Having your data stored, managed and maintained remotely using a cloud storage provider is a convenient and time-saving method when accessing your files from any location and collaborating with others. But with so many choices available, users need to know which of these best free and paid cloud storage providers offer the best features and usability. This article presents a complete list of the Best Cloud Storage Providers that will continue to dominate the industry in 2019 and beyond.
This post is categorized into the following sections:
Why You Need Cloud Storage
What Makes a Good Cloud Storage Provider
Best Cloud Storage Providers
Frequently Asked Questions about Cloud Storage Providers

Why You Need Cloud Storage

A cloud storage provider allows personal or business users to store data on remote servers that can be accessed from the Internet or what is now called a “cloud” (because your file is stored in multiple hard drives that makes it “float like a cloud” whenever you try to access it). A cloud storage provider maintains the system and manages all aspects of data storage.
But why do you need cloud storage?
If your business is spending too much on new in-house servers plus the costly maintenance, cloud storage can significantly reduce such cost because there is no need to invest in hardware with cloud technology. Because of this, there’s no need to maintain a large IT staff to manage your servers and software regularly, which is good for small to medium enterprises that have limited budgets for manpower.
Cloud storage also provides flexibility of access. Whether it’s for personal or business use, anyone can download or edit a file stored in the cloud as long as there’s an internet connection. And if you’re working with others on the same document, you can remotely collaborate and see the changes made in real time. There’s no need to make a new copy of the file and send it by e-mail.
There are also cloud storage providers that allow users to add more memory and storage space as well as have faster upload/download time for a minimal fee. This makes it very convenient to store large files.
The best cloud storage providers also offer automatic backup deployment so you can be assured that you will not lose your files and documents in worst-case scenarios such as natural disasters.
Finally, you can be assured of securing your files provided that its credentials are kept in private. Cloud storage providers maintain physically secured data centers so that your files are protected from hackers.

What Makes a Good Cloud Storage Provider

If you don’t have a clue on which cloud storage provider to subscribe to, KODIFIREIPTVrecommends the following criteria for you to consider in a provider.
Has 99.99% reliability/availability against service outage and recovery time
Provides seamless file transfers
Has global deployment to support connections in other regions
Employs the highest security through multi-factor authentication in their service and content full encryption at-rest and in-transit
Provides highly responsive 24/7 customer support service through multiple channels
Manages and controls its own networking equipment and service technology
Offers a reliable Service-Level Agreement (SLA) in cases that it cannot provide the expected level of service
Is highly scalable
Provides reliable file backups
Ensures utmost privacy

Best Cloud Storage Providers

JustCloud

Free Trial or Account
14-day Free Trial
Storage Available
Unlimited
File Size Limit
None
Online Editing
No
Devices Supported and System Requirements
Windows 8, 7, XP, & Vista (32 & 64 bit) and macOSX 10.5+
iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry, Kindle Fire
Apps
iOS, Android, Windows
Price
Home/Pro Plan at $10.69/month for 75GB
Premium Plan for $11.94/month for 250GB
Ultimate Plan for $14.44/month for 1TB
Separate pricing for additional services
Website
www.justcloud.com

This cloud storage boasts of a number of features such as automatic computer syncing, file and folder sharing, online control panel, file management, encryption, drag-and-drop capability, geo-redundant storage and even a referral program. JustCloud provides hourly backup service but for the cost of $39.90 per year and automatic video backup at $29.90 per year. It also offers a 30-day money back guarantee.

Livedrive

Free Trial or Account
14-day Free Trial
Storage Available
Unlimited
File Size Limit
None
Online Editing
No
Devices Supported and System Requirements
Windows 7 and above, & Mac OS X 10.11 and above computers
Apps
iOS, Android, Windows
Price
Backup plan at £5.00 /month
Briefcase plan at £10.00 /month
Pro Suite plan at £15.00 /month
Website
www2.livedrive.com

 
Livedrive offers personal plans that users can bundle together to only pay for the services that they prefer. For instance, the Backup plan at £5.00 per month offers unlimited cloud backup storage but only for a single PC or Mac user account. Users can then combine it with the Briefcase plan (for an additional £10.00 per month) to get 2,000GB of mobile backup storage, file sync between computers and file sharing. If you need an additional four more computer users, the Pro Suite Plan (£15.00 per month) can be also bundled. Customer support, however, is only available during UK working hours (9 am to 6 pm), which may not be convenient for users in other regions.

