Free vs Paid cloud storage: What you need to know

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The cloud storage market has a huge number of options for individuals and businesses to consider. One of the areas where different cloud storage platforms can differentiate themselves is through price. Cloud storage often comes with various price tiers to ensure that there is a package to suit everyone’s needs. Many cloud vendors also usually provide free packages. But are they as good as the paid versions?

Deciding between free and paid cloud storage ultimately depends on your precise needs. There will be some features you may have to go without by choosing a free cloud platform but they may not be particularly missed - and the savings could be substantial.

You may also need to weigh up whether you need cloud storage at all. Individual consumers could create their own backup system using rugged SSD, USB flash drives, or external hard drives, but enterprises are likely to require the services of third-party cloud vendors.

Is free cloud storage any good?

If you’re wondering if free cloud storage is any good, well, that all depends. We’ve put together a comprehensive list of the best free cloud storage to help you decide, looking at the market leaders in close detail.

Generally, there are a few different things to look out for when you are assessing the respective merits of going with a free or paid cloud storage offering. Security should always be a priority - even if you’ve chosen a free cloud platform, look out for features like end-to-end encryption or multi-factor authentication to ensure that your files remain safe. Just because you may not be paying for cloud storage doesn’t mean you should compromise on security.

Another thing to look out for is the added-value functionality that many cloud storage platforms are accompanied by. Again, these may be lacking in some free platforms - but you’ll need to take a closer look to see for yourself. Of course, they will not necessarily be included in some paid services. Free trials, which are commonly offered by paid cloud storage vendors, are a good way of determining whether you want to pay for your cloud storage or are happy to stick with free alternatives.

What are the benefits of paid cloud storage over free cloud storage?

One of the obvious advantages of paid cloud storage is the space afforded to you. Just take a look at some of the vendors offering both free and paid storage options. Google Drive, for example, lets individuals use 15GB of cloud storage free of charge. If they need more space, then pricing starts at $1.99 / £1.59 / AU$1.67 a month for 100GB of storage.

Paid cloud storage may also come with fewer bandwidth restrictions so uploads and downloads are likely to be completed at a much faster pace - pretty important if you are storing large files. Customer support may also be lacking with free cloud storage platforms. This is unlikely to be a problem most of the time - but when something does go wrong, you are sure to be pleased to be able to contact someone at your cloud provider - whether that’s via chatbot, email or phone.

Some top free and paid cloud storage platforms

Some of the best free cloud storage platforms available include Internxt, Degoo, Mega, and Google Drive. These platforms stand out for their ease of use and security, in particular. Internxt, for instance, comes with all the standard features that you’d expect from cloud storage alongside some nice additions too, like facial recognition for your photos.

Of course, Google Drive comes with some added functionality as well - something that is likely to be especially appreciated by fans of Google’s other software. The ability to access Docs, Sheets, and other web-based productivity tools, is evidence that not all free cloud storage platforms are bare-bones offerings.

In terms of paid cloud storage, there are a few options we’d recommend, such as iDrive, pCloud, and Sync. These platforms stand out due to their speeds, the number of integrations, and collaboration options - something that is particularly important in the age of hybrid working. Some of these cloud platforms are not the cheapest, however.

Is it worth paying for cloud storage?

Whether you decide to pay for cloud storage or select a free service ultimately depends on your specific needs. For casual users, there are a large number of top-quality free platforms on the market. However, larger businesses are likely to require the added space and functionality that is only available as part of a paid cloud storage solution. If you do need paid cloud storage, make sure you do your homework first and find a subscription package that suits your needs before signing up.

Barclay has been writing about technology for a decade, starting out as a freelancer with ITProPortal covering everything from London’s start-up scene to comparisons of the best cloud storage services. After that, he spent some time as the managing editor of an online outlet focusing on cloud computing, furthering his interest in virtualization, Big Data, and the Internet of Things.