There are many different types of cloud storage services available, and the best one for you will depend on your specific needs. In this guide, I ranked and reviewed the 7 best cloud storage, along with my top 4 choices, so that you can pick the best one.
The 7 best cloud storage are Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, Box, NextCloud Hub, Sync.com, and iDrive.
It’s important to consider which features are most important to you when choosing the best cloud storage. The most crucial factors to take into account when going through this challenging process are capacity, security, and reliability in addition to the license fee.
What is Cloud Storage?
Cloud storage is a service that allows you to store your most important digital data such as photos, videos, presentations, and other files on remote servers. These services are managed by a cloud storage provider which helps you access, backup, and sync your files between multiple devices connected through the internet.
The advantages of using cloud storage include having access to your digital files and data whenever you need it from a mobile device or laptop that is online. This will enable you to free up local storage, guarantee the security and safety of your data, and make it simple for you to share any files you require with a coworker or friend.
These tools, in our personal experience, have saved us time and money in situations where we needed a copy of a very important document but forgot to bring it with us. In just a few clicks, we could access it and read the information we required.
Some of these tools are free, some of them are paid but with a free basic version with limited capability. Let’s get started reviewing the best cloud storage service available.
Comparison of Best Cloud Storage
| Cloud storage services | Personal | Business | Online storage | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dropbox | Yes | Yes | Up to 5TB | Free plan $9.99 / month |
| Microsoft One Drive | Yes | Yes | Up to 1 TB | Free plan $6.99 / month |
| Google Drive | Yes | Yes | Up to 2 TB | Free plan $12 / month |
| Box | Yes | Yes | Up to unlimited | Free plan $11.50 / month |
| NextCloud | No | Yes | Up to unlimited | Free plan Custom pricing |
| Sync.com | No | Yes | Up to unlimited | Free Plan $6 / month |
| iDrive | Yes | Yes | Up to 5 TB | Free Plan $3.71 / month |
Which cloud storage is best?
Here are my picks for the best cloud storage to help you manage your digital files.
- Dropbox
- Microsoft One Drive
- Google Drive
- Box
- NextCloud
- Sync.com
- iDrive
1- Dropbox
Dropbox is one of the best cloud storage services on the market. We’ve been using this tool to manage our personal digital files, which include personal and family documents, business documents, spreadsheets, contracts, and other file types.
This simple tool is ideal for personal cloud storage because it allows files to be automatically synced across all of your devices, removing the worry of not having your files available when you need them.
Dropbox ensures that your documents are secure, and file sharing is as simple as two clicks. The only drawback we could find is the lack of file versioning. It offers a certain amount of storage space for free, and additional storage can be purchased.
Why I picked DropBox: Dropbox has been our number 1 go to solution when it comes to storing our digital files on the cloud. It is very easy to use and provide all the needed capabilities for personal management of digital assets.
Key Features
- Automatic syncing
- Shared access
- Enhanced document security
- Fast uploading of files
- Fast and reliable cloud file sharing system
- Exceptional document collaboration tools
- Intuitive annotation / commenting features for files
- Perfect out of the box integration
Pricing
- Basic: Free with up to 2 GB of server’s storage and sync across only 3 devices
- Plus: $9.99 / month (2 TB storage)
- Professional: $16.58 / month 3 TB of encrypted storage
- Family: $19.99 / month
- Dropbox Business: Prices are not disclosed
2- Microsoft OneDrive
Microsoft OneDrive is a Microsoft online cloud storage service. Users can store files and personal data in the cloud, share files, and sync files across all of their devices. It also provides a limited amount of free storage space, with additional storage available for purchase.
If you use Windows, OneDrive is an excellent choice because it integrates seamlessly with Microsoft applications and costs only $6.99 per month for the Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, etc.) with 1TB of OneDrive storage.
You can access their files on OneDrive from any internet-connected device, including PCs, smartphones, and tablets. It may hold a wide range of files, such as documents, photos, and movies. OneDrive has a long range of features, including data restoration for 30 days, file password security, expiration dates on shared links, and offline folders on mobile devices.
Why I picked OneDrive: The capabilities offered compared to the license fee is a great value for money. In addition, most of us depend on Microsoft products in our daily tasks.
