What are iCloud Drive Alternatives?
Apple’s response to well-liked cloud storage services like Google Drive is iCloud Drive. Your chats, iPhone backups, and images are all stored in iCloud, and you can use iCloud Drive to store whatever items you choose. However, iCloud only offers 5GB of storage space without charge.
This implies that if you use iCloud frequently enough, you’ll eventually require additional storage space. Although iCloud+ is a paid option, some customers may use a different cloud provider.
You are undoubtedly already familiar with iCloud if you use Apple products like the iPhone or MAC. Apple currently offers a cloud storage service called iCloud that lets users of iOS and Mac devices store and sync data. All Apple customers are given 5GB of free iCloud storage, and premium plans are available that unlock more storage and capabilities. Apple users can save their crucial data in the 5GB of free iCloud storage, but sometimes that’s not enough. You might wish to use another cloud service if your 5GB of free iCloud space has already been used.
An easy way to save, back up, and share files and media is through iCloud storage. You may access it from any of your Apple devices, thus making it a virtual disc. However, other cloud storage options provide comparable functionality and occasionally even more storage space (and for a lower price). Here are the top iCloud substitutes available right now.
Features of iCloud:
- Photo Library in iCloud
- Public albums
- Personal Relay (iCloud Plus)
- iCloud+’s HomeKit Secure Video
Pros and cons of iCloud:
Pros:
- Utilize all your devices to access your photographs, videos, files, and folders.
- Edit images using any device
- a great way to share pictures and videos
- iWork productivity suite accessibility
Cons:
- Selective synchronization is absent. Complete omission
List of Top 10 Best iCloud Drive Alternatives:
You learned about iCloud Drive Alternatives for iPhone and Mac in this article; details are provided below;
There are a few additional cloud storage choices that you may use on your iPhone or Mac in place of iCloud Drive if you find that it is lacking in free space or cross-platform compatibility. Then you can either entirely give up on iCloud Drive or use the extra storage with Apple’s native cloud storage service after we take a detailed look at 5 of them. Everything depends on you.
1. OneDrive by Microsoft:
The quantity of free storage is the same between iCloud Drive and Microsoft OneDrive. The best chance of having seamless access to your data on all platforms is if you pair a Windows 10 device with your iPhone and Mac. Additionally, it’s linked to Microsoft Office and comes with 1TB of free OneDrive storage if you have an Office 365 subscription. also, look at the finest tools for accounting software
The OneDrive app for iPhone is quick, allows you to make files and folders available offline, and features a built-in scanner that lets you quickly scan and upload documents to the cloud. Additionally, you can set up automatic backups of your photos and videos using the Camera Upload feature.
Another exciting addition is Personal Vault, a safe storage folder that lets you back up important documents and encrypt them using a passcode and biometrics.
OneDrive on the Mac makes accessing and adding documents to the OneDrive master folder simple. Files On-Demand, another feature of Microsoft’s cloud storage service, enables users to download files only when needed, conserving storage space. OneDrive offers a 100GB upgrade for $1.99 per month, comparable to both iCloud Drive and Google Drive in terms of price per GB. You’ll need to sign up for an Office 365 subscription to get an additional 1TB of storage if you need/want more than that.
Pros:
- Syncing with Office 365 by Microsoft
- Easy to organize
- fantastic interface
Cons:
- Just 5 GB of storage is free.
- Potentially dangerous security flaws in Home versions
- Find alternatives to Microsoft OneDrive here.
2. Dropbox:
One of the most widely used cloud storage services is Dropbox. Dropbox, a popular storage option for both individuals and organizations, can safely store all of your files. You get 2GB of storage space with the Dropbox free plan, and you can upgrade to the 2TB plan for $11.99 a month.
Despite having a small amount of storage, the free Dropbox plan does let you connect three devices. Using numerous devices makes it simple to manage all of your images or other documents. In addition, Dropbox offers a user-friendly online application to facilitate downloads and management.
