Best Cloud Storage: Which Provider Should You Choose?

Do you find external hard drives to be a hassle? You're not alone: More and more people prefer saving their data virtually. Cloud storage makes this particularly easy, allowing you to access important data anywhere from a range of different devices without needing to plug in any cables or carry around a USB stick.

So, what should you look for in a cloud storage provider, which solutions are the best, and how do they differ from cloud backups? In this guide, we'll provide you with answers to these and other questions.

Cloud storage is a type digital of storage space. By using one, you can save your files (documents, photos, videos, etc.) to the provider's servers, and access them from anywhere. This is especially handy if you want to access data from your desktop at home, the office, or your laptop while on the go.

Both free and paid cloud storage solutions exist. A number of providers, such as Dropbox (likely the most well-known service) offer a limited amount of storage space for free. However, in order to take full advantage of all the benefits cloud storage offers, you'll usually need a premium (paid) subscription.

There exist a large number of cloud storage services, all of which make very similar promises, namely, that they'll store your data in the cloud, granting you access to it from anywhere. So, which factors help differentiate between the seemingly identical offers out there? Below, we summarized some of the most important aspects:

Now you know what to pay attention to when selecting a cloud storage service. In order to provide a bit more help, we wanted to introduce you to some of the best providers out there.

Google Drive is the cloud storage solution that comes conveniently integrated into every Google account. In other words, if you have one of these (and who doesn't these days?), you automatically get 15 GB of storage space.

You can access Google Drive through your Internet browser or its Windows, macOS, or Linux clients. Apps for Android and iOS are also available.

User-friendliness is at the heart of all Google services, and Drive is no exception. Everything can be done within your browser, and the service's interface is designed to be accessible, even for those lacking in technical know-how. The service also impresses owing to its comprehensive collaboration features. Rounding things out, its 15 GB of free storage space is particularly generous when compared to what its competitors put on the table.

Drive is a great option for anyone who already has a Google account (such as a Gmail account or if you have an Android smartphone).

The service is also excellent for collaboration with other users since it makes it possible to work on documents or slides together in real-time. As a result, you won't need to send files back and forth via email. The permissions feature is also very useful, allowing you to specify access rights and privileges for files or folders that you share.

Google Drive doesn't offer end-to-end encryption. In addition, by default, Google's servers are located in the US and it's only possible to specify where you'd like your data to be saved if you pay for an Enterprise subscription to Google Workspace.

When it comes to data privacy, Google also has a few disadvantages: The platform reserves the right to automatically scan stored files (purportedly, in order to enhance user-friendliness).

In order to exceed the free 15 GB, you'll need a Google One subscription. This can be booked on either a monthly or (discounted) yearly basis. Below, we've summarized prices for the latter:

Enterprise plans are offered through Google Workspace. With this, the monthly cost (per user) is determined based on factors such as your company's size and the amount of storage space needed:

For larger businesses, customized options are offered, however, you'll need to contact Google's sales team for further information about these.

On pCloud security and data privacy are prioritized over collaboration. For example, when registering, the Swiss provider allows you to choose whether your data should be saved in the US or the EU. After that, you can access files either from your browser, desktop, or smartphone app.

pCloud doesn't cut any corners when it comes to security: End-to-end encryption is available (albeit for an extra fee), and the provider embraces the zero-knowledge principle: Neither they nor third parties (such as government authorities) can access your files.

Also interesting: Alongside regular subscriptions, pCloud also offers a lifetime package. You'll pay a fixed price once, and be able to use its cloud storage forever. Complementing this, the price-performance ratio is very good.

The service is geared most towards users who want to store files in the cloud, but who are willing to forego collaborative office suites. The lifetime package makes pCloud a good investment if you're planning to use cloud storage indefinitely.

If you'd like to work on documents with friends or colleagues, pCloud might not be the best option. In addition, it isn't as intuitive to use as its competitors.