Key Features
- Seamless file sharing
- Excellent integration with Microsoft products specially Office suite
- Real time document collaboration
- Multi device synchronization
Pricing
- OneDrive Basic 5 GB (FREE)
- Microsoft 365 Family: $99.99/ year
- Microsoft 365 Personal $69.99/ year
- OneDrive Standalone 100GB $19.99/ year
3- Google Drive
Google drive is also one of the best cloud storage for personal and business use. It offers a variety of capabilities that makes it easy for users to organize, store and access their digital documents, images, videos, and other files in their cloud servers.
Google Drive should be your first choice if you rely on Google products in your daily activities. Some advanced features include real-time document collaboration with other users and connectivity with a variety of third-party apps. Additionally, it integrates seamlessly with other Google suites such as Google Docs, Sheets, and so on.
It also offers offline capabilities for Windows, macOS computers, Android, iOS smartphones and tablets.
Why I picked Google Drive: When it comes with online documents creation and collaboration in addition to the ease of sharing, Google Drive is one of the top providers.
Key Features
- File versioning
- Shared folders
- Powerful search
- Document collaboration
- Multi device sync
- Single sign on
Pricing
- Personal: Free with up to 15 GB per user
- Business Standard: $12 USD/user/month with up to 2 TB per user
4- Box
Box is an enterprise content management system that helps you to manage the whole lifecycle of your digital content by providing a secure, user-friendly workspace to collaborate, share, and organize your documents, photographs, and videos in one place.
It includes advanced features for large enterprises such as file retention, record classification, powerful e-signature, file versioning, and extensive security.
With over 1,500 app integrations, it has become the preferred storage provider for the world’s leading enterprises, including AstraZeneca, Broadcom, Morgan Stanley, and others.
Why I picked Box: Box has a bold vision into facilitating the management of digital files and making it easier for organizations to manage their documents from creation to destruction. This tool is best for business use.
Key Features
- Content capture & imaging
- Document management
- Records management
- File sync, storage & archiving
- Automated workflows
- Artificial intelligence
Pricing
- Individual: Free with up to 10 GB
- Personal Pro: US$ 11.50 with up to 100 GB
- Business: US$ 15
- Business Plus: US$ 25
- Enterprise: US$ 35
- Enterprise Plus: Custom pricing
5- NextCloud Hub
NextCloud Hub is a free open-source self-hosted content collaboration platform that offers cloud storage services in addition to real document collaboration, document versioning, and powerful access control in one single solution.
Organizations who require complete control over their data and digital files can use NextCloud Hub since it can be installed on-premises, which means that it is installed on their servers rather than in the cloud.
Key Features
- Secure file exchange
- Integrated chat and secure audio-video calls
- Calendar, mail and task management tools
- Commenting on files
- File versioning, restore and retention control
- Advanced security capabilities
Pricing
- Free open source version
- Business: Custom pricing
6- Sync.com
Sync.com is an online file storage service that allows you to store, access, and share your files from anywhere. It offers advanced capabilities such as file sharing, collaboration, automatic backup, and syncing between different devices.
One of the unique features of this tool is that it encrypts your files so that only you can read them until you specifically share them with another person. Another useful feature is file versioning, which tracks the version of your documents when they are changed.
One thing that everyone on the internet is saying about Sync.com is that they have amazing customer service. This is critical in case something horrible happens to your files and you need them to look into it.
Why I picked Sync.com: It is not an advanced tool like the previous tools chosen, but if you are searching for a simple cloud storage with outstanding value for money, give it a try.
Best for businesses.
Key Features
- Enterprise grade security
- Good prices
- Unlimited file sizes
- Backup and restore
- Microsoft Office 365 integration
Pricing
- Teams Standard: $6 per user per month up to 1 TB
- Teams Unlimited: $15 per user per month with unlimited storage
- Enterprise: minimum 100 users. Prices not disclosed
Which cloud storage is best for personal use?
Dropbox is the best cloud storage for personal use. It offers a FREE plan with up to 2 GB storage capacity with the ability to sync between 3 devices. In case more storage is needed, you can easily upgrade to a paid plan without losing your data and files.
What is the best cloud storage for business?
Google Drive is the best cloud storage for business. With the extensive capabilities provided, customers can easily work, store, access, and control their digital files, as well as sync them across numerous devices. Furthermore, the real-time collaboration given is extremely simple to use and advanced, making it an ideal tool.
