To ensure your privacy, it’s wise to go for a secure cloud storage provider that uses zero-knowledge encryption and other security measures. Our top choices for the most secure and efficient cloud storage services are: If you’re serious about data security, it’s also important to use a VPN. A VPN protects your internet traffic with encryption and protects you from harmful elements online. NordVPN is the best VPN to use in 2023 with any of the top cloud storage providers. These providers generally offer a limited amount of storage for free. However, as you continue to upload files, you’ll run out of space and will eventually have to upgrade. However, these aren’t very secure options. Many, including iCloud, have suffered major breaches in the past, with hackers leaking users’ private images and files. In this article, we review the best cloud storage providers in 2023 that offer encrypted online storage and explain why they’re better than conventional cloud storage providers for storing your personal data online.
Which is the Best Cloud Storage Service in 2023?
MEGA is the best cloud storage provider in 2023, offering generous free storage and high-end encryption. iDrive is a close second, since it also offers nominal plans and robust security. An encrypted cloud storage service offers you a secure virtual space to keep your files, offering easy access through a browser or even a smartphone app. Here’s a table showing a brief comparison of the best cloud storage services in 2023:
1. MEGA: Best secure free cloud storage
Free cloud storage: 20 GB Annual personal plans starting from $58.58/year for 400 GB, $117.18/year for 2TB Annual business plans starting from $70.32/year/user for 3 TB
MEGA is one of the best free cloud storage providers available. It offers you a generous 20 GB of free storage and uses zero-knowledge encryption so your data remains secure. Also, all of its security features are free, so you only have to pay extra if you need more storage. There were some security concerns in the past, but in June 2022, MEGA updated its security infrastructure, and is now incredibly safe. All your data is encrypted with a key derived from your password, meaning MEGA does not generate your encryption key and therefore cannot read it. MEGA lets you set up a recovery key that you can use to regain access to your data in case you ever do lose your password. Furthermore, if your device is ever infected by ransomware, you can use MEGA’s file versioning and recovery features to revert to a previous version of all files stored online. It’s easily the best cloud backup for PC. You can also create password-protected links when sharing files with others. Password-protected files can be downloaded without needing to sign up for a MEGA account. There are also some handy collaboration features that would be especially useful for businesses, such as private team messaging and secure video conferencing.
Although MEGA has a pretty generous free cloud storage plan, it has certain limits, such as a monthly file transfers quota. Also, the paid plans are pretty pricey when compared to some alternatives that are discussed below. Another possible cause for concern is that a large portion of MEGA’s stock is owned by individuals with connections to the Chinese government, which is notorious for its invasive privacy policies. This may make some users uneasy, but theoretically, it shouldn’t be a problem because of the end-to-end, zero-knowledge encryption at play. To sum up: MEGA offers user-controlled encryption and does not directly access your data. This is in stark contrast to mainstream providers like Google Drive or OneDrive, as they scan files for information for marketing purposes. You can read more about this in our article about what Google knows about you. Try out MEGA today if you’re serious about file security.
2. iDrive: Best cloud backup for individuals and businesses
Free cloud storage: 5 GB Annual personal plans start at $56.92 for 5 TB ($79.50 from the second year onwards) Annual business plans start at $74.62 for 5 users, 1 TB storage each
iDrive offers minimal free storage but is one of the cheapest security-focused cloud storage services available. This service also uses 256-bit AES encryption to transfer files and secures them with a user-defined key that isn’t stored anywhere on the service’s servers, so even iDrive can’t read your data. It’s an excellent online backup and secure file sharing solution for individuals, small businesses, and enterprises. iDrive features continuous file syncing, even those on network drives. Files deleted from your computer don’t automatically get deleted from the server, making sure you have a solid backup in place. In fact, iDrive keeps up to 30 previous versions of all files added to your account. iDrive also offers iDrive Express, a service that sends you a physical drive containing all your data in case you lose it. Whether you use personal or business plans, iDrive has easy-to-use apps and a straightforward web interface. It lets you share files by email, Facebook, and Twitter. Moreover, there are several specialized features for businesses, such as the iDrive Thin Client application that lets IT admins backup, restore, and manage all their connected devices via a centralized dashboard. Lastly, iDrive is one of the best cloud providers for photos, with a facial recognition feature similar to that of Google Photos and other popular services. This helps you automatically organize your memories and sync them across all your linked devices. You can also opt for the separate iDrive Photos service, which offers unlimited photo storage and videos from your iOS or Android device in original quality. iDrive secure cloud storage apps for Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android. Its subscriptions start at just $0.99 for unlimited storage for the first year, with a seven-day free trial. Pricing for the second year onwards is under $10, which is cheaper than both iCloud and Google Photos. If you’re looking for the best cloud backup for photos, give iDrive a try below.