Annual or lifetime subscriptions are available. Below, we've summarized the rates:

And below, the lifetime subscription:

Family and Business plans are also offered.

Like pCloud, Tresorit is also based in Switzerland and emphasizes security. Thanks to its provision of end-to-end encryption and adherence to the zero-knowledge principle, Tresorit does its utmost to ensure that sensitive data and information are protected to the highest standards possible.

In order to use Tresorit, you'll need to install the service's desktop app. However, you can access your files via your browser or smartphone. Apps are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.

Tresorit made a good impression owing to its end-to-end encryption and secure file transfers. Because of its adherence to the zero-knowledge principle, the service won't keep a key to your files. Generally speaking, when compared to other services, the security standards which Tresorit provides are a step above: You can specify expiration dates for share links, limit download rights, and customize edit privileges for files.

Tresorit is a good choice for security-minded businesses and individuals who want to save their sensitive data to the cloud and share it with others.

The provider offers relatively little storage space at a comparatively high price. You'll also need to make do without office features such as those which come standard with Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive. Collaboration is possible through document sharing, however, it's not the service's primary focus, and it shows.

Tresorit's subscriptions don't only differ in terms of their storage capacity and price, but also, in the features that they include. The Personal plan for individuals lacks some security features, such as the ability to prohibit the download and/or printing of files, while also not including the Tresorit Email Encryption add-on.

Below, we've summarized the service's individual plans (monthly price, billed annually):

And here are the rates for businesses (monthly price, billed annually):

luckycloud markets itself as "the most secure cloud storage in Germany". The sync and share platform is geared toward both individuals as well as business users. Both German Railways (Deutsche Bahn), as well as the German Red Cross, trust the provider with their data.

The service offers top-notch security standards, including end-to-end encryption. Thanks to cross-platform synchronization, it's also great for digital collaboration. Synchronization clients are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, as are iOS and Android smartphone apps.

luckycloud only stores data in Germany. As such, you won't need to worry about where your files are. They also offer end-to-end encryption by default, guaranteeing a top level of security. The ability to tailor your luckycloud subscription exactly to your needs and preferences, in terms of the number of users and amount of storage capacity, is also a nice touch.

If you want cloud storage based in Germany that adheres to stringent security standards, luckycloud might be your ticket. Its customizable subscription plans offer an alternative to the rigid options most of the other services from our selection.

Unfortunately, no free version of luckycloud is available: You can try the platform out with a demo account. In addition, storage space is fairly expensive.

luckycloud offers individual and business plans, either of which can be freely customized. Individual subscriptions vary in price according to the amount of storage required. Below, we've included a few examples (monthly price, billed annually):

There are also three different business subscriptions, which vary in terms of the features they offer. These are charged per user, meaning that the price goes up based on the number of people and the amount of storage capacity you specify:

With Microsoft's OneDrive we return to all-in-one office solutions. If you're using a Windows device, OneDrive will likely already be installed on your system. As part of a Microsoft 365 subscription, you can take advantage of classics like Word and Powerpoint, while also being able to collaborate on files for these in the cloud.

The Files On-Demand feature is particularly convenient, ensuring that files are only saved to the cloud and don't take up space on your device. Sensitive or very important files can be given additional security by storing them in a personal vault. For many users, the close connections to other Microsoft solutions are certainly another major advantage.

First and foremost, the service is geared towards Windows users, since it comes installed on all devices running the operating system. If you already use Microsoft Office, you can easily collaborate with others through the cloud with OneDrive.

You'll need to make do without end-to-end encryption. From a data privacy perspective, the service raises concerns similar to those of Google Drive: Microsoft can scan your files and does not adhere to the zero-knowledge principle.

Beyond that, Microsoft is somewhat less generous than Google, only offering 5 GB of free storage. We also found Google's approach to online collaboration more intuitive, and to be less buggy.

Like most of the services on this list, Microsoft also differentiates between individuals (for home) and business users when it comes to subscriptions. OneDrive can be booked as a standalone product or as part of a Microsoft 365 subscription.

