Best Cloud Storage Services 2026: Independent Ranking
We rank personal cloud storage services only on verifiable facts: whether end-to-end (zero-knowledge) encryption can be turned on for ordinary files, whether an independent security audit is published, whether sign-in can be protected with a hardware key and the data-center country chosen, how much space is free and what a terabyte costs on the cheapest plan of 1 TB or more, how many platforms have apps, how long version history is kept, and whether shared links can have a password and an expiry date. Every fact links to the official page and carries the date we checked it. We do not score speed or ease of use by hand, and paid placements never change the Score.
| # | Company | Who it serves | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MEGA | 70 | Yes | 20 | $3.09 | End-to-end encryption |
| 2 | IDrive | 68 | Yes | 10 | $2.00 | End-to-end encryption Audited |
| 3 | Proton Drive | 65 | Yes | 5 | Not verified | End-to-end encryption Audited |
| 4 | Tresorit | 63 | Yes | 3 | $11.12 | End-to-end encryption Audited |
| 5 | pCloud | 61 | Yes | 2 | $4.64 | End-to-end encryption Region choice |
| 6 | Sync.com | 57 | Yes | 5 | $12.00 | End-to-end encryption Audited |
| 7 | Dropbox | 56 | No | 2 | $5.56 | Audited |
| 8 | Koofr | 55 | Yes | 10 | $11.13 | End-to-end encryption |
| 9 | Filen | 54 | Yes | 10 | $4.17 | End-to-end encryption |
| 10 | Google Drive (Google One) | 52 | No | 15 | $5.00 | |
| 11 | Icedrive | 52 | Yes | 10 | $5.99 | End-to-end encryption |
| 12 | Internxt | 43 | Yes | 1 | $11.12 | End-to-end encryption Audited |
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- End-to-end encryption of files
- Yes
- Free storage, GB
- 20
- Price per TB per month (cheapest plan of 1 TB+)
- $3.09
Pros
- Files can be encrypted on your device: the company cannot read them
- Generous free storage
- Apps for almost every platform
- Publishes a report on government data requests
Details Visit site ↗ 77% backed by facts
-
- End-to-end encryption of files
- Yes
- Free storage, GB
- 10
- Price per TB per month (cheapest plan of 1 TB+)
- $2.00
Pros
- Low price per terabyte
- Files can be encrypted on your device: the company cannot read them
- Security verified by an independent audit
- Apps for almost every platform
Details Visit site ↗ 77% backed by facts
-
- End-to-end encryption of files
- Yes
- Free storage, GB
- 5
- Price per TB per month (cheapest plan of 1 TB+)
- Not verified
Pros
- Files can be encrypted on your device: the company cannot read them
- Security verified by an independent audit
- Apps for almost every platform
- Publishes a report on government data requests
Details Visit site ↗ 75% backed by facts
-
- End-to-end encryption of files
- Yes
- Free storage, GB
- 3
- Price per TB per month (cheapest plan of 1 TB+)
- $11.12
Pros
- Files can be encrypted on your device: the company cannot read them
- Security verified by an independent audit
- Apps for almost every platform
- Publishes a report on government data requests
Cons
- You cannot choose where your files are stored
Details Visit site ↗ 92% backed by facts
-
- End-to-end encryption of files
- Yes
- Free storage, GB
- 2
- Price per TB per month (cheapest plan of 1 TB+)
- $4.64
Pros
- Files can be encrypted on your device: the company cannot read them
- Apps for almost every platform
- You can choose the region where your files are stored
- Shared links can be protected with a password
Cons
- Short file version history
Details Visit site ↗ 80% backed by facts
-
- End-to-end encryption of files
- Yes
- Free storage, GB
- 5
- Price per TB per month (cheapest plan of 1 TB+)
- $12.00
Pros
- Files can be encrypted on your device: the company cannot read them
- Security verified by an independent audit
- Apps for almost every platform
- Shared links can be protected with a password
Cons
- High price per terabyte
Details Visit site ↗ 85% backed by facts
-
- End-to-end encryption of files
- No
- Free storage, GB
- 2
- Price per TB per month (cheapest plan of 1 TB+)
- $5.56
Pros
- Security verified by an independent audit
- Apps for almost every platform
- Publishes a report on government data requests
- Account can be protected with a hardware security key
Cons
- No end-to-end file encryption for personal users
- Short file version history
- Shared links cannot have a password
- Shared links cannot be set to expire
Details Visit site ↗ 95% backed by facts
-
- End-to-end encryption of files
- Yes
- Free storage, GB
- 10
- Price per TB per month (cheapest plan of 1 TB+)
- $11.13
Pros
- Files can be encrypted on your device: the company cannot read them
- Apps for almost every platform
- Account can be protected with a hardware security key
- Keeps previous file versions for a long time
Details Visit site ↗ 80% backed by facts
-
- End-to-end encryption of files
- Yes
- Free storage, GB
- 10
- Price per TB per month (cheapest plan of 1 TB+)
- $4.17
Pros
- Files can be encrypted on your device: the company cannot read them
- Apps for almost every platform
- Shared links can be protected with a password
- Shared links can be set to expire
Details Visit site ↗ 72% backed by facts
-
- End-to-end encryption of files
- No
- Free storage, GB
- 15
- Price per TB per month (cheapest plan of 1 TB+)
- $5.00
Pros
- Generous free storage
- Apps for almost every platform
- Publishes a report on government data requests
- Account can be protected with a hardware security key
Cons
- No end-to-end file encryption for personal users
- You cannot choose where your files are stored
- Short file version history
- Shared links cannot be set to expire
Details Visit site ↗ 87% backed by facts
-
- End-to-end encryption of files
- Yes
- Free storage, GB
- 10
- Price per TB per month (cheapest plan of 1 TB+)
- $5.99
Pros
- Files can be encrypted on your device: the company cannot read them
- Apps for almost every platform
- Shared links can be protected with a password
- Shared links can be set to expire
Cons
- Short file version history
Details Visit site ↗ 70% backed by facts
-
- End-to-end encryption of files
- Yes
- Free storage, GB
- 1
- Price per TB per month (cheapest plan of 1 TB+)
- $11.12
Pros
- Files can be encrypted on your device: the company cannot read them
- Security verified by an independent audit
- Apps for almost every platform
- Shared links can be protected with a password
Cons
- Short file version history
Details Visit site ↗ 82% backed by facts
Not ranked yet: not enough verified data
These services are known to us, but we haven't verified enough facts to rank them fairly.
