Independently compared
Find the cloud that keeps your files safe.
Independent comparisons of the best cloud storage and backup services. Clear about the difference between sync and backup, honest about lifetime deals, and serious about encryption.
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pCloud
4.6Pay once, store forever. The lifetime plan that started it all.
No sponsored rankings. We may earn a commission via our links, at no extra cost to you.
The best cloud storage and backup services, ranked
Ranked on quality, ease of use and price.
- 4.5
From $5.80/mo
then $99.50/yr
- 4.4
From $9.99/mo
Free version available
- 4.5
From $8.25/mo
- 4.5
From $8/mo
Free version available
Sync is not backup
Cloud drives replicate your mistakes; real backup lets you go back in time. We are precise about which product does which.
Encryption checked
We tell you which providers hold your keys and which genuinely cannot read your files (zero-knowledge).
Lifetime deals examined
Pay once, store forever sounds magical. We do the math on when lifetime plans beat subscriptions, and when they are a trap.
No sponsored rankings
Affiliate links fund the site, but they never decide the order. Big tech options that pay us nothing are in the lineup too.
Compare the real price of every cloud storage service
Our live index ranks all 18 cloud storage and backup services by what they actually cost.
Compare pricesLowest prices
liveReviews
Our independent verdicts, dated and sourced.
pCloud AG
“The lifetime-deal king and a genuinely good cloud drive: fast sync, built-in media players, and Swiss-based infrastructure. The famous pay-once plans transform the economics if you keep them for years. Zero-knowledge encryption costs extra, which we wish were standard.”Editorial team, via BackupShortlist
IDrive Inc.
“The value champion of true backup: 5 TB for under $70 in year one, covering unlimited devices, with disk-image backup and even physical data shipment. The interface shows its age, but no one else does this much backup per dollar.”Editorial team, via BackupShortlist
Backblaze
“The simplest honest backup on the market: one computer, everything on it, unlimited data, set and forget. No storage math, no file picking. If decision fatigue is why you still have no backup, install Backblaze today and be done.”Editorial team, via BackupShortlist
Sync.com Inc.
“The encrypted all-rounder: zero-knowledge by default, generous versioning, fair prices, and none of the usual privacy tax on usability. For most people who want their files private without thinking about it, this is the one.”Editorial team, via BackupShortlist
Head-to-head
The comparisons people actually weigh, with a clear winner in each.
NordLocker vs Proton Drive
Proton Drive wins: a complete private cloud, end-to-end encrypted by default, from $4.99 a month for 200 GB. NordLocker remains a strong vault for a narrower job.
Sync.com vs Proton Drive
Two zero knowledge clouds that cannot read your files. One sells storage, the other sells a whole privacy suite.
pCloud vs Proton Drive
The highest score on this site against the privacy suite everyone has heard of. The yearly gap is $69.89.
pCloud vs Icedrive
Two providers that both sell lifetime plans. One has the higher score, the other the bigger drive for less money.
Proton Drive vs Tresorit
Two Swiss providers built for people who cannot afford a leak. One bundles a suite, the other sells compliance.
Proton Drive vs Dropbox
Privacy against convenience, at exactly the same price. This is the rare comparison where the money tells you nothing.
Knowledge base
Practical guides and explainers to help you pick the right cloud storage service.
NordLocker vs Proton Drive: which private cloud wins?
Two security brands, two answers: Proton replaces your cloud drive from $4.99 a month, NordLocker vaults your sensitive files from $2.99. Our verdict, with July 2026 prices.
Sync is not backup: the difference that costs people their files
A cloud drive mirrors your mistakes in seconds. Real backup lets you go back in time. Why you probably want one of each.
The 3-2-1 rule: the one backup strategy worth memorizing
Three copies, two media, one off-site. The full setup costs one drive plus about $10 a month, and covers every common failure mode.
Lifetime deals: bargain or bait?
pCloud and Internxt sell storage you pay for once. The break-even math, the longevity risk, and our buying rules.
Encrypted and private: the zero-knowledge providers compared
Sync.com, Proton Drive, Tresorit, MEGA, and friends: storage where nobody but you holds the keys.
True backup services: your files, with an undo button
Backblaze, IDrive, Carbonite, and Acronis compared on versions kept, restore quality, and price per terabyte.
Latest news
More newsWhat a terabyte costs in 2026: IDrive cheapest per TB, TeraBox biggest free tier
A running price comparison across providers puts IDrive around $2.00 per TB per month and TeraBox on top for raw free space at 1 TB (ad-supported and speed-capped), with MEGA at 20 GB as the largest no-strings free tier. Promotions shift these numbers weekly.
Cloudwards 2026 review: Proton Drive’s feature gap with big tech keeps shrinking
The independent testing outlet finds the Swiss privacy ecosystem maturing fast: better desktop apps and sharing, with end-to-end encryption still on by default.
World Backup Day 2026: one in five people still has no backup at all
The annual March 31 reminder did its rounds again. The pledge is thirty seconds; the 3-2-1 setup it asks for takes one evening and survives fires, theft, and ransomware.
Lifetime cloud storage compared: pCloud, Internxt, and Icedrive head-to-head
The pay-once segment keeps growing in 2026. A vendor’s own comparison, read it as such, but the price benchmarks per provider are usefully concrete.
How to choose cloud storage or backup
Run through these steps and you will know which service fits you within five minutes.
Frequently asked questions
The questions people ask most, answered short and straight.
What is the best cloud storage in 2026?
For most people: pCloud for general storage (with its famous lifetime plans), IDrive for true backup value (5 TB for under $100 a year), and Proton Drive or Sync.com if privacy is the priority. Backblaze remains the simplest unlimited computer backup. The big tech options (Google One, iCloud+, OneDrive) are fine for convenience but are sync services, not real backup.
What is the difference between cloud storage and cloud backup?
Cloud storage (Dropbox, Google Drive, pCloud) syncs a folder across devices: delete or encrypt a file on one device and the damage syncs everywhere. Cloud backup (Backblaze, IDrive, Carbonite) automatically copies everything and keeps old versions, so you can go back to before the mistake or the ransomware. Many people need one of each.
Are lifetime cloud storage deals worth it?
Often yes, with eyes open. pCloud and Internxt sell lifetime plans that pay for themselves in two to four years against subscriptions. The risks: the company must outlive your files, "lifetime" means the service’s lifetime, and your storage need keeps growing while the plan does not. Buy lifetime from established providers only, and never as your only copy.
What is zero-knowledge encryption?
It means the provider encrypts your files with keys only you hold: they cannot read your data, hand it to anyone, or reset your password if you lose it. Proton Drive, Sync.com, Tresorit, Internxt, Filen, and MEGA work this way by default; pCloud and Icedrive sell it as an add-on or for a special folder; Google, Microsoft, Apple (by default), and Dropbox do not.
Does cloud storage protect against ransomware?
Only partly. A synced drive will happily sync the encrypted versions of your files, destroying the cloud copy too. What protects you is version history and point-in-time restore: true backup services keep 30+ days of versions, and CISA’s ransomware guidance recommends exactly that plus an offline copy. Check the version-retention period before you trust any provider with this job.
How is this site funded?
When you sign up through one of our links, we may earn a commission. It costs you nothing extra and never affects which services we recommend. Several products in the lineup, like iCloud+ and Google One, pay us nothing at all.
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