The cloud is full of free storage, if you know where to look.
From Box to DropBox, Google to Apple, there’s plenty of free storage to be had in the cloud. Many companies use free cloud storage as a way to entice users into their clouds in hopes that they will pay more for additional storage.
Below, in alphabetical order, are 18 free cloud services – but a word of warning: The market for free cloud storage is volatile and offers from these vendors can change frequently, including being eliminated with little or no warning.
1. pCloud
Free Space: 10GB
Country of Origin: Switzerland
Since: 2013
Founded in 2013, pCloud aim to become the most easiest to use cloud storage for end user without sacrificing the complexity and importance of security.
2. Google One (previously known as Google Drive)
Free Space: 15GB
Country of Origin: United States
Since: 2012
Google is no stranger for all of us. They collaborate all their services such as Docs, Sheets, Slides and many more and sync all of those into Google Drive.
The convenience in working within their Eco-system make it one of the favorite for user.
3. Dropbox
Free Space: 2GB
Country of Origin: United States
Since: 2007
Another seed accelerator from Y Combinator, Dropbox is one of the earliest market players for cloud storage industry back in 2007. Their innovation and creative energy is what keep them going and becoming one of the leading cloud player.
They had more than 500 million users spread across 180 countries as of now. Check out their latest Dropbox Smart Sync feature here.
4. Amazon Cloud Drive
Free Space: 5GB
Country of Origin: United States
Since: 2011
Amazon strike and delivers on durability and stability. Amazon cloud drive store all your photos, videos, files and etc in one place. If you are a Prime member, you get unlimited storage for all your photos.
Do not forget that your free 5GB will be expiring in 12 months time though.
5. OneDrive Basic
Free Space: 5GB
Country of Origin: United States
Since: 2007
OneDrive Basic is a Microsoft free product for personal online storage purposes. It basically helps to store all your files and data on their server and nothing else for the free version.
Do check out on the differences of the OneDrive storage plans to get an overview of what are you missing out compare with a paid plan.
6. IDrive
Free Space: 5GB
Country of Origin: United States
Since: 2007
IDrive personal cloud storage service ranging from 5GB (free) up to 5TB (paid). IDrive is a private company based in Calabasas, CA since 2007.
They have 3 core services which include IDrive, IBackup and RemotePC.
7. Sync
Free Space: 5GB
Country of Origin: Canada
Since: 2011
They started as web hosting provider in 2011 and launched the cloud services in 2013.
Back dated 5 years ago, Sync’s cloud service already equipped with end to end encryption for better security and privacy in the cloud. To-date, they had over 400,000 individuals and businesses users in combine.
8. iCloud
Free Space: 5GB
Country of Origin: United States
Since: 2011
A cloud storage and cloud computing product from Apple Inc. Started in 2011, they had gained over 700 million users through Apple products such as Iphone and Macbook. It basically built into every
9. Box
Free Space: 10GB
Country of Origin: United States
Since: 2005
Based in Redwood City and is listed in NYSE. Instead of storage, Box is focusing in solving content management problem by creating a platform for easy sharing and accessing files to their users.
More than 41 million users trusted Box to manage their content in the cloud today.
10. Mega
Free Space: 50GB
Country of Origin: New Zealand
Since: 2013
Mega is renowned for their security feature that encrypts files on client side even before they uploaded it. However they had encountered various issues during the early stage of the launching during 2013. 50GB is more like a marketing gimmick than practical.
15GB free storage is the actual permanent storage that user will be enjoying as a free user, while the additional 35GB will expired after one month of signup.
11. Jumpshare
Free Space: 2GB
Country of Origin: Pakistan
Since: 2011
Jumpshare started by doing thing differently. You can upload and share any files to Jumpshare without registering or logging into your account during the early stage in 2012.
Signing up was made mandatory now of course.
12. Yandex Disk
Free Space: 10GB
Country of Origin: Russia
Since: 2012
Yandex.Disk is created by Yandex, a giant search engine from Russia.
