Cloud storage is an essential service for many PC and smartphone users. Everything from backing up files, synchronising folders between PCs, sending large email attachments and even sharing photos between friends and family is much easier to accomplish via free cloud storage.
When searching for free cloud storage, it is important to be aware of what features are available on the free plan and those which are reserved only for premium plans. In many cases, cloud storage providers will incentivise new customers to sign-up to the service with a headline grabbing rate of free storage (e.g., “Get 10GB Free Cloud Storage”), but just as important is what features might be reserved only for premium users.
With this in mind, I will in this guide focus on listing 10 of the best free cloud storage services currently available. This is with done with reference to my own detailed reviews to highlight the pros and cons of each service and to help make easier the process of choosing the best free cloud storage.
- Get 20GB for free
- Full end-to-end encryption
- Secure file sharing
- Backup & folder sync
What to Look for in Free Cloud Storage
There are many cloud storage providers currently operating, most of which providing some form of free plan which sees a useful quota of free cloud storage available in exchange for simply signing up.
Top 5 free cloud storage:
Below is a quick look at the top 5 cloud storage plans mentioned in this guide, scroll down further for the full and detailed list.
| Provider | Free Storage | Upgrades | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 20GB | 3TB @ €9.99 / month | |
| 2 |  | 15GB | 100GB @ $1.99 / month | |
| 3 |  | 10GB | 2TB @ $99.99 / year | |
| 4 |  | 10GB | 1TB @ €10 / month | |
| 5 |  | 10GB | 100GB @ $2.95 / year |
With some providers this free cloud storage allocation is heavily restricted and intended mainly to function as a free trial for any premium offerings than it is be used as a genuinely useful free cloud storage service. Many other providers do offer genuinely useful free cloud storage plans featuring many (or even all) of the providers premium features and are usually only limited by the cloud storage quota itself (with many premium cloud plans now offering 2TB+ of cloud storage versus just 20GB on the current top-rated free plan).
In the remainder of this guide, before listing and detailing the top 10 free cloud storage services, I will be highlighting some of the most important factors to consider when looking for free cloud storage. If you want to jump straight to the top 10 list of free cloud storage plans then please feel free to use the button below.
What Features are Included for Free?
One of the most important considerations regarding free cloud storage is which features are actually included in the free plan and those which might be missing (or otherwise limited for users of the free plan). In many cases, cloud storage providers will incentivise new customers to sign-up to their cloud storage service using a headline grabbing rate of free storage, however, just as important as this free storage quota is what features might only be available on premium plans.
In many cases, in addition to providing a much higher allocation of cloud storage space, premium plans often include additional features including secure link sharing, encrypted folders, historic file versioning, folder synchronisation, desktop application software plus additional collaboration tools amongst many other features.
In addition to taking note of what features are available only on premium plans, it is also worth checking out the upgrade path to such premium plans from the free plan before committing to an upgrade. It is always worth knowing what costs will be involved in upgrading your free cloud storage account before becoming too reliant on it (and then discovering that upgrading is prohibitively expensive or overly complicated).
Desktop Software and Apps
Almost every free cloud storage service will come with some additional device software or a smartphone app to enhance the free cloud storage offering. In many cases such software can provide useful functionality including file and folder synchronisation, file backup services plus automatic photo uploads amongst various other features.
Another useful feature found in virtually all such desktop software is that of a locally accessible folder or virtual drive providing easy access to the free cloud storage in question. These virtual drives (or synchronised folders) are usually provided either with a drive letter or, in some cases, with the choice of simply using an existing “Sync folder” already on the device which will be kept automatically updated and in sync with the files stored in the free cloud storage account.
NB – In many cases, free cloud storage providers will configure such desktop software so as it can either be kept in direct sync with the service (or a specified part thereof) as well as offering the ability to “stream” files only as and when they are required (meaning they will show on the local device, but only as a virtual copy to help save disk space).
