Factors To Consider When Choosing A Cloud Storage Solution
Consider the following factors when you choose a cloud storage solution:
- You need an intuitive solution.
- The provider should offer a robust online storage solution.
- You should be able to upload files easily and access them later.
- You need a solution with excellent client-side apps as well as an easy-to-use web interface.
- Look for collaboration tools.
- The cloud storage provider should offer file-versioning solutions.
- Look for robust security features like encryption, two-factor authentication, etc.
- You should be able to use the cloud storage solution even if you have temporary bandwidth challenges or an unstable Internet connection.
- Look for compatibility, robust customer support, and reasonable pricing plans.
What Is The Top Recommended Cloud Storage For Business Use
The top recommended cloud storage platform for business use is Sync. Syncâs impressive upload and download speeds, security protocols, and out-of-box features make it perfect for small startups to large corporations. Even the free plan includes zero-knowledge privacy, proving the companyâs dedication to security.
The 5 Best Cloud Storage Services With Unlimited Storage
When we say unlimited, we mean it in the fullest sense of the word. The main difference is that most of the providers below are regular storage, while one is an online backup provider. With all of this in mind, lets get started with our number one pick.
More Details About Sync.com:
- Slower than competitors
- Minimum of two users per subscription
Sync.com has long been Cloudwards top choice for cloud storage in general, and with the addition of its unlimited plan in 2021, it should come as no surprise that its been catapulted to the top of this list as well. The service features excellent security and privacy, as well as extensive file-sharing functionality and one of the best versioning policies in the business.
Its not entirely without its flaws, as upload and download times are a bit slower than some of its competition, but this is a small price to pay for everything else Sync.com has to offer its users.
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Transition To Your New Storage Solution
To transition to your new tool, identify the files you need to transfer and follow the developers instructions to take them online.
For best results, make sure you:
- Transfer your files from a location with a reliable internet connection
- Monitor your device throughout the transfer process
- Name your files appropriately so you can find them
- Organize your files as you go
- Only delete the local version of each file after youve completed the transfer
If you have a lot of files to transfer or slow internet, you can upload files in small chunks.
Security & Collaboration In One Package
To start with, Sync.com comes with zero-knowledge encryption as standard. This means that if there was a security breach or the authorities demanded access to your account, the intruder would only see scrambled data because youre the only one holding the encryption key.
To add to this, Sync.com offers advanced sharing controls, including passwords, download limits and expiry dates for sharing links. Plus, Sync.com allows you to create and edit Microsoft Office documents in a privacy-friendly collaboration environment, without breaking zero-knowledge encryption.
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Task Management & Note
An unusual feature of OpenDrive is that it also offers task management features and a note-taking app. Although these cant compete with dedicated software like monday.com or Evernote , theyre still nifty additions that are nothing to scoff at.
Probably the best thing about OpenDrive is its price. The Personal Unlimited plan is pretty cheap, at just $9.95 per user per month. Additionally, unlike the unlimited business plans weve seen so far, it doesnt have a minimum number of users, meaning its a good choice if you dont have anyone to split the bill with. If all this sounds interesting, read more about it in our OpenDrive review.
Free
- Flawed zero-knowledge encryption
- Doesnt offer users much control
Since unlimited storage space is relatively rare among proper cloud storage services, were rounding out this list with a backup provider .
Because its a backup provider rather than a cloud storage service, Backblaze doesnt offer anywhere near the number of features that the other entries on this list do, with things like file syncing, the ability to share files and collaboration features entirely absent. That said, if all you want is a way to store unlimited files on the cloud, Backblaze lets you do that for an incredibly low price.
Who Are The Top Data Storage Companies In The World
All-Flash Upstart Storage Companies 1 Pure Storage. The company made a name for itself by being an all-flash purist, no spinning platters here. 2 Violin Systems. Violin Memory, now Violin Systems, is another vendor that made an early bet on all-flash in the data center. 3 Tegile. 4 Kaminario.
Which is the best storage company for your home?
The company has more than 1,000,000 storage units at nearly 2,000 locations. With Extra Space Storage, you get not only the best company but also nationwide availability. Easy access means you dont have to move all at onceespecially if you find a storage facility near your home.
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Zoolz Large Cloud Storage
A UK-based company, Zoolz is a simple to use cloud storage thats perfect if you need a lot of storage. This makes it more suited to businesses, although the amount of storage you have is highly tailorable to your needs.
With Zoolz, you can access a 100TB package, which isnt as much as NETDepot but is still a large amount of storage.
However, be aware that the interface is very minimal and doesnt always function as youd expect. Some users have also reported that the speed of downloads is relatively slow and the mobile apps also offered from the company dont always work well alongside the main Zoolz data storage platform.