It all started in 2012. The free storage can goes up to 42GB, given that you enable your device auto-uploads using the Android or iOS app.
13. Upthere
Free Space: 20GB
Country of Origin: United States
Since: 2011
It’s a Western Digital (WD) brand now. If you had not heard of them, WD is a Hard Disk manufacturer from San Jose. They are the largest hard drive manufacturer in the world.
Upthere launched in 2011 and they only had 2 plans, Free (20GB) and $1.99 per month (100GB).
The downside, you can only upload individual file and not folder. It become extremely frustrating and messy when you cannot sort your files in folder.
14. MediaFire
Free Space: 10GB
Country of Origin: United States
Since: 2006
MediaFire had been in business for 11 years. Single file size is limit to 4GB.
They are known for Media online streaming such as Video or Music streaming directly from their cloud platform. That’s why they are limiting their single file size to 4GB.
It’s about the average of a single HD movie file size.
15. Alibaba OSS
Free Space: 5GB
Country of Origin: China
Since: 2009
OSS stands for Object Storage Service and it’s from the giant e-commerce retailer from Alibaba.
They claimed to stores 3 copies of your data on different servers that are from the same availability zone.
16. HiDrive
Free Space: 5GB
Country of Origin: Germany
Since: 2010
This service is founded by Strato AG, an internet hosting service provider from Berlin, Germany.
Your data will be stored at an ISO 27001 certified data centers in Germany for the upmost security management. They might terminate your free account if you have not logged in for over 6 months.
17. Syncplicity
Free Space: 10GB
Country of Origin: United States
Since: 2008
Founded by 3 former Microsoft employees and started the Syncplicity service in 2008. It was acquired by EMC Corporation after 4 years in the market.
It’s now owned by Axway. They offer 4 different plans to cater different market segment.
18. Degoo
Free Space: 100GB
Country of Origin: Sweden
Since: 2009
You can only installed and backup data from 1 desktop device while a paid version allowed unlimited desktop devices.
The free version strip out the feature of their Photo Storage Maximizer too.
19. Zoho
Free Space: 5GB
Country of Origin: India
Since: 1996
Zoho Corporation is a multi-national business that started in 1996. They are focusing on web based business tools and cloud service is one of them.
The free version had a limit of uploading maximum 1GB file size only.
20. MyDrive
Free Space: 100MB
Country of Origin: Switzerland
Since: 2006
This is by far the least free cloud storage amount that I’ve encounter. Not quite sure how much I can utilize the free amount here.
If you’re looking for a paid plan, they’ve got 3 of them which the best seller is 10GB for €2.93 per month. Free account will be deleted after inactivity of 2 years time.
21. Bitrix24
Free Space: 5GB
Country of Origin: United States
Since: 2012
It’s more than just cloud storage. It basically collaborates and brings all your work to the cloud platform that Bitrix, Inc launched in 2012.
Their On-Premise version of the platform comes with source code access and can be installed on your server.
22. MozyHome
Free Space: 2GB
Country of Origin: United States
Since: 2005
Mozy is a spin off brand from Carbonite.
What sets them apart is the SSAE 16 Type II audit and ISO 27001 certification.
To make things sure, Mozy is part of DELL as well. So you can bet they will certainly be around for a long time.
23. FlipDrive
Free Space: 10GB
Country of Origin: United States
Since: 2010
The free version limit your file size to 25MB which we think is very too little to be useful and meaningful.
Not much way to get in touch with them other than their only contact form which give doubt on their support capabilities.
24. hubiC
Free Space: 25GB
Country of Origin: France
Since: 2011
Developed by OVH Group from France that is specialized in data hosting.
As of our latest attempt to sign up for the free version, the hubiC service is closed for new subscription.
You can find out more at https://www.ovh.co.uk/subscriptions-hubic-ended/.