SugarSync

Free Trial or Account
30-day Free Trial
Storage Available
Unlimited
File Size Limit
None
Online Editing
No
Devices Supported and System Requirements
Windows (7, 8 and 10), Mac OS X, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android Devices, Kindle Fire, Microsoft Outlook for Windows Plugin
Apps
iOS, Android
Price
Personal plans start at $7.49 / month for 100GB, $9.99 / month for 250GB and $18.95 for 500GB;
Business plans start at $55.00 / month for 1 to 3 users (1TB)
Website
www2.sugarsync.com

 
This cloud storage offers unique features such easier recovery of folder contents, ransomware-proof files, seamless file sharing and syncing and faster file backup. The Business package, on the other hand, allows enterprises to assign an official admin to enable permissions, bandwidth and admit new users in your corporate account. New accounts can avail of 15% discount for annual plans for a limited time only.

Dropbox

Free Trial or Account
14-day Free Trial
Storage Available
Depending on the Plan
File Size Limit
None
Online Editing
No
Devices Supported and System Requirements
Mac (Apple) computer, iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch (iOS), Windows 10 in S mode, Universal Windows Platform for computers, mobile, tablets, Xbox, etc…), Windows computer (Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10 not in S mode), Android phone, Linux computer
Apps
iOS, Android
Price
Individual Plus plan at $11.99 / month; Professional plan at $19.99 / month
Team Standard plan at $15 / month; Advanced plan at $25 / month
Website
www.dropbox.com

 
This storage device remains one of the most popular even though its free storage size is limited to 2GB only. It provides data in-transit security at 256-bit AES and SSL/TLS encryption, access anytime, anywhere, and easy-and-secure sharing. By subscribing to the Professional plan, you get to unlock the best features such as 3TB storage, 180-day history file recovery and version history plus Dropbox’s own tools such as Paper, Showcase and Smart Sync.

Carbonite

Free Trial or Account
15-day Free Trial
Storage Available
Unlimited
File Size Limit
4GB for its Basic plan
Online Editing
No
Devices Supported and System Requirements
Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10; Mac OS 10.7 and later
Apps
iOS, Android
Price
Invidivual plans start at $6 / month for a single device; $24 / month for multiple devices; $50 / month for computers and servers
Website
www.carbonite.com

 
Carbonite’s features may seem to look inferior against its competitors but its automatic cloud backup, remote file access, 128-bit encryptionadn unlimited cloud space is worth it for a $6 monthly fee (billed annually). Plus, customers are backed by the company’s award-winning customer support 24/7. There are also options for multiple computers starting at $24 per month and additional servers for $50 per month. Carbonite acquired another cloud storage service, Mozy,  in 2018 and integrated the service to what is now the company’s main product.

SOS Online Backup

Free Trial or Account
15-day Free Trial (Home plan)
30-day Free Trial (Business plan)
Storage Available
Depending on the Plan
File Size Limit
None
Online Editing
No
Devices Supported and System Requirements
Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, & XP; Mac OS
Apps
iOS, Android
Price
Invidivual plans start at $4.99 / month for 50GB to $299.99 / month for 10TB
Business plans start at $29.99 for 100GB to $379.99 fir 2TB
Website
www.sosonlinebackup.com

 
This tool is recommended by tech experts from The New York Times, PC Magazine and the Wall Street Journal. Users can access unlimited file versions through the Save Forever feature as well as use the tool on a maximum of 5 computers and Mac devices with unlimited mobile for just $4.99 per month. The Business plan works on unlimited computers and servers and comes with anomaly detection, network attached storage (NAS) backup, and HIPAA-compliant backup for every server and computer in the workplace.

IDrive

Free Trial or Account
Free Trial with 5GB storage (no expiry)
Storage Available
Depending on the Plan
File Size Limit
2GB
Online Editing
No
Devices Supported and System Requirements
Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Windows Server 2016, 2012, 2008, Home Server, 2003 Server (Service Pack 2); Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks or greater (Mac OS High Sierra compatible)
Apps
iOS, Android
Price
Personal plans start at $52.12 / year for 2TB and $74.62 / year for 5TB;
Business plans start at $$74.62 / year, $149.62 / year for 500GB and $374.62 / year for 1.25TB
Website
www.idrive.com