Best For Microsoft Users: Merges Your Windows Desktop And The Cloud
Free storage: OneDrive comes with 5GB of free storage
OneDrive is baked into Windows, and they’re delicious together. As far as a Windows user is concerned, OneDrive is just another directory in the File Explorer — talk about easy. Anyone can use it on the web, with a desktop app for Mac and earlier versions of Windows, and with OneDrive apps for Android, iOS, Windows Phone, and Xbox. Yes, Xbox.
Linux? No, not yet. The InSync client, which I’ve long recommended for Google Drive, also works with OneDrive. This program costs $29.99 for an individual lifetime subscription and $49.99 for a team license.
Microsoft OneDrive’s real selling point — besides working hand-in-glove with Windows — is it integrates perfectly with Microsoft Office programs. With Microsoft 365, you can also collaborate with others in documents and spreadsheets in real-time with your partners.
OneDrive comes with 5GB of free storage. Microsoft 365 users get an extra terabyte per user starting with the $6-per-month subscription. This plan maxes out at six people or 6TB of storage. Microsoft 365 Business Standard users, who get access to the full online versions of Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, at $12.50 per user per month with an annual subscription. If all you need is additional storage, you can add 200GB for $1.99 a month.
If you’re already a Microsoft 365 user, this is a no-brainer. OneDrive is perfect for anyone who uses Windows and Microsoft Office every day.
Pros:
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Cloud Storage: Terms To Know
Cloud: This refers to software and services that are stored on the internet, instead of locally on your computer or phone. The cloud allows you to access your files anywhere with an internet connection.
Data center: Even though your files are stored in the cloud, there is still physical hardware involved. The company that you’ve purchased cloud storage from — like Google or Apple — will have actual servers where customer information lives.
Terabyte: A terabyte is a unit of measurement for digital data. One terabyte equals about 1,000 GB.
Which cloud storage service is right for you?
The Best And Cheapest Cloud Storage For Your Files
Now you know what the cheapest cloud storage provider is at every tier. Whether you’re just looking for some extra space in the cloud or need a huge amount of affordable cloud storage, you can find the right service for your needs.
While we mainly focused on price here, it’s important to consider the ease of use, feature set, and integration of your cloud storage service as well. It might be worth paying a few extra dollars per month for those benefits, compared to a service that doesn’t fit in your workflow as smoothly.
Don’t forget about other options for storage, either. Buying a NAS unit to build your own local network storage solution could work out to a lower cost than paying for cloud storage, especially in the long run.
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Idrive: Cheapest Cloud Storage
Extremely Cheap With Decent Service Quality
- Allows users to set weak account passwords
- Not the best speeds for UK users
Features
IDrive is a very highly rated online cloud storage solution. It does pretty much everything you would want a cloud storage provider.
Its priced relatively cheap when compared with the others. And fast, with decent security and some pretty interesting features that we will take a look into below.
Backup unlimited devices
One of the main selling points: backup unlimited devices to a single account. If you have a lot of different devices, backup all of your files directly to iDrive.
You can even back up your external hard drives.
IDrive Express
An excellent feature for those who to need to upload lots of information quickly. It can be a big hassle to upload things manually. If you have 1TB+ of data to upload it can take a long time. Slowing down your PC, consuming your data and your whole load bandwidth.
IDrive solves this issue. When you opt for this feature, you will receive a physical storage device in the post. Simply transfer to the device and send it back in the prepaid package.
All your data will be transferred by the IDrive team, saving you on your valuable bandwidth.
Online File Sync
Handy little feature that works very well when using multiple devices. It allows users to have a special folder. Youll see these on your devices. The content will automatically be uploaded to your IDrive account.
True Archiving
Price
Speed
Is Cloud Storage Safe
Most cloud storage services encrypt your data when its being sent to their servers and many store your data in encrypted form. However, no system is completely secure, and cloud storage servers can be hacked.
For instance, Dropbox suffered a major breach in 2012, when 68 million passwords were leaked. Government authorities may also request to access your data for legal reasons. You can help to keep your data more secure by using a service with zero-knowledge encryption, which means that the only person who can decrypt your data is you.
We also recommend setting up two-factor authentication with cloud storage services. This requires you to use an additional code when you log in, which is either sent to your phone as an SMS message or generated by an authenticator app. Even if someone has your password, 2FA means they cant log in to your account without access to your phone, too.
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Best Private Cloud Storage Services
Your online privacy is more important than ever. Protect yourself by using the best private cloud storage services today.
Is your data stored safely?
Safe data storage doesnt just mean keeping hacks to a minimum. It also means data that you can access with ease, wont lose due to computer failures, and can share without risk.
For this, theres no better alternative than private cloud storage. Easy to use and with plenty of options out there to cater to your needs, its a no-brainer to jump on-board the cloud train!