When assessing free cloud storage providers, always be sure to check out what complimentary software and apps are provided and how much of the functionality found within these apps extends to the free plan. In some cases, cloud storage providers might limit the usefulness of such software on the free plan with full functionality reserved only for premium subscribers (e.g. in some cases free account holders might not be able to use full end-to-end encryption).
Cloud Storage Security and Privacy
The security and privacy of personal data becomes a more important consideration when trusting such data to a free cloud storage provider. Not only does this extend to trusting the company running the free cloud storage service (and their employees) who potentially have access to your files (and possibly even the ability to read them), but also relates to any personal data the provider themselves might be holding about individual customers.
One of the defences against the many varied privacy and data security issues surrounding the use of free cloud storage is to make use of strong, zero-knowledge encryption whenever possible. Such encryption can be applied via 3rd party software (e.g. with the help of backup software) or via cloud storage services which offer zero-knowledge encryption as a core part of the service itself.
NB – Some providers will offer an “encrypted vault” which is a special area of the account whereby any files will be automatically encrypted. Other providers will offer full encryption of all data, by default, as it is uploaded.
As a general rule, if the data you plan to store upon free cloud storage is in any way private or sensitive then try to steer more towards more established providers with a good track record for maintaining data security, privacy and generally keeping data secure. It is also a good idea to seek out providers offering full end-to-end encryption which is enabled by default (including on free plans as this might not always be the case) as this often provides the highest levels of data protection.
Other important considerations include identifying operators with datacentres located in privacy friendly countries (e.g., Switzerland or the privacy friendly EU), the adherence of the provider to well documented privacy and data security standards (such as GDPR) plus the provider themselves requesting the minimal of personal information in order to maintain an account (usually only an email address and password is sufficient for providing a free cloud storage service).
NB – For more information on secure cloud storage with zero-knowledge encryption, be sure to read my guide to The Best Zero-Knowledge Encrypted Cloud Storage.
Other Cloud Storage Features to Look for
Whilst some free cloud storage providers offer many additional features to help enhance their free cloud service, others tend to focus on the core concept of their offering (this being the actual cloud storage itself). Despite this, there are often many additional features and limitations to keep a lookout for when choosing a free cloud storage service.
An often-overlooked metric is the amount of bandwidth provided for free cloud storage plans (the amount of data which can be transfer to or from the service during a given timeframe). Some cloud storage providers don’t place any limits on such data transfers whilst others are very strict and make use of artificially low transfer limits to persuade free cloud storage account holders to upgrade to premium plans.
NB – Whilst bandwidth and transfer quotas are generally not an issue for the majority of free cloud storage services, it is something to consider if you are regularly uploading or downloading large files. In certain circumstances, cloud providers might limit the speed at which you can transfer files after a certain bandwidth limit is hit to help manage their service.
Additional services often found alongside free cloud storage include specialist desktop software (with built-in file synchronisation and backup functionality), WebDAV access (for connecting 3rd party software), business collaboration tools plus the option to set-up password protected or automatically expiring sharing links (be sure to check such features are included in the free account offerings when comparing such services against each other).
Free Cloud Storage FAQs
MEGA.IO is my top-rated free cloud storage choice with a generous 20GB available. Other providers including pCloud, Internxt, Sync.com, Google Drive, iDrive and Koofr also offer good free plans, albeit with slightly lesser storage allocations.
MEGA.IO currently provide the largest free cloud plan with a very generous 20GB available.
Paying for premium cloud storage plans is only really necessary should your storage requirements be higher than that of the current largest free offering (currently this is MEGA.IO with 20GB available for free). Alternatively, should you require access to premium features generally reserved for premium customers (e.g. encryption, device backup or real-time synchronisation) then this might also make upgrading worthwhile.
Whilst some free cloud storage plans do offer access to most or even all features, others will provide additional functionality to their premium customers (e.g., pCloud offer use of their encrypted Vault service only to premium customers).
