Individuals, families, businesses, and organizations that need to safeguard electronic data require a dedicated cloud storage service. The benefit of secure cloud storage is that all your data is stored across several servers, ensuring that it will not be affected even if one or two servers suffer from data loss. This redundancy makes dedicated cloud storage services necessary for millions of clients whose lifeline is their data.
So why get a cloud storage service? Aside from data loss protection through redundancy of servers or data centers, you can enjoy top-tier data encryption, protection against malware and hackers, and easy file sharing and access across multiple users. Most service providers have robust security and accessibility features to satisfy their clients' needs.
Investing in a secure cloud storage service is also cost-efficient in the long run since you can save money compared to onsite data storage and workforce expenses. You also get to choose the storage amount and duration you need to store your data through subscription-based plans.
Best Cloud Storage Services
Not all service providers offer the same features and benefits, and clients have unique requirements for securing and storing their data. Here is our list of the Top 5 Best Cloud Storage Services for 2023 according to their strongest feature:
No.1 pCloud
Best Cloud Storage for Lifetime Subscription
Pros: Top-level security, lifetime coverage
Cons: Can be pricey to some
pCloud offers the best lifetime subscription rates and benefits among competing cloud storage service providers.
Its users enjoy top-level security, file management features, multi-platform backup support, collaboration tools, and media and usability features.
Its Premium Lifetime Plan only costs $199 and comes with 500 GB storage and 500 GB shared link traffic.
Meanwhile, pCloud's Premium Plus Lifetime Plan costs $399, with 2 TB of storage allocation and 2 TB of shared link traffic.
Finally, its Custom Lifetime Plan costs $1,190 and comes with 10 TB of massive storage and 2 TB of shared link traffic access.
Individual users who prefer annual subscriptions may opt for pCloud's Premium Annual Plan for $49.99 with 500 GB of storage and 500 GB of shared link traffic.
The Premium Plus Annual Plan for $99.99 comes with 2 TB of storage allocation and 2 TB of shared link traffic access.
pCloud also has two-lifetime plans for families: the 2 TB pCloud for Family Lifetime Plan costs $595 with 2 TB of storage, 2 TB of shared link traffic, 30 days of trash history, and access for up to 5 users. They also have an upgraded plan, the 10 TB pCloud for Family, with 10 TB of storage, 10 TB of shared link access, 30 days of trash history, and access for up to 5 users for just $1,499.
Aside from these benefits, pCoud's subscription plans include pCloud for Business, starting at $7.99 yearly and $9.99 monthly for each user. This comes with 1 TB storage per user, pCloud Encryption, teams and access control, secure file sharing, 180 days of file versioning, and 3+ users.
Meanwhile, the Business Pro subscription plan costs $15.98 yearly and $19.98 monthly for each user. It comes with unlimited storage, pCloud Encryption, priority support, 180 days of file versioning, secure file sharing, and teams and access control for 3+ users.
Overall, pCloud is a feature-packed, secure cloud storage service that users can enjoy for the best prices possible.
No.2 Dropbox
Best Cloud Storage for Third-party Integrations
Pros: Multi-platform usability, simple to use
Cons: Can be pricey to some
For many years, Dropbox has been among the most widely recognized and heavily used cloud storage options. This is hardly surprising, given its user-friendliness and capability to be used across many platforms.
Dropbox is accessible via Mac, Linux, and Windows desktop operating systems, as well as Android, iOS, and Kindle Fire mobile applications. This cloud storage service also allows users to seamlessly integrate with third-party productivity tools such as Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace, Canvas, Asana, Microsoft Office, Trello, And Adobe Creative Cloud.
Dropbox offers several subscription plans, such as Dropbox Plus ($11.99/month for a monthly subscription and $9.99/month for a yearly subscription), Dropbox Family ($19.99/month for its monthly subscription and $16.99/month for a yearly subscription), and Dropbox Professional ($19.99/month for the monthly subscription and 16.58/month for the yearly subscription). There is no lifetime subscription plan, unlike pCloud, so some users think Dropbox's subscription plans can be pricey.
