Cloud storage is essential these days as most of us hang out online to do almost everything like school and work-related tasks. Most mobile devices have limited storage capacity, and the best way to save files and have a backup is to store them in the cloud. Sync your files to the cloud, and voila, you can delete them in the local storage to have more space.
Most mobile devices have built-in cloud storage features. For instance, iOS devices are linked to the iCloud while Android phones are connected to Google Drive, Microsoft Drive, or other third-party cloud storage apps. This guide will help you find the best cloud storage that fits your needs and budget for more storage capacity.
The worst thing that could happen is to lose your precious photos in a damaged SD card. Moreover, a corrupt hard drive is frustrating. But syncing and backing up your files on cloud storage is a lifesaver because you can retrieve them right away. So, here are the things to look for if you want to get a cloud storage account.
Cloud storages have different features and pricing plans based on the type of account the user will get, whether for personal use or business and professional use. Personal cloud storage accounts are equipped with the basic features for storage and syncing and are typically available for one account.
Business cloud storage accounts have a larger storage capacity where team members have separate accounts. Five employees can access it simultaneously using five computers. Advanced features may include backing up servers like MS SQL, VMWare, Linux, and Oracle, making it more expensive than the former.
If you consume heavy content — from taking photos and videos to editing raw files, check the storage capacity of the cloud storage. Free cloud storages offer as low as 5GB, allowing you to save small-size files like documents. There's also free cloud storage of 15GB, ideal for storing a mix of videos, photos, and documents.
Premium cloud storage offers a bigger storage capacity for personal or business use, ranging from 500 GB to 6 TB or more. Typical personal cloud storage has 1TB to 5TB capacity, enough to save hundreds and thousands of photos, videos, and your favorite movies.
Some cloud storage providers offer a referral program where you get extra storage if you refer friends, and they purchase cloud storage. If you’re not keen on spending a lot, this is the best way to get more storage.
Consider the number of supported devices for syncing and access to files for the cloud storage subscription. Some offer unlimited devices syncing and upload, which means you can upload files from multiple devices like your Mac computer, Windows, Android phone, and iOS device simultaneously.
In case you need to access a file from another device, you can easily go through the cloud storage app to view it. It's pretty useful for remote work and distance learning for employees and students. Other cloud storages also support not just viewing or files, but they also allow you to share files from the cloud with other users.
Other cloud storage providers let you upload the file on their server. You can get the link and give access to anyone. Furthermore, if your device crashes or has a corrupt hard disk, you can access files immediately on the cloud or just store them for the long term. The next point will explain this concept further.
You can store files on the cloud using hot storage and cold storage. Hot storage means the data storage is easily accessible, like those saved in your local hard drive or content you save on Google Drive that you can access anytime. In a nutshell, hot storage is for the files you frequently use every day.
There are cloud storages that offer this feature, and files are saved both in the computer and cloud. Meanwhile, cold storage is for archiving your files. You rarely use them, and they are often stored off the site. Therefore, you only need this if you need to store and backup files from your device.
Encryption protects your files at rest— anything stored in the cloud will protect it. The industry standard is 256-bit AES encryption, which Google, Dropbox, and other cloud storage providers use. Check the provider's security measures if they offer 2FA authentication when you log in to your account to access files.
Two-Way Factor Authentication is a security system where you log in to your account in two distinct ways. First is your password, then the second can be in the form of sending you an SMS, email, or scanning a QR code using another device where you are logged in with that same account. This is one of the best ways to protect your account from getting hacked.
You also need to check other ways to ensure that your files are safe in the cloud providers’ server. The provider must have a backup system for your files, like having their own cloud infrastructure and servers to safeguard customers’ data.
Nothing beats the recommendations of customers. There are plenty of ways to check the credibility of cloud storage providers. You can visit third-party websites that feature unbiased reviews like TrustPilot, Cloudwards.Net, PC Magazine, and TechRadar, to name a few. You may also watch reviews and how-to guides of these cloud storage providers to see if the features are for you.
Most cloud storage providers that offer big storage capacity aren’t free. The prices start from $2.99 a month to $14.99 a month or more, but you can save more if you pay the account for an annual subscription. Most premium cloud storages are available on subscription-based plans, and only a few offer a lifetime subscription.
Thanks to our buying guide, you are finally armed with information when it comes to choosing cloud storage. Here are the top 10 best options you can explore and compare so far in terms of features, price, and benefits. For premium cloud storage, you can also avail free trial and see if it fits your needs.