3. pCloud: Best value lifetime cloud storage with a one-time fee
Free cloud storage: 10 GB Lifetime personal plans at $175.00 for 500 GB, $350 for 2TB Lifetime family plan at $500 for 2 TB for up to 5 users Annual personal plans start at $49.99/year for 500 GB, $99.99/year for 2TB Annual business plans start at $95.88/user for 1 TB each
It can be difficult to keep up with different subscription payments monthly or annually. pCloud eases this problem by offering a lifetime cloud storage plan for one upfront fee. This works out affordable in the long term and offers great value for money. pCloud has options for individuals, families, and businesses. All plans boast advanced collaboration and file-sharing features for convenience. Moreover, you can back up files from third-party platforms, including Dropbox, Facebook, OneDrive, Google Drive, and Google Photos. pCloud supports all file formats and has built-in media players for video and audio. Plus, there are ample features for file sharing, syncing, and accessing across multiple devices, file versioning, and recovery. It uses AES 256-bit encryption and the TLS/SSL protocol during transfers to protect your files. Once files reach a data center, five copies are made and distributed to at least three servers to maximize security. It also uses two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of protection. If you’re looking for the best cloud backup for Mac, this one’s a fairly good choice. Get their 10 GB free plan by clicking the button below.
4. Sync.com: Best cloud storage for business users
Free cloud storage: 5 GB Annual personal plans start at $96.00/year for 2 TB Annual business plans start at $60.00/user for 1 TB
Sync.com is a cloud storage service that’s zero-knowledge compliant and an excellent option for both personal and business use. The service uses AES-256-bit encryption, TLS protocol to protect files in transit, and two-factor authentication to ward off hacking. If you’re looking for the best cloud backup for Android, they also have a mobile app for Android and iOS. Additionally, features like file requests, expiry dates, password protection, notifications, and permissions ensure that you can always control who views your files. Sync.com is a particularly good cloud storage option for businesses and teams thanks to its affordable pricing, excellent security, and wide range of features. For instance, each user on a team gets 1TB of space for only $5 per user, per month. If you need extra storage, the Advanced plan for 10TB per user is just $15 per month. At the same time, you can benefit from excellent versioning support. Businesses can restore file versions dating back a year, which can prove incredibly nifty for data recovery. Furthermore, the Account Rewind feature helps you restore your full account from, say, a ransomware attack. Sync.com also includes full support for Microsoft Office formats including Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Visio, as well as Adobe PDF, PSD, virtually all photo formats, and more. It’s easily one of the best cloud backup options for businesses. Lastly, admin tools make it easy to manage users and keep your cloud storage functioning effectively. Check out its free 5 GB plan by clicking the button below. If you want to learn more, check out our detailed Sync.com review.
5. Backblaze: Best cloud storage for backups
Free cloud backup: 10 GB Annual personal plan starting from $70.00 for unlimited backup Annual business plan varies according to requirements
Backblaze is one of the best cloud providers for backing up your data, especially for businesses that build in the cloud. If you need a cloud storage service that you can use for just storing data safely and securely, this is an excellent choice. It’s perfect for both personal and business backup needs — but be warned that there are no handy file syncing or collaboration features. It stands out by easing the process of backing up your files. All you’ve got to do is install the app, and it will continuously back up all important data on your device in the background. You can access your files through the web or the Backblaze mobile apps for iOS and Android. Further, your data is secured with AES 128-bit encryption both at rest and in transit. Although 256-bit would have been ideal, even 128-bit is adequate. If you want to learn more about the difference, check out our guide to encryption. You can also set a private key to lock your files. But you will need to share this with Backblaze for file recovery, so it doesn’t qualify as zero-knowledge encryption. During recovery, you can either download files from the web or have Backblaze ship them to you on a flash or external drive. While Backblaze offers unlimited storage space at an unbeatable price, you can only backup one endpoint per account. Try it out by clicking the button below! The great news is that you can currently get Backblaze free for one year when you sign up for ExpressVPN. In addition to all the benefits of an ExpressVPN subscription, such as online privacy and anonymity, you can now also get a free year of Backblaze and enjoy secure backups for peace of mind.
