Best Cloud Storage Services of 2024

Having the best possible cloud storage is convenient for many reasons. First, you don’t have to drag around physical hardware. Second, you can opt for huge cloud storage options with gigabytes of space and save ALL your photos, videos, and documents in an instant.

Some of the most awesome cloud storage services are also secure. They use end-to-end encryption, physically-protected servers, and 2FA to protect your files. Above all, they’re easy to use and set up so that you can start storing your important data right away.

Okay, so that’s all great in theory. But in practice, some users can’t find the best cloud storage service for themselves. That’s where we come in. Our experts tested dozens of them, going through all of their aspects, including security, storage options, speed, and ease of use.

We’ve compiled a list of the top 5 cloud storage providers in 2024, all of which offer something unique and worth checking out. Stay along for the ride to find out more.

Best Cloud Storage Services in 2024: Our Top 5 Picks

In today’s guide, we’ll shift our attention to the best premium cloud storage. We believe premium services are superior to free ones because they offer larger storage space and more features. However, if you prefer not to pay, you can read our list of the top-rated free cloud storage services.

For now, we’ll focus on the task at hand and showcase the best-performing services according to our experts:

1. pCloud – best overall cloud storage with supreme speed and security
2. Internxt – easy to use with massive storage options (up to 10 TB)
3. NordLocker – end-to-end encryption for an affordable price
4. Sync.com – unlimited cloud storage for Teams
5. Dropbox – great cloud storage for collaboration and file sharing

Wondering why our team chose these five? Let us divulge some of their most notable features and subscription plans.

1. pCloud

Our #1 rated cloud storage is pCloud. This is a jack of all trades that excels in performance, security, ease of use, compatibility, and pretty much everything else. The provider is also based in Switzerland, ensuring the highest level of privacy.

Features

Speaking of which, pCloud uses AES-256 encryption to secure your files. It also has servers in the USA and Europe and even lets you select the one you like. Users can enjoy fast upload and download speeds, which also applies to syncing and versioning.

pCloud has 30-day file versioning and as the best cloud storage, it lets you store unlimited versions of the file in this period. We also like pCloud file-sharing options. You can password-protect links and even add an expiration date, which is pretty convenient.

This amazing cloud storage supports branding, so each link can be distributed with a bespoke message or logo. Its ease of use is phenomenal too. The provider offers apps for Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, and Linux, which is super useful.

We loved the option to preview PDF files, videos, music, and photos. A nifty feature is the ability to convert videos to different formats if you’re a video editor. In addition, pCloud allows for a virtual drive that can be “mounted” on your computer.

This drive holds your pCloud files and doesn’t take up space on the hard drive. pCloud’s Audio menu lets you create playlists, which is handy for listening to music and podcasts on the fly. This is our favorite cloud storage also because of fast and reliable backups.

Entire devices and other cloud storage (Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive) can be backed up swiftly thanks to amazing performance. pCloud includes its Crypto Folder and files within it are protected by zero-knowledge encryption.

Unfortunately, it’s a paid extra. Another downside is customer support, which could be improved with the addition of a 24/7 live chat service.

Visit pCloud

Price

pCloud is our preferred cloud storage but it’s not the cheapest. However, it offers flexible plans, out of which, the Lifetime deals are the best. For instance, there’s a 2 TB Lifetime deal at $399 and a 500 GB variant at $199. Its popular cloud storage plan is also the Ultra 10 TB.

It costs $1,190 – a one-time payment. pCloud has less favorable annual plans where the storage goes up to 2 TB. In addition, you’ll find its Family and Business plans, so it’s a versatile pick if you need more storage. We explained more about that in our pCloud test.

Finally, we’ll mention its zero-knowledge encryption that costs $150 (Lifetime) or $49.99 (Annually). There’s a 14-day free trial for zero-knowledge encryption and all premium plans, plus a free plan with up to 10 GB of storage. Great incentives to try out pCloud.

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2. Internxt

Internxt is our preferred cloud storage for superb encryption. Its end-to-end encryption is standard in all plans and the service offers a nice, easy-to-use interface with solid performance. We know this isn’t the most popular option but it’s far from bad.

