Welcome to our 2024 update on the top cloud storage providers. Cloudwards.net has been performing cloud storage assessments for some years, and much has changed in that period. Top Best Cloud Storage For Business for upcoming days.

Consumers have benefited from competition between large corporate companies such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive, as well as the rise of privacy-focused providers such as Sync.com, pCloud, and MEGA. To save you time, we've compiled a list of who we believe are the best players for your money.

Please keep in mind that our work is fully reader-supported, so we may receive a commission if you purchase a storage plan based on our recommendations. We are not sponsored by any service, and our views are entirely our own.

8 Best Cloud Storage Comparison

source: google.com

When we review a service, we run tests for about a week to see if all of its features work as stated. We examine the security of the service, including encryption algorithms and secure storage procedures. Finally, we run technical tests to check how fast they are, how much RAM they have, and how much CPU they use.

When it comes to Best Cloud Storage For Business, Cloudwards prioritizes security and privacy, thus we award zero-knowledge services a far higher ranking than those that don't. Our experts take great care to understand the complicated legal consequences of the services' privacy policies as well as the privacy laws of the countries where their servers are located.

We also evaluate a lot of other factors, but we'll go into more depth about that following the list. If you're particularly interested in cloud storage speeds, we offer custom data that compares the leading providers' performance below. Our survey of 12 prominent cloud services revealed that almost half of them outperform expectations.

1. Sync.com

Sync.com is our top pick for the best cloud service, topping many of our cloud storage rankings. It is one of the most secure cloud services available, and it is constantly developing and adding new capabilities as the service evolves and grows.

Security and Collaboration in One Convenient Package

To begin, Sync.com includes zero-knowledge encryption as standard. This implies that if there is a security breach or if the authorities demand access to your account, the intruder will only see scrambled data because you are the only one who has the encryption key.

Sync.com also provides comprehensive sharing controls, such as passwords, download limitations, and expiry dates for sharing links. Furthermore, Sync.com enables you to create and edit Microsoft Office documents (including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents) in a secure collaboration environment while maintaining zero-knowledge encryption.

2. pCloud

We frequently recommend pCloud in our cloud storage evaluations, and it's easy to see why. It boasts a variety of distinct features packaged in a sleek and safe packaging. Furthermore, it provides various things.

pCloud is an excellent choice for media enthusiasts. This is due to capabilities included in the inbuilt pCloud music player, which automatically organizes playlists by artist, album, or folder. Its video player is also quite sophisticated, allowing you to modify playback speed and convert video files to different formats.

If your device's media storage space is running low, pCloud's virtual drive will come in handy. pCloud can mount a virtual drive on your device (similar to Local Disk (C:)) that uses your cloud storage rather than the storage on your hard drive.

What Is pCloud Crypto?

A disadvantage of pCloud is that it does not support zero-knowledge encryption out of the box. This protection, known as pCloud Crypto, would cost $3.99 a month, however it is included for free with business plans. However, pCloud Crypto differs from the type of encryption offered by other services.

You get a unique folder to store your files that you want to be safeguarded with zero-knowledge encryption when you use pCloud Crypto. Outside of pCloud Crypto, everything can still be read by pCloud's servers, letting you to preview files and play multimedia from within the app.

3. Icedrive

Icedrive is a new supplier on our list that you may not have heard of previously. Given that it has just been in business since 2019, this is hardly surprising. It has made waves, however, with incredibly competitive pricing and several unique features that set it apart from some of its more established rivals.

Read Also: Best Cloud Storage Services In 2022

Innovative Encryption Techniques and Zero-Knowledge Security

One of the most notable distinctions between Icedrive and the other providers on our list is that it does not use the industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption. Instead, it employs the Twofish algorithm.

At the turn of the century, Twofish was one of the final competitors for the Advanced Encryption Standard competition. Some consider Twofish to be more secure (but occasionally slower) than the ultimate winner, Rijndael (now simply known as AES). The current standard, according to Icedrive, is backed by the NSA – make of that what you will, but don't let it terrify you just yet.

However, one of Icedrive's main selling features is its low pricing. 1TB of storage costs only $4.17 per month if paid annually. If you require more space, the next tier up provides 5TB of cloud file storage for $15 per month (for annual customers). That's a significant price increase for some people, but you can also choose a lifetime subscription.

That may or may not be a concern, especially given how new Icedrive is as a supplier. Still, if you require less than 1TB of storage space and want a very secure provider, Icedrive is an excellent option. See how it compares to our #1 pick on this list in our Icedrive.