Below, we've summarized the rates for individual users:

And here are Microsoft's business rates:

MEGA, hailing from New Zealand, has a slightly tarnished reputation. It (and its more notorious predecessor, Megaupload) were most well-known for illegal filesharing.

You might have even heard of the company's founder, Kim Dotcom, who the US government has issued an extradition order for owing to copyright infringement, wire fraud, and a host of other charges. However, since 2015, MEGA has severed ties with Dotcom and nowadays operates as a regular cloud storage service.

Among other reasons, MEGA is particularly beloved since it's very generous, offering users 20 GB of free storage space (in the past, this was a whopping 50 GB).

MEGA offers high security standards and end-to-end encryption, not only for files but also chats and calls. In addition, the service comes integrated with some nifty collaboration features: Teams can securely chat in their browser through the MEGA mobile app. End-to-end encrypted files and folders can be shared with non-users, without requiring them to register. Rounding out the positives is that MEGA's user interface is straightforward and intuitive to use.

MEGA is a good choice if you want lots of online storage space without having to pay for it. Thanks to its impressive security standards and encrypted communication tools, MEGA is ideal for sharing sensitive data and discussing it.

MEGA has already more than halved the amount of free storage space it offers for free, and we don't see any reason why they wouldn't repeat this trick again. In addition, the service's premium subscriptions can quickly become expensive. Further adding to its disadvantages, the platform is not suitable for real-time office collaboration.

Like the other services on this list, MEGA subscriptions are offered for both individuals and teams; you'll pay the least if booking an annual subscription.

The rates for individual users are provided below:

MEGA also has business plans which can be customized to your needs, both in terms of the number of users and the amount of storage capacity. Broadly speaking, you can expect to pay slightly more than $15 per month, per user with a business plan.

Dropbox was one of the first cloud storage providers on the market, stepping onto the world stage in 2007. When measured by the number of users, Dropbox remains among the most popular services out there.

Although it's still convenient and a favorite among individual users, Dropbox has shifted its focus in recent years toward businesses and teams. This means that the service offers lots of collaboration features and nifty integrations, thanks to tools like Slack, Salesforce, and Zapier.

Dropbox is available for macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS.

Dropbox continues to maintain its reputation as a solid cloud storage service offering a comprehensive range of impressive features. Like Google, almost everyone has certainly used the platform before, since it makes sharing content easy. Its assortment of extensions and integrations makes the service equally appealing to businesses. Sweetening the pot further are the numerous sharing options and attractive prices.

In case you're looking for a solid all-arounder for storing and sharing files, Dropbox is a good choice.

End-to-end encryption is not offered on Dropbox by default. For private users, files are always saved in the US. In addition, free storage is limited to a meager 2 GB. If you'd like to collaborate in real-time using Google or Microsoft, either of these service's cloud storage solutions is easier to work with.

Dropbox's rates correlate to how much storage space, the number of users, and the variety of features a package includes. In the next section, we've summarized these (price per month, billed annually):

Beyond that, Dropbox also offers custom Enterprise packages for larger companies.

Sharing data via email or passing a USB stick around is as dated as making a call from a phone box or renting a video cassette: Cloud storage ensures that you can access your most important files anywhere, and work on them with team members in real-time.

These days, you'll be able to choose between a number of different cloud services, all of which have advantages and disadvantages. Some concentrate on security (i.e. pCloud, Tresorit, luckycloud), while others emphasize collaboration (Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive). Several are basically free (depending on how much storage you need), but others only offer demos or trials. Our Top 7 presents a sampling of several different types of cloud storage services that we found to excel in most areas, however, there are other services that didn't make the cut.

Or maybe you'd like to protect your files in the cloud against hackers or data loss? If that's the case, cloud backup solutions are a better choice. In our comprehensive review, we compared 7 of the most popular cloud backup services.