When it comes to your important data, you should always have a backup.

And then a backup of that backup.

Cloud storage services shouldn’t be your whole strategy here, but they can help with that.

That said, picking a cloud storage service isn’t as easy as it used to be.

Google Drive’s web app is solid, and there are desktop app options too.

Plus, the per TB rates are quite competitive, and even cheaper than Microsoft’s.

The 2 TB Premium plan might be best for most users.

Plus, you get 10% back on purchases from the Google Store and Google Workspace Premium.

This is why Microsoft 365 is so popular with businesses.

Every user gets 5GB OneDrive storage for free, and a Microsoft 365 subscription boosts that up to 1TB.

Sadly, unlike with Google One, there are no plans in between these options.

While 365’s enterprise offerings are popular, theMicrosoft 365 Familyplan offers a similar package for individuals.

It costs $12.99 per month, or $129.99 per year.

In that case, it’s better to look at alternatives.

The service provides a generous 10GB plan for free.

And if you forget your encryption key, youll lose access to all your files.

The 5TB plan will cost you $69.96 for the first year.

Theres also a 10TB plan for $105 for the first year.

The 1TB Proton Duo plan will cost you $15 per month instead.

When it comes to free storage, Proton only offers 1GB space for free users.

You get encrypted storage, and no one, including Proton, has access to your files.

Plus, the company is based in Switzerland, so strict Swiss privacy rules and laws apply here.

Sync

Syncoffers a dependable cloud storage alternative to the big companies.

It keeps things extremely simple.

It’s just about storing and syncing files between devices and between different platforms.

There are on add-ons, no mail accounts, no document apps, nothing.

Like the good-old days of Dropbox.

Here, you get client-side encryption, so Sync can’t access your data.

Sync offers simple and lightweight apps for Mac and Windows and there are mobile clients, too.

Anything you transfer to the Sync folder on your equipment will show up in your Sync account instantly.

There are no file limits here, too.

pCloud

pCloudis another secure cloud backup provider that has two things going for it.

Second is that it offers lifetime cloud storage for a one-time fee.

This is a good choice for users who dont like paying a monthly fee.

iCloud+ is another service that focuses highly on privacy, offering end-to-end encryption.

Why I don’t recommend Dropbox

One name that’s missing from this list is Dropbox.

The app has also pivoted to being more business focused, with lots of support for third-party integration.

Its storage plans are no longer the cheapest or the most varied.

The 2TB plan costs $11.99/month while both iCloud and Google One are cheaper.

The simple-to-use aspect is gone as well.

Combine all these issues, and it no longer makes sense to use Dropbox in a personal capacity.