When looking for the best cloud storage and file sharing service, you will come across an exhaustive list along with some of the popular name that include Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox. However, with so many cloud storage and file-sharing services out there, it can be hard to determine which one is right for your business. The best way to make your decision is to consider the factors that matter most to you: price, capacity, security, encryption, accessibility and additional features.
But, before we get into that, let’s understand what’s a cloud storage service and why do you need it.
What is a Cloud Storage Service?
Cloud storage services are an essential part of our digital lives. They make it easy to access the files we need from anywhere, at any time – whether you’re at home or working remotely. The data is stored in a resource called cloud, which can be accessed from any location across the world for free or at a cost. The pricing depends on the amount of storage you want. The data can be accessed via your computer desktop through an application or through the browser.
Cloud storage services also known as cloud hosting, allow you to store and access your data online. They offer online data backup, file synchronization and remote access services. Cloud storage is a convenient way to keep files in sync across multiple devices. It is also known as online storage, online backup, file storage, file hosting, etc.
Why Do You Need a Cloud Storage?
Some of its advantages include:
- By storing data in the cloud, a business can save money on storage technologies, capacity and services rather than investing capital costs in building and maintaining an internal storage network.
- Cloud storage also stores the company data on redundant servers, so if a data center breaks down, the data can be managed from other data centers, making the data more secure and monitored.
- As internet security becomes our main concern, both large and small businesses use cloud storage services. When they choose a cloud service for their business, they should ensure that the service that provides them with better security is provided.
- Cloud storage providers offer unlimited growth and the ability to increase or reduce storage capacity as needed. A cloud storage service is a company that manages the data of its customers and makes it accessible over a network or the Internet and can be used for online backup, online collaboration, file sharing, data storage and more.
- Cloud storage can be used to copy virtual machines and images from the cloud to an on-site location and import them into a cloud image library.
- It helps you to access a broad variety of resources, applications and hosting infrastructure through the company’s web services interface, instantly.
- Another advantage of cloud servers is their ability to integrate with various offices and online services such as CRMs and Slack to enable automatic data exchange.
- You can also use cloud servers with Microsoft Linux to work when you’re away from work, and you can enter your storage from a smartphone to solve your business.
- Once the data is stored, it is easy for employees to login to the cloud portal to work with the data they need and then log out when they are done.
- Cloud storage services also offer file sharing features that help you share your files with other users.
So, if you don’t yet have a service to store and synchronize your data in the cloud, consider one. Cloud storage services offer a specific cloud storage at an affordable price for a lifetime, which is a win-win situation for small businesses and individual users.
In this post, we have provided you with the list of some of the best cloud storage and file sharing services for 2021 that can help you pick the one that suits your requirement as an individual or as a business.
Amazon Cloud Drive
Amazon Cloud Drive is a cloud storage service that is offered by Amazon Web Services. It allows you to store your digital files in the cloud so that users can access them from any location, on any device.
Cloud Drive also offers 5 GB of free storage space, which is comparable to what Dropbox and Google Drive offer. You are allowed to upload content in specific file formats, including Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, JPEG images and more.
Google Drive
One of the most popular cloud storage service, it offers free storage space with option to upgrade at a cost, along with the freedom to share and collaborate files and folders from any mobile device or computer. Moreover, available in form of apps on both Android and iOS, it can be easily accessed from any browser or smart mobile device.
Features:
- It offers 15GB free storage space.
- With Google Drive, you can expect complete security of your files.
- All files are scanned as soon as added and if any malware found, is eliminated with immediate effect.
- It ensures that your content stays private and is not shared with 3rd party organizations.
- It encourages teamwork with flawless syncing capability with its own products like Docs, Sheets, etc.
- It provides AI powered robust search function to predict what you are searching for and helps your team find files 50% faster.
Best of all, the cloud storage service also seamlessly integrates with the technology your team is already using, and even offers the option to work with your team together in Microsoft Office without converting file formats.
Price: Free upto 15GB; Pricing starts from $18/year for 100 GB.
Microsoft OneDrive
It’s a cloud storage tool that comes with all of the company’s Office 365 subscriptions. It allows you to store files in the cloud and access them from any computer or mobile device. It’s an easy way to share large files with your customers, employees, and/or business partners. It also makes it easier for everyone who has access to the file to save their changes when collaborating on projects. OneDrive can be used online or downloaded as a plug-in for both Windows and Mac computers.
Features:
- With OneDrive, you can save your favorite images and files and even get to check them or edit the drive from any device or any location.
- You can even share your files stored in the drive from any location and from any device.
- Each time you save your files, a backup is created of all files automatically and hence, no fear of losing files.
- You are allows to share your files with friends, colleagues or family, and even work with your team in real-time.
- It allows you to create some great tasks with the help of the Office 365 apps.
Additionally, you get 1TB of cloud storage, save space on your Windows OS as you access the files directly from the Drive, allows your mobile device to scan the documents stored in it, get access to the personal vault, enjoy secure content with ransomware recovery, and more.
Price: Free upto 5GB; Pricing starts from £1.99 / month for 100GB.
Dropbox
It’s a file hosting service that offers cloud storage, file synchronization, personal cloud and client software. It allows users to create a special folder on each of their computers, which it then synchronizes so that it appears to be the same folder (with the same contents) regardless of which computer is used to view it. Dropbox uses a freemium business model, where users are offered a free account with a set storage size, with paid subscriptions available that offer more capacity and additional features.
Features:
- It allows you to connect with your friends and family, and work in association with your team from any device.
- While you can store your files in Dropbox, the files are also completely secure, and can be accessed from any other device.