Multiple providers currently offer free cloud storage utilising full end-to-end encryption by default. Notable providers offering such a service include MEGA.IO, Internxt, Sync.com, Tresorit, Proton Drive (5GB free) and NordLocker (3GB free) amongst others.
Whilst business focused users often seek good file sharing and collaboration tools, this will be less important for the majority of personal users. Other factors including smartphone apps, photo sharing, device backup tools plus folder synchronisation options will often be of greater use to non-business users.
Yes, there are multiple methods for keeping a free cloud storage account backed-up. The most straightforward method would be to simply download the contents of the drive to a local device such as a desktop PC or smartphone for safekeeping, although several other methods also exist.
Certain cloud storage providers support the integration of other cloud storage providers within their own offering (e.g. Koofr and Dropbox both offer this service). Such an integration makes easy the duplication of files from one cloud drive to another and is ideal for backup purposes.
Another method includes making use of professionally built backup software which supports including a cloud storage location as a selection within a backup set which is then backed-up else ware (solutions including Arq Backup and Backup4all, amongst others, support such functionality).
The Best Free Cloud Storage
Below is a list of my current top 10 favourite free cloud storage services as are tested and reviewed right here on BestBackupReviews.com.
Remember, any ratings and opinions given below reflect my own personal views and should be treated only as a guide. When purchasing any form of cloud storage, always be sure to carefully check the details of the offering out and try and to make use of any free trials, whenever possible, to help ensure the solution is correct before committing to any upgrades.
1) MEGA.IO (20GB Free)
With a massive 20GB of free cloud storage on offer, a solid commitment to providing enhanced user privacy plus a great set of complimentary cloud related features backing everything up, MEGA.IO is without doubt the best free cloud storage service currently available.
Whilst the 20GB of free storage is undeniably a great incentive to open an account by itself, MEGA is also a highly functional cloud storage service offering many additional features which help users to get the most out of their account. These additional features include desktop software (for Windows, macOS and Linux devices) with both device backup and folder synchronisation functionality, secure web and video chat services, secure (encrypted) file sharing functionality plus the ability to make use of browser plugins for enhanced access to the service.
Other useful features of MEGA include support for both light and dark themed user interfaces, automatic camera uploads when using the MEGA smartphone apps (for both iOS and Android devices), command line access for scripted access plus use of the enhanced, well-deigned and easy to use web interface amongst various other features.
Security wise and MEGA really stands out as a cloud storage service thanks to the application of strong, zero-knowledge data encryption applied to all data stored upon the service by default. Backing up this strong encryption-based approach to protecting stored data is support for multifactor authentication (2FA) and up to 365-days of historic file versioning which is enabled automatically and can be of great help when mitigating certain security issues such as those presented by ransomware and malware (this is limited to 100 versions and a maximum of 30-days on the MEGA free plans).
- 20GB Free cloud storage
- End-to-end Encryption
- Desktop software
- Historic file versioning
- Folder synchronisation
- Secure web & video chat
- iOS & Android Apps
- 2TB from €99.99 / year
MEGA.IO is priced from just €9.99 / month (or €99.99 / year) for the premium 2TB plan with other personal plans up to a maximum of 16TB also available. Additional plans for business and team focused use are also available as is the MEGA 20GB free account for all new users – more information on which can be found via the official MEGA.IO website.
2) Google Drive (15GB Free)
Widely recognised as one of the best multipurpose cloud drives, Google Drive offers many great features including a useful desktop software plus some very useful sharing and collaboration features alongside the already generous 15GB free storage offering.
Whilst the 15GB of free cloud storage seems very generous (and it is), it is important to note that this storage is shared across various other Google cloud services including Gmail, Google Photos and the web-based office application suite, Google Docs.
