The internet has drastically changed the IT industry. It not only connects a person with the world, but it also introduces new features every year. In the last decade, “cloud” was a new term tossed in the market, and soon it gained so much popularity that it now covers a large area of the industry.
Up to some extent, we all are familiar with cloud technology and how it stores our data at remote locations, and now every big tech company uses this technology to save their own and customers’ data. Cloud is not only limited to large organizations or enterprises but now even ordinary people also use the cloud to store their data.
Cloud has become so popular that every big tech giant has its cloud service. For example, if you are an android user, you have to connect your mobile device to a Google drive. This will store your data at a remote location, so even if your mobile gets lost or reset, you can recover your data from the remote server.
If you are looking to further your knowledge and learn the basics of cloud computing, head over to Cloud Academy and check out Cloud Literacy. Whether you’re involved in sourcing IT services, need to understand the cloud to make your business work more efficiently, or just want to know about what the cloud is, this learning path is for you.
What is the cloud?
In the software industry, cloud means a service that runs on the internet and stores your data at a “remote location,” which means the data center of a cloud service provider. In cloud storage, the data that you have stored at your device or hard drive can be stored at the data center of the cloud service provider. The cloud service storage works as a bank that stores your data so you can access it from anywhere and any device.
How does cloud storage work?
Cloud storage works on a client-server model, in which a client sends the request to the subscribed cloud service storage and the server at the data center gives the appropriate response. The main objective of the cloud, instead of saving data at local storage, the data of the user can be collected at some data center so the user could retrieve his or her data from any device.
What if the data center of the cloud service provider collapses or gets destroyed, would the user data also be destroyed? The answer is no. The cloud storage depends on hundreds of data centers, so even if one of the data centers collapses, there are hundreds of centers that would help you to retrieve and save your data.
This article is not about the nitty-gritty of cloud storage. This article focuses on the top 10 cloud storage services of 2020. There are many competitors in this field. Since all the big tech giants have their own cloud storage services, the competition is fierce. So, when we select a cloud storage service, we should consider some essential features such as service security, privacy, mobile app, pricing, complexity, and speed.
Top 10 cloud storage services of 2020
1. Dropbox
Dropbox is of the best file cloud storage and file synchronization services, developed by American company dropbox.
Pros of dropbox
- Ideal for any sized organization, big or small.
- It does not have a data limit.
- Data storage plans vary from 2GB to unlimited storage space.
- Supported by multiple devices such as Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, iOS, and Windows phones.
- Store and share any file on this platform.
- It provides you with admin control, which is very easy to use.
- It focuses on the privacy and security of its customers.
- Easily manage files without downloading them with the web version.
Dropbox pricing
| Plans | Storage Capacity | Price |
| Standard | 5GB |
|
| Advance | Customizable plans |
|
| Enterprise | Customizable plans | Customizable solutions |
Cons of Dropbox
- Though it gives 30 days free trial but does not provide any free storage space.
- Very expensive for freelancers and sole users.
2. iCloud
Apple Inc. provides this cloud storage service and every apple user is aware of this technology. It is only available for Apple devices, and in Windows 7 or later versions, there is no mobile application for Android devices. iCloud serves more than 850 million active users.
With iCloud, you can store your data such as documents, music, pictures, etc. at the remote server of Apple data centers. It also stores data of other Apple apps such as mail, calendar, contact, Reminder, Safari, etc.
iCloud pricing
iCloud pricing varies from country to country:
United States (USD)
- 50GB: $0.99
- 200GB: $2.99
- 2TB: $9.99
India (INR)
- 50GB: Rs 75
- 200GB: Rs 219
- 2TB: Rs 749
Cons of iCloud
- Only People having an Apple ID can use this service.
- There is no Android App for this service
- Some of the app’s data can only be transferred from one Apple device to another Apple device.
3. Google Drive
Google itself developed Google drive. With android devices, it comes with built-in integration.
Pros of Google Drive
- It can collaborate with many other services.
- Only accessible cloud storage service that provides 15GB of free space to its every user.
- Very easy to use.
- There are mobile and desktop apps for every operating system.
- It can be synced with any device.
- One of the best cloud storage services for big and small businesses.
- With Google drive, you can store any file.
- You can also integrate many third-party applications with Google Drive.
Google Drive pricing
| Storage | Price |
| 15GB | Free |
| 100GB | $1.99 per month |
| 200GB | $2.99 per month |
| 2TB | $9.99 per month |
| 10TB | $99.99 per month |
| 20TB | $199.99 per month |
| 30TB | $299.99 per month |
Cons of Google Drive
- 5 TB data limit in Google Drive
- No password protection feature for shared files.
- The web interface of Google drive could be confusing.
4. Microsoft One Drive
Microsoft One Drive was specially designed for Microsoft users, so the documents of Microsoft application could be saved on the cloud storage.
Pros of Microsoft One Drive
- Considered one of the best cloud storage services for data management, project and workflow, user management, and branding.
- Provides mobile and desktop applications for all the popular operating systems such as Android, Windows, and Apple.
- 5 GB of free cloud storage to its user.
- Can be easily integrated with the Windows file explorer so you can quickly backup your data.
One Drive pricing
| Plan | Plan Editions | Price | Storage |
| Personal | Personal | Free | 5 GB |
| Personal Unlimited | $9.95/month | Unlimited storage | |
| Custom | $5/month | 500GB | |
| Business | Custom | $7/month | 500 GB |
| Business Unlimited
It provides Branding features. |
$29.95/month | Unlimited | |
| Reseller Unlimited
It comes with a partner account. |
$59.95/month | Unlimited |
Cons of One Drive
- Often compared with Google drive, and it provides less free space than Google.
