The storage capacity of your phone can be an essential feature of your daily life, and is the most important feature; With so many important moments to capture by taking pictures and videos, songs to listen to, and space needed for files and other data, you must have enough capacity for your uses. Many mobile phones do not have sufficient storage for modern needs, but luckily there has been a large amount of investment into a new alternative: cloud-based storage. Cloud storage works by utilizing the internet and a remote location to look after your data safely and securely to help take the strain off your phone’s internal capacity for the most relevant features. There are many different sources of cloud storage available that you can make the most, some of which are even completely free to use! Here are a few of the best cloud-based storage options to explore, to find the ideal host for your data.
Amazon Drive
Amazon drive is one of the best services for those of you who are addicted to snapping photos, as you can back up your pictures onto their cloud-based platform to access at any time. If you’re an Amazon Prime member then you will get unlimited space for your images, and automatic image backup features are perfect for any mobile device. Unfortunately, Amazon drive does not have file syncing capabilities, nor does it have folder sharing options. It also doesn’t include certain other features that you might expect, such as file versioning or scheduled backups, so this could affect the range and quality of storage you can utilize on this platform.
Sync
Sync has been described as a super simple cloud storage solution that itself claims to be a more safe and secure alternative to the Dropbox platform. The pricing options appear very reasonable, and they even offer a free starter pack to enable you to try out the website before committing to make a purchase. The Sync platform utilizes what’s known as zero knowledge security systems, which means that they (the host) have no access to any of the data that you upload. As a result of this feature, you can be certain that your pictures and files are out of harm’s way from hackers and other risks and dangers online. The one negative that this level encryption brings is the fact that some previews of files will not be available until your data has been fully decrypted, and this can take a considerable amount of time.
Dropbox
Dropbox is one of the only free cloud storage options available, so it’s the perfect choice for students and other cash strapped individuals looking for a money saving solution. It’s such an easy platform to use, as there’s an option of an app download to access all your files straight from your phone. Another positive of Dropbox is the feature that enables you to share your files with any one you wish to, as you can even go as far as making your data public for all to view. Unfortunately, there have been several concerns regarding the safety and security of the platform, as servers have fallen victim to serious hacking in the past leaving users sensitive information out in the open.
Google Drive
Google Drive offers users an initial free package of 5GB of cloud-based storage, with the option of paying up to around $30 a year for increasing amounts. All in all, Google Drive is one of the sleekest cloud storage options on the market, with the largest number of features and collaboration opportunities (if you’re willing to pay the price). You can use many other Google services through the app which can make certain tasks far more efficient, especially for business users. However, there is nothing in the form of password protection for any shared files that you upload or use on Google Drive, and it’s said that the host collects information regarding your activity online, which can bring about some security concerns.
MEGA
MEGA cloud-based storage is a well-used service that you can utilize to keep your photos and files safe, for a very affordable price. The free plan offers 50GB of space that you can use to store data, whilst for just $4.99 per month you can gain access to a whopping 200GB. You can use any features no matter whether you pay for a plan or opt for the free service, and you can even benefit from an extra 10GB of storage space whenever you invite a friend to use the service. The host of MEGA has been involved with certain security breaches in the past, however it’s said that a whole new framework was used to create this cloud-based storage option that offers increased safety.
Nextcloud
Tresorit has its own specially patented encryption systems that are perfectly designed to keep all your data safe against prying eyes. It’s said that they have enlisted the help of more than 1,000 hackers to test the security of their servers, and all were fully unable to breach the various defenses that have been set in place. As a result, this platform is a great place to store sensitive files and personal information that you wouldn’t want to fall into the wrong hands, as you will have ultimate peace of mind knowing that your data is safe. It would seem that one of the only downsides is the expensive price tag, when compared to other popular platforms.