Do you still use traditional hard drives for storing your confidential data? Are you sick and tired of not having enough storage or being afraid of losing your data due to disk corruption? Well, let me introduce you to a cloud world if you have not heard about it yet.
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Cloud storage is a new and modern way for storing data in the cloud (remote cloud machines of your provider) where a user does not have to suffocate his hard disk with a bunch of data, and he can access the data from any device over the internet. Thus, cloud storage is dependent on an internet connection, which means that if you find yourself in situations of being not connected to the internet, you will not be able to see, edit or download your files from your cloud storage account.
Since it is an internet service, and you access the files by providing your credentials (email/password), does it mean that it is easily exposed to theft and loss of your data if somebody manages to crack the password and break into your account? Extensive cloud storage services offer fairly strong security and different encryption algorithms, so security issues are minimal.
In this article, I will be giving you a list of the best free cloud storage providers, emphasizing the pros and cons.
1. Sync
Let’s start with a top-rated cloud storage service, most notably known for its great and powerful security when it comes to how Sync stores and protects your uploaded data. With Sync, you get 5 GB data transfer and free 5 GB storage space.
They claim that they take special care for every file sent to their cloud machines and that only account owners can access their files, making unauthorized access non-existent. You can use and edit your files from any device.
Pros:
- Good encryption and security
Cons:
- Only 5 GB Storage
2. Icedrive
Compared to Sync, Icedrive gives you double storage space, 10 GB. Icedrive is not like other cloud storage services. It simulates a real physical hard drive, and you have access to all the files in the cloud without any need for syncing or taking space on your computer. It is speedy and secure with the design, which gives you that native OS feel.
Pros:
- Superfast due to caching control
- No need to sync data
- Clean design and UI
- Twofish encryption (client & server-side encryption included)
Cons:
- 10 GB is still relatively small compared to some other free cloud storage services
3. MEGA
Mega has been in the cloud storage world for so long that probably most people have heard of it. What makes Mega stand out against the other competitors has been security. The platform uses end-to-end encryption giving you the only access to your files.
When you create an account, you will be given a generated secret key which is the only valid way to decrypt the files. If somebody tries to log in to your account from a different unknown computer or device, they will not be able to access your files if they don’t know what your secret key is. You must store the key in a safe place because you might also lose access to your account if you lose it. For registered members, Mega gives you free 20 GB storage.
Pros:
- Excellent encryption
- Solid 20 GB space for storage
- Fast sync and download of your data
Cons:
- If you forget the password and you want to reset it, if you lose the secret key, there is no way to get your files back
- Download limit to 5 GB per day
4. Degoo
We talk about an absolute giant in the cloud storage world, Degoo. The name sounds weird and unfamiliar. But you will be blown away when you get to know that Degoo gives you free 100 GB after creating an account.
That is probably one of the best free cloud storage providers I’ve ever come across on the internet. Not only do you get 100 GB storage for free, but Degoo gives you also + 5 GB for each friend you invite and get registered through your referral link.
Up to 5 devices can access and utilize your account, and all files are protected and encrypted using the AES-256 technique. Degoo will keep your files on their machines and never delete them if you at least log in to your account once a year. Isn’t that impressive?
Pros:
- Huge 100 GB storage space for free account
- You can get up to an extra 500 GB of space through referrals
- Five devices
- Strong encryption
Cons:
- Ads
- No support for zero-knowledge encryption
5. TeraBox
Are you not yet impressed by the list of free cloud storage services? Well, you will be after this one. TeraBox is a free cloud storage provider which offers you 1 TB of entirely free storage space so you can use it for backup or as external storage for your photos, videos, and documents.
Yes, you read it right, a massive 1 TB of space for free, no string attached. You can access your files from a Windows PC, Android phone, or iPhone.
Pros:
- A massive 1 TB storage space
Cons:
- Slower download speed
- Ads
- Max file size of uploads 4 GB