- Limitation of the uploaded data file of 15GB.
- Does not have an easy to use interface.
5. IDrive
IDrive is a cloud storage service that mostly focuses on the data backup feature.
Pros of IDrive
- Highly recommended for freelancers and small organizations.
- Storage plans vary from 5 GB to 1.12TB.
- Supported by Windows, Mac, IOS, and Android.
- File size cannot exceed 2 GB.
- Only provides 5 GB of free space.
- If a file is deleted, it can be recovered within 30 days.
- It can be synced with any device.
IDrive Pricing
| Plans | Storage Capacity | Price |
| Basic | 5GB | Free |
| IDrive Personal | 2TB | $104.25 for two years |
| 5TB | $149.25 for two years | |
| IDrive Business (Unlimited users, Unlimited computers, and servers.) | 250GB | $149.25 for two years |
| 500GB | $299.25 for two years | |
| 1.25 TB | $749.25 for two years |
Cons of IDrive
- It has a very confusing interface.
- Hard to use.
- Its software can slow down your system.
6. Mega
Mega is a cloud storage and file hosting service offered by an Auckland based company known as Mega limited. It is the only top cloud storage service that provides 50Gb of free data storage.
Pros of Mega
- Provides mobile and desktop applications for Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, and macOS operating systems.
- Many popular web browsers even have a browser extension for Mega cloud storage.
- Well known for its security features, which provide end-to-end encryption of files before they are uploaded, so even the Mega limited company employees cannot access the data without the proper key.
- Serves more than 100 million registered users.
Mega pricing
| Plans | Storage | Price/Month |
| Mega Free account. | 50GB | Free |
| Mega Lite account | 200GB | $4.99 |
| Mega Pro I account | 500GB | $9.99 |
| Mega Pro II account. | 2TB | $19.99 |
| Mega Pro III account | 4TB | $29.99 |
Mega Cons
- Its web-interface is only supported by Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.
7. Box
Box is highly recommended for enterprise solutions and for small teams.
Pros of Box
- It comes with 10GB of free storage.
- Focus on the security and privacy of the customers.
- Can store any file.
- Integrates with G-suit, so any Google files can be stored and shared with Box.
- Access from any device.
- Easy to use.
- You can invite other Box users to view your files and easily share data.
Box pricing
| Plans | Storage | Price |
| Individuals Plans | 10GB Storage | Free |
| Personal Pro | 100GB Storage | $10 per month |
| Business Plans Starter | 100GB | $5 per user/month |
| Business | Unlimited | $15 per user/month |
| Pro | 1TB Storage | $4250 |
| Custom | Unlimited Storage | Contact Company. |
Cons of Box
- Very expensive
- 5GB file size upload limitation.
8. pCloud
pCloud is specially designed to store large files, and it is often used for personal and small businesses. pCloud only provides two plans for storage space 10 and 100 GB.
Pros of pCloud
- Supported by every operating system, which includes Windows, Linux, iOS, Mac, and Android.
- No free storage service in pCloud.
- Provides TLS/SSL encryption for data security.
- Multiple file-sharing options.
- Pictures and videos from any social media platform can be stored in pCloud.
- Offers plans for a lifetime, which is missing in most of the cloud storage service providers.
pCloud Pricing
| Plan | Storage | Price/month |
| Premium | 500GB | $3.99 |
| Premium Plus | 2TB | $7.99 |
Cons of pCloud
- No free storage plan.
9. Tresorit
Tresorit is a cloud storage service that emphasizes on data security and encryption, and it is an ideal cloud storage service for individuals and businesses.
Pros of Tresorit
- Provides end-to-end data encryption on shared files.
- Supported by Windows, Linux, Android, Mac, and iOS.
- Highly recommended for confidential data storage.
- Very secure. Tresorit encrypts every file before they are uploaded to the cloud, applying the Advanced Encryption Standard algorithm using 256-bit keys.
Tresorit pricing
| Plan | Storage | Price/month |
| Small Business (2 Users) | 1,000GB | $20 |
| Big Business (10 Users) | 1TB | $12 |
| Enterprise (100 Users) | 1 TB | $24 |
Cons of Tresorit
- Does not provide any free storage.
10. Amazon Drive
Amazon Drive was formerly known as Amazon Cloud Drive. Amazon itself supports it for the cloud storage service, file backup, file sharing, and photo printing.
- This cloud service is only limited to some countries which include, United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, India, Australia, Canada, China, and Brazil.
- Provides unlimited free storage for Amazon Prime subscribers.
Amazon Drive pricing
| Plans | Storage | Price/Month |
| Prime Membership | 5GB | Free |
| 100 GB Amazon Storage plan | 100GB | $19.99 |
| 1 TB Amazon Storage Plan | 1TB | $59.99 |
Cons of Amazon Drive
- Not for business use.
- A file size greater than 2GB won’t be uploaded.
- Amazon Drive streaming is not available for videos longer than 20 minutes or larger than 2 GB
- Only for personal use.
Conclusion
There are many cloud storage services, but here we have only provided the top 10 cloud storage of 2020. So before you choose any one of these services for yourself, make sure that all features meet your needs. If you want a storage service for a large enterprise, your focus should be on security features provided by the cloud storage service.
We hope you like this article if you have any suggestion related to this article or we have missed any cloud storage service please let us know by dropping a comment below.