Features

Internxt’s powerful CTR encryption allows you to hold your encryption keys and protect your data promptly. This service includes 2FA to prevent unauthorized access to your account. On top of that, its Send service lets you encrypt and share files with other users privately.

As one of the best cloud storage services of 2024, Internxt offers some impressive storage options. The roster kicks off with 200 GB of storage and goes up to 10 TB. Additionally, Internxt works on all devices, including Linux computers. However, we like its web app the most.

File uploads and downloads are quick and users can preview documents and images. We found that previewing larger videos won’t work, however, and the service doesn’t support file versioning and document editing. You’ll find all of these in the best cloud storage, pCloud.

On the brighter side, Internxt has file sharing that includes password protection and the option to “invite” users to access the file. You, as an owner, can allow other users to view and/or edit the file. Moving files to Trash will keep them on the cloud for 30 days.

You can restore them with one click after that. Internxt is an open-source option as well, making it a remarkable cloud storage if you care about transparency. Users can access its source code on GitHub and perform an audit or review if they’re tech-savvy.

Unlike pCloud, Internxt includes a 24/7 live chat service that usually responds in a few minutes. Sadly, Internxt’s lack of collaboration features makes it a poor choice for teams and businesses that need real-time document editing and seamless communication.

Visit Internxt

Price

Apart from its free 10 GB plan, Internxt offers relatively affordable premium variants. The Lifetime plans start at 2 TB at €499. Other Lifetime plans include 5 TB at €999 and 10 TB at €1,999. The latter is quite expensive, though, even more than pCloud.

Internxt has so-called “Individual” plans at more “feasible” prices. For instance, there’s a 200 GB plan at €45.99 annually. In this case, the 10 TB plan is €299.99 every year and for us, the best-value option is the 5 TB plan at €199.99 annually.

Its 30-day money-back guarantee is excellent, as it allows you to be refunded if you find Internxt insufficient. Find out more about it in our in-depth review of Internxt.

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3. NordLocker

NordLocker is a leading cloud storage provider security-wise. It’s famous for its zero-knowledge, end-to-end encryption, and so-called “Vaults” where your files are stored. You’ve certainly heard about NordVPN – well, NordLocker is made by the same team.

Features

Being one of the most reputable cloud storage options, NordLocker takes pride in its secure Vaults. Storing files in them is easy and Vaults can be shared with other NordLocker users with password-protected links. NordLocker, again, uses zero-knowledge encryption too.

Your files are encrypted in transit as well, ensuring the highest security level. NordLocker is great for syncing files across multiple devices, as it works on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. We love its simplistic apps on computers because they resemble a new explorer window.

NordLocker isn’t the fastest cloud storage. However, it’s good enough for swift uploads and relatively fast downloads. This popular cloud storage provider offers the option to locally encrypt files on your computer, which is super handy.

NordLocker has a web-based interface as well, and while it’s useful enough, we think its desktop and mobile apps are better. It’s worth noting that NordLocker lacks some features like file versioning and document editing, so it’s not the best media-wise.

Its apps, however, support file previews if we’re talking about photos, videos, and documents. NordLocker offers flexible plans for Personal and Business use. The largest cloud storage option is 2 TB, which isn’t all too impressive compared to pCloud and Internxt.

At least you get no file size limits for uploads and downloads, so bulk transfers are uninterrupted. Excellent support and a 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans are there, which explains why this is one of the best cloud storage providers in 2024.

Visit NordLocker

Price

Price-wise, NordLocker is an affordable cloud storage. The 1-year plan with 500 GB of storage costs $2.99 a month, for example. Users can opt for 2 TB of cloud space at $6.99 a month instead, which is way less than Internxt and pCloud.

Its monthly plans are expensive, though. The 2 TB plan raises to $19.99 a month, with the 500 GB variant being $7.99. The Business plan is $29.99 a month for 2 TB of storage, private sharing, an Admin Panel, and 24/7 priority support.