** Prices may vary depending on the website and their campaign period. **
Personal Plan (Yearly Subscription)
From ₱2,500
Best Use | Personal and Business |
---|---|
Storage Capacity | 5 TB |
Number of Supported Devices | Unlimited |
Encryption | 256-bit AES Encryption |
Free Version
Best Use | Personal |
---|---|
Storage Capacity | 15 GB |
Number of Supported Devices | Unlimited |
Encryption | 256-bit AES Encryption and Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol |
Plus (Annual Subscription)
From ₱5,800
Best Use | Personal |
---|---|
Storage Capacity | 3 TB |
Number of Supported Devices | Unlimited |
Encryption | 256-bit AES Encryption, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)/Transport Layer Security (TLS) |
Microsoft 365 Personal (Annual Subscription)
From ₱3,499
Best Use | Personal |
---|---|
Storage Capacity | 1 TB |
Number of Supported Devices | Multiple Devices (1 User Can Install Office Apps Up to 5 PCs |
Encryption | 256-bit AES |
1 TB (Annual Subscription)
From ₱4,800
Best Use | Business |
---|---|
Storage Capacity | 1 TB |
Number of Supported Devices | Unlimited External Drives |
Encryption | End-to-End 256-bit AES Encryption |
Individual Plan Premium Plus (Lifetime)
From ₱16,800
Best Use | Personal |
---|---|
Storage Capacity | 2 TB |
Number of Supported Devices | Not Specified |
Encryption | 256-bit AES Encryption, TLS and SSL |
Personal Pro (Annual Subscription)
From ₱6,600
Best Use | Personal and Business |
---|---|
Storage Capacity | 100 GB |
Number of Supported Devices | Not Specified |
Encryption | 256-bit AES Encryption |
Family Bundle (Monthly Subscription)
From ₱480
Best Use | Personal |
---|---|
Storage Capacity | 2 TB |
Number of Supported Devices | (Up to Five Family Members) |
Encryption | End-to-End |
Ultimate (Monthly Subscription)
From ₱480
Best Use | Business |
---|---|
Storage Capacity | 10 TB |
Number of Supported Devices | Unlimited |
Encryption | End-to-End |
Backup (Annual Subscription)
From ₱4,800
Best Use | Personal |
---|---|
Storage Capacity | Unlimited (Backup) |
Number of Supported Devices | 1 |
Encryption | 256-bit AES Encryption and TLS 1.2 |
Image | 1 ![]() IDrive Incorporated | 2 ![]() Google LLC | 3 ![]() Dropbox, Inc. | 4 ![]() Microsoft | 5 Zoolz | 6 pCloud Ltd | 7 Box Inc. | 8 Apple Inc | 9 Degoo Backup AB | 10 LiveDrive |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | IDrive Online Backup | Google Drive | Dropbox | OneDrive | Cloud Backup | pCloud | Box | Apple iCloud Storage | Degoo Online Cloud Storage | LiveDrive |
Features | Affordable and Excellent Choice for All Types of Users | Free Reliable Cloud Storage for Everyone | Cloud Storage and Backup for Professionals | Best Option for Loyal Windows Users | Cloud Storage and Backup Solution for Business Owners | Lifetime Use of Cloud Storage and Backup With One-Time Fee | Cloud Storage Solution for Professionals and Small Business Owners | Cloud Storage and Backup for the Entire Family | The Ideal Cloud Storage Solution for Photographers | Affordable Unlimited Backup Solution for One User Account |
Price Starts at | ₱2,500 | ₱5,800 | ₱3,499 | ₱4,800 | ₱16,800 | ₱6,600 | ₱480 | ₱480 | ₱4,800 | |
Best Use | Personal and Business | Personal | Personal | Personal | Business | Personal | Personal and Business | Personal | Business | Personal |
Storage Capacity | 5 TB | 15 GB | 3 TB | 1 TB | 1 TB | 2 TB | 100 GB | 2 TB | 10 TB | Unlimited (Backup) |
Number of Supported Devices | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Multiple Devices (1 User Can Install Office Apps Up to 5 PCs | Unlimited External Drives | Not Specified | Not Specified | (Up to Five Family Members) | Unlimited | 1 |
Encryption | 256-bit AES Encryption | 256-bit AES Encryption and Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol | 256-bit AES Encryption, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)/Transport Layer Security (TLS) | 256-bit AES | End-to-End 256-bit AES Encryption | 256-bit AES Encryption, TLS and SSL | 256-bit AES Encryption | End-to-End | End-to-End | 256-bit AES Encryption and TLS 1.2 |
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First things first - security and data privacy are your top priorities when you use a cloud storage subscription. Reputable cloud storage will use high-grade security and encryption to ensure that your files in hot and cold storage are safe. Don't forget to add an extra layer of protection. Here are some of the tips to secure your account.
The fundamentals of having secure cloud storage are having a strong password and two-way authentication when logging in. Treat your cloud storage account as the backbone of your digital life since all of your data, such as photos, videos, documents, to name a few, will be stored on the cloud.
Forget "123456789" and birthdates. To organize your passwords, use a password manager like 1Password. It's like your virtual vault of all your passwords, you can store them in that account, and you don't need to master all of them. Generate long, complicated combinations that are less likely guessable and hackable.
When you use this method, you will log in to your cloud storage in two ways. One is through the strong password. The second can be in the form of a Google Authenticator app, SMS, or email. The latter part will generate a unique code that is valid for a certain period of time to verify that you are the same person logging in to the account.
Aside from the Google Authenticator app, Microsoft Authenticator is another good alternative. You log in to the app to access the unique codes using fingerprints, facial recognition, or a PIN. Using these authentication apps protects you from hackers' brute attacks.
If they guess your username and password, they still need to get the six-digit code to log in completely. That code is generated to the Authenticator app or sent to your phone or email address.
Free doesn't mean it's safe. So, the next time you connect to the internet using public wi-fi, you might want to step back and refrain from logging on to accounts that require email and passwords. According to Norton, Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks are prevalent in these types of unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
MitM attacks are a form of eavesdropping. When a device is connected to the internet, the data is sent to computer A and then to the service or website. The attackers can intercept data as you connect to the internet network, making them not private anymore.
Now that you have a backup of your files, you might want to take a look at some of the apps we have reviewed so far to keep you on top of everything, from productivity to finance to food delivery and job search websites, and so much more.
Finding the best cloud storage can be quite daunting because a handful in the market have more advanced features and a bit expensive. Most of them, especially for storage capacity with more than 2 TB, are paid monthly or yearly.
However, having cloud storage is a lifesaver. You have a backup of files, and you can access them quickly. With that being said, we hope this buying guide has shed light on what to look for on your next purchase. Remember, always go for robust security and high-grade encryption.
Author: Maria Krisette Capati
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