- Box (27% backed by facts)
- Microsoft OneDrive (45% backed by facts)
- iCloud+ (66% backed by facts)
How we calculate the Score
35%
Privacy & Security
Whether a regular user can turn on end-to-end (zero-knowledge, client-side) encryption for ordinary files — built in or as a separate encrypted folder (weight 3), whether an independent security audit or penetration test of the service is published (weight 2), whether sign-in can be protected with a FIDO2/U2F hardware key (weight 1), and whether you can choose the data-center region or country for your files (weight 1). Encryption offered only on business plans does not count for personal users.
30%
Price
How many gigabytes the permanent free plan gives without referral bonuses (logarithmic, 20 GB or more scores full; weight 1) and the monthly price of one terabyte on the cheapest personal plan of 1 TB or more, in US dollars as the company shows it (usually billed yearly; regular price, not a first-term discount; lifetime plans are not counted): $0 scores 100, $15 or more scores 0 (weight 2). We never convert currencies: if the company shows no US-dollar price, the fact stays empty.
15%
Features
How many of six platforms have official apps: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, web (logarithmic, full score at 6; weight 2). How many days of file version history are kept on the same plan we use for the price (365 days or "no limit" scores full), and whether shared links can be protected with a password and given an expiry date.
10%
Reputation
Average App Store (US) rating of the app, weighted by the number of ratings (from the official iTunes Lookup API). A service without its own App Store app has no data for this factor.
10%
Transparency
The company's age (15+ years scores full) and whether it publishes a transparency report on how many government requests for user data it received and complied with.
How to choose a cloud storage service
Decide whether you need end-to-end encryption
For documents, ID scans and personal photos, choose a service that encrypts files on your device. With some services this is a separate encrypted folder or a paid add-on — check that it covers the files you care about.
Compare the price per terabyte
Plans of different sizes are easiest to compare by the monthly price of one terabyte. Watch the renewal price: first-year discounts end, the regular price stays.
Check version history
Version history protects you from accidental deletion, corrupted files and ransomware. The more days previous versions are kept, the more time you have to notice a problem and roll back.
Secure your account
Turn on two-factor sign-in, ideally with a FIDO2 hardware key. Store your recovery key safely: with end-to-end encryption the company cannot restore access to your files without it.
Don't keep your only copy in the cloud
Sync is not a backup by itself: a deletion syncs to every device. Keep another copy of important files on an external drive or with a second service.
Frequently asked questions
Which cloud storage service is the best right now?
The service ranked first has the highest Score under our open methodology. The best choice for you depends on what matters most: look at the factor bars — privacy, price, features — and pick the leader in the factor you care about.
What is end-to-end encryption in cloud storage and why does it matter?
With end-to-end (zero-knowledge) encryption your files are encrypted on your device with a key the company does not hold. Staff, server breaches and government requests to the company do not expose the contents. The trade-off: if you lose your password and recovery key, the files usually cannot be recovered. See the fact "End-to-end encryption of files".
How much storage can I get for free?
The "Free storage, GB" fact shows the base amount of the permanent free plan, without referral bonuses or temporary promotions. Trials do not count as a free plan. Free plans often limit version history and sharing features.
How do you compare prices when plans have different sizes?
We take the cheapest personal plan of 1 TB or more and divide its monthly US-dollar price (as the company shows it, usually billed yearly) by its size in terabytes. That makes 1, 2 and 5 TB plans comparable. We do not convert other currencies, and lifetime plans are not counted.
Why does iCloud+ have no App Store rating?
iCloud Drive is built into iPhone, iPad and Mac and is not published as a separate app in the App Store, so it has no data for the Reputation factor. We do not substitute ratings of other Apple apps.
How do you rank cloud storage services?
On facts from official pages — each with a link and check date — combined by a fixed, public formula. We do not score sync speed or ease of use by hand, so the ranking is reproducible and cannot be bought.