Given the number of people working from home, selecting a reputable cloud storage service is more important than ever. Don’t carry out your professional responsibilities at home, where a spilled cup of coffee could be disastrous for your data.
Drew Houston, Dropbox’s CEO, became frustrated with losing his USB drive in 2007, so he created personal cloud storage. As a result, he created the first cloud storage service for individuals and small businesses. Everyone accepted the new concept at the time. There are numerous low-cost or free cloud storage options available today. They do, however, differ significantly in terms of storage.
How do you decide which option is the best? Select your option based on the amount of free storage space available. The ultimate worth of a cloud storage service is determined by how well it serves you or your company. As you will see, some systems and business ideas are managed more efficiently than others.
Let’s get started right away.
7 Cloud Storage Options
1. iDrive
Anyone looking for cloud storage and backup in one place should use iDrive. Its primary function is to backup small businesses, but it also excels at file sharing and personal cloud storage.
Unlike many other cloud backup services, iDrive does not limit you to a single computer. Use a single account to backup network drives, Android and macOS desktop computers, iPhones, iPads, and mobile devices. There is also a Linux backup option, but it is only available for Linux servers. There are no desktop Linux storage clients. Oh my gosh! You can use its web interface to upload files manually.
IDrive is currently offering a fantastic deal. Nobody else now provides more storage for less money. Ten Terabytes (TB) of storage — yes, terabytes — are available for $3.98 per year. Even its base annual price of $74.62 for 10TB is exceptional. It serves as a backup for my extensive collection of films from the 1930s and 1940s.
iDrive’s promotions typically begin with 5GB of free storage space. Look into what it offers to make the most of Personal iDrive for backup purposes. These start at $59.62 per year for 5TB per user, with 10TB per user costing even less at $74.62 per year. There are also enterprise subscriptions with unlimited users, but the cost increases with storage size. For instance, the company would charge $74.62 for 5TB of storage that up to five users could share.
If you need a backup solution for your home or small business, iDrive is an excellent option. It is reasonably priced and simple to use. It’s fantastic for cloud storage, and I adore it.
2. Amazon Cloud Drive
Amazon S3 is an excellent Amazon Web Services object storage solution (AWS). Individuals, however, do not take advantage of this. Amazon Cloud Drive is used for personal and small-scale business applications, even though it is not a top-tier storage option.
However, Amazon Cloud Drive has grown since its inception.
Amazon Cloud Drive now supports Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android synchronization. Unfortunately, no Linux client is available. Despite this, the web interface is still quite clumsy.
The good news is that when relocating files at the block level, Amazon copies them (aka “differential sync” or “delta sync”). Only the differences (the delta) between files are transmitted and received when syncing a file using this method, which Dropbox also uses. As a result, these services sync files much faster than their competitors.
With Prime Photos, Amazon Prime members also get unlimited full-resolution photo storage and 5GB of video storage, which is a fantastic feature. Prime members get 5GB of “free” file storage on Amazon Cloud Drive.
Amazon offers annual storage plans starting at 100GB for $19.99 and increasing to 1TB for $59.99 if more space is required. If you subscribe monthly, you can get 100GB of storage for $2, 1TB for $7, and 2TB for $12. Other Amazon cloud subscriptions range from $1,799.70 to 30TB of storage.
3. OneDrive
OneDrive is already built into Windows, and the two are compatible. From the perspective of a Windows user, OneDrive is simply another directory in File Explorer; talk about simplicity. The OneDrive apps for Android, iOS, Windows Phone, and Xbox, as well as the desktop program for Mac and older versions of Windows, are available to everyone. Without a doubt, Xbox.
Linux? True, but not yet. The InSync client for Google Drive, which I have long recommended, is now compatible with OneDrive. This program’s lifetime subscription costs $29.99 per individual and $49.99 per team.
Microsoft OneDrive’s key selling point, in addition to its seamless integration with Windows, is its compatibility with Microsoft Office apps. Microsoft 365 allows for real-time collaboration with partners on spreadsheets and documents.
OneDrive provides 5GB of storage space for free. Users of Microsoft 365 who pay the $6 monthly membership fee receive an additional terabyte per user. This bundle can support up to six users and 6TB of storage.
Clients with an annual subscription to Microsoft 365 Business Standard pay $12.50 per user per month to access the online versions of Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. You can increase your storage capacity by 200GB for $1.99 per month.