- You can share files of any size with anyone, regardless of whether they have a Dropbox account or not.
- It offers privacy for your files with strong security.
- It also helps you to manage files easily, keep a watch on the file updates and more.
Among its other major features are, simplifying remote work by unifying your team’s tools and data, option to store and share files by all family members, offering in-depth view of all your documents, allows you to send encrypted files smoothly and securely, option to store and automatically sync your passwords, and so on.
Price: Free trial available for Business plans; Pricing starts from $9.99/month for individuals and $12.50 /user / month for business.
Box
This is another very popular cloud storage service that allows you to store, sync and share your work from any location with an Internet connection. Box’s powerful features help you manage all of your files in one secure place, so you can focus on getting things done instead of organizing your information.
Features:
- It ensures topmost security for your files with critical information with their advanced security widgets.
- It also offers tools to identify threats instantly and ensures round the clock watch on your data.
- You can expect flawless collaboration with business associates and teams, and share files seamlessly.
- It also automates the workflow that you keep repeating every day like creating recruitment contracts, online asset management and more.
- It can integrate with over 1500 apps.
It now comes with a all new User Interface and some out-of-the-box features like simplified integration with Zoom, annotation, and more, which is perfect for both personal and business use.
Price: Plans start from $16 / user / month for 100GB.
Apple iCloud Drive
This cloud storage service allows you to store pictures, videos, documents, and other files. It also enables users to sync these files across multiple devices that are connected with the same cloud account. While the service started-off with 5 GB of free storage space, the free storage space was later increased to 15 GB on all plans. It now offers 50 GB of free storage on its highest paid plan with the option to buy more storage.
Features:
- This cloud storage (iCloud) service is strictly for Apple devices and it offers storage space for content that includes photos, apps, songs, TV shows, etc.
- Apart from storage, it also offers the facility like Find My iPhone to help you find out your phone when lost or stolen.
- It allows you to store all your sensitive data such as passwords, card details, identity card numbers, etc. at a single place called the iCloud Keychain.
- You can also create strong passwords using the Password Generator.
- It can store and even syncs all your data that incudes contacts, emails, calendars, etc. across other iOS devices.
- Best of all, all the data above, contacts, emails, calendars, etc. are updated in real-time.
What’s more? The cloud storage service also creates backup of all your content, by-default, across all your iOS devices, everyday and over the Wi-Fi.
Price: Starts from $0.99 for 50GB.
pCloud
This is yet another powerful cloud storage service that allows users to upload, share and sync files across multiple platforms. It also provides unlimited file version history, so you will never lose track of your changes. Additionally, the cloud storage can be accessed from anywhere in the world via web browser, desktop application or mobile app.
Features:
- While it allows you to save your content in the cloud and keep them on your laptop to be accessed anytime, you can also access the data from your phone or through the browser.
- It offers the convenience to share your data with your friends, family and co-workers and even receive files from them.
- It also allows you to work in collaboration with your team using the saved files.
Moreover, it ensures high-security of your sensitive content using high-quality and super-resistant encryption.
Price: Starts from $175 for 500GB for lifetime.
BackBlaze
If you are looking for a powerful yet safe online backup service, then you can try this service that stores your data on our secure servers. It automatically backs up all of the files on your computer, including photos, videos and documents. You can also back up external drives or network drives to Backblaze for free! If you’re looking for a way to protect your personal data — especially since losing everything would be financially devastating, then this could be perfect for you.
Features:
- Not just cloud storage, but it also helps you to develop applications, keep your files secure, and much more.
- It offers organizations across the world the option to store data on B2 cloud storage, grow and optimize their cloud experience.
- It also ensures total security of your data on Virtual Machines, computers, servers, etc.
- It allows you to upload, download and even remove files, create or administer the file containers and control any changes to your account using its API.
Moreover, you can promote your saved content across the globe in just a few clicks, and control and save wide media collection without any impact on your daily tasks.
Price:15-day free trial available; Plans start at $7/month
Sync.com
This provider is an American cloud storage company that allows users to upload their photos, music, movies or any other files from anywhere across multiple devices. Sync delivers on its promise of usability, speed, security, efficiency and cost effectiveness.
Features:
- It makes it uber easy to store your content , share them with friends, family and teammates and access them from anywhere.
- It ensures privacy for your data with complete encryption so that it’s safely stored in the cloud with no outside access and no exposure to malware or ransomware.
- It allows multiple users to work from the same group of files or folders at the same time.
- You can also take advantage of features like password encryption, requests for sending or receiving files, expiry dates, etc.
In addition, it backs up all your files automatically and saves them in a single point. Your files can also be synced across devices and is also available as apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.
Price: Plans start from $5/user/month billed annually.
IDrive
Those looking for a reputed cloud based data backup service with password protection can bet on this service, as it allows you to synchronize folders between devices. With this cloud storage provider, you can automatically or manually sync files across multiple computers. You can also share folder access with other iDrive users and keep the same file synchronized across all devices.
Features:
- It provides automatic backup for multiple devices in a single account and the devices include Windows and Mac computers, Android and iOS.
- It can also backup content from external hard drives.
- It allows live syncing of files and folders across all devices with the same cloud storage.
- The physical storage shipment allows faster backup and recovery process.
- It also offers previous history of your data and stores upto 30 older versions of all files.
- It manages the backups of the content on the web interface.
In addition, it also allows you to create a copy of your files and each of its sectors to ensure data recovery in case of any crash, offers 256-bit AES encryption security, automatically identifies any changed parts of files, generates activity reports and much more.
Price: Free version available upto 5GB; post 5GB $14.62/user for first year and onwards.