12 Best Cloud Storage Software

Best Cloud Storage Software Shortlist

These are my top recommendations for cloud storage software, along with a brief description of the strongest applications for each one:

1. OneDrive - Best for enterprise
2. Google Drive - Best for collaboration
3. Sync.com - Best for security-conscious large businesses
4. IceDrive - Best for security-conscious small businesses
5. pCloud - Best for access control
6. iCloud - Best for small businesses with high-volume operations
7. PanterraNetworks - Best for small to medium businesses with high mobility
8. Box - Best for small scaling businesses with minimal privacy requirements
9. IDrive - Best for small to medium businesses that require backups
10. Koofr - Best for syncing different cloud platforms
11. Dropbox - Best for medium businesses with minimal privacy requirements
12. Mega - Best for small businesses with low-volume operations

Cloud storage is integral to any business’ functioning, from allowing collaboration on distributed teams to providing a platform for off-site backups. To help you pick the best one for your business, I’ve compiled this list of leading cloud storage software providers, along with my criteria for selection and answers to common questions.

What Is Cloud Storage Software?

Cloud storage software allows users to store data, media, and other digital assets securely in the cloud, so you can retrieve your files from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.

Overviews of the 12 Best Cloud Storage Software

Below is my evaluation of the best cloud storage software. I’ve included a summary of each solution's key features, an explanation of why I included it, and additional information about pricing.

1. Microsoft OneDrive - Best for enterprise

OneDrive is a cloud storage product from Microsoft that provides several security and collaboration capabilities. With a Business plan, you can unlock additional features designed specifically for use in large-scale operations, such as higher storage limits per user and enterprise applications.

Why I Picked Microsoft OneDrive

I picked OneDrive because of its association with Microsoft 365, the suite of products and services for a variety of enterprise use cases. With a Business plan, you can get unlimited storage alongside these apps and other services that streamline processes in large-scale operations.

Microsoft OneDrive Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include the Personal Vault, which introduces an additional layer of protection that I believe is valuable for businesses that want even more security in the cloud. It's an area within which you can lock files and folders, with its own credentials, including biometrics like fingerprint or facial scans or a PIN. OneDrive comes preloaded with modern versions of Windows, but it's also available on other major OSs, including Android, Mac, and iOS. On a tablet or phone, you can use the app to scan and digitize physical items like documents, whiteboards, and photographs and upload them to the cloud.

Integrations include Teams, Microsoft 365, Sharepoint, Trello, Asana, YouTube, Vimeo, Slack, Zoom, Draw.io, and dozens more.

Pricing: From $1.99/month

Trial: Free plan available

Pros

• Built-in Microsoft 365 compatibility (Office, Dynamics, etc.)
• Easy collaboration on a large scale
• Clients for all major platforms used by businesses (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Cons

• No zero-knowledge encryption
• Limited support on low-mid tiers

2. Google Drive - Best for collaboration

Google Drive is a file storage and sharing platform that acts as the primary storage for several products from the company, especially Google Workspace.

Why I Picked Google Drive: Google Drive is part of Google Workspace, which gives you built-in support for Google’s other cloud-native apps like Docs, Sheets, and Slides. In my experience, the integrated nature of Google Drive makes collaboration a breeze and lets you easily take full advantage of the strengths of cloud storage.

Google Drive Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that make Google Drive stand out to me for collaboration include the fact that it’s part of Google Workspace, support for cloud-native office apps, embedded Google Search capabilities, and 15GB of free storage that makes it easy for anyone with a Google account to test it out extensively. All these make it easy to find, import, and work with files from multiple sources in one place.

Integrations are available natively with popular productivity and collaborative services like Slack, Adobe Creative Cloud, Docusign, Miro, Folgo, Atlassian, Hive, Cloudlock, MailMerge, LucidCharts, and hundreds more.

Pricing: From $1.99/month

Trial: Free plan available

Pros

• Part of Google Workspace.
• Hundreds of native integrations
• 15GB free storage

Cons

• Daily upload capacity limit
• No zero-knowledge encryption

3. Sync - Best for security-conscious large businesses

Sync.com is a cloud storage software that puts privacy and security at the forefront of all its plans. It uses zero-knowledge encryption technology to keep data safe from prying eyes, meaning that even Sync itself cannot view user content.