Underwhelmingly, its free plan is capped at 3 GB of storage. Hardly enough for anything except documents and a few songs/podcasts.

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4. Sync.com

Sync.com is a Canadian cloud storage provider with unlimited storage plans, easy-to-use apps, and top-tier security. It’s also a popular pick for collaboration and businesses thanks to third-party integrations with numerous apps.

So, what’s in it for you?

Features

For the start, Sync.com has a perfect MS Office 365 integration that does wonders for productivity. It allows you to access and edit documents on the cloud. These documents can later be shared with other users who can edit or preview them based on your allowances.

Sync.com’s ingenious interface on the web, desktop, and mobile devices is also a thing. This provider lets you easily upload and download files, supporting full-on 180-day file versioning. Business users can bump it up to 365 days if they frequently alter their files.

File sharing is one of its strengths. Sync.com lets you add expiry dates, download limits, and enhanced privacy. This excellent cloud storage is multimedia-friendly. We like the option to store videos and reproduce them on the cloud, alas, only on mobile apps.

Sync.com can perform backups of your entire device. Also, you’ll find its real-time file syncing useful to have all your files available across all platforms. We must mention Sync.com’s slower transfer speeds as a big minus. Even syncing speeds are average.

On the flip side, its security is the polar opposite. Sync.com uses strong encryption and even supports end-to-end encryption to boost the security of your files. Users can protect their account with 2FA and rest easy knowing that tracking and logging aren’t in Sync.com’s “veins.”

Sync.com is great for both individuals and teams. It offers flexible plans with unlimited storage for the most demanding users. Its customer support could be better in low-tier plans. As expected, this factor is improved by opting for Business plans instead.

Price

Sync.com’s price is relatively modest. You can get 2 TB of storage for $8 a month in the Solo Basic plan. The Solo Professional bumps it to 6 TB of space at $20 a month. Being one of the best-rated cloud storage for teams, Sync.com offers an unlimited storage plan.

The Teams+ Unlimited deal is the one to pick, with phone support, admin delegation, and the price of only $15 a month. The Standard plan is $6 a month for 1 TB of storage. Finally, there’s the Enterprise plan whose pricing is determined by your needs.

What about its free plan? It’s subpar and offers only 5 GB of cloud storage. Sadly, its basic sharing features with no additional security aren’t the best solution. pCloud is much better overall, especially because its free plan is more generous.

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5. Dropbox

Dropbox is a reliable cloud storage provider whose popularity can’t be disputed. Its collaboration, file sharing, huge storage, and rich multimedia features make it extremely attractive. However, the package is let down by a more expensive price.

Features

Dropbox has everything you need to work on the cloud and never leave this space. File transfers are fast and unlimited. Users can also manipulate files by previewing them and even editing documents by using either Google’s or Microsoft’s productivity tools.

This cloud storage provider supports video editing by offering a few basic editing features. We also love its ability to convert videos, photos, and audio files directly on the cloud. Dropbox’s file-sharing supports password protection and editing permissions.

Expiration dates and download allowances can also be included. One of its best cloud storage features is the App Center. It allows you to download over 150 apps for document editing, education, productivity, eSignature, and other purposes.

Besides, Dropbox has an in-house eSignature service for signing documents, which is always welcome for businesses and teams. Cloud-storage-related features like versioning, backups, and file syncing are all there, so don’t expect any compromises.

Dropbox has top-of-the-line cloud storage apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. However, we found its web app to be the quickest and most useful. Dropbox’s security is unfortunately not the best, which is why it resides at the last spot on this list.

Sure, it uses encryption but it proved to be penetrable with recent unauthorized access to its Dropbox Sign service. Also, it’s the only option without zero-knowledge encryption, which makes it underwhelming, especially for the price, which is above average.

Price

Dropbox’s pricing is flexible and includes plenty of plans. The cheapest Plus deal for personal use is $9.99 a month, billed annually, and includes 2 TB of storage. More demanding users can select the Essentials plan, our favorite, at $16.58 a month instead.

