. Cloud storage may not theoretically be as secure as local, but the best cloud storage uses cutting-edge security and encryption. So is cloud storage secure, how secure is it, and how does it protect your data?
When it comes to enterprises, cloud storage security is crucial, particularly in data and privacy-sensitive sectors, and so investing in secure cloud storage that offers state-of-the-art policies is non-negotiable. End-to-end encryption and zero-knowledge architecture mean services are almost hack-proof, and that not even a provider's staff can access your data.
Most of the top platforms in the cloud storage industry provide a range of free, personal, premium and business plans which gives you a great deal of options to choose from. By opting for a cloud storage and backup provider, you can save yourself a lot of hassle if your files happen to be lost or deleted accidentally.
Get $50 off Sync.com solo or team plans (opens in new tab)With Sync.com, you can take advantage of cloud storage and syncing whether you're an individual or a business. We've got an exclusive deal offering $50 off the annual price (opens in new tab) of its Solo Professional and Teams Unlimited plans, offering secure storage, custom branding, priority support, and much more.
IDrive takes first in our list of the best cloud storage providers, and for good reason. It offers great value-for-money, provides highly secure cloud storage solutions, and has an option for every user.
We found that files can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection, and file sharing is extremely easy. All plans come with the innovative IDrive Express feature, which enables you to back up files and data to a physical storage device, which is then mailed to your chosen address. This is available once per year with the Personal plans.
*All prices are based on undiscounted rates of the cheapest available annual plan. Monthly plans are only available via Business packags with 1.25TB or more, starting at $49.95 a month.**Entry-level Team and Business plans shown: plans go up to 100TB and 100 users / 50TB and 50 users.***IDrive is offering 10TB storage at a hugely discounted $3.98 for the first year (opens in new tab)
When you open a new account, Google offers you free storage of up to 15GB on Google Drive. This plan is yours to keep forever, and if you wish to upgrade to a higher storage plan down the road, you can do so. The paid plans, offered under the banner of Google One (opens in new tab), start at $1.99 a month for 100GB. From there, you can upgrade storage to a maximum of 30TB for $299.99 a month.
It has a free plan with 2GB of storage, as well as two other personal plans (opens in new tab). Of these, the Plus Plan is $9.99 a month for 2TB of storage, and enables you to send files up to 2GB per transfer. The Family Plan has the same storage and transfer capabilities, but for six individual users, for $16.99 a month. Despite its limitations, we think you could do much worse than Dropbox for cloud storage.
Zoolz offers high-quality cloud storage backed by the Amazon Web Services (opens in new tab) (AWS) ecosystem. It boasts excellent security, including full 256-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption, and compliance with various legislative frameworks including HIPPA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and GDPR (opens in new tab) (the General Data Protection Regulation).
A fully-functional free trial is available with 50GB, enabling you to try the service before committing. Prices range (opens in new tab) from $14.99 a month for 1TB of storage to $674.99 a month for 50TB. Significant discounts are available with annual payments.
The Zoolz desktop interface is neat and easy to navigate, and there are also mobile apps available for managing files on the go. Unfortunately, we found these are clunky and frustrating to use, while upload and download speeds can be slow, which could be an issue if frequently working with larger files.
Microsoft OneDrive is the ultimate cloud storage solution for Windows 10/11 and Microsoft 365 users, and is also available for users of macOS, Android, and iOS. It's also available for Xbox, making it possible to store precious game save files safely in the cloud.
You can also edit files directly on the cloud, without the need to download them every time. From Outlook to AutoCAD, OneDrive is compatible with a variety of different other services, both internal and third-party. Security-wise, it offers the Personal Vault feature, which lets you lock away essential files safely via 2FA and Bitlocker encryption.
pCloud is one of the only cloud storage providers offering a lifetime subscription (opens in new tab), providing you with 500GB for a one-time payment of $175, or 2TB for $350. Alternatively, annual plans (opens in new tab) are available for $47.88 and $95.88 respectively.
IDrive is the best cloud storage provider of premium solutions, offering great value-for-money across a range of highly-secure, feature-packed plans. It's also our top pick for the best free cloud storage (opens in new tab), the best cloud storage for photos (opens in new tab), and the best personal cloud storage (opens in new tab) provider.
Google Drive provides leading integrations with Google Workspace as well as slick mobile and desktop apps, while Dropbox continues to be one of the best cloud storage solutions (opens in new tab) thanks to ease-of-use and third-party app integrations.
Microsoft OneDrive provides integration with Microsoft 365, as well as premium plans for individuals, families, and businesses. Zoolz' high-quality cloud storage boasts excellent security, a great free trial, and 24/7 support. Finally, pCloud competes with industry giants via a lifetime subscription across family and business plans, secure file-sharing, and widespread app support across platforms.
Thanks to its low pricing levels across all types, cloud storage offers convenience and cost-efficiency, enabling individuals and businesses alike to back up and save important files and data. Services often also offer file-sharing too, so you can share key documents with others.
A high degree of automation means providers can handle many of the complex tasks for you, while extended scalability gives you the option of increasing storage when required, should your current capacity for important data exceed your limits.
As well as being simple and accessible to use for all levels of user, cloud storage services often utilize drag-and-drop interfaces and cross-platform synchronization. This means that any file uploaded from one type of device can be accessed simply from another, for maximum utility and ease-of-use.
Cloud storage stores data on a physical drive, and makes it accessible online for users via software from any internet-connected device, whenever and wherever a user wants to access them: hence the term "cloud". Some users utilize multiple cloud services in what is called a multi-cloud service (opens in new tab).
Storage as a service (StaaS) uses externally managed, third-party infrastructure and data centers, and offers large, affordable amounts of online storage (opens in new tab). Designed for collaboration, they can also be described as storage and syncing platforms.
Hybrid cloud storage (opens in new tab) combines cloud and local storage (or public and private storage (opens in new tab)) together to give you the benefits of both types. This is aimed more at businesses than individuals. 041b061a72