Best Cloud Storage Services

Cloud storage providers provide an easy and easy method to store as well as transfer files.

Instead of keeping your documents and files in a physical server you lease space on a third party company’s servers to keep your documents. This lets you easily increase the storage capacity of your computer as well as protect your files from accidental damage that could cause damage to the security of your files.

Today, it seems as if every major tech company has its own storage services. Smaller companies and brands are beginning to enter the market too.

What are the best ways to choose one?

We looked through a variety of cloud storage providers that are available and then narrowed down our most popular choices for those who want to use them. We’ll go over the pros and cons of each pricing, features specifications, features and other factors you’ll need to take into consideration when making an informed decision regarding cloud-based storage options.

5 Best Cloud Storage Services

The five cloud storage services we enjoy include:

• IDrive Ideal for backups
• Microsoft OneDrive – The best choice for home use
• Google Drive – the best cloud storage service that is free
• The Apple’s iCloud – The most user-friendly cloud storage service
• Dropbox the best cloud storage solution

Stay tuned for our detailed analysis of the various cloud storage services below.

1. IDrive Ideal for backups

IDrive Cloud Backup is a cloud-based storage and backup service that is available at a reasonable cost.

They’re offering a promotion today that gives you 50 percent off the first year of. If you’re looking for a Personal Plan, it’s $52.12. If you’re looking for an Enterprise Plan the cost is $74.62.

They offer the standard features you would expect from the best cloud storage service like:

• File syncing
• Backups are available for various platforms (PCs, Macs, Android and iOS)
• Protection of your data
• Mobile app
• 24/7 customer support

It comes with its distinct features like IDrive Express. It lets you save hundreds of gigabytes worth of data to the temporary storage device you receive via IDrive. It is possible to return the drive to IDrive after you’ve finished.

There is no bandwidth consumption for data transmissions. Your data will be safe with the 256 bit AES encryption, which is the same encryption that is used by the top VPN services and the military.

IDrive is extremely speedy and efficient, thanks to a unique way of transfer that permits them to do this. “IDrive is able to transfer only modified parts of your files following the full transfer. This is done by only sending modified blocks of your file, which maximizes your bandwidth and guarantees that transfers happen quickly,” their website explains.

IDrive provides three plans:

• Basis (5 GB) Free
• Personal (5 TB) 5TB Personal $52.12 in the initial year
• Enterprise (250 GB) — 74.62 during the year that was the beginning of the year.

Keep in mind that these are promotions rates. They’ll increase once your first year has over. It’s a good idea to have both the Personal and Business plans also include different plans for sub-plans which allow you to expand to more storage when you’re in need of it.

2. Microsoft OneDrive – Best for personal use

Microsoft OneDrive Cloud Storage is a user-friendly cloud storage service that is available with the majority of Windows products. This makes it an ideal solution for every PC user.

The most notable characteristics include:

• Automated backups
• Access off-line
• File sharing
• Mobile device for document scanning
• Personal Vault to provide additional security

The personal vault is a fantastic product. It is not only secure by identity verification, but it allows you to keep your most important documents without fearing that they could be accessible by malicious actors. You’ll have access to these files from any laptop or mobile device.

They offer a range of services and products for businesses, including enhanced collaboration tools for teams (grant access that expires, creating shareable links, etc.). One of the best features is their collaboration feature that allows for Microsoft Word editing. As with Google Docs, you and your colleagues can access a single Word document to edit and change it together without sharing the same document between you and your team.

But, I would not recommend using OneDrive to run a business if you’re able to make it work. Because it’s an Windows application, OneDrive is restricted in the places it is shared and the ways in which the files can be utilized. This makes it the best choice for PC families that are searching for a reliable way to share their personal files like documents and photos each other.

Personal home plans begin at no cost with 5GB of storage. If you’re a business there are a variety of options and plans to meet your requirements.

I strongly recommend that you sign up for at a minimum Microsoft 365 Business Basic plan. For $5 per month, you’ll get numerous services, including SharePoint and Teams in addition to the web-based editions that include Word, Excel, and Powerpoint.

3. Google Drive – Best free cloud storage service

Even if you’re new to cloud storage You’ve probably been familiar with this. You could even use it now.

And there’s a valid reason to do that. Google Drive offers an excellent cloud storage solution that’s absolutely free.

Not only will you receive 15GB of space for storage (a enormous amount of space when you consider it’s completely free) It’s connected to a wide range of the products and services that you already use such as:

• Trello
• Slack
• Adobe products
• Salesforce
• DocuSign

Google Drive allows you to make it simple to transfer and sync files well. You can choose to limit access to certain users and email addresses and even grant users the ability to edit specific files.

So, if already have an Google service like GMail, GSuite, or an Android device, then you must certainly consider using Google Drive as well.

For disadvantages The interface isn’t the most intuitive available. For instance, it’s difficult to determine the best way to allow users access to specific documents. In addition, if you’re trying view an Word file or PDF file, the service will try to allow you to open it using an Google product like Google Docs and Google PDF Viewer.

If you’re looking for an online storage solution for your personal use or if your company isn’t huge I would highly recommend using Google Drive. You’ll get a massive 15 GB of storage at no cost. It’s an amazing bargain.

