Best Cloud Storage Services in 2026: 9 Services Compared

Google Drive is our pick for most people because it is already part of a Google account and it works well for the files most people actually keep. Photos, documents, PDFs and school or work files live in one place, and Docs, Sheets and Slides let several people edit at the same time without sending copies back and forth. Search is fast, sharing links are simple to set, and the mobile apps make it easy to scan a document or back up photos.

Pricing starts at $1.99 per month for 100 GB through Google One, with 200 GB at $2.99 per month and 2 TB at $9.99 per month. The free 15 GB tier is shared across Drive, Gmail and Photos, so it can fill faster than it first appears, especially if you keep original quality photos. Family sharing lets you share a paid plan with other people in your household without sharing each other's files.

Dropbox earned its place by doing one job very well, which is keeping the same files current on every device. When you save a file on a laptop, it appears on your phone and on the web without much fuss, and selective sync lets you keep large folders online only so a small laptop drive does not fill up. For freelancers and small teams who share folders every day, that steadiness matters more than a slightly lower price elsewhere.

The free Basic plan gives 2 GB, which is enough to test sync and sharing but not enough for photo libraries. Plus costs $11.99 per month for 2 TB, or $9.99 per month when billed yearly, and Professional costs $19.99 per month for 3 TB. Paid plans add longer version history, larger transfers and stronger sharing controls, which are useful when a client asks for an older version of a file.

OneDrive is the natural pick if you already pay for Microsoft 365 or spend your day in Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Files open in Office apps, changes save back to the cloud, and Files On-Demand shows your whole library on a Windows computer without downloading everything. Personal Vault adds an extra protected folder for sensitive documents, which is a useful touch for tax forms and scans.

Microsoft 365 Basic costs $1.99 per month for 100 GB, Personal costs $9.99 per month for 1 TB plus the desktop Office apps, and Family costs $12.99 per month with a shared storage pool for up to six people. The free tier is 5 GB, shared with Outlook attachments, so light users should check how much mail storage they already use before relying on it for photos.

iCloud is less a standalone storage service and more the quiet backup system behind Apple devices. Turn it on and photos, device backups, messages and app data stay in step across an iPhone, iPad and Mac, often without the owner having to think about it. For a household that uses Apple products for almost everything, that closeness to the operating system is the main reason to choose it over a general service.

Pricing starts at $0.99 per month for 50 GB, with 200 GB at $2.99 per month and 2 TB at $9.99 per month. The free 5 GB tier fills quickly once device backups and photos are counted, so most iPhone owners will need at least the 50 GB plan. Family sharing lets several people share a larger plan while keeping their own files private.

pCloud suits people who dislike subscriptions and would rather pay once for storage they plan to keep for years. Premium starts at $4.99 per month for 500 GB, Premium Plus costs $9.99 per month for 2 TB, and lifetime options were listed at $219 for 500 GB and $499 for 2 TB. That lifetime math only pays off if you keep the account for about four to five years, so it is a commitment, not a bargain for short term use.

The apps cover Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android, and pCloud includes a media player, document editing and file versioning on paid plans. You can choose a US or EU data region at sign up, which some privacy conscious buyers prefer. Sharing links can carry passwords and expiry dates, which helps when sending files to clients.

Box is built for organisations that need to control who can see, edit and download files, rather than for personal photo storage. Admins can set permissions by folder, track activity, set retention rules and connect Box to common business tools. Previews work for many file types without downloading, which helps teams review documents and media quickly.

Individual plans exist, but Box makes most sense when a small business or team needs that control layer. The free personal tier gives 10 GB, which is enough to test sharing and previews, while paid business plans are priced per user and should be checked on the Box site because team pricing changes with plan and seat count. We list Box as See website here because the right price depends on team size and plan.

Sync.com is the pick for small teams that want privacy without asking every member to learn new security habits. Files are encrypted on the device before upload, so Sync cannot read them, and sharing links can be password protected with expiry dates. Team plans add shared folders, admin controls and remote device management, which makes it practical for firms handling client records.

Personal and team pricing should be checked on the Sync site, since plans and first year offers change, and we list it as See website for that reason. The free tier is useful for testing sync and sharing, but it is not meant as a large photo library. Sync Vault is a separate backup style space that does not sync back to every device, which is worth understanding before you set up folders.

MEGA gives the largest free tier on this list at 20 GB, and it encrypts files by default so only the account holder and people they authorise can read them. That combination makes it a strong first stop for someone who wants private storage without paying at once. The web app, desktop sync and mobile apps cover the basics well, and sharing links can carry passwords and expiry dates.

Paid plans start with smaller tiers and rise to 3 TB, 10 TB and 20 TB options, and prices are shown in euros on the MEGA site with conversion for US buyers, so we list starting price as See website here. Paid plans also include MEGA VPN and the MEGA Pass password manager, which adds value if you would use those tools anyway. Check the transfer quota for your plan before a large migration, because downloads are metered.

Proton Drive is for people who put privacy first and are willing to trade some storage size and collaboration polish for it. Files are end to end encrypted by default, Proton is based in Switzerland, and Drive fits naturally with Proton Mail, Calendar and VPN for buyers who want one privacy focused account. The web and mobile apps handle uploads, sharing and photo backup without much fuss.

Free and paid pricing should be checked on the Proton site because Drive is sold alone and inside Proton bundles, and the best value depends on which other Proton services you already use. We list it as See website for that reason. Paid tiers are smaller than the 10 TB and 20 TB plans some rivals sell, so large video libraries may need a different service.