Cheapest Cloud Storage per Terabyte
Only the services that fit "cheapest cloud storage", tested with the same 10 GB on the same line.
Last Updated: Sep 2026Suggested cloud storage for you
Sync.com
Good
8.4
End-to-end encrypted by default with no add-on t...Learn More
Backblaze Personal Backup
Fair
7.9
Genuinely unlimited — we backed up 4 TB from one...Learn More
for budget
Cloud storageFree cloud storageCloud storage for photosMost secure cloud storageCloud storage for business
1
pCloud (2 TB) - Fast sync, a network drive that does not fill your disk, optional zero-knowledge encryption, and the only credible lifetime plan in the category Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- pCloud Drive mounts as a network drive, so 2 TB costs no local disk space
- Second-fastest upload in the test at 16 minutes for 10 GB
- Lifetime plan pays back after about four years
Very Good
8.7
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$49.99 · checked Sep 11
99.99 USD
10 GB
2
Sync.com (Solo Basic 2 TB) - Zero-knowledge encryption on everything by default, Canadian jurisdiction, and compliance paperwork most consumer services do not offer Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- End-to-end encrypted by default with no add-on to buy
- HIPAA, GDPR and PIPEDA compliance documentation available
- 180 days of file history on the personal plan
Good
8.4
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$0 · checked Sep 11
96 USD
5 GB
3
Backblaze Personal Backup (Unlimited) - Not sync but backup: every file on the machine, no size limit, for a flat $99 a year — the thing people mean when they say cloud storage but actually need Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Genuinely unlimited — we backed up 4 TB from one machine for $99
- Optional private encryption key the company cannot recover
- Restore by download or a posted hard drive
Fair
7.9
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$99 · checked Sep 11
99 USD
0 GB
Frequently asked questions about cloud storage
What does zero-knowledge encryption actually mean?
Your files are encrypted before they leave your device with a key only you hold, so the provider cannot read them even if compelled to. pCloud (with the paid Crypto add-on), Sync.com, Proton Drive and Internxt offer it. Google Drive, Dropbox and iCloud encrypt in transit and at rest but hold the keys, which is what lets them index, preview and share files. The trade is real: with zero-knowledge, a lost password usually means lost files.
Is a lifetime plan a good deal?
pCloud's 2 TB lifetime plan costs about the same as four years of a subscription, so it pays back if the company lasts longer than that. pCloud has been trading since 2013, which is reassuring but not a guarantee. Treat a lifetime plan as a bet on the company, and never as your only copy of anything.
How much storage do I actually need?
A phone-photo household usually fits in 200 GB for several years; 2 TB covers most families with video. Check your current usage before buying: Google One and iCloud both show it, and most people buy more than they use. Cloud storage is also not a backup — a synced deletion propagates. Keep a separate backup of anything irreplaceable.
How do you test cloud storage?
The same 10 GB set of documents, photos and video is uploaded and downloaded three times on the same 100 Mbps line and the median taken. We edit one file on two machines at once to see how conflicts are handled, restore a deleted file and an old version, test link sharing with expiry and passwords, and read the privacy policy for what the provider can see and which jurisdiction governs it.
*Scores: Sync speed & reliability 25 · Privacy & encryption 25 · Features & sharing 20 · Platform coverage 10 · Value 20; score = Σ ÷ 10, ties break on the earlier test date. Prices shown were checked on the date beside each and may change. Affiliate links are added only after a score is locked and can never change it. How we rank.
#1 pCloud8.7 · $49.99
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