If you already use Microsoft 365, this is a no-brainer. OneDrive is extremely useful for anyone who frequently uses Windows and Microsoft Office.
4. Box
Like most home cloud storage providers, Box supports Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android clients. BlackBerry devices are also supported. However, Linux does not support it. ExpanDrive, a third-party software, allows Linux users to interact with Box.
The Box Starter Plan costs $10 per month and includes 100GB of storage space as well as the ability to upload files up to 2GB in size. A box is a good option for cloud storage, but it shines as a groupware or workflow tool. It allows you to share files with colleagues, assign tasks, comment on others’ work, and be notified when a file is modified. It is linked to Microsoft Office 365 as well as Google Workspace.
The Box Business Plan basic membership is designed for small and medium-sized businesses, with monthly fees starting at $5 for up to three users and 100GB of storage. The following business plan level costs $15 per month and includes unlimited storage for three users.
Box’s main selling point is its storage and office program integration.
5. Dropbox
Since Dropbox was the first service of its kind, it’s not surprising that so many of us have accounts. Even though Dropbox Basic only provides 2GB of free storage, it is cross-platform compatible. Your data is accessible via the Dropbox website, Mac, Windows, and Linux desktop programs, native file systems, and mobile apps for iOS, Android, and Kindle Fire. Blackberry devices are still supported. It’s simple to set up, and there’s no need to worry about file synchronization.
If you need more storage, you can pay $20 per month to upgrade your personal Dropbox subscription to 3TB. Dropbox Business plans for Teams with 5 TB of storage start at $15 per month. For this level of service, you must pay at least $45 per month for a minimum of three users.
The Advanced plan provides unlimited storage for a minimum of three users at a monthly cost of $25. It equates to a $75 monthly payment at the outset. These latter options provide a 30-day free trial period.
Dropbox’s user-friendly interface and accessibility across all platforms continue to set it apart. If you value simplicity, speed, and convenience, Dropbox should be your first choice.
6. Google Drive
Google Drive began as a straightforward storage service. On the other hand, Google later incorporated the web-based office suite Google Docs into Google One. You can now get 15 GB of free storage and an excellent office suite with a Google account. Because it is sufficient, it is widely used by businesses and Chromebook users as a full-featured cloud-based office. I use it frequently.
Google Drive clients, except Linux, support most operating systems. Google has made this promise for a long time, but the client has never shown up. However, Insync, a commercial Linux client created by a third party, stands out. Individual lifetime subscriptions start at $29.99, while team subscriptions start at $49.99.
More room is required. No worries. Google One starts at $2 per month or $20 per year for 100GB of Google Drive storage. In addition, Purchase 200GB for $3 per month or $30 per year. The fee for 2TB is $10 per month or $100 per year, and the fee for 10TB is $100 per month. You can get up to 30TB of storage space for $300 per month. All of these plans allow you to share storage space with up to five other people.
The Google One app for iOS and Android devices can be used to backup smartphones automatically. It includes information on your smartphone, multimedia communications, and high-resolution photographs and videos.
7. Nextcloud
Nextcloud is an open-source application that allows you to launch your cloud storage service using your existing servers and hard drives. Those who value privacy and security should use this do-it-yourself cloud.
Use Nextcloud to create cloud storage on a corporate or external server. How much storage space is there? How much do you want? My office has a 4TB Nextcloud disk, and I have access to another 1TB through my shared server rack. While NextCloud is simple to install for Linux power users, it may be difficult for others.
Even Nextcloud is changing. It began as an Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) cloud for file storage. As more services are added, it will become more similar to Google’s and Microsoft’s all-in-one office suites. Furthermore, Nextcloud 21 is much faster than its predecessors.
Nextcloud is available in both free and paid versions. The free version requires you to configure it on your machines. You can use as much storage space as your computer allows.
Final Words
Cloud computing is not a one-size-fits-all solution; your choice will be determined by how you intend to use it. All these services provide more than adequate free or low-cost services for the needs of small businesses. In other words, how much free storage space you have is unimportant, so don’t let it distract you.
Furthermore, if you want to be more productive in your company, talk to an IT Consultant about how to use cloud storage solutions, but you’ll need a company like ICT Distribution to do that, so what are you waiting for? Contact them because they will undoubtedly have the answers to your questions.