4. MEGA

If you're concerned about privacy with other free Best Cloud Storage For Business companies, such as Google (our number seven recommendation), you can choose MEGA, which is on the opposite end of the privacy spectrum. Despite having run-ins with the government, MEGA's colorful founder Kim Dotcom is no longer a member of the company. MEGA's primary priority is security, therefore zero-knowledge encryption is the gold standard, with no one else having access to your files but you.

A Truly Secure Cloud Storage Service

MEGA has servers across Canada, New Zealand, and Europe, making it one of the best cloud storage providers in Europe. They are all located in countries with adequate privacy regulations, which is why no data is stored on American servers.

MEGA cannot read any of the files you save since it uses zero-knowledge encryption, but it does keep some of your metadata (such as IP logins) to monitor access. We'd be remiss if we didn't note the latest report that discovered severe flaws in MEGA's encryption mechanism. Nonetheless, we are confident in promoting it as a general secure and private service.

5. IDrive

IDrive is a one-of-a-kind alternative, providing a hybrid solution for both cloud storage and online backup – it's really our number one pick for online backup, owing to its amazingly low rates and incredible wealth of features.

Hybrid Cloud Storage & Backup With IDrive

Apart from the backup services such as disk imaging and courier recovery, which we won't go into too much detail about here — see our IDrive review for that — it also has proper file sync and share functions, which earns it a spot on this list. To discover how their syncing features compare, see our IDrive vs Dropbox comparison.

You can make any folder on your smartphone a sync folder and move it wherever you wish. There's also selective sync, which might save you a lot of time and bandwidth if you wish to exclude specific huge files. In comparison, file-sharing is quite limited, albeit you can define access privileges on the share-links that you create.

6. Koofr

Koofr isn't a household name, but it does have several features that set it different from the other providers on our list. As our Koofr review will show, Koofr isn't the cheapest option. It offers various very low-cost options with 100GB of storage or less, as well as a free 10GB plan.

Manage a Variety of Cloud Storage Services

One of the most helpful features is the option to connect it to other cloud storage providers. You can currently connect Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive accounts, allowing you to mix & match your services in one spot. Still, with other major platforms accessible, this is merely a tiny hiccup in what is otherwise a very distinctive offering from Koofr.

7. Dropbox

Dropbox was not the first cloud storage service, but it was the first to effectively popularize the concept. It's still going strong more than a decade later, with only Google Drive having a greater market share. Dropbox also has the kind of brand recognition that services like Sync.com can only dream of right now.

One of the Best Collaboration Cloud Storage Services
Dropbox's great collaboration is one of the reasons why it is still so popular, which is why Dropbox Business is one of our top picks in our cloud storage for collaboration shortlist.

Dropbox allows you to start and collaborate on both Microsoft and Google documents, making it an excellent choice for customers that require both.

8. Box

Although Box is a business-focused cloud storage company, it nonetheless has two plans for personal customers – one free and one premium. Because of its origins as a business-focused storage solution, Box is jam-packed with advanced features. Everything from powerful collaboration options to two-factor authentication, note-taking, and project management is available, making for a comprehensive feature set.

The one item lacking from the box (which we'll demonstrate) is private key management, which is essential for zero-knowledge privacy. This is a paid function with Box, and the firm won't even tell you how much it costs until you contact them directly.

Partnership with Box

Box's evident distinguishing feature is the extensive range of collaboration opportunities available to users. The two most important connectors are obviously Google Workspace and Microsoft Office, but Box goes much beyond these two well-known solutions.

Is it safe to store data on the cloud?

Most cloud storage services encrypt your data before sending it to their servers, and many store it encrypted. However, no system is 100% safe, and cloud storage systems can be compromised.

FAQs

What is the future of cloud storage?

The future of cloud storage appears to be bright for 2023. With rising demand for multi-cloud solutions, a greater emphasis on security and privacy, and increased use of automation and artificial intelligence, organizations can expect to reap even larger benefits from cloud storage in the coming years.

What is the future of cloud computing in 2024 and beyond?

The incorporation of powerful AI-driven security mechanisms capable of proactively recognizing and neutralizing threats is likely in the future. This emphasis on security is vital as the cloud serves as a store for more sensitive and critical data.

What is the future of the cloud in 2027?

Most people nowadays conceive of the cloud as a technical platform. By 2027, this viewpoint will have shifted dramatically. Cloud computing will not only be a technology method to application delivery, but it will also be a fundamental driver of corporate innovation.