If you are running low on storage space on your device or looking to backup your important data, it is always a good idea to store your data on a free cloud storage platform. The only requirement is that you have a stable internet connection and a basic understanding of online storage platforms.
When it comes to storing your data on the cloud, the only concern for many of us is the recurring price which will have to be paid to the platform for using their system. Well, why pay a price when you can take advantage of free cloud storage?
Ideally we would love to have an unlimited amount of free cloud storage but only a few reputable storage space providers will have this option.
This article discusses 5 cloud storage providers that offer free plans. Furthermore, we will examine each of the cloud service providers in more detail so that you can make an informed decision regarding which cloud provider is right for you.
Note: Cloud storage is different from cloud backup. You can check the difference between cloud storage, cloud backup and cloud sync here.
Table of contents
5 Awesome Free Cloud Storage Services
pCloud
pCloud is a renowned storage provider. pCloud is an all-rounder storage providing platform that offers decent free storage capacity along with premium security and flawless playback options for all sorts of media content. The platform has a remarkable fanbase due to the useful features that it provides to its users.
When you create an account pCloud, it will offer you a basic 2GB storage plan for free that you can turn into 10GB by doing minor additional tasks like referring pCloud to your friends. You can use this space to store your photos, videos, documents, or any other valuable digital data.
pCloud has the title of the “best free cloud storage provider for videos”. In addition to providing free cloud storage for up to 10GB, pCloud offers you an HD media player that you can use to browse the video content that you have stored online. Hence, you can view your favorite videos online in HD quality without any issues. The media player is also exceptional when it comes to playing audio files.
Pricing
pCloud’s storage plan does not provide password protection or zero-knowledge encryption for your files in the free plan. However, you can always upgrade to the premium plan offered by pCloud starting at $4.99 per month for added benefits. With this plan, you can get either 2TB or 500GB of storage space along with an extra layer of security and other useful features that the provider does not offer in the free plan.
Pros
- Up to 10GB of cloud storage free of cost
- Exceptional built-in media player
- Easy to set up
- Easily share files with others
Cons
- For file encryption, you have to purchase the premium plan
- There can be issues with syncing files sometimes
Icedrive
A new yet excellent storage provider, Icedrive, offers around 10 gigs of free data storage to its customers upon signing up. Icedrive offers premium privacy and security, which is usually the concern of users looking for cloud storage options. The platform runs at a smooth pace and has a decent yet convenient interface. In addition to the 10GB free storage plan, Icedrive also offers premium lifetime storage plans.
If privacy and security are your main concerns, Icedrive is the option that you should go for in terms of free cloud storage. This cloud storage platform offers both zero-knowledge encryption and encryption through the Twofish protocol. This sort of encryption means that no one will be able to access your files other than you.
You can conveniently sync files between various devices and also share them with your friends or colleagues through Icedrive. Icedrive also offers you transparency to a good extent and you can download all of the data that you have stored on the platform without any hassle.
A con of Icedrive is that it has relatively fewer features compared to its competitors like pCloud or Sync. Some common cloud storage functions like collaboration tools and block-level syncing are missing in Icedrive. However, it’s still great in terms of data protection and data access.
Upon signing up, you will receive a total of 10GB of free cloud storage space that you can use to store your photos, videos, documents, or any other content valuable to you. If you are looking for more space, you can go for paid plans offered by Icedrive. These plans are quite reasonable and worth the price.
Plans
Icedrive is currently offering three paid plans. The first plan can get you 150GB of storage space and will cost you $19.99 per year. If you go for the second plan that offers 1TB of cloud storage space, you will have to pay $4.99 monthly or $49.99 per year. The third plan by Icedrive will get you 5TB of cloud storage space at the cost of either $17.99 per month or $179.99 per year.
You can also buy the above-mentioned storage capacities for your lifetime for $59, $149, or $499 respectively. However, your monthly bandwidth will be limited depending upon the plan you purchase.
Pros
- 10GB free storage space
- Exceptional security features even in the free plan
- Quite reasonable prices
- Much convenient to use
- Offering lifetime plans
Cons
- Lacks some common features found in other such platforms
- Lifetime plans come with bandwidth limits
Sync
If you are looking for a cloud storage platform that offers some free storage space and also runs like a charm on your Android device, Sync is the solution. Sync is secure, easy to use, and has top-notch privacy features. Sync is no doubt one of the best cloud storage providers with no file size limits.
With the free plan, you will get around 5GB of free cloud storage space. This storage space is surely enough for you to test how good the service works and whether it appeals to you or not. However, once you start using this platform, you will surely opt for their paid plans of up to 500GB or 2TB storage starting from $60 per year. As there is no file size limit in Sync, you will find the platform hassle-free and a good option for storing your valuable files across the cloud.
