Having enough cloud storage has become an extremely important part of our lives. With everything going digital, from documents to pictures, we all need as much storage as we can get. However, many of these cloud storage services come with a price, and some of us can’t (or just don’t want to) spend that extra money.
That’s why you can opt for a free cloud storage solution that will give you a certain amount of gigabytes without having to spend any money. I’ll warn you now that cloud storage is subject to far more security risks than saving your backups on a standalone physical drive that you disconnect from the network after transferring files.
That said, there are mountains of files I have that I do not consider important enough to worry about whether they fall into a hacker’s hands. Think recipes, videos from a friend’s wedding, and pictures of my garden. Those are the overflowing heavy files I love to unload on the cloud to save room on my own computer, phone, or tablet. Here are 5 great options that you can start using right now.
1. pCloud
pCloud is one of the best free providers out there, considering how much it offers its customers. When you register for pCloud, you receive 2 GB space. You can unlock up to 10 GB for free by following pCloud’s Beginner’s tutorial or with Invite friends.
It has a built-in media player that allows you to store all your favorite videos and TV shows, and it allows you to build your playlists from your saved music files.
The features that you do not get with pCloud’s free plan include password protection for files, expiry dates for publicly shared files, and zero-knowledge encryption for your important documents. You can get these features if you pay for pCloud’s Premium plan, which costs $4.99 per month and gives you more storage starting at 500GB.
To sign up for a pCloud account follow these steps:
There are a few ways you can create a pCloud account. Here’s how to do so with your email address:
- Open pcloud.com and click on the Sign up button
- Enter a valid email address and password
- Verify your account and you are done
Alternatively, you can also download and sign up on the pCloud apps for iPhone and Android.
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2. Icedrive
Credit: Icedrive
Unlike pCloud, Icedrive will offer you 10GB of storage for free as soon as you sign up without having to refer the service to friends or family members. It’s super fast, easy to use, and has great security and privacy features as well. You can also always opt into their multiple premium plans, which give you great storage space for low prices each month. It gives you automatic backup with photos and videos, allows you to easily share files with family and friends, and you can stream your favorite videos straight from the cloud.
To sign up for Icedrive from your desktop follow these steps:
- Go to the Icedrive website and click on the sign-up button at the top right corner
- Choose the plan that suits your needs. You can get 10GB of free cloud storage with the Lite plan, or upgrade to a premium plan for more storage and features
- Enter your email address and password, and agree to the terms of service and privacy policy. You can also sign up with Google or Facebook if you prefer
- Verify your email address by clicking on the link that Icedrive will send you
Alternatively, you can also download and sign up on the Icedrive apps for iPhone and Android.
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3. IDrive
IDrive will not only provide you with 10GB of storage for free, but it also will allow you to back up an unlimited number of drives and devices and give you end-to-end encryption at all times, so your files are always protected. You can create a passcode as well, and it also allows you to quickly and easily unlink any devices that may be lost or stolen. You can automatically upload photos or videos to this cloud service as soon as they are taken via WiFi or cellular data, and you can also share files and folders over a secure link.
To sign up for IDrive follow these steps:
- Go to the IDrive website and click on the Join IDrive today! button
- Choose a plan that suits your needs. You can select from Free 10GB, Personal, Team, Business, Enterprise, or Cloud-to-Cloud Backup plans. Each plan has different storage space, features, and pricing options
- Enter your first name, last name, email address, and create a password for your account. You can also enter your phone number for service-related notifications and two-factor authentication
- Enter your country code and billing information
- Review your order summary and click on the Create Account button. You will receive a confirmation email with a link to activate your account
- Click on the link in the email and sign in to your IDrive account
Alternatively, you can also download and sign up on the IDrive apps for iPhone and Android.
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4. MEGA
Credit: Mega
MEGA gives the most amount of storage of all these options, offering 20GB of storage completely for free. It also offers end-to-end encryption, so you won’t have to worry about any of your files being taken. Files can be shared with an encryption key, and you can also use password protection if you want an extra layer of security. It is available across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, so pretty much anyone can use it. Plus, you can upload files from your smartphone or tablet and delete them from any device at any given time.
To sign up for Mega follow these steps:
- Go to the MEGA website and click on Try Mega for Free
- Fill in your first name, last name, email, password, and retype your password. You also need to agree to MEGA’s terms of service and understand that if you lose your password, you may lose your data
- Click on Create account and check your email for a confirmation link. Click on the link to verify your account and complete the registration process
Alternatively, you can also download and sign up on the IDrive apps for iPhone and Android.
5. Dropbox
Credit: Dropbox
Dropbox offers everyone a free 2GB of storage as soon as they sign up. However, by completing a few tasks, you can gain extra storage space. You can get an extra 500MB per referral (up to 16GB), and contributing to its community forum will give you one extra GB. It’s easy to share files with others, even if the person you’re sharing with doesn’t have Dropbox themselves. Another popular feature it offers is the File Requests tool, which allows you to request that users upload a file directly to your Dropbox account.
To sign up for Dropbox, you can follow these steps:
- Go to the Dropbox website at dropbox.com
- Click on the Sign up for free button
- Enter your name, email address, and a strong password. You can also choose a paid plan or continue with the free 2 GB Dropbox Basic plan
- Check the box to agree to the Dropbox terms and click Sign up
- Choose your user preferences and follow the instructions to install the Dropbox app on your devices
Alternatively, you can also download and sign up on the IDrive apps for iPhone and Android.
Kurt’s key takeaways
These are some of the best free cloud storage solutions that you can use right now. Whether you need more space, more security, or more features, there is an option for you. You can always upgrade to a premium plan if you want to get even more benefits, but these free plans are enough for most users. Try them out and see which one suits your needs the best.
How do you use your cloud storage to store and manage your digital files? Let us know by commenting below.
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