25. Zeplyn
Free Space: 5GB
Country of Origin: United States
Since: Unknown
Zeplyn or Zeplin? Anyway, I would advise you to stay out. The contact and support doesn’t seem to be active.
If you drop by their official website, it seems suspicious with funny words which I had no idea what they mean. Check it out yourself http://www.zeplyn.com/vps.html
26. LetsUpload – Suggested by User
Free Space: 100GB
Country of Origin: NA
Since: NA
LetsUpload has been suggested by one of the reader using our suggestion form. Stating that the LetsUpload is currently offering unlimited file uploading and downloading hosting for free users.
So, I did registered and try to use it and share a bit of my experience with the rest of you here.
It’s not entirely correct when it claimed it is unlimited. It offer 100GB free when you sign up.
But there’s no indication or storage availability status inside their system or account.
The uploading and downloading is very easy to use and very straight forward. But I would be on the fence if I really want to share my stuff to the platform.
As I couldn’t find any valid information about them or how they would protect my files and privacy.
They do offer upgrade option to paying client with $4.99, $7.99 or $9.99 per month plan. But once again, all of those plans lack of clarity and information.
I’ll be skeptical to become a paying customer. Furthermore, there’s no purchase link or button as well.
My conclusion, it’s good for uploading ‘non-important’ large file size as the limit is 11GB for free user and use it as a sharing platform.
27. Trainbit – Suggested by User
Free Space: 5000GB
Country of Origin: NA
Since: 2006
Trainbit offer 5TB of free storage which is by far the most generous provider that chunk out that large portion for consumer from my encounter here. However, there are some key takeaway that you should take note after me trying them out.
My first impression was kind of skeptical in putting faith and confidence in Trainbit. It’s usable for all mean but it just lack of trust as I had no idea on their company, product and backgrounds in which basically everything. Secondly, the uploading was OK but it will halt and cancel by itself if you try to navigate away while it was uploading.
In conclusion, there are way much better service out there. At least, it should be less dodgy (from my experience and impression during my encounter). I will most likely skipping this one.
28. Flickr – Suggested by User
Free Space: 1000 Photos
Country of Origin: Canada
Since: 2004
Previously owned by Yahoo and sold to SmugMug in 2018.
The 1TB of free storage which are just for photos and videos are no only available. As a free user, you are only allowed 1000 photos.
Uploading was unorthodox. After adding the photo, you still need to select the photo and click upload manually. I thought it was automatically uploaded once I added them.
A reminder for all who plan to use this free service to change all your photos and video privacy setting. By default it was set to public, you might want to change them to private or family & friends. Go to your account setting and look for “Privacy & Permissions”, set it according to your requirement. I find this very important before you start to use the service.
Great and trust able service though it’s only limit to 1000 photos as of now. If you need extra, you would have to fork out and signed up for Flickr Pro for $50 annually.
29. Tresorit
Free Space: 5GB
Country of Origin: Switzerland
Since: 2011
Still worry on sending large files across the internet safely?
Tresorit, a Swiss based cloud storage company offer a new service called “Tresorit Send”.
While this is not entirely a free cloud storage service, it does gives you the ability to send large files up to 5GB for free with end-to-end encryption.
Stop using email attachments or some unreliable file transfer sites and try this secure alternatives in 2019.
You can set password when creating the sharing link. I’ve try it and it’s extremely safe and easy to use!
30. Blomp
Free Space: 20GB
Country of Origin: Maryland
Since: 2018
Here’s another free cloud storage that I’ve bump into recently, Blomp.
While they mention you can get up to 200GB for free, but the actual storage is only 20GB upon registration.
I did try to register and get my hands on it but I gave up in the end. There was no web based application, you have to installed their Windows based software which I am kind of skeptical.
Not much details and information on their site although I try to dig deep.
I did read through their T&C and thought you might want to know that they will scan, access and store your stuffs once you had agreed on it when signing up for the free account.
It’s your call, but I’m holding mine for now at least.