Moving back to Google Drive itself and we see a service which offers a good set of cloud related features for a free-to-use account. This includes file sharing, folder synchronisation and device backup (via the Google Drive desktop software), the ability to map Google Drive as a virtual drive within Windows plus useful apps for both iOS and Android devices (with the ability to automatically backup photos via Google Photos also included).
Whilst Google Drive is a solid cloud storage offering overall, it is missing some key features which sees it further down this list than it might otherwise have been. This includes Google Drive offering no built-in support for providing end-to-end encryption, the 30-days of historic file versioning being available only on premium Google One plans plus the lack of any integration with any other cloud services such as Dropbox and OneDrive which some other cloud storage providers now include.
- 15GB free cloud storage
- Desktop software
- Secure file sharing
- Folder synchronisation
- iOS & Android apps
- Google photo backups
- 2TB from $99.99 / year
Google Drive is provided with 15GB of free cloud storage (which shared across all other Google cloud services including Gmail). Also available form Google is the Google One subscription which sees 100GB of cloud storage available from just $19.99 per year, 200GB at $29.99 per year and up to 2TB for just $99.99 per year. More information on Google Drive can be found via the official Google Drive website.
3) pCloud (10GB Free)
Since its founding back in 2013, pCloud has continued to evolve into what is the leading multipurpose cloud storage service that we see today. Better still, pCloud offer a very generous 10GB allocation of free cloud storage to all new users making it an ideal choice for anyone seeking a good degree of functionality together with a generous free cloud storage allowance.
One of the main things helping pCloud stand out (10GB of free cloud storage aside) is the wide range of features and cloud functionality which is provided from the account. This includes a highly rated desktop application with built-in file sharing, folder synchronisation and device backup functionality, the ability to mount virtual drives for accessing cloud storage locally plus the ability to stream music and video files directly via the dedicated cloud-based media players which are also available.
Security wise and pCloud provide all users with the ability to apply multifactor authentication to further protect their account alongside the ability to make use of secure AES 256-bit encryption via the pCloud Vault service, a separate area of the cloud drive applying full end-to-end encryption to all data stored within it (pCloud Vault is a premium feature).
Other notable features of pCloud include the ability to integrate other could services (including Dropbox, Facebook and Google Drive), 30-days of historic file versioning (reduced to 15-days on free accounts), apps for iOS and Android plus the ability to specify use of either EU or USA based datacentres upon account sign-up.
PCloud are also notable as one of the relatively few providers offering genuinely good value lifetime pricing plans. This currently sees the 500GB lifetime plan available for a single one-off payment of just $199, 2TB for just $399 and 10TB for $1190.
- 10GB free cloud storage
- Desktop software
- Secure file sharing
- Auto photo uploads
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Cloud backup & sync
- iOS & Android apps
- Lifetime plans available
- 2TB @ $99.99 / year
4) Koofr (10GB Free)
With an impressive 10GB of free cloud storage on offer, a strong approach to providing enhanced user privacy and an impressive set of cloud related features also on offer, Koofr is something of a hidden gem in the world of free cloud storage accounts.
Whilst this 10GB of free cloud storage is undeniably very generous in and of itself, it is important to note that Koofr also provide some great functionality to make this much more than just a simple cloud storage service. This begins with the useful desktop software which is available for Windows, macOS and Linux devices providing options for using a dedicated Koofr sync folder as well as specifying multiple other folders which can be kept automatically in sync with the cloud service as well.
Other useful features include support for 30-days of file version history, the use of secure sharing links (with automatic expiry and password protection), integration with other cloud services (including Dropbox and OneDrive), WebDAV access plus the ability to collaborate and message others whilst working on shared documents.
Cloud storage aside and Koofr also have a strong focus on providing solid privacy and security to all of their cloud storage users (including anyone on the 10GB free account offering). This beings with Koofr themselves only requiring the bare minimum personal details in order to sign up for an account (only a name, password and working email address are required), the provision of always-on TLS/SSL secure connections, multi-factor authentication (2FA) plus use of the Koofr Vault for secure zero-knowledge encrypted file storage.
