Cloud storage and backup

Is cloud storage the same as backup?

No. Sync storage keeps one folder identical on every device, so a deleted or ransomware-encrypted file is gone everywhere until you restore it from history. A backup copies your whole computer and keeps past versions for recovery.

Most services sold as cloud storage are really sync, including pCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive, while Backblaze and IDrive are true backup services that copy whole machines and keep their history. You often need one of each, and the US cybersecurity agency CISA’s ransomware guide recommends keeping offline, encrypted backups of critical data and testing them regularly.

Which cloud storage or backup service fits you?

Default to pCloud for sync. Its 2 TB plan costs $99.99 a year with no first-year discount to unwind, it runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and you choose US or EU storage. Switch only when one applies.

• If your files must stay private, use Proton Drive, which encrypts every plan end to end, publishes its app code and keeps file versions for up to 10 years on paid plans.
• If a small team shares client files, pick Sync.com. Encryption is on by default.
• If you protect several computers and phones, IDrive backs up all of them into 5 TB for $83.88 the first year and $119.88 after.
• If one computer holds a lot of data, choose Backblaze. No storage cap, $99 a year.
• If you want Office anyway, Microsoft 365 Personal bundles 1 TB of OneDrive with the apps for $99.99 a year.
• If you share big files with clients all day, Dropbox has the most mature sync and the widest app integrations, though Plus keeps only 30 days of history for $119.88 a year.
• If you run Linux on the desktop, drop Proton Drive, Sync.com, OneDrive and Google Drive. pCloud, Dropbox and Icedrive have Linux sync apps.

Three years of list prices tell you more than one:

Plan	Storage	3-year cost	Per TB over 3 years
Backblaze	Unlimited, 1 computer	$297	$59.40 at 5 TB
IDrive Personal	5 TB	$323.64	$64.73
pCloud Premium Plus	2 TB	$299.97	$149.99
Dropbox Plus	2 TB	$359.64	$179.82
Proton Duo	2 TB (2 users)	$539.64	$269.82

Backup is cheapest per terabyte. That is all it does.

When should you not pay for cloud storage?

When your files fit in a free tier and you already keep a backup: Google gives every account 15 GB shared across Gmail, Photos and Drive, IDrive offers 10 GB for backup, and pCloud up to 10 GB. Don’t bother with terabytes for a few gigabytes of documents.

If you’ve already paid for Microsoft 365, you own OneDrive storage too: 1 TB on Personal, or 6 TB shared among six people on Family for $129.99. Don’t forget to check what you already pay for.

What traps catch cloud storage buyers?

Three come up repeatedly: renewal prices that double, sync folders treated as backup, and the word “encrypted” read as “private”. Each one bites late.

1. Renewal jumps. Sync.com’s 1 TB plan costs $72 in its first year and $144 after, and Icedrive’s 6 TB plan goes from $149 to $269. Don’t skip the second-year price when you compare plans.
2. Short history. Thirty days is the norm. When ransomware hits, history length matters more than price: Proton Drive keeps up to 10 years and Sync.com up to a year.
3. Encryption claims. Every service here encrypts files on its servers, but only end-to-end encryption keeps the provider out. In 2024 ETH Zurich researchers found that a compromised server could attack the encryption at Sync.com, pCloud and Icedrive.

Lifetime plans are a fourth, quieter trap. pCloud’s 2 TB lifetime plan costs $499, five years of its annual price, and only pays off if the company lasts. Most people forget that part. Keep a second copy elsewhere.

How do we build our cloud storage & backup reviews?

Every service gets a research score out of 10 from official pricing and terms, security research, incident reports and documented features. We don’t run speed tests. Affiliate commissions never change a score.

Privacy and encryption carry 25%, price and long-term value another 25%, versioning and recovery 20%, apps and sharing 20%, and company track record the last 10%. In practice the tie between pCloud and Proton Drive at 8.3 is broken by the unrounded score, so read the criterion notes for your own priority. Related: notes and docs apps and productivity.