6 Best Cloud Storage Solutions of 2024

If you’re a fan of the Windows ecosystem, you’ll be happy with how we start our cloud storage reviews. We chose Microsoft OneDrive as the top cloud storage solution for many reasons. 

The extensive features and flexible options make it an excellent choice for both home and business users. And with OneDrive clients available on all major platforms, you’ll never need to worry about access.

The standout feature is integration with Microsoft 365. You and your team can work simultaneously on files using Word, Outlook, and other Microsoft Office 365 products.

Security is all top-of-the-line, and Microsoft even helps you recover files compromised by ransomware attacks. No wonder it’s the most popular cloud storage today.

And the best thing about it is that you can use it for free. But, of course, if you want more features, Microsoft offers three paid plans for home use ranging from $19.99 a year to $99.99 a year. It also has four business plans from $5.00/user/month to $12.50/user/month.

Overall, Microsoft is highly active in adding features to OneDrive consistently. For example, they update productivity and collaboration tools frequently and implement AI that helps you organize files and projects. 

pCloud’s big claim to fame is its top-of-the-line security features. It claims to be “Europe’s most secure cloud storage,” and it lives up to the hype, as we discovered in our pCloud Review.

It uses a 256-bit advanced encryption standard to secure files. That’s the same level of encryption used by the US government to safeguard classified information. The company is based in Switzerland, and all its servers are located in the EU member nations. 

Moreover, pCloud stores every file on at least three server locations to ensure continuity in case one of the servers gets compromised.

However, at first glance, pCloud seems relatively expensive. And it’s undoubtedly among the most costly options on this list, with $49.99 a year as the cheapest plan and $990.00 for a lifetime plan as the most expensive. 

But these are terrific deals if you frequently use cloud storage to share files and don’t like monthly payments.

pCloud has both mobile and desktop applications that allow easy file sharing across all major platforms. And another cool feature is built-in audio and video players, which is why pCloud is also the best cloud storage for streaming video content.

Icedrive bills itself as the best cloud service for those after top-notch encryption. And to prove it, it eschews the standard AES encryption most other cloud storage providers use. 

Instead, Icedrive uses the Twofish encryption algorithm. It’s an encryption protocol at least as safe as AES, if not more. 

Icedrive offers a decent set of features at an affordable price, starting at only $1.67/month, paid annually. As a relative newcomer to the cloud storage game, Icedrive is trying hard to set itself apart. One of the ways it’s doing so is by offering a commendable 10 GB of free storage. 

Besides the monthly pricing options you can get for a song, it also provides some of the most affordable lifetime plans on the market. 

Its Lite plan provides 150 GB of lifetime storage for a one-time payment of $99. That’s the best value for cloud storage you’ll find anywhere. It also features a streamlined and easy-to-use interface with outstanding design elements. 

Plus, you can access your drive via the Icedrive website, a desktop app, a mobile app, and a virtual drive. 

Unfortunately, this cloud storage provider is still a little sparse in some areas. Sharing options are limited to either email or a link, and customer support leaves a lot to be desired. 

Sync specifically targets users dissatisfied with loose privacy policies. Dropbox, Google Drive, and many others allow themselves to peek at and share your files. We can’t say the same for Sync. 

This storage provider is the best cloud storage service for privacy compliance. In addition, the company made a point of legally locking itself out of your data in the TOS, so you can rest easy knowing your data is safe from prying eyes. 

Sync also complies with privacy regulations like HIPAA, GDPR, and PIPEDA.

One of the few standout features of Sync outside of privacy compliance is its data vault. Files you put in the data vault exist only there and don’t sync up anywhere else. 

Furthermore, Sync offers other excellent features, such as 265-day file versioning, easy installation, and selective syncing. However, it’s a relatively bare-bones option. That’s why it’s highly recommended for people who need just that and not much more. 

Even the pricing plans are relatively basic. There are three tiers for teams, and each scales per user, the most expensive plan (10 TB) amounting to $15 per user per month. So, this is a good cloud storage solution for you if you have a small team and are budget-conscious.

If you even glance over what MEGA offers, likely the first thing you’ll notice is the 20 GB of free storage they’ll give when you create an account. Even the most generous cloud storage services don’t go beyond 15 GB. So, does that make MEGA the best free cloud backup? You decide.

To get 50 GB of free storage, you must play MEGA’s “achievements” game. Achievements include getting other people to sign up and installing its mobile app. And, the extra storage you accrue is temporary. 

But as far as security goes, MEGA seems relatively airtight on paper. It offers good encryption throughout and an open-source client your team can examine freely. 

However, one glaring drawback MEGA has is monthly transfer limits. The limits are generous, but it’s something to look out for if you need to transfer large amounts of data every month. 

Otherwise, it provides competitively priced plans, ranging from $5.09/month to $30.59/month. MEGA’s Business plan is among the simplest. There’s only one tier, and you can add users or expand the storage limits as needed within that tier. 

Moreover, the platform also has a clean interface and an encrypted chat client. In many aspects, MEGA is one of the top cloud storage companies.

Zoolz’s marquee feature is ample “cold storage,” which competes with Amazon’s Glacier service. In a nutshell, cold storage is a cloud backup model that limits when you can access your data. 

Typically, you’ll have to wait three to five hours before your download can start. It’s probably the best cloud storage for photos and videos you just need to store and forget.

The apparent drawback is you won’t have instant access to your files. On the other hand, the significant upside is that you get a lot of storage space for relatively little money. For $19.99/month, you can purchase 1 TB of cold storage, and yearly payment plans can bring that price even lower. 

Moving on to features—Zoolz has few, and of the ones it has, some are poorly executed. Its desktop application is functional but looks and feels dated. Its mobile application leaves a lot to be desired, as well. 

You can manage file access privileges and many other details well enough, but it’s not going to feel streamlined. But perhaps most egregious is the complete lack of a free tier from Zoolz. You can create a trial account with all the features of a full-fledged one, but it expires in 14 days. 

Overall, Zoolz is one of the best cloud storage plans for people in need of storing a heck of a lot of data over long periods without accessing it. So it’s a small wonder it has attracted the likes of Dell and the Harvard Library into its client list.