No.3 iDrive
Best Cloud Storage for the Limited Budget
Pros: Most competitive pricing per GB, great for multi-device backups/storage
Cons: No native Linux OS support, slow downloads, no two-factor authentication
iDrive is considered the best option for users on a budget but still want to enjoy cloud storage service with many features. This service provider allows users to back up multiple devices into one account, whether they are running on Android or iOS, PC, or Mac. iDrive is the storage option for many small businesses and individual users who want the biggest storage allocation for the lowest price.
iDrive offers several affordable subscription plans, starting with the iDrive Mini Plan at $2.95 per year for 100 GB of storage and $9.95 per year for 500 GB of storage, both for one user only.
Meanwhile, the iDrive Personal starts at $59.62 for 1 year and $119.25 for 2 years (with 5 TB of storage). Users may opt for higher storage:
$74.62 for 1 year and $149.25 for 2 years (with 10 TB of storage)
$149.62 for 1 year and $299.25 for 2 years (with 20 TB of storage)
$374.62 for 1 year and $749.25 for 2 years (with 50 TB of storage)
There are monthly subscription plans for those on a budget, beginning at $7.95 per month (with 5 TB of storage) for a single user and multiple devices.
Unfortunately, iDrive also comes with several issues, including a lack of native Linux support and two-factor authentication and slow download speeds.
No.4 Box
Best Cloud Storage for Productivity
Pros: Multi-platform support, affordable plaid plans
Cons: Can be confusing to desktop clients
Box supports iOS and Android, as well as Windows and Mac, but without native support for Linux OS, so users need to use the third-party program ExpanDrive to use Box with their Linux OS.
The service provider's strongest suit lies in its seamless collaboration features, which allow customers, vendors, partners, and teams to work together on projects. Box also features a simplified workflow that enables users to finish complex tasks more quickly.
There is also an option to easily integrate Box with more than 1,500 apps, including Slack, Zoom, Skype, and Microsoft Teams. Users can migrate their content to the cloud effortlessly and securely with Box Shuttle. They can also monitor and control content with Box's intelligent reporting and monitoring tools.
Box does not scrimp on security features, as it offers smart threat detection, top-notch security controls, and comprehensive information governance to safeguard user data.
No.5 Sync
Best Cloud Storage for Businesses
Pros: Cost-effective, business-friendly, plenty of collaboration tools
Cons: Less than stellar download and upload speeds
Sync has plenty of business-friendly features, making it the top option for entrepreneurs looking for secure cloud storage services. As a business-centric service provider, Sync packs collaboration features that ensure smooth workflow, optimum collaboration, and effortless third-party integration.
Sync allows users to collaborate on projects and access files within a secure digital ecosystem. It can be quickly integrated with Mac and Windows desktops, Android and iOS devices, and Microsoft Office 365 web, mobile, and desktop applications. Users can also sync and access their files from anywhere, as well as its full suite of collaboration features offline.
Sync is also big on security and has some of the best data protection measures among all cloud storage service providers. Administrators can easily manage file permissions to avoid accidental data leaks or unauthorized access. Users can also archive their files through Sync Vault to safeguard their data for years. It has native protection features against data loss caused by human errors, ransomware attacks, and hardware failure.
Additionally, Sync has real-time and centralized data backups, so recovering and restoring deleted files is a breeze. Moreover, Sync's privacy protection features involve enterprise-grade certification and infrastructure, effectively guaranteeing utmost data privacy and security.
The Bottom Line on Cloud Storage Services
No cloud storage service can provide everything a client could want. However, users may look for commonsensical features when considering which secure cloud storage service provider to get.
These features include the option for a lifetime subscription and excellent third-party integration and data protection through top-level security features. Your choice should also have built-in file management features, backup support for multiple platforms, essential collaboration tools, and media and usability features.
When you find these features in a single cloud storage service provider, then you're sure to get the best value for your money.