6. Crashplan: Secure cloud backups for businesses
Unlimited storage Annual personal plans starting from $120/endpoint Annual business plans starting from $120/endpoint
Crashplan is a reliable, user-friendly, and secure cloud storage provider for both small businesses and large enterprises. For business owners that prioritize data security, this is one of the best cloud storage providers. Crashplan services over 50,000 small and enterprise businesses. Unlike most other cloud storage services, Crashplan secures your data – both at rest and in transit – with AES 256-bit end-to-end encryption, which is the ultra-secure encryption used by banks and the military. It has a desktop app that’s super easy to install on your computer. Once installed, it’ll automatically start backing all files to the cloud. This protects you against ransomware threats and sudden data loss. Crashplan also wins when it comes to device migration, since it features a dedicated tool for migrating all your data to a new computer. It also offers secondary drive support, meaning you can have your backups locally for quicker restoration, while protected at no extra cost. For small businesses, Crashplan stands out for offering unlimited storage for your files at a fixed price, introducing more predictability in how much you pay. However, this is not the case for enterprises with over 100 endpoints (computers). Enterprises will be required to purchase a set number of user licenses depending on the number of users It’s pertinent to mention here that Crashplan doesn’t backup system files. This is an issue when you have custom configurations for your system, and in some cases, file retrieval can be a bit slow.
7. Wasabi: Affordable and fast cloud storage
Free cloud storage: 1 TB (trial) Annual personal plans start at $71.88 for 1 TB Annual business plans start at $71.88 for 1 TB
Wasabi is a super affordable cloud storage service for both individuals and businesses. It offers hot cloud storage, which is a universal object storage environment that’s much faster than conventional storage, which varies based on how frequently you access your data. Furthermore, Wasabi’s Object Lock data protection tool allows businesses to make files immutable (files can’t be deleted or altered) for a pre-specified amount of time. This comes in handy for regulatory compliance. It offers file access administration features that allow you to set access permissions for different types of data. Only users with permissions can access protected files, for instance. Unlike many other business cloud solutions, Wasabi doesn’t charge you an extra fee for additional API requests or in case you decide to move off-platform. Wasabi has two payment options: pay-as-you-use and multi-year plans for long-term use. It’s crucial to note, under the pay-as-you-use plan, Wasabi will charge you for deleting recently uploaded files for up to 90 days. Wasabi also offers a free trial with limited features for users to try it out before making a commitment.
What is a Cloud Storage Service and Why Use it?
Cloud storage is known by many names, such as online storage, cloud backup, file storage, file hosting, and online drives. All of these terms refer to storing files such as documents, photos, and videos “on the cloud.” The cloud is basically a server that you can access remotely online. That means you can access it from anywhere on almost any device via the internet. Cloud storage services can be free or paid and have different cloud storage tools for varying business and personal needs. Some of the benefits of using cloud storage are that it allows you to:
Keep your files secure in case something happens to your physical device. Access your files and folders from anywhere and on any device by logging into your account. Collaborate with others on projects and keep track of changes made. Automatically sync files between multiple devices so that changes made from one place are reflected on other devices. Save space on your physical devices by archiving files you don’t need as much to the cloud. Back up your data for easy recovery when needed. For instance, if you accidentally delete files or lose your data due to malware or ransomware attacks.
Types of Cloud Storage Services
There are three types of cloud storage services, each of which will be discussed below.
1. Cold cloud storage
This is the most common type of cloud storage that’s used to store infrequently accessed data. Cold storage is used for storing:
Replicated data like backups Media files like videos and photos Data stored for compliance reasons
Retrieving data from cold storage tends to be harder and slower. Not to mention, there are charges(egress fees) for retrieving data stored on cold storage. However, it’s usually cheaper than other forms of storage.
2. Hot cloud storage
It offers a type of cloud storage known as hot cloud storage. Which is significantly faster than traditional (cold) cloud storage. A good example is Google Drive which is secure cloud storage that can be accessed with the speed and reliability of an internal hard drive. This offers convenience for both individuals and businesses that require instant and most secure cloud storage accessibility to meet their needs. Wasabi is an excellent example of hot storage.
3. Warm cloud storage
This is halfway between cold cloud storage and hot cloud storage. It’s meant for storing data that’s not accessed as frequently as in hot storage, and not as infrequent as in cold storage. It’s meant for occasional data access like data used for analytics.
