Last updated on 20 February 2025
What are the best cloud file backup services? What free space do they offer? And how much does it cost if extra space is needed? Some of the questions I answer in this quick overview of the best cloud file storage services.
The first advice when dealing with this type of backup solutions is not to put all the eggs in the same basket. In other words, do not entrust all your valuable files to a remote server, make a copy locally on a portable hard drive for example. If the hard drive breaks down, you will always have your files in the clouds to recover them, if for some reason the service to which you entrust your files were to disappear, you will still be able to find your files on your local hard drive.
Opt for well-installed solutions in the landscape, companies that do not risk disappearing overnight carrying with them your precious files. For once big is "beautiful". Especially since these large services offer interesting and convenient options to use, such as a word processor or a built-in spreadsheet, allowing you to work remotely on your files. Only reservation, it is not small, do not entrust them with confidential or sensitive files. These large companies, most of them American, offer very limited privacy guarantees.
Here are seven essentials of the sector. Feel free to complete the list in the comments if you use other services that you are satisfied with.
Table of Contents
Internxt
In the area of file storage, it is often difficult to escape the strike force of Google, Amazon and other Dropbox. Quality services, they are part of this list, but everyone knows that data confidentiality is not the priority of these net giants. If you want to opt for an ultra-secure alternative that respects your privacy, try Internxt. These are:an Open Source Storage Alternative serious. Ideal to protect all your files and photos. A product based from the start on protecting your privacy and security. Solution hosted in a European clud Internxt offers a generous free plan with 10 GB of space for your files.
DropBox
This is the most used service to date with several hundred million users worldwide. Dropbox offers 2Gb of free space that you can increase a bit by inviting friends to use the service in turn. Photos, videos, presentations, documents, files, DropBox keeps everything on secure servers, offers dedicated applications for your mobile devices and allows online collaborative work. For about 9 EUR per month you access the pro version and a generous storage space of 1TB. What to see coming.
Link: DropBox
Google Drive
It's hard not to mention Google Drive in the top spots on this list. With built-in apps like the excellent Google Docs, Drive is undoubtedly a good option for storing your files in the clouds. Google Drive offers a free space of 15 Gb. For less than €2 per month, you have access to 100 Gb, 1 T0 for €9. With Google Apps for Education, the storage space is free and unlimited.
Link: Google Drive
OneDrive
Microsoft later arrived on the cloud storage offer, but quickly caught up. OneDrive offers 5GB free and integrates seamlessly with the brand’s tools and apps. It also allows online publishing and offers dedicated apps for your mobile devices, smartphones or tablets, whatever their brand. Microsoft offers OneDrive + Office 365 which for 7 EUR per month Includes 1TB of storage space and full-featured and installed Office software such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on your PC, Mac, or iPad. One of the best current offers.
Link: OneDrive
iCloud
Google, Microsoft …il missing Apple from this classic trio of internet giants. iCloud suffered from a somewhat chaotic startup with a few bugs that damaged its image. The solution is now reliable and should be considered especially if you are a user of the apple brand. Integration into the Apple ecosystem is flawless. For the occasion Apple for once offers prices that are reasonable and comparable to the competition. 5GB free and just under 10 EUR for 1TB.
Link: iCloud
Box
He is a bit of an outsider on this list of giants. Box is a serious player in this cloud file storage market, with an offer designed for education that is quite competitive. Its main strength: teamwork and file sharing. Box offers, for example, a service similar to WeTransfer for sending very heavy files by email. Count 4 EUR per month for a secure storage of 200GB.
Link: Box
Amazon Cloud Drive
Last of this list, Amazon is preparing to shake up all the players I have just listed by offering unlimited storage space for less than EUR 60 per year. The unlimited is the sea snake of online storage services. Many companies have died for having proposed an unlimited that is difficult to bear both economically and technically. Amazon has strong kidneys from this point of view. Its storage infrastructure is used by the largest companies and is recognized by all professionals for its quality and reliability. On the other hand, Amazon does not offer any other complementary services. No word processing online for example. Storage and only storage.
Link: Amazon Cloud Drive
English
Very good synthesis. It could be enriched with two concepts: ease of file sharing and data confidentiality.
hello,
Just a tip: under the Microsoft/National Education agreement, teachers have access to onedrive pro 1TO free of charge, via their , academic address, so the sharepoint is academic and should be reserved for pro data, but a TO is interesting, all with Windows office tools.
Thank you for all the very interesting information you offer us
Sincerely
Alp
Thank you for this comparison! On the other hand, you do not mention Hubic by OVH, which still offers a much larger volume of free storage (25GB) and, comparatively, inexpensive to increase (100GB @ 10€/year; 10TO @ 50€/year). It is a society that is not in danger of disappearing anytime soon. In addition, the servers are in France, so your data is under French law. https://hubic.com/fr/
Strongly agree with you, do not put sensitive files on the cloud.