In addition to the no-cost plan Google provides a variety of services that are available under Google One. The higher level of their free plans is the 100 GB plan that costs only $1.99/month. A great price.

4. Apple’s iCloud – Most intuitive cloud storage service

On the Apple side in the range, iCloud provides a lot of the same features, plans and services as OneDrive. Instead of catering to devices on PCs It’s designed for Apple’s entire suite of products.

If you’re among the millions of people who use Apple products, you’re using iCloud. In fact, it’s integrated into every iPhone, iPad, iMac, Macbook, and other Apple devices. With iCloud you get five GB of storage space for data at no cost.

iCloud lets you easily search and browse your images and documents from the moment you first started to save your files on their platform. In addition, you’ll also be able to share them too.

In reality, the service is like a custom-made service for photography. It allows you to make albums and iCloud even brings back memories that you can review to mark specific occasions photographs you’ve taken.

In addition to photos as well, you’ll be able to save and browse through other documents and files in your iCloud.

iCloud is by far the most user-friendly and simple cloud storage service you can think of. Apple’s user experience experts designed a easy but effective experience for the most recent Apple user.

It’s affordable, too, for those who want to expand beyond the 5GB free (which you’ll want to do if you’re running your own company).

5. Dropbox – The best all-around cloud storage option

Dropbox is without doubt among the top well-known cloud storage services available. Even if you’re new in cloud storage chances are you’ve have heard of Dropbox and may have tried previously.

The apocryphal beginnings start with the the founder Drew Houston who kept on losing his flash drive while it was his student at MIT. After losing one USB drive He decided to design an application that allowed the user to access his files at any time.

Thus, Dropbox was born.

Since the beginning, Dropbox has grown into an immense storage system for files. It lets you store and share files, photos videos, cloud content, and much more. The services are quick to sync and also ensures that you’ll always have the latest version of the file you need access to.

Dropbox is also a great tool with excellent integrations, too. You’ll be able integrate with the tools and solutions that you’ve probably already used in your daily routine and in the workplace, such as:

• Slack
• Zoom
• Google Cloud
• Salesforce
• Microsoft
• Adobe
• Trello
• HelloSign

and more. Dropbox even has the tool Dropbox Paper which allows you to work with your colleagues on an automated synced platform.

The price starts free, but you’ll only have 2 GB when you sign up for this plan. This is the lowest price of all the plans by a significant distance. If you’re looking for a cost-free plan, I strongly suggest you consider a different option (cough Google Drive cough).

Paid plans begin at $9.99/month that gives you 2TB of storage space. Yes, you read that correctly. It’s a huge leap up from 2GB, however you’ll have a ton more storage , as well as features such as Smart Sync, camera upload as well as a 30 days of account reset.

How to select the best cloud storage service?

The cloud storage option you choose to use is ultimately based on your individual preferences and requirements.

However, there are some things you should be looking for to purchase the top model. Here are three key features that were integral in the way we came up with this list. Utilize them to guide you through your decision-making process.

Syncing

Whichever device you are using to access and save your data, you must ensure that it is synced seamlessly through the cloud. Since you’re using the cloud storage service as a result of the way you can access the files and documents from any location using the Internet connection.

If it’s not synchronizing across all of your devices, it’s unlikely to be available at the time you need it. This is why you must be sure that any cloud-based storage you are using has automated syncing capabilities.

Fortunately, this is included by standard with a lot of cloud storage devices. However, not every syncs that are automated are created equally. Some require you to select specific types of files and folders you want to automatically sync. Others simply sync all over the place.

If you’re searching for an online storage solution for your business it is important to make it the top priority.

Integrations

Cloud storage that does not integrate seamlessly with your current working tools and processes isn’t the ideal choice for you. If it’s integrated, then it’s an easy and easy way for your coworkers and team members, and even family members and acquaintances to share and save files.

Some of the features we need to use our cloud storage service on Quick Sprout is syncing with Trello and Slack since they are two tools that we regularly and on a daily basis.

Check out the software that you regularly use and look into the cloud storage provider you’re looking into to see whether they have integrations to it.

Scalability

This is a crucial point. Most people don’t think about whether the product or service can expand to meet their needs until it’s far gone.

If you’re a smaller firm, you’re probably not going to require an identical amount of space space as large corporations like Google. Therefore, you’ll need an affordable storage plan the beginning.

If you are planning to expand your business (and you do) it is important to ensure you use a cloud-based storage provider offers plans that let you grow your business.

This is why you must be sure that the service you’re looking at offer an easy method to change plans and storage capacities. Should they not offer this, you could be faced with a lot of hassles later on when you’re required to transfer all your documents and files to the cloud storage service of your choice.

Conclusion

Here are the top five cloud storage services:

• IDrive is ideal for backups
• Microsoft OneDrive – The best choice for home use
• Google Drive – The best cloud storage service for free
• the Apple’s iCloud – The most intuitive cloud storage service
• Dropbox the best cloud storage solution

Remember that what you pick is yours and your own personal preferences. You really can’t be wrong with any of the options choices.