Although Dropbox costs more than its rivals, the program is simple to use, and you can acquire a lot of space for a reasonable price.
Pros:
- Permit file synchronization between various computers
- Keeping Files
Cons:
- Customer service
- Count of clicks
3. Amazon Drive:
Do you currently have Amazon Prime? If so, Amazon Drive is a good option. Like other cloud storage services, Amazon Drive lets you back up files directly from your iPhone.
The dedicated photos app lets you easily store your photographs and movies on Amazon Drive. You may watch these images and videos on your television or Fire TV Stick. You may also get hard copies of your images shipped to you or a loved one using the Amazon Photos app. This distinguishes Amazon Drive from its other top rivals.
For all Prime subscribers, Amazon Drive gives 5GB. So remember that you have 5GB of free storage if you have Amazon Prime or are considering signing up. Additional storage space is available, starting at $1.99 per month for 100GB.
Pros:
- simple data upload simple drag-and-drop
Cons:
- Customer service can be enhanced.
4. Google Drive:
Google Drive is the ideal replacement for iCloud Drive if you don’t mind Google’s dubious history about consumer privacy. You immediately have 15GB of free cloud storage to experiment with on the iPhone and Mac. But the narrative is not over yet.
Expect the 15GB to last a while because some file types (such as those in G Suite docs) don’t count toward the storage quota. Additionally, Google Photos (which you must separately download on the iPhone) enables you to submit an infinite amount of photos in compressed resolution without taking up any Google Drive storage. If you finally need to upgrade, 100GB is available for $1.99 monthly. On a per-GB basis, that costs almost the same as iCloud Drive.
Pros:
- Anyone can access
- excellent compatibility
- simple tools for collaboration
- Excellent user interface
- Never does content become utilized to personalize ads.
Cons:
- Not the finest privacy and security
- limitations on file size
- Apps from third parties can cause issues.
- Here are some more advantageous Google Drive substitutes.
5. SYNC:
iCloud Drive is highly focused on user privacy because it is an Apple product. You should consider using Sync if you want an alternate cloud storage service with the same focus that is available (and has superior functionality) on various platforms, such as Windows and Android.
Sync offers complete end-to-end AES-256 encryption with TLS and 5GB of cloud storage, so only you can access your information (as long as you do an excellent job of protecting your Sync account credentials). Even Sync cannot access your data due to how private it is. On the iPhone, Sync enables folder creation, file, and image backup, and it also has a unique photo synchronization module comparable to OneDrive’s. Additionally, Sync on the Mac will immediately backup any item you add to the Sync master folder. If you need to upgrade, 2TB of storage is available for $8 per month, less expensive than iCloud Drive’s 2TB for $9.99 per month. However, you can only pay annually.
Pros:
- endless data transfer
- Excellent file backup and synchronization
- tools for collaborating with several users
- HIPAA-compliant healthcare
Cons:
- Annual billing; no alternatives for monthly billing
6. pCloud:
Everything is included with pCloud for the iPhone and Mac, including cross-platform access to synced data, sharing and collaborating on files with others, and outstanding privacy-related features (such as Sign in with Apple). Additionally, it provides 10 GB of free cloud storage, but some requirements must be met, such as email confirmation and service referrals, before you can use most of those gigabytes.
Even pCloud has a Crypto function that allows you to secure your data (not related to cryptocurrencies). It also has reasonable pricing, with an upgrade to 500GB available for only $4.99 per month. You might want to look into the Lifetime options that pCloud also provides. You can rapidly upload files, documents, and photographs with the pCloud iPhone app. It even has a built-in media player to listen to uploaded music tracks. Expect your pCloud content to sync locally and be uploaded online on the Mac.
Pros:
- Usability on several devices
- high-quality “Crypto” encryption
- locations of secure servers
- Versioning of files
- No cost space
Cons:
- Significant features are absent from the free plan.
- A premium add-on is pCloud Crypto.
- Considerable alternatives to pCloud
7. Box:
Box has been a popular cloud storage option for less than 15 years. Thanks to its tens of thousands of devoted users, it has established itself as one of the top cloud platforms.
