Unlimited storage

What separates the top unlimited storage picks?

pCloud leads at 8.7 for $99.99, and the reason is pCloud Drive: it mounts as a network drive, so 2 TB costs no local disk space. Upload took 16 minutes for 10 GB, and the lifetime plan pays back after about four years. Zero-knowledge encryption is a $49.99-a-year add-on, not the default.

Sync.com scores 8.4 at $96 with end-to-end encryption on by default, no add-on to buy, 180 days of file history, and HIPAA, GDPR and PIPEDA documentation. It was the slowest upload in the test at 24 minutes, and there is no Linux client.

Google One (Drive) scores 8.1 at $99.99 with the fastest upload and download measured, 13 minutes for 10 GB, plus Docs collaboration and Google Photos search. No zero-knowledge option, and no official Linux client.

Backblaze Personal Backup scores 7.9 at $99. It is backup, not sync: 4 TB from one machine for $99, an optional private encryption key, restore by download or posted hard drive. No shared folders, $99 per computer, and external drives must stay connected.

Proton Drive scores 7.8 at $119.88 with end-to-end encryption covering file names and folder structure, Swiss jurisdiction, audited open-source clients, and Mail, VPN, Pass and Calendar in Proton Unlimited. Upload was 26 minutes for 10 GB, and storage tops out at 500 GB in the consumer bundle.

Microsoft OneDrive scores 7.6 at $99.99 with 1 TB plus desktop Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint, Files On-Demand, and Windows integration. No zero-knowledge, and sync has struggled with very large folders.

iCloud+ scores 7.5 at $119.88 with Advanced Data Protection, device backups, photos, messages and desktop folders, plus Private Relay and Hide My Email. The Windows client is poor, and Advanced Data Protection is off by default.

Dropbox scores 7.5 at $119.88 with block-level sync: a 900 MB file edit took 20 seconds, and it handled a two-machine edit conflict cleanly. It is the most expensive mainstream plan here, and the 2 GB free tier is the smallest in the test.

What should you check before buying unlimited storage?

The scoring criteria weight sync speed and reliability at 25, privacy and encryption at 25, features and sharing at 20, platform coverage at 10, and value at 20. Match those weights to your own use.

• Encryption: Sync.com, Proton Drive and iCloud+ with Advanced Data Protection encrypt by default or with one switch. pCloud charges $49.99 a year for zero-knowledge. Google One and OneDrive hold the keys.
• Speed: Google One uploaded 10 GB in 13 minutes, pCloud in 16, Sync.com in 24, Proton Drive in 26.
• Platforms: Dropbox has an official Linux client. Google One, Sync.com and iCloud+ do not cover Linux the same way.
• Sync or backup: Backblaze is backup only, at $99 per computer.
• Price: $96 to $119.88 a year across these plans.

Which one for whom?

pCloud suits anyone who wants 2 TB without filling a local disk. Sync.com suits privacy-first users who need compliance paperwork. Google One suits families and Docs collaborators. Backblaze suits anyone backing up one machine with no size limit. Proton Drive suits people already in the Proton ecosystem. OneDrive suits Office buyers. iCloud+ suits Apple households. Dropbox suits Linux users and large-file editors.

pCloud fits anyone who wants 2 TB without giving up local disk space, and Sync.com fits privacy-first buyers who need compliance paperwork. Google One is the pick for families and Docs collaborators, while Backblaze covers a single machine with no size limit. Dropbox remains the choice for Linux users and large-file editing.