Why Pick Secure Cloud Storage?
You’ve probably already used some of the most popular cloud storage services, like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, iCloud, and Dropbox. Of these, the first three are owned by Big Tech companies (Google, Microsoft, and Apple, respectively), while Dropbox was started by two MIT students and grew to be one of the most valuable startups in the world. All of these file-sharing services make it easy to store, manage, and edit your files. They have incredibly user-friendly apps across all platforms such as Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Moreover, they offer great integrations with other apps, adding to their convenience and functionality. They are also widely used as some of the best free cloud storage options. However, what you might not know is that these well-known cloud services come with some security risks. Although they all use the highest encryption standards to store your data securely, that’s not enough to ensure complete security and privacy. For instance, all the mainstream cloud storage services regularly scan your data to find information that may be useful for marketing products and services to you. They also expose your data to vulnerabilities during the transmission process. Furthermore, these popular services lack zero-knowledge encryption. “Zero-knowledge” means that nobody except you can access your data, not even the cloud storage service provider. This is usually achieved by making you set a private key that’s needed to decrypt your data.
What to Look for When Choosing Secure Cloud Storage
Security is essential when choosing the best cloud storage — but so are program features and the specific functionality you need for your purposes. After all, it’s a service you will be using long-term, so it’s best to do your research beforehand. Never believe any offers of free unlimited cloud storage. Cloud services require a lot of money for upkeep, so if a website is hosting your data for “free,” that’s a sign they may be making money off of you another way (such as selling your data to other companies). In a nutshell, consider the following points when deciding which provider to go with:
1. Volume of storage vs. price
Is the storage offer sufficient to store all your files now and in the future? Can you upgrade later on if you need to? How much free storage is available? For instance, on our list above, pCloud offers the best value with their lifetime plans, which cost more upfront but work out cheaper overall. However, there’s no way to upgrade if you want more storage than the maximum of 2 TB. So, if you expect that you’ll need more space down the line, you could go for something like iDrive, which offers up to 5 TB.
2. Availability
Does the cloud provider have apps for the platforms you use, whether it’s Windows, macOS, Android, or iOS? Is there an efficient web interface? Is the service available worldwide? All of the cloud storage services we’ve mentioned above have an efficient desktop app and mobile app with availability in most countries. Moreover, they are also among the best free cloud storage providers.
3. Safety
Does the service use server-side and client-side encryption? Does it operate on zero-knowledge principles, or does the cloud storage provider have access to your private key? What are the privacy policies of the provider? Has it experienced data breaches in the past?
4. Sharing and collaboration features
Does the cloud service let you easily collaborate with others when you need to? Can you share files and set permissions to control access? Is it easy to use? Most of the services we picked are feature-rich and suitable for both personal and business use.
5. Backup and recovery
Does the cloud storage solution automatically sync and backup files on your computer? Or does it need regular intervention from you? What happens if you lose your data? Does it have a versioning system that can help you roll back to earlier files? These factors can be life-saving in case your device gets affected by threats like viruses or ransomware that corrupt your data.
Cloud Storage Solutions: Better Safe Than Sorry
To sum up, whether you go for free storage or paid storage, it’s essential to invest in secure cloud storage that protects your privacy while keeping your files safe. The great news is that all of our top options also offer some of the best free cloud storage options, which you can first try out to see if it works well for you. You can test out the file-sharing features, ease of use, and customer service before deciding which paid plan to opt for. It’s best to steer clear of the mainstream providers such as Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, and Microsoft OneDrive because even though they may be cheaper, they use your data for marketing purposes and expose your files to vulnerabilities during the file transfer process. Remember: the best cloud storage that money can buy is the one that keeps your files safe and secure. Even if you’re using AWS S3, it’s important to learn how to secure and protect your S3 buckets. At the same time, it offers advanced security, like AES-256-bit encryption, the secure TLS protocol to protect files in transit, and two-factor authentication. It’s zero-knowledge compliant so that nobody, including Sync.com, can access your data. But safe cloud storage services do exist. These do not access your data at all and secure it with the safest encryption and protocols. Good examples are MEGA, iDrive, pCloud, and Sync.com. A cloud backup is about long-term storage for the purpose of recovery in case of data loss. Backup services don’t usually have collaborative or file-sharing features. Any of the best cloud providers can be used for long-term storage too.
