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Cloud Storage Comparison

Running out of space? Compare cloud storage by real cost per terabyte at the size you actually need, plus whether a one-time lifetime plan pays off.

Last checked 11 July 2026 · indicative USD monthly pricing, confirm on the provider's site

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Show cost per TB at:
$/TB/mo ▲ServiceNearest planPrice/moFree tier
How we rank. We normalise every plan to a cost per terabyte per month at the size you pick, so a 2TB plan and a 5TB plan compare fairly. Annual billing is usually cheaper than the monthly figures shown, and bundles (Office 365, a phone plan) can change the value. Prices are indicative USD, checked periodically, confirm on the provider's site.
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Lifetime plans, do they pay off?

A lifetime plan is one payment instead of a forever bill. Here's how long until it beats the equivalent subscription, after that, it's effectively free storage.

PlanStorageOne-timevs subscriptionBreaks even
Most people keep cloud storage far longer than the break-even point, so if you're sure of the provider a lifetime plan usually wins, and there's no annual renewal to forget. pCloud, Internxt and Icedrive are the main providers still offering them.

Common questions

What's the cheapest cloud storage per TB?

It depends how much you need. At 2TB, pCloud, Google One and iCloud+ land around $5/TB a month. Use the size selector, the cheapest changes with capacity.

Are lifetime plans worth it?

Usually, if you keep the storage. One payment instead of a monthly bill, breaking even in about 3-4 years, then effectively free. Most people keep storage far longer than that.

Is cloud storage private and secure?

All majors encrypt files, but only some offer zero-knowledge encryption where even they can't read them. pCloud Crypto, Proton Drive and Mega are the privacy standouts.

How much storage do I need?

~100GB for phone photos and docs, 1TB for most people including a big photo library, 2TB+ for video, backups and power users.