The Koofr Vault itself is a very positive addition and makes of open-source software to provide secure, zero-knowledge AES 256-bit encryption for any data stored upon this separated area of the cloud drive. Best of all, the encrypted Koofr Drive service is available on all Koofr plans (including the free account), although only a single Vault can be created on free plans versus multiple vaults on premium accounts.
- 10GB Free cloud storage
- Desktop sync software
- Secure file sharing
- Privacy focused cloud
- Zero-knowledge vaults
- Up to 20TB available
- 1TB from €10 / month
5) iDrive (10GB Free)
iDrive is a leading cloud service which is known for combining a fully featured cloud storage drive alongside a solid cloud backup offering into a single service. Best of all, iDrive provide this service to all new users with a very generous 10GB free cloud allocation from first sign-up.
iDrive is a powerful cloud storage service which can be used simply as a regular cloud storage service as well as a fully functional real-time cloud backup service which supports usage across multiple personal devices. Supporting both of these features as well as providing automatic folder synchronisation, secure cloud drive access, disk imaging-based backups plus the ability to easily add new files to the service is the iDrive desktop software, an application which is available for both Windows and macOS devices.
Other useful features of iDrive include the option to make use of historic file versioning (with up to 10 versions automatically kept), smartphone apps for iOS and Android devices, strong backup scheduling options plus the ability to make large recoveries much quicker via the iDrive Express service which sees large restores shipped on an external hard drive (additional fees apply).
Security wise and iDrive provides a good set of features for securing both user data and the iDrive cloud account itself. This includes the option to use multifactor authentication (2FA) providing an additional layer of security plus the ability to (optionally) turn on strong zero-knowledge AES 256-bit encryption which will protect the cloud drive plus any data stored on it by default.
- 10GB Free cloud storage
- Folder synchronisation
- Secure cloud backups
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Disk image backups
- 100GB from $2.95 / year
- 5TB from $69.65 / year
6) Box (10GB Free)
Box is very much a business focused cloud storage service with a lot of team and collaboration functionality built in to the service by default. It does, however, also feature a very generous 10GB free account for all new users to the service (and this is 10GB available straight away upon sign-up without having to complete any additional tasks).
NB – Whilst Box.com premium plans are on the expensive side for non-business users in my opinion, I believe the 10GB free account is still a great option for anyone seeking a powerful cloud storage service with 10GB of free storage available straight away after signing up.
One of the most notable things about the Box.com cloud storage service is just how comprehensive it is overall, especially so given that much of this functionality is available on the 10GB free to use account as well. Even with the many business and team collaboration features put aside, we still see Box.com offer useful desktop software with folder synchronisation, file sharing and offline access capabilities, a web-based note taking app plus the option to work and collaborate on office files all from within the Box.com web interface.
The Box.com desktop software itself is available for both Windows and macOS devices and, whilst a fairly simplistic application overall, is very easy to use and offers a locally mapped Box.com cloud folder as well as a sys tray app for easily adding new files and folders.
Security wise and Box.com stands out for the high degree of privacy and security features they make available. This includes commonly sought features such as multifactor authentication (2FA), use of TLS/SSL secure data connections, up to 100 historic versions of any files being kept by default plus zero-knowledge AES 256-bit encryption of all data stored upon the service by default.
- 10GB Free cloud storage
- desktop sync software
- Secure collaboration
- Secure file sharing
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Plans from $10 / month
7) IceDrive (10GB Free)
Featuring an easy-to-use and visually appealing interface coupled with a generous 10GB of free cloud storage right out of the (virtual) box, it is no surprise to see IceDrive continue to provide one of the most popular free cloud storage services.
Whilst it is great to see IceDrive providing the full 10GB of free cloud storage straight after account sign up, the many benefits of this easy-to-use service don’t stop there. Also included on all IceDrive plans is support for secure file sharing and automatic folder synchronisation via the IceDrive desktop software (which is available for Windows, macOS and Linux devices) plus the ability to mount the IceDrive service as a virtual drive locally on a device as well.