This plan includes PDF editing, a 180-day deleted files restoration period, and 3 TB of storage. Business users have the “Business” plan at $16 per user per month from 9 TB of storage for the team. Finally, the Business Plus plan is $24 per user per month.

With 15 TB of storage for the team, it’s pretty generous but not more than Sync.com’s Teams+ Unlimited deal. Dropbox’s fatal flaws are that neither of the plans is refundable and the free version is capped at a measly 2 GB of storage.

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Why Use the Best Cloud Storage Services?

In a recent article, we explained what is cloud storage. Some people think it’s only about storing files on the cloud instead of a hard drive. That’s only like 20% of the truth. The top-rated cloud storage services provide plenty of advantages, such as:

Ease of Access

Cloud storage is very practical compared to physical storage. If you need constant access to your files, carrying around your external SSD/HDD and USB drives can be tedious. Visiting the cloud storage website and fetching your files is much more practical.

Besides, that can be done from EVERY device, so whether you’re on your phone, tablet, or laptop, it doesn’t matter. Some providers offer offline access, so you don’t always need internet access to use your documents, videos, photos, and so on.

File Sharing & Collaboration

Sharing files is a key feature of these services. Our favorite cloud storage providers can share files through password-protected links with encryption. Within seconds, another person can access the file, download it, and do whatever needs to be done with it.

With the addition of third-party tools, many options can be used for document editing/creation, video editing, and so forth. Dropbox, for example, is so capable that you can do everything on the cloud without downloading any files to your device.

Obtaining More Storage Space for Cheap

If you need more space, you’ll have to go buy an SSD or HDD, plug it into your device, and enjoy. We think you’ll enjoy amazing cloud storage more. To get more storage space, visit pCloud or Internxt, pay for the plan you want, and receive your storage in seconds.

This is not only easier but also CHEAPER. Think about fast SSDs with lots of storage. Offers from Samsung, Kingston, and other reputable providers are far too expensive. pCloud and other options offer Lifetime deals and access to up to terabytes of storage for cheap.

After all, physical storage can malfunction while cloud storage can’t, so it’s always working.

Security & File Backups

Losing important data is a nightmare for many, especially if we’re talking about cloud-stored photos that exude heart-warming memories. For some, business files are more important. Either way, it’s impossible to lose files on the cloud due to file backups.

All services on the list can back up your devices, which is handy if some of them get stolen or simply stop working. Automatic backups from pCloud and NordLocker are especially great for this because they’ll ensure your files are always available to you.

If your device stops working or is stolen, you’ll swiftly recover your files to the new device. Not to mention all the security going on “under the hood.” The most popular online storage companies use 256-bit and even zero-knowledge encryption.

Their data centers are physically secured and based in multiple worldwide locations. If one data center malfunctions know that all your files are copied to all other data centers, making them accessible at any time.

Best Cloud Storage: Our Criteria for Selection

Choosing online storage should always be done per your preferences. To ensure we provide you with diverse and capable options, our team used special criteria during the testing procedure.

We looked for:

• Storage size options: All of the premium cloud storage services selected for our article offer flexible storage plans. You can choose as little as 200 GB or as much as 10 TB, or even opt for unlimited storage.
• Security: Your files on the cloud must be safe and sound, which can be done through encryption and secure data servers. Again, our preferred picks excel in both, as the majority offer zero-knowledge encryption for the ultimate security.
• Speed: Uploading and downloading should be quick no matter the file size. We ranked pCloud as the #1 cloud storage but Internxt and others perform well. The only slower option is Sync.com but it’s still enough for most users.
• Compatibility: Our cloud storage choices are accessible on all devices and platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. pCloud works on Linux as well.
• Advanced cloud storage features: You’ll find file versioning, trash history, and auto-backups handy in a reputable online storage. We picked the providers that offer them to improve file accessibility and usability.
• Collaboration: Some of our selected services offer excellent collaboration options. Sync.com and Dropbox come to mind with third-party apps from Microsoft/Google and direct access to documents and other files for editing and downloading purposes.
• Affordability: Some are more expensive and some cheaper. However, our providers are some of the most affordable cloud storage options. pCloud’s Lifetime plans are especially attractive because you’re paying ONCE and get to use it forever.

