Most CloudPlans visitors are comparing cloud hosting. If that is you, start on the hosting table →. Otherwise, keep reading — the storage comparison is checked monthly with the same rules.
Cloud storage plans compared: every provider, every price.
The full table with 2 TB tiers, annual pricing, family plans, and the fine print. Human-checked against each provider’s own pricing page.
Answer, first
Cloud storage plans range from free tiers of 2 GB to 15 GB up to 2 TB family plans around ten dollars a month. The best value depends on whether you need shared drive space, automatic computer backup, or encrypted private storage. The table below compares every current plan side by side.
✓ Prices checked August 27, 2026
| Provider | Free plan | Entry paid | 2 TB class | Family | The catch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google One | 15 GB | 100 GB (Basic) | 2 TB (Premium) | Up to 5 members | Free tier shared with Gmail + Photos | See current price → |
| iCloud+ | 5 GB | $0.99/mo (50 GB) | $9.99/mo (2 TB) | Share w/ up to 5 | Weaker Windows client | See current price → |
| Microsoft 365 Basic | 5 GB | $1.99/mo (100 GB) | 6 TB via Family $129.99/yr | 6 users, 1 TB each | SKUs confusing, Family bundles Office | See current price → |
| Dropbox | 2 GB | $9.99/mo (Plus 2 TB) | $9.99/mo (Plus 2 TB) | Family plan available | Smallest free tier | See current price → |
| IDrive | 10 GB | $0.25/mo (100 GB Mini) | $9.99/mo (5 TB, yearly) | Team tiers same price | Renewal jumps after first year | See current price → |
| pCloud | Up to 10 GB | $199 lifetime (500 GB) | $399 lifetime (2 TB) | Family lifetime | Encryption folder costs extra | See current price → |
| Backblaze | None | $99/yr unlimited backup | Unlimited (backup) | Per computer | Backup only, not a shared drive | See current price → |
| Sync.com | 5 GB | $3.50/mo (150 GB, annual) | Solo 5 TB $14/mo (annual) | Team plans only | Slower transfers reported | See current price → |
| Mega | 20 GB | $3.89/mo (200 GB, yearly) | $9.71/mo (3 TB, yearly) | Individual plans only | Biggest free tier, transfer quota caps | See current price → |
| Proton Drive | 5 GB | $3.99/mo (Drive Plus 200 GB, yearly) | $14.99/mo (Proton Duo 2 TB, 2 users) | $23.99/mo (Family 3 TB, 6 users) | Zero-knowledge, higher tiers bundle VPN + Mail | See current price → |
| Amazon Photos | 5 GB (unlimited photos with Prime) | See current price | See current price | Family sharing via Prime | Photo-first, not a general drive; needs Prime for the value | See current price → |
| Box | 10 GB | $10/mo (Personal Pro 100 GB, yearly) | Unlimited via Business $15/user/mo | Business team plans only | Enterprise-first; individual tier is capped | See current price → |
| Icedrive | 10 GB | $59/yr (Pro 2 TB, first-year promo) | $59/yr (Pro 2 TB) | Lifetime 2 TB $699 one-time | Newer brand; renewal jumps after first year | See current price → |
Storage or backup, decide before you compare
Cloud storage is a drive in the sky you organize yourself: you drag files in, share what you want, and see the same folders on every device. Google One, iCloud+, OneDrive, Dropbox, pCloud, and Sync.com are storage products.
Cloud backup is different. It automatically copies everything on your computer to a separate cloud and lets you restore your machine after a crash. Backblaze and IDrive are backup-first. Pick the wrong one and the price comparisons stop meaning anything.
The per-terabyte math
Most personal buyers are comparing 2 TB family plans. Below are the verified 2 TB monthly costs and the per-TB rate they work out to.
- iCloud+ 2 TB: $9.99/mo, roughly $5.00 per TB per month
- Dropbox Plus 2 TB: $9.99/mo, roughly $5.00 per TB per month
- pCloud Premium Plus 2 TB lifetime: $399 one-time, break-even against $9.99/mo happens around month 40
- IDrive Personal 5 TB (yearly): $9.99/mo effective, roughly $2.00 per TB per month, the cheapest verified real storage in the table
Microsoft 365 Family stretches to 6 TB shared across six users at $129.99/yr, roughly $1.80 per TB per month if all six seats are used. That is the cheapest per-TB verified figure in the table, at the cost of coordinating six accounts.
Free tiers: what fills them and when to jump
Free tiers are real, but they are also a funnel. The catches to know before you commit:
- Google One’s 15 GB free tier is shared with Gmail and Google Photos. Email attachments and high-quality photo uploads eat it fastest.
- Dropbox’s 2 GB free plan is a trial in practice: one phone backup will finish it.
- iCloud’s 5 GB free tier includes iPhone backups, which is why Apple users are the first to hit the upgrade prompt.
- IDrive’s 10 GB free tier is a genuine long-term free plan if you only need it for a few small folders.
Lifetime plans, break-even math
pCloud’s lifetime plans sit outside the subscription frame: one payment, storage for the life of the company. At $399 for 2 TB lifetime versus $9.99/month for iCloud+ or Dropbox Plus 2 TB, break-even is roughly 40 months, or three years and four months. If you plan to stay in the same 2 TB tier for four years or more, the math favours the lifetime plan. Provider longevity is the risk on the other side.
Privacy tier: zero-knowledge by default
Zero-knowledge encryption means the provider cannot read your files, even if compelled. Sync.com applies it to your whole account by default. pCloud offers it through a paid Crypto add-on. Google Drive, iCloud, OneDrive, and Dropbox can technically read your files. If that distinction matters to you, the two names to shortlist are Sync.com and pCloud with Crypto.
Common questions
What is the cheapest cloud storage plan?
By verified per-TB math, IDrive Personal 5 TB at $9.99/month (yearly billing) is the cheapest verified single-user storage plan in the table. Microsoft 365 Family stretches the per-TB rate lower if all six seats are used.
Is lifetime cloud storage legit?
pCloud’s lifetime plans are one payment, storage for the life of the company. Break-even against a $9.99/month 2 TB subscription happens around month 40. If you plan to stay in the same tier for four years or more, the math favours it. Provider longevity is the risk on the other side.
How much is 2 TB of cloud storage per month?
iCloud+ and Dropbox Plus both price 2 TB at $9.99 per month for a single user. IDrive prices 5 TB at $9.99 per month on annual billing, making it the cheapest verified per-TB rate in the table.
Can I use cloud storage as a backup?
Not the same way an actual backup product works. Storage products sync files you organize, backup products copy your whole computer so you can restore it after a crash. Backblaze and IDrive are backup-first, everything else in the table is storage-first.
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