Also worthy of note when discussing IceDrive is the well designed and easy to use web interface which makes navigating the service really easy as well as the provision of iOS and Android apps which makes accessing IceDrive on the go (as well as automatically uploading photos) simple and straightforward.
Security wise and IceDrive start off strong by providing strong multifactor authentication options for all account holders including those on the free-to-use plan. This includes use of both authenticator apps such as Google Authenticator as well as several other 2FA options including FIDO / U2F methods such as YubiKeys and (for premium account holders) SMS messages as well.
Other security features of IceDrive see all data sent to and from the service over secure TLS/SSL encrypted connections and (for premium holders) the ability to turn on the Encrypted vault which provides zero-knowledge, end-to-end encryption of data via strong Twofish 256-bit encryption.
- 10GB free cloud storage
- Desktop drive software
- Twofish 256-bit encryption
- Secure file sharing
- iOS & Android apps
- 5-Year value plans
- 1TB @ $72 / year
IceDrive is priced from $72 per year for 1TB, $144 per year for 3TB and $360 per year for the 10TB personal plan (monthly plans are also available). Also available from IceDrive are 5-Year plans which replace their recently retired lifetime offering and start at just $360 for 1TB of storage and range up to a massive 10TB for just $1800. More information on all plans including the IceDrive 10GB free plan can be found at the official IceDrive website.
8) Sync.com (5GB Free)
Sync.com is a highly usable service with a clear commitment to providing some of the most private and secure cloud storage found amongst any of the mainstream cloud storage providers. Even better than this highly privacy focused offering is the fact that Sync.com offer all new users a very generous 5GB of free cloud storage simply for singing up.
One of the best features of Sync.com is their strong approach to providing a secure and private cloud storage service, an approach which sees Sync.com automatically applying strong zero-knowledge AES 256-bit encryption to all data stored upon the service by default (and this is also the case on free accounts as well). Other notable security features include the addition of a cloud Vault area which will not be included in the automatic synchronisation process, automatic device lockout plus the ability to use strong multifactor authentication (2FA) to further protect the cloud account itself.
Security aside and one of the main features of Sync.com is the highly usable desktop software which can be used for easily uploading files, synchronising local folders and even sharing files directly via the Windows context menu for enhanced ease of use.
Other notable features include the ability to integrate Sync.com storage directly into Microsoft Office applications for opening and saving documents directly to or from the cloud, smartphone apps for iOS and Android, automatic file upload resumption and deduplication technology for enhanced file transfers plus the ability to make use of up to 365-days of historic file versioning for enhanced ransomware protection.
NB – Sync.com premium accounts also include unlimited bandwidth allocations and the 5GB free account is limited to 30-days of historic file versioning by default.
- 5GB Free cloud storage
- Zero-knowledge security
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Desktop Software
- Secure file sharing
- iOS & Android apps
- MS Office integration
- 2TB @ $8 / month
Sync.com is priced form just $8 per month for a generous 2TB allocation of storage with other personal plans ranging up to 6TB also available. More information on these and other Sync.com offerings including the 5GB free plan plus business and team orientated offering can be found via the official Sync.com website.
9) Proton Drive (5GB Free)
Already well known for their privacy focused secure email service, Proton Drive is the end-to-end encrypted cloud storage offering form cloud security experts, Proton. With a generous free 5GB on offer for all new users to the service, Proton Drive becomes not only a very credible cloud storage service in its own right, but a great way of experiencing the many benefits across the whole range of Proton cloud products.
Privacy and security are, of course, a key focus for Proton and having recently upgraded the free storage on offer at Proton Drive from 1GB to 5GB, this service has rightly elevated itself onto this list. The implementation of end-to-end AES 256-bit encryption, use of open-source software and with Proton themselves as an organisation being based in privacy friendly Switzerland mean this without doubt one of the most secure free cloud storage offerings available.