 
As one of the top choices of tech editors, IDrive boasts of added features such as backup on VMware, Linux, mobile. Data restoration is also made easier using Snapshots to recover files at any point. IDrive retains files of up to 30 versions that are backed to your account. Security is also reliable as your user-defined key won’t be stored in any of its servers. Best of all, its Drive Express allows users to retrieve data in less than a week when you request them to ship temporary physical storage

SpiderOak One

Free Trial or Account
21-day Free Trial
Storage Available
Depending on the Plan
File Size Limit
None
Online Editing
No
Devices Supported and System Requirements
Windows 7 or newer (32bits), Windows 7 or newer (64bits); Mac OS 10.9-10.12, 10.14 (Mavericks-Sierra, Mojave)
Mac OS 10.13 (High Sierra only)
Apps
iOS, Android
Price
$6 / month for 150GB, $11 / month for 400 GB, $14 / month for 2TB and $5 / month for 5TB
Website
https://spideroak.com/one/

 
SpiderOak One is another contender in the cloud storage provider industry. Offering cool features such as SSL encryption, unlimited file versioning, backup (drive, folder and file), and inactive account retention, it’s one of the cheapest yet most functional cloud storage tools available today. And if security is your top concern, file sharing is made even better with the software’s self-destructing shareable links to prevent others from accessing your files in case it gets unintentionally shared.

Microsoft OneDrive

Free Trial or Account
30-day Free Trial for Office 365
Storage Available
Depending on the Plan
File Size Limit
None
Online Editing
Yes
Devices Supported and System Requirements
Windows 10, 8/8.1, 7; Server 2019, 2016, Server 2012 (including R2), 2008 R2; Mac OS X 10.12 or later
Apps
iOS, Android
Price
OneDrive (storage only) plan at $1.99 / month for 100GB; Personal plan at $6.99 / month for 1TB and Home plan at $9.99 / month for 6TB both come with Office 365;
Business plans start from $5.00 / month (without Office apps) to $12.50 / month (with Office apps and business-class email)
Website
https://onedrive.live.com/about/en-US/

 
This tool is Microsoft’s own version of cloud file storage and syncing solution. As part of Office 365, the Personal plan comes with 1TB of storage space at only $6.99 per month. Users get advanced security (expiring sharing links, automatic ransomware detection, file restoration for up to 30 days back, password sharing links) plus productivity tools such as multi-page scan, offline folders and advanced sync technology. Users who are always on the go also find it more convenient when they access their files and directly edit and annotate them on their mobile devices.

CertainSafe

Free Trial or Account
30-day Free Trial
Storage Available
Depending on the Plan
File Size Limit
2GB
Online Editing
No
Devices Supported and System Requirements
Visit site for updates on this information
Apps
None
Price
$12 / month for 100GB; provides custom quotes for higher requirements
Website

CertainSafe – The Most Secure Cloud Storage Solution

 
Another favorite among tech magazine editors because of its strict compliance with data protection standards such as Europe’s GDPR, this tool doesn’t require users to install an app or software to access. In addition, it provides real-time retrieval, 100GB of paid storage space, drag-and-drop features and sophisticated audit trails. It boasts of its patented MicroEncryption technology that replaces data with placeholders before being transferred to the cloud. The data is then broken and distributed to several virtual and physical locations but can be retrieved easily and fast.

Google Drive

Free Trial or Account
Free account (15GB)
Storage Available
Depending on the Plan
File Size Limit
None
Online Editing
Yes
Devices Supported and System Requirements
Windows 7 and up; macOS Yosemite 10.10 and up; Linux
Apps
iOS, Android
Price
Starts at $1.99 / month for 100GB to $299.99 / month for 30TB
Website
www.google.com/drive/

 
No cloud storage tool is as popular among personal and business users as Google Drive. Upload your files from your computer, camera, or SD cards to the cloud using any device, and if you’re using a Chromebook, you get a built-in Google Drive with 100GB storage space for free.. With 15GB storage for free accounts that do not expire, users can keep any MS Office documents to audio and video files. Online editing is possible with Google Docs including image viewing straight to Google Photos. 
And if that’s not enough, you can use your Android phone to take a photo of documents and Google Drive will upload them as PDF files. If you lose your internet connection, you can still work with them offline and Google will update the changes once you get back online. With paid plans, you get more storage space, access to Google experts, option to add your family and friends in the account and other extra benefits.