Why I Picked Sync

I picked Sync because of its commitment to security at every turn. It provides zero-knowledge encryption, which means anyone that isn’t you can’t see what you’ve stored in the cloud even if they intercept it.

It also provides file versioning, where it creates a previous version of files as a failsafe against ransomware and other cybersecurity threats. Depending on what plan you’re on, the backup version can last anywhere from 30 days to a year and doesn’t count toward your allocated storage quota. It also doesn’t limit file sizes, making it ideal as a backup for large pre-encrypted systems.

Sync Standout Features and Integrations:

Features that set Sync apart from the competition in my opinion include a strong emphasis on security at every stage. Aside from zero-knowledge encryption, it has a strong file versioning system on all plans to give you peace of mind.

Integrations are available natively with Slack, Microsoft Office 365, and Adobe Creative Cloud.

Pricing: From $6/user/month

Trial: Free plan available

Pros

• Strong security
• Robust file versioning
• No limit on file sizes

Cons

• Slow due to advanced security features
• No Linux client

4. IceDrive - Best for security-conscious small businesses

IceDrive is a cloud storage service that provides zero-knowledge encryption, meaning that even the provider can’t see what you’ve stored on their platform. That said, most of its features work best for a team with a smaller scope than other services.

Why I Picked IceDrive

I picked IceDrive for its security features, specifically the encryption that hides data from everyone except user-authorized parties. This comes at the expense of collaboration, because you can’t edit a file at the same time as someone else, but this shouldn’t be much of a problem if you’re running a small-scale operation.

IceDrive Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include an interface you can customize and a media player for audio and video files, something I believe is useful for small businesses that want everything in one place. It also provides a virtual drive within its desktop client that lets you access your cloud storage as a physical drive on your computer.

Integrations are pretty limited, but with native file editing, media playback, and more, you have enough to work with and share your files from within the platform. The company is also working on an API that developers can use to build their own integrations.

Pricing: From $1.67/month (billed annually)

Trial: Free plan available

Pros

• Zero-knowledge encryption
• 10GB free storage
• Virtual drive

Cons

• Limited integration options
• Limited collaboration features

5. pCloud - Best for access control

pCloud is a cloud storage service that places a premium on security in every sense. It offers zero-knowledge encryption alongside an optional password manager that lets you store and share login credentials.

Why I Picked pCloud

I selected pCloud because of its security focus, with zero-knowledge encryption and a password manager. These features allow you to work with sensitive content, knowing that it won’t land in the hands of anyone you haven’t authorized.

pCloud Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include lifetime plans that give you access to premium features for life with a one-time payment, something I recommend for anyone that struggles to keep up with subscriptions. Moreover, it provides unlimited capabilities in terms of file size as well as upload and download speeds and a file versioning system that lets you keep older copies of items for up to 30 days.

Integrations are available when you connect your pCloud to a premium Zapier account.

Pricing: From $4.17/month (billed annually)

Trial: Free plan available

Pros

• Zero-knowledge encryption
• Lifetime plans
• Unlimited file sizes and transfer speeds

Cons

• Limited integrations
• Limited collaboration and productivity features

6. iCloud - Best for small businesses with high-volume operations

iCloud is a cloud-based service provided by Apple that allows users to store, synchronize, and share data, including photos, videos, music, and documents. It comes preloaded across all Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs, but you can download or access it on other device, too.

Why I Picked iCloud

I picked iCloud because of how well it’s integrated into the Apple ecosystem. With an Apple Business Essentials subscription, you can run a small business using only Apple devices to easily ramp up operations. On higher tiers, you can also get onsite repairs for your devices, making the switch to all Apple devices easier.

iCloud Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include system-wide backups that let you restore your devices if they’re damaged or lost. You can also protect your privacy as a small business owner by hiding your personal email address and generating disposable ones that forward messages to you. It also supports custom email domains, so you can use it as a client for your business address and still maintain access to iCloud Drive.

Integrations are available natively with Apple Business Essentials, Safari, iMessage, Apple Photos, Keynote, Apple Calendar, and Mailchimp.

Pricing: From $0.99/month

Trial: Free plan available

Pros

• Affordable pricing
• Deep integration with Apple products
• Robust backup features

Cons

• Not as polished outside the Apple ecosystem
• Only 5GB free

7. PanterraNetworks Streams - Best for small to medium businesses with high mobility

Streams is a cloud storage solution by PanterraNetworks that incorporates communication via text and voice calls. This means it can replace older communication methods like phones, faxes, and other private business exchange (PBX) systems.