As already mentioned, Sync is a great option for Android users. It has a decent easy-to-use application that you can download on your phone and start uploading your files to the cloud. It also has top-notch security features including zero-knowledge encryption, two-factor authentication, and AES 256 bit file encryption.
Some useful premium features of sync.com include password protection, remote file wiping, a month of file history, and also easy access to account logs.
Referral Program
If you do not want to go for a paid plan and yet want free storage capacity of more than 5GB, you can utilize the referral system offered by the company. For every 1 real person that you get to sign up to Sync.com, you will get 1GB of cloud storage for free. There is a cap at 20GB but you can email customer support and they will remove it. Hence, you can keep on enjoying free space through referrals which is surely a great option if you are not planning to spend any bucks on cloud storage.
Pros
- 5GB of free cloud storage upon signup
- Quite secure
- Great for Android users
- No file size limits
Cons
- Competitors are offering more free storage space
- Syncing can be slow sometimes
MEGA
MEGA surely has a compelling name but do not expect anything extraordinary from it. It does come with quite useful features with massive free cloud storage, however, it’s a bit expensive.
MEGA’s focus is on security. It offers end-to-end encryption to its users along with loads of free storage space. Upon joining the platform, you get a total of 50GB of free cloud storage but there are strings attached to this offer. The basic free cloud storage amount is 15GB. The extra 35GB that MEGA adds up to your free plan expires after 30 days.
In the past, users used to earn extra cloud storage space by typical means like referring users and installing applications. However, these offers are no longer valid and the only option to increase your storage capacity is to buy their paid plans. An offer of receiving a 20% commission for each referral is still on the table and you can avail of it anytime.
When your bonus allowances expire, your cloud storage will drop to the default 15GB plan and you will have to purchase a premium plan ranging between 200GB and 16TB to extend your cloud storage capacity.
MEGA is still a good option to go for due to its enticing features. You can get end-to-end encryption for your chats, integrated file recovery, and file versioning, even on the free plan. However, what you should keep in mind is that MEGA has expensive paid plans and also comes with limited bandwidth that can be disappointing for most users.
Encryption
With MEGA you can create your encryption key. Well, there is a good as well as a bad side to it. The good thing is that even MEGA employees won’t be able to access or view your data after you encrypt it with your key. The bad side is that if you lose this key, no one will be able to recover it for you and your data will be lost for good. Hence, if you think you can take care of your key, MEGA is the most secure option for your files on the cloud.
Pros
- 15GB free cloud storage (Up to 50GB but 35GB expires after a month)
- Strong privacy features
- Enticing features
- File versioning
Cons
- The free plan is confusing
- Does not have phone support or live chat
- Data can be lost if your private key is lost
Google Drive
Yes, renowned tech giant Google is also offering a cloud storage platform with a generous 15GB of free cloud storage upon signing up. Due to Google Drive’s flawless integration with Google Docs, it won’t be inaccurate to declare Google Drive as one of the best free cloud storage platforms.
The best thing about Google Drive is that many of you already have it. Yes, if you have a Google account to access your Gmail, the 15GB free cloud storage offered by Drive is already subscribed to you. All you have to do is open up Google Drive and upload your files to the cloud. If you do not have a Google account, you can simply sign up for one in a few minutes, free of cost.
Google Drive also stores all the documents that you create through Google Docs. Sharing anything that you have on your Google Drive is also quite convenient. All you have to do is a few clicks and you can share a file privately with as many people as you want.
Privacy concerns
However, you might be wondering why we have put Google Drive at the end of the list even after it is a product of a tech giant like Google that is ruling the IT industry. Well, there is a strong reason for it. Google Drive has some privacy concerns and privacy is what matters over the internet. Google scans your files without your permission and terminates your account if they do not find something that they like.
Also, if your primary focus is privacy and security, Google Drive is the last option that you should go for as it does not even include file encryption.
Pros
- Integrates with Google Docs without any hassle
- Convenient in terms of sharing files
- 15GB free cloud storage
- Has support for backup
Cons
- Lacks privacy
- Does not include encryption
- Paid plans are a bit expensive
Conclusion
Numerous free cloud storage platforms have their pros and cons. Choosing the right cloud storage platform can be confusing for people new to cloud storage technology. However, if the requirements in your mind are lucid, you can always opt for the free cloud storage platform that is right for you all in all. Remember, privacy should be your number one concern if you are planning to store your private files on the cloud so that you do not risk being exposed or leaked.
