I was fed up with free cloud storage: here are 5 paid cloud storage providers I considered and the one I chose

IDrive

IDrive has one of the best cloud storage reputations around, and with good reason. As soon as I signed up I could see why: the interface is clear and straightforward, configuration is simple, and the feature set is impressive. I could back up, store and access files across my PC, my Apple laptop and my Android phone, syncing was never an issue, and upload speeds are lightning-quick. The Snapshot feature stores up to thirty versions of my files, which was handy when comparing changes I’d made to a document. Instantly turning on two-factor authentication was reassuring and end-to-end encryption means rock-solid security. And with the Personal plan costing $70/£70 for 5TB of storage, the pricing is right too – affordable when compared to many rivals and with plenty of storage for me. If I’m nit-picking, the interface is straightforward but not particularly exciting, and there are cheaper options around – as I discovered during my tests. I also noted that there are no Unlimited storage options – not an issue right now, but something to bear in mind for the future. It’s an impressive start, though, and it rocketed IDrive to the top of my list of contenders.

Internxt

While IDrive impressed with its security, though, you can never really have enough in this regard – so I tried Internxt. I hadn’t heard of it before, but end-to-end encryption, virus scanning, an in-built password generator, smart multi-location storage and a commitment to open-source computing means that this is about as secure as cloud storage gets. Speeds held up impressively despite all of that security and the Internxt interface is attractive and effective. I enjoyed automatic syncing – it removes a headache I’ve hit with cloud storage providers in the past – and it worked smoothly on my desktop, laptop and phone. I’ll admit that Internxt isn’t as feature-rich as some other providers. Collaboration and file versioning is pretty rudimentary. At £94 for an annual individual plan with 2TB of space, it’s not the cheapest option either. But for security, there’s nothing better.

Sync.com

I enjoyed Internxt’s security credentials, so I turned to Sync.com to try another provider that boasts about its safety. It’s impressive, with the usual encryption and multi-factor authentication, and Sync.com doesn’t work with third-party apps or make its API available for external use. There’s no doubt that my files would stay locked down, and Sync.com lived up to its name with fast, consistent syncing and storage. I found it particularly useful for collaboration, too: I could easily add comments to friends’ documents, edit articles and add passwords to files and folders. The rudimentary interface is not particularly attractive. Support isn’t a strong point, either: you have to fill an online form and wait, with no option to get help over the phone, on a forum or with live chat. I tried the Basic plan, which delivers 2TB of space for $8 per month. That works out to $96 per year (which will then be converted into your local currency), which is pretty pricey. It’s secure, but Sync.com couldn’t topple IDrive and Internxt in my mind.

NordLocker

The next contender, Nordlocker, places equal emphasis on security and usability. It looks the part, with a slick interface with simple design and drag-and-drop functionality that makes uploading a breeze. I was impressed, and Nordlocker kept doing good work. It served up some of the fastest transfer speeds of any service I tried and its multi-factor authentication and zero-knowledge encryption means that the service is a safe bet for keeping data safe. Nordlocker’s features are flexible and easy to use, family collaboration was easy, although that’s because other people in the group also use Nordlocker – it was trickier to share files with people not already using the platform, which is an issue for me but may not be a problem for you. Nordlocker’s free 3GB plan tempted me, but its paid options are impressively affordable, too: just $4.69/£4.89 per month for 2TB of space, which equates to $56.28/£58.68 per year. Tie it in with a NordPass purchase and you can even use this deal to save even more cash, and I’d even suggest giving this Hostinger offer a go for a complete online makeover. NordLocker is one of the best cloud storage providers I tried during this test: fast, secure, and easy to use. It’s a top contender.

pCloud

I wanted even more value, though, so I tried pCloud. Its $100/£100 price for a years’ 2TB subscription is on the pricey side, but it really shines by offering lifetime packages. For a one-off payment of $399/£399 you can get a lifetime 2TB package. While that’s a big initial outlay, I’m searching for a cloud storage product for the long-term here, so I’m happy to pay for something that’ll become better value over time. pCloud’s desktop interface is fine, its app support is good, and it has loads of social media integration options – perfect for my busy, online family. Encryption and multi-factor authentication is present, and you can recover deleted files for almost a whole year. I really liked pCloud because it delivers surety, decent value and easy social media and multi-device usage.