I use Dropbox but quickly saturated with capacity.
I found Megabox that offers 100GB of free and secure storage because all data is encrypted. In addition it synchronizes .
Free limits:
Speed 100 KB/
Max file size 1 GB
Limited bandwidth
No Video & Music streaming.
Prices http://megabox.me/pricing
For 100GB 9.99$/ month to 84$/year and for 300$ 19,90$/month to 178$/year
One can be reluctant when one knows that this service was set up by Kim DotCom, a whimsical and famous creator of Megaupload and who still has trouble with the justice system. I have been using Megabox for more than a year without problems, otherwise the upload times are slow.
Hello,
First of all thank you for your quick reply on my previous comment. I am always carefully following your site. Why in this article do not you talk about Hubic which seems to me is French and offers 25 GB of free storage. Good Easter week under the sun.
Hello, why don't you talk about framadrive Shared storage solution of the opensource framasoft suite. Offers 2go free storage. A collaborative word processor associated with the drive that works very well and also agenda and a directory and history. This is missing from your list of internet giants!
You are right, especially since I am a strong supporter of the work of the people of Framasoft. The problem is that Framadrive is full. 5000 accounts have been opened since the launch and at the moment it is no longer possible to open a new account.
Thank you Ellenore for your comment. You are not the first to indicate to me the absence of Hubic in this list. I have not tested it but it is not unanimous if I believe the various exchanges on the specialised forums. The best thing is for everyone to get an idea. Hubic offers unbeatable prices and accommodation in France. It remains to test its speed and the ergonomics of its interface.
In any case thanks to you Ellenore, here it is added to the list.
Link: Hubic
Since then, Dropbox has continued to prove that it is little more than a file storage space in the cloud. But this anecdote can also apply to all services that offer the rental of their clouds. Each tries to stand out from the other, with more or less generous free offers and more or less extended services. We wanted to see a little more clearly in order to facilitate your choice.
Hubic Ovh is a big M…. I have been using it, and I have been trying it, for over a year.
Synchronization problem, recurring crash, slowness, missing or unsynchronized files without explanations, and online support is zero. Sav’s only explanation: Oh yes, I saw that there were … problems to avoid. Congratulations on the French service!
And Mega.nz you forgot … with 50 GB free and is now independent of Kim Datcom its founder who is a controversial man …
I tested Hubic
compared to other cloud services, it is indeed unbeatable for storage for access and sharing it is sometimes a little heavy but finally we do very well
50€ a year is really cheap for 10TB
I swung my 2.5 TB of personal photos (scan and photo number for 30 years)
compared to the price it is top and accessible with an app from everywhere
In short, I'm quite satisfied with Hubic.
and for those who want 25 go for photos (sometimes it’s more than enough) it’s free (and you can create more than one it doesn’t eat 🙂 bread)
Hubic, I tested for 1 year: data corruption, extremely slow because of the openstack overlay. I prefer reliable and fast storage that costs me, rather than slow storage with risk (certainty) of data loss and almost free. Storing your photos is a small part of your life.
HubiC after two years I gave up, attractive price for a service that does not work. We're losing our money. Unsynchronized files, erased files, abominable slowness in upload. A storage service in which you lose your trust day after day. So useless in the end. Go your way ….
Just a general reflection on the free nature of these solutions, which have become the basis for archiving our personal documents ... and the business model that we have difficulty really understanding behind it. It really puzzles me.
Hello everyone,
I have been using Hubic for some time, it syncs automatically as soon as I am within wifi range. I therefore have all my work at home, including holidays without Internet, and in both schools. Top practice; And if Hubic disappears (one day), I have everything locally in my computer!
and owncloud???
Doesn’t anyone talk about it?
it is increasingly deployed on … academic servers, and … cherry can also host its own cloud server if it has an adequate nas.
There is also the question of the laws governing digital data. With Google, data is hosted on US servers. US laws, including the Patriot Act, apply. So effectively avoid leaving there sensitive data.
Is the Orange Cloud considered to be valuable?
I have been using Hubic for 3 years, it is very easy to use, synchronization is very good
Very reliable service that doesn't track you like Google…
Usable on all media (ios, android …)We know where our data is.
Please avoid comments such as "thank you the French service", this does not mean anything.
Congratulations for the Fidel website,
I'm back in charge with owncloud. It is the cloud usually deployed in academies. It replaces Dropbox advantageously and our data does not go abroad , it remains on the servers of the rectorate.
To get to know the cloud, this is how: https://owncloud.org/
To use it, go to the academic portal (web interface exple: https://cloud.ac-nancy-metz.fr/owncloud/index.php/login)
An important choice criterion that you do not cite: the ability to play shared files in streaming, without having to download them. According to my own tests, only the ‘big ones’ offer it: OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox and Box.