What Is the Fastest Premium Cloud Storage?

The fastest option in our tests was pCloud closely followed by Dropbox. Both providers offer amazing performance and fast uploads. Our upload speed is around 20 Mbps and the download speed is 340 Mbps.

During our tests, both utilized it fully and uploaded a 3 GB file in 20 minutes.

Cloud Storage Service	Time to upload a 3 GB file	Time to download a 3 GB file
pCloud	20 minutes	1.5 minutes
Dropbox	20 minutes	1.5 minutes
Internxt	23 minutes	2.3 minutes
NordLocker	25 minutes	3 minutes
Sync.com	53 minutes	4 minutes

They downloaded the file at around 1.5 minutes, which, again, means that our internet speeds weren’t throttled. Our tests showed that Internxt, Sync.com, and NordLocker were slightly slower but not by much, still displaying a satisfying level of performance.

Get the best speeds with pCloud

Refer to our table above for more information about the performance of all top 5 picks.

Are Cloud Storage Services Safe?

Yes, it’s usually pretty safe. These services use powerful 256-bit encryption to secure data on the cloud and in transit. Are they immune to breaches? Nothing is. Dropbox had a huge breach in 2012, resulting in a 68-million-password leak, which raised many concerns over the safety of cloud storage.

Bear in mind that such breaches happen extremely rarely and Dropbox is the only provider on this list with such an incident. pCloud, Internxt, NordLocker, and others have never been breached and are known as some of the safest online storage services.

These providers offer zero-knowledge encryption too, which means only the user can access and decrypt his/her files. Additional security measures like 2FA are also handy to prevent unauthorized access because of additional identity verification requirements.

2FA or Two-Factor Authentication requires access to your phone to log in. Our long experience with these services was positive security-wise. We still use them to store important business files, and guess what? So far, we’ve suffered no data breaches.

Online Backup vs Cloud Storage: What’s the Difference?

Before we wrap up, let’s promptly explain these two services. They’re admittedly pretty similar. Both allow you to upload files to a remote server and access them from any device. So, how do they differ? Online backup services are designed for disaster prevention.

Their goal is to back up the entire device, including your OS and system files so that, if the device is lost, all your files can be retrieved. These services often use physical backup methods that involve shipping a drive to your address for file recovery.

Generally speaking, online or cloud backup companies are more suitable for file recovery and disaster mitigation. They offer a few more recovery options and generally protect your hard drives better. Cloud storage is made for prompt file access.

It’s better for uploading files, collaboration, and productivity. People often call it a “cloud space” because you can often perform all your operations there without downloading your files. It’s worth mentioning that the most popular cloud storage options have backups.

pCloud has automatic backups but no recovery options like IDrive, which is the best online backup service. Cloud storage also has the advantage of easier file sharing, file syncing, third-party integrations, and other options to encourage ease of use and ease of access.

You’ll find that some services sit on two chairs and pose as both. IDrive is a good example. We don’t say online backup services are better than cloud storage or vice versa, though. You should get what suits your needs the best. They’re not to be compared directly.

Summary

With the list of the top 5 online storage providers in 2024 finalized, it’s time to call it a day. pCloud emerged as our absolutely favorite option and an all-arounder that prioritizes speed, security, privacy, ease of use, and large storage sizes.

Internxt isn’t a productivity champ but comes with imposing storage options, an amazing web-based app, and excellent security. We then have NordLocker’s end-to-end encryption, affordable storage, and local file encryption that impressed us.

Sync.com and Dropbox are great for productivity and collaboration. Sync.com offers unlimited storage and zero-knowledge encryption. Dropbox excels in file management, business-related operations, and superb multimedia features.

We know there are other amazing cloud storage services we haven’t mentioned today. Simultaneously, we’re confident these are the best ones in 2024 based on our tests. Now that our favorite providers are on the table, it’s time to choose one and enjoy.

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