Security aside and with desktop applications available for macOS and Windows devices, iOS and Android apps (with automatic photo uploads) plus an easy-to-use web-based interface, Proton Drive remains a highly accessible and easy to use cloud storage service. Support for many other features including automatic fie synchronisation, secure file sharing, encrypted file search functionality plus up to 365 days of historic file versioning all mean Proton Drive has all of the main cloud drive functionality covered.
Introduced in 2024, another really useful addition to the Proton Drive service and one worthy of note for both premium and free account users is the new “Docs” functionality. An online document editor at its base (and supporting commonly used MS Office file types), Docs is also very innovative in that it also allows for collaborate working on documents via the web whilst still maintaining the highest levels of privacy and end-to-end security whilst doing so.
- 5GB Free cloud storage
- Zero-knowledge security
- Desktop software
- Document collaboration
- Secure file sharing
- iOS & Android apps
- AES 256-bit encryption
- 200GB @ €3.99 / month
- 500GB @ €9.99 / month
Proton Drive is priced from just €3.99 per month for 200GB with the Proton Unlimited account offering 500GB of cloud storage across the entire (premium) Proton suite of tools from just €9.99 per month. More information on the free Proton Drive account can be found via the official Proton Website.
10) Microsoft OneDrive (5GB Free)
As one of the most highly functional cloud storage services currently available, it is great to see Microsoft OneDrive offering generous 5GB of free cloud drive storage which is shared across the various services they have on offer (including the popular Outook.com / Hotmail service).
One of the most notable things about OneDrive is the wide range of functionality available from such a well trusted and reliable cloud storage service. Such features include free access to web-based versions of the Microsoft Office suite (including both Word and Excel), smartphone apps with automatic photo uploads available plus use of the OneDrive desktop software which makes synchronising and backing up files to OneDrive both quick and easy from a Windows or macOS device.
Also available within OneDrive is the ability to use multifactor authentication for further protecting the account itself and, whilst OneDrive is unencrypted cloud storage by default, the use of the built-in Vault service which sees a separate encrypted area of the cloud drive available for storing more sensitive documents within (although this Vault service is limited to a maximum of just three files on OneDrive free accounts).
Whilst the 5GB free OneDrive account is a solid free cloud storage choice overall, Microsoft do offer a lot of additional functionality for premium users of the Microsoft 365 service. This includes (on selected accounts) the ability to use locally installed versions of Microsoft Office applications (e.g. Word and Excel), up to 30-days of historic file versioning across the entire cloud drive plus a boosted 1TB allocation of cloud storage for personal users.
- 5GB free cloud storage
- desktop sync software
- Auto camera uploads
- MS Office appications
- iOS & Android apps
- secure encrypted vault
- 100GB @ $19.99 / year
Best Free Cloud Storage Summary
With so many providers now available, the process of selecting the best free cloud storage can become difficult and time consuming. Not only can you own cloud storage requirements change over time but factors like upgrade pricing, desktop software, data security, file sharing functionality and ongoing costs all matter when making such a choice.
If free cloud storage space is your top priority, then MEGA.IO shines with a whopping 20GB of cloud storage made available to all new users for free (and I’ve personally used it since 2013 myself). Other solid options include Google Drive (with 15GB free) alongside services including pCloud, IceDrive, Box.com, and Koofr which all provide 10GB of free cloud storage for all account holders as well.
If you require more from your cloud storage account than just the highest amounts of free storage, then be sure to consider more privacy focused offerings like Sync.com (5GB free), Tresorit (3GB) and Internxt (1GB). Whilst these accounts might offer slightly less free cloud storage space, they do enhance their free account offerings with strong security features like zero-knowledge encryption, secure file sharing and multifactor authentication making them ideal for any privacy-conscious individuals.