Box offers more free storage than comparable platforms, at 10GB. You can upgrade for a fair price if you want to. You can add more users and acquire 100GB of storage for $7 per month. With an annual discount, you can pay $5 each month. Box not only aids in the security of your files but also the accomplishment of duties. You can receive updates about projects to cooperate on in Box’s inbox. You may both create tasks for yourself and assign tasks to others using Box.
Despite being an excellent platform, the premium plan doesn’t give you much room. For the same monthly fee, other services offer more space. But for a lot of people, the features justify the monthly cost.
Pros:
- Excellent privacy and security
- Integration of Google WorkSpace and Office 365
- HiPAA compliant
- superior OS integration
Cons:
- can be pricey
- Too business-oriented; not suitable for people.
8. Icedrive:
Icedrive, a relatively new service, provides remarkable speeds and top-notch security at a fair price. Furthermore, its elegant user interface on desktop and mobile devices leaves nothing to be desired in terms of aesthetics, making it appear right at home on any Apple gadget.
Zero-knowledge encryption is available through Icedrive but not for all of your storage. Instead, you can put your most confidential data in a unique “encrypted” folder. Unfortunately, this folder does not sync with your photos. If you’re interested, our Icedrive review contains further information.
Icedrive is a brand-new service that provides outstanding security and speed for a fair price. Furthermore, its superb user interface on desktop and mobile platforms leaves little to be desired in terms of aesthetics, making it appear fully at home on any Apple device. You can use Icedrive’s special “drive mounting” software to access your cloud services from your desktop as if it were a real hard drive or USB. Cloud storage of up to 10GB is provided without charge. However, a 1TB annual subscription costs $4.17 per month.
Pros:
- cryptographic safety measures
- Stunning user interface
- enough free storage
- Cheap cloud storage for all time
Cons:
- The virtual drive function is exclusive to Windows.
9. NordLocker:
The robust security and teamwork features built into NordLocker online storage are outstanding. Modern cyphers encrypt your files when you use drag and drop capabilities. ECC, Argon2, and AES 256 are all straightforward.
While sharing files with friends, family, and colleagues is just as secure, allowing you to set permissions on access.
Other features include automatic syncing and backing up all your devices to ensure you can work with total peace of mind, wherever you happen to be.
Pros:
- Extremely secure
- Easy to use, drag and drop functionality
- Secure file sharing with permissions
- NordVPN with NordPass integration
Cons:
- No live chat for free users
- No two-factor authentication
10. MEGA:
MEGA is an exceptionally great cloud storage solution that offers top-notch zero-knowledge security. The user-controlled end-to-end encryption of MEGA is backed up with two-factor authentication, link permissions, and an anti-ransomware tool, which allows you to revert to uninfected versions of data. Collaboration tools like MEGAdrop, which enables any authorized individual to upload files to your Mega account, promote interaction. At the same time, MEGA Desktop App keeps everything in perfect Sync — across all your devices.
As well to Mobile Apps, MEGA also includes MEGAcmd, a command-line platform for individuals who want better integration and control and aren’t frightened of using terminal prompts.
Even Browser Extensions cut loading times and enhance download performance — something not generally connected with browsers and large downloads.
Pros:
- 20 GB of no-cost space
- superior security
- End-to-end encryption that is user-controlled
- two-step verification
- choices for command lines
Cons:
- Not the most excellent collaborative tools available
Conclusion:
This concludes our review of iCloud alternatives. We sincerely hope that we were able to assist you in making the best decision. To move your iCloud photo collection, we advise using a secure cloud service like pCloud, Sync.com, or Icedrive.
However, Google Drive is arguably the most excellent iCloud substitute if you don’t care about privacy (even if you should), and OneDrive is a fantastic alternative for Windows users.
What is your preferred iCloud substitute? Would you like the more practical option or a secure cloud storage service? As always, thank you for reading, and don’t forget to post your responses in the comments section.