Why I Picked Streams

I chose Streams because of its parent company’s other offerings in communication, which make it an ideal all-in-one platform for collaboration. I found that these features would work well for field teams that need to maintain access to shared work items and keep open lines of communication.

Streams Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include the SmartBox feature, which provides insight into your operations by analyzing the items you’ve stored in the cloud and the activities of team members. I also liked the 24/7 support availability for both the storage and communication sides of the product, making it less of a hassle to adapt to things if you’ve switched to it as a unified platform in my opinion.

Integrations include native support for Microsoft Teams, HubSpot CRM, Google Workspace, Zendesk Suite, and Salesforce Essentials.

Pricing: From $24.95/month

Trial: Free demo available

Pros

• HIPAA compliance
• 24/7 customer support
• Analytics with SmartBox

Cons

• Steep learning curve
• Highly niche features

8. Box - Best for small scaling businesses with minimal privacy concerns

Box is a cloud storage service with over 1,500 natively supported integrations. The company was involved in a privacy scandal in 2019 where user info was made public, but if you’re willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, there’s some promise in the product.

Why I picked Box

I picked Box because of the Content Insights feature, which gives you a closer look into how your team uses the platform, which items they access most frequently, and when. This information can help your decision-making processes for scaling and allocating resources.

Box Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include inbuilt apps for digital signatures, threat detection, data governance, whiteboarding, no-code workflow automation, content migration, and more, making it a convenient unified platform for a small business. I also liked how you can make content available offline and still have changes sync with the cloud in the background whenever possible.

Integrations include native support for Google Workspace, Microsoft OneDrive, Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Oracle Netsuite, VMware, and Zoom.

Pricing: From $5/month

Trial: Free plan available

Pros

• Over 1,500 native integrations
• Offline sync
• Useful built-in apps

Cons

• Max 150GB file upload limit
• Often slow

9. IDrive - Best for small to medium businesses that require backups

IDrive is a cloud storage solution with a strong focus on backups for common operating systems and storage types. It supports backups and restores at all levels, from individual files to the entire system.

Why I Picked IDrive

IDrive impressed me with the richness of options it gives you for backing up your data, with file versioning, clones, and disk images. These features are available on at least one level for all major operating systems, including iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac, making them easy to adopt.

IDrive Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include IDrive Express, which lets you back up and retrieve data in a physical drive that’s shipped within less than one week. File versioning lets you back up individual files, whereas snapshots give you a point you can restore to if your system is breached. You’ll also have the option to clone an entire system for disaster recovery, something I recommend heavily for your peace of mind.

Integrations include native support for Veeam, Cloudflare, Microsoft 365, Fastly, and Amazon S3 Browser.

Pricing: From $0.25/month (billed annually)

Trial: Free plan available

Pros

• Several options for backups
• Exhaustive file versioning
• Disk imaging for restoration

Cons

• Restricted backup and restore feature usage
• Unintuitive clients

10. Koofr - Best for syncing different cloud platforms

Koofr is a cloud storage platform whose main focus is on managing multiple clouds. It’s based in Europe and goes to great lengths to comply with GDPR security standards.

Why I Picked Koofr

I picked Koofr because of how well it can combine different storage locations in one place, including local and cloud. It doesn’t soar above its competition in features, I believe it’s still an excellent tool for anyone looking for collaboration between teams on incompatible clouds.

Koofr Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include end-to-end encryption that keeps your data safe as it travels between clouds. With the desktop client, you can create a virtual drive and access files on your computer via the cloud. You can use the Vault Safe Box feature to create encrypted folders and add security for sensitive items.

Integrations include Google Drive, OneDrive, Microsoft Office 365, and Dropbox.

Pricing: From $0.54/month

Trial: Free plan available

Pros

• Cross-cloud integrations
• Unlimited file size
• Vault Safe Box for additional security

Cons

• No zero-knowledge encryption
• Only 7-day deleted file retention on the free plan

11. Dropbox - Best for medium businesses with minimal privacy requirements

Dropbox is one of the earliest providers of cloud storage services and is still going strong. Unfortunately, the company doesn’t have the most reassuring stance on privacy and says it can and does access user data and even shares it with third parties. If low-level encryption is fine with you, there are several compelling features to be found.