Apple iCloud Drive

Free Trial or Account
Free account (5GB)
Storage Available
Depending on the Plan
File Size Limit
None
Online Editing
Yes (web-only access)
Devices Supported and System Requirements
At least macOS OX X Lion 10.75; Windows 10, iCloud for Windows 7; at least iOS 5 on iPhone, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPad, iPad mini
Apps
iOS
Price
$0.99 for 50GB, $2.99 for 200GB and $9.99 for 2TB
Website
www.apple.com/icloud/

 
Apple’s version of cloud storage hasn’t disappointed loyal fans since its launch in 2011. Mac users can save space on their devices by automatic upload of high-resolution photos to iCloud. They can also share their photos with others through Shared Albums. And if they have other non-Mac devices, they can also upload them to iCloud. Color tagging and organizing makes file management also a lot easier. Plus, iCloud updates all your downloaded apps from the App Store so that when you update your schedule, for example, it appears on Calendar in real time. For $9.99 a month, you can upgrade to 2TB of storage space. It’s one of the cheapest plans available in the market.

Box

Free Trial or Account
14-day Free Trial
Storage Available
Depending on the Plan
File Size Limit
2GB for Starter plan; higher for upgraded plans
Online Editing
Yes (depending on integration)
Devices Supported and System Requirements
Windows 10, 8.1, 7; macOS Mojave
Apps
iOS, Android
Price
Starter plan at $5 / month for 100GB, Business at $15 / month for unlimited storage, Business Plus at $25 for unlimited storage and Enterprise (available upon request)
Website
www.box.com

 
This cloud storage solution guarantees business users compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, PCI, GxP and FedRAMP standards. In addition, data is stored in nine different offshore locations so privacy and security is maintained. Box can also be seamlessly integrated with other apps and software including Office 365, G Suite, Salesforce, Adobe Suite, Okta, and ServiceNow, among others.

pCloud

Free Trial or Account
1-month Free Trial
Storage Available
Depending on the Plan
File Size Limit
None
Online Editing
No
Devices Supported and System Requirements
Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP; macOS, Linux
Apps
iOS, Android
Price
Premium plan at $3.99 / month for 500GB, Premium Plus for $7.99 / month for 2TB
Website
www.pcloud.com

 
This tool features file management, file sharing, TLS/SSL channel protection, 5 comes of files on various services, selective offline access and unlimited file size and speed. What sets this apart from others is its built-in video player and video streaming features. Organizing files is also made easier with file versioning, data recovery (up to 30 days), remote upload and online document preview.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cloud Storage Providers

Should I use free or paid cloud storage?
This depends highly on your needs. For instance, if you’ll be using it only for personal stuff such as saving your mobile photos or uploading your Word documents, then a free service will do. However, if you need it for your business or you need to have more storage space for your personal files, you may opt for paid services. KODIFIREIPTVrecommends using the free trial periods first to get a good assessment of the quality of service they provide.
How much storage space do I need for my data?
Again, this depends on your needs. If you only need it for small personal files and you don’t want to store too many files, then a free service with 15 GB such as Google Drive will do. However, for more data and very large files, paying for unlimited storage is well worth it.
What type of files can I save on a cloud storage?
Almost everything — songs, images, spreadsheets, videos and music, even app data.
What is a cloud SLA?
A cloud service-level agreement is a contract between a cloud service provider and its client that states the minimum level of service that will be provided. It serves to provide a mutual understanding on the services and responsibilities of the provider. For example, in the event that your files and documents are affected by security and data loss threats, the service provider will be held liable for any financial or service reimbursement to compensate you for their failure to live up to the guaranteed terms.
How do I know that my data is secured when stored in a cloud?
For such guarantee, you’ll have to review a service provider’s SLA and what tools it employs to safeguard your files.
Is it safe to use a cloud storage solution over a public Wi-Fi?
While most cloud storage providers today guarantee enhanced protection through transport layer security (TLS) and encryption, it is best to use other tools that shield your online activities from hackers. One such solution is a virtual private network or VPN. Check out my article below to learn more about VPN.
What is a VPN?

Why use a VPN when 

Whenever installing third party applications to any device or uploading/downloading files through a cloud storage, KODIFIREIPTVrecommends a VPN to secure your identity. If you would like to learn How To Install a VPN on your Firestick, Fire TV, or Android TV Box, use the link below:
How to Install VPN on Firestick, Fire TV, and Android TV Boxes
KODIFIREIPTVrecommends using Hidden Router VPN due to its blazing fast download speeds and user-friendly interface.  Hidden Router VPN does not retain any logs, which means they will never store any information about your VPN session or information on how you use their service.
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