To help you find the option thats right for you, here are the top private cloud storage services.
Best For Productivity: Cloud Storage And A Document Work
Free storage: Box starts out with a free cloud storage account and 10GB of storage
Like most cloud storage services, Box has clients for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android. It also supports Blackberry. It, however, doesn’t support Linux. There is a third-party program, ExpanDrive, which enables Linux users to work with Box.
For $10 a month, the Box Starter Plan lets you upload files up to 2GB and provides you with 100GB of space. But while Box is a fine cloud storage service, where it really shines is as a groupware or workflow application. Used that way, it enables you to share files with colleagues, assign tasks, leave comments on someone’s work, and get notifications when a file changes. It’s integrated with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365.
The Box Business Plan for small and medium-sized businesses starter package begins at $5 a month for up to three users with 100GB of storage. The next step up in business plans is $15 a month for three users and unlimited — yes — unlimited storage.
Again, Box’s real selling point is its combination of storage and office software.
Pros:
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An Impossibly Fast Cloud Storage Service
Cloudwards has done comprehensive speed tests of all the major cloud storage providers, and Dropbox blows all the competition out of the water in this regard. In fact, its faster than should even be theoretically possible, given the amount of data and the connection speed used.
Were not quite sure how it accomplishes this . The end result is that its one of the fastest cloud storage services, thanks to incredibly fast uploads and downloads.
Theres no way around it: Dropbox is expensive. At first glance, $20 per month seems very reasonable, but a three-user minimum shoots this price up to a whopping $60 per month, meaning itll cost you more than any other service on this list.
Standard
- Zero-knowledge costs extra
Box is aimed exclusively at business clients, which is probably why its the only service on this list that offers unlimited file storage on every single one of its plans. Aside from that, it has one of the longest lists of app integrations on the market , and also boasts strong security and a very pleasant user experience.
The big caveat to Boxs unlimited cloud storage is that youre limited by file size. The cheapest plan will only let you upload files of up to 5GB, with the next tier limiting you to 15GB.
The Enterprise plan comes with a 50GB file size limit, and theres also the Enterprise Plus plan, which lets you go up to 150GB. Like most enterprise plans, that ones only available upon request.
Best Cloud Storage Service Overall
Free storage: iDrive starts its offers with 5GB for free
iDrive is for everyone who wants a cloud backup and cloud storage in an all-in-one. Its main job is backing up small businesses, but it also works well for personal cloud storage and file sharing.
Unlike many other cloud backup services, iDrive doesn’t lock you down to a single computer. You can use one account to backup your Windows and macOS desktops, your Android smartphone and iPhones and tablets, and your network drives. There’s also a Linux backup option, but it’s meant for Linux servers. There is no desktop Linux storage client. Darn it! You can, however, use its web interface for manually uploading files.
For now, iDrive has a killer deal. It’s the most storage for the least amount of money you’ll find today. They’re offering 10 Terabytes — no, that’s not a typo, terabytes — for $3.98 a year. Even its usual price, $74.62 for 10TB for the first year, is good. I use it to back up my massive media library of 1930s and ’40s movies.
Normally, iDrive starts its offers with 5GB for free. That’s okay, but if you want to make the most of it for backup, the real deal is in its Personal iDrive offerings. These start at $59.62 for 5TB for a year or an even better deal of $74.62 for 10TB annually per user. There are also business packages with unlimited users, but the price goes up for less storage. For example, the company will charge you $74.62 for 5TB of storage that you can share between 5 users.
Pros:
Cons:
Pros:
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What Is The Best Cloud Storage Service For Personal Use
We believe the best cloud storage for personal use is pCloud. The platform allows you to pay up front for a lifetime storage supply, so you’ll never have to worry about monthly payments or subscriptions again. The plans are affordable, packed with features, and include iron-clad security measures across all levels, regardless of price.
One Of The Best Cloud Storage Services For Collaboration
One of the reasons why Dropbox is still so popular is the excellent collaboration it offers, which is why Dropbox Business is one of our top recommendations in our cloud storage for collaboration shortlist.
You can launch and collaborate on both Microsoft and Google documents with Dropbox, making it a good solution for users who need to use both services. Both formats work seamlessly, allowing you to co-author documents in real time, which are then automatically saved to the cloud.
The excellent collaboration tools come at a cost in two ways. First off, this integration is only possible because Dropboxs servers can access your files, due to the lack of zero-knowledge encryption. Dropbox has had security breaches in the past, which we discuss in our Dropbox review. This could be a red flag for some users, and for good reason.
Dropbox is also more expensive than some of the other providers in this list, with 2TB of storage costing $9.99 per month if you pay annually. If youre looking for information on Dropboxs business storage plans that are paid per user, you can find out more in our Dropbox Business review.
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