Why I picked Dropbox

I picked Dropbox because it has several integrations that make it easier for team members to collaborate, including frequently-used business tools like Slack and Google Workspace. I also appreciate the Smart Sync feature, which lets you free up space on your local storage if you’re running low – an especially helpful tool if you’re a business owner aiming to get by with minimal overhead on equipment.

Dropbox Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include strong collaborative functions like status reports and notifications. Dropbox Paper lets you work closer with team members and organize projects in one place.

Integrations include native support for Slack, Adobe Creative Cloud, Google Workspace, Canva, HubSpot CRM, AutoCAD, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Zoom, Pixlr, and Microsoft Teams.

Pricing: From $9.99/month

Trial: Free plan available

Pros

• Comprehensive integrations
• Strong collaborative features
• Good desktop experience

Cons

• Weak privacy policy
• Only 2GB in the free plan

12. Mega - Best for small businesses with low-volume operations

Mega is the successor to the controversy-laden Megaupload. As it exists now, it’s fully above board, with strong privacy features and regular transparency reports from the company.

Why I Picked Mega

I picked Mega because of the 20GB of storage it gives you on its free plan, making it ideal for a small business with moderate storage needs. It also has robust sharing features with functions such as encrypted file sharing and links that you can set to expire.

Mega Standout Features and Integrations:

Features include file versioning that gives you up to 100 versions of a file on both free and premium plans. There’s also a feature that lets you request files from others, including people that don’t have a Mega account, and have them uploaded directly onto your cloud. I can see how a small business owner would use this to make it easier to work with stakeholders.

Integrations are limited, but that’s why I recommend Mega for businesses with minimal operations.

Pricing: From $5.37/month

Trial: Free plan available

Pros

• 20GB free storage
• Strong privacy and security policies
• Built-in media player

Cons

• Pricey compared to other services
• Steep learning curve

Other Options

Here are a couple of other cloud storage software solutions that didn’t make the top 10 but that I believe are still worth a look:

1. ElephantDrive - Best for light backups
2. NordLocker - Best for VPN integration
3. Tresorit - Best minimal client software
4. Mediafire - Best for small file hosting and distribution
5. Backblaze - Best for single-device backups
6. SpiderOak One Backup - Best for digitizing physical backups
7. SuiteDash - Best for client relationship management
8. Degoo - Best for large photo sets

There are some more options in my guide to the best cloud service providers, and a few more storage solutions my my guides to the best storage management software, storage virtualization services, and cloud backup solutions.

Selection Criteria for Cloud Storage Software

Curious how I picked the best cloud storage software? I used my background working with various cloud computing products and tips from tech industry leaders to make informed decisions at every step.

Here’s what I looked at:

Core Functionality

For every cloud storage software I encountered, I assessed how well they handle the core functions that would support workflows using the knowledge I gained from years of experience and being around industry experts. The functions I considered are:

• Collaboration features that make it easier for people to work together
• How well the service scales both upwards and downward
• Security for items users store on the platform
• Robust support for common file types for images, video, audio, and text

Key Features

In order to provide some of the functionality described above, the software I considered needed the following features:

• Sharing: It should be easy to share items with other users in as few clicks as possible to streamline collaboration.
• Organization: The software needs capabilities that let you manage more items as your operations scale upward, with folders as a minimum and something like color coding at higher levels.
• Encryption: User content should be encrypted on at least one level to ensure security.
• Recycle bin: The ability to restore deleted files to avoid catastrophic failures from accidental deletion.

Usability

I prioritized tools that have a gentle learning curve because cloud storage in the workplace should account for varying levels of technical expertise. I also emphasized options whose user interfaces were intuitive and fairly easy to pick up, with easy-to-navigate menus along and recognizable graphical elements.

Integrations

Since cloud storage software holds items that are presumably meant to be used with other services, I looked at how well the tools integrate with popular services for productivity, scheduling, communication, document editing, and more.

People Also Ask

If you’re still hazy on some details around cloud storage software, these answers to common questions might help:

What are the three types of cloud storage?

Are there any free cloud storage options?

Is it cheaper to store on cloud than locally?

Conclusion

The best cloud storage solution is whichever fits your unique current needs and anticipates your future requirements. Factors you should consider here include whether you’re planning to scale either up or down, your existing workflows, and the tech stacks for both internal and external stakeholders. Subscribe to make sure you never miss an update from corporate software experts.