Alternatives to pCloud
Storage with lifetime plans; crypto folder add-on
pCloud ranks #2 of 12 in Cloud storage, with an Alt Score of 70. It is proprietary, freemium from €199 one-time (Premium 500GB Lifetime plan; subscriptions also available) and available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and Web. 9 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
People who want long-term, low-maintenance cloud storage without a recurring subscription, plus anyone who wants their files stored under Swiss privacy law rather than US or EU jurisdiction.
pCloud gives you cross-device file storage and sync, with a choice between ongoing subscriptions and one-time lifetime plans for a fixed amount of storage. Files can be mounted as a virtual drive (pCloud Drive) so they appear as a local disk without consuming device storage. You can choose your storage region (Europe or US), and optionally add pCloud Crypto, a paid add-on that encrypts specific folders client-side so only you hold the keys. It also includes file/folder sharing with password protection and link expiration, plus automatic backup from linked devices and other cloud accounts.
You upload or drag files into your pCloud account via the web, desktop app, or mobile app, and pCloud Drive lets you browse and open cloud files directly from your file explorer without downloading them all locally. Changes sync automatically across connected devices, and you can share links or invite collaborators to specific files and folders.
Where pCloud stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave pCloud
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
Sign in to add a reason — new reasons go through moderation before appearing.
Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
How pCloud compares with its alternatives, feature by feature.
| Cloud storage checklist | pCloud | Proton Drive | Sync.com | Icedrive | OneDrive | Google Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Free storage amount | ||||||
| E2E encrypted storage | ||||||
| Selective sync | ||||||
| Block-level (delta) sync | ||||||
| File versioning depth | ||||||
| Sharing links with password/expiry | ||||||
| Collaborative editing of docs | ||||||
| WebDAV support | ||||||
| Max file size | ||||||
| Self-hostable | ||||||
| Photos-specific features | ||||||
| Data residency choice |
Every fact and feature listed for pCloud is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
-
License Proprietary verified 2026-07-11
attempt to decipher, decompile, disassemble or reverse engineer any of the software used to provide the Site or Services
https://www.pcloud.com/terms_and_conditions.html -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web verified 2026-07-11
Download pCloud Apps | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS & Android
https://www.pcloud.com/download-free-online-cloud-file-storage.html -
Pricing model Freemium verified 2026-07-11
Up to 10 GB free storage upon registration
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pcloud-cloud-storage/id692002098 -
Starts at €199 one-time (Premium 500GB Lifetime plan; subscriptions also available) verified 2026-07-11
199EUR one_time_payment
https://www.pcloud.com/cloud-storage-pricing-plans.html -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
22M+ Users, 130+ Countries, 99.98% Uptime, 989B+ Files uploaded
https://www.pcloud.com/features.html -
Free storage amount Yes verified 2026-07-11
Up to 10 GB free storage upon registration
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pcloud-cloud-storage/id692002098 -
E2E encrypted storage Partial verified 2026-07-11
We use client-side Encryption
https://www.pcloud.com/encrypted-cloud-storage.html -
Selective sync Yes verified 2026-07-11
Creates a mirrored copy of folders between your computer and pCloud
https://help.pcloud.com/article/pcloud-drive-vs-pcloud-sync -
File versioning depth Yes verified 2026-07-11
Paid Plans: Access revisions from up to 30 days ago
https://help.pcloud.com/article/file-recovery-and-history -
Sharing links with password/expiry Partial verified 2026-07-11
Password protection is currently available only for Premium users.
https://help.pcloud.com/article/shared-links -
WebDAV support Yes verified 2026-07-11
WebDAV (Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning) is a protocol that allows you to connect your pCloud account with third-party software and cloud services.
https://help.pcloud.com/article/webdav -
Max file size Yes verified 2026-07-11
Upload files of any size with unrestricted transfer speeds
https://www.pcloud.com/cloud-storage-pricing-plans.html?period=lifetime -
Photos-specific features Yes verified 2026-07-11
pCloud Photos organizes them automatically in an easy-to-navigate gallery
https://www.pcloud.com/features/photos -
Data residency choice Yes verified 2026-07-11
All your files, account metadata, and backups are stored exclusively in the data region you select.
https://www.pcloud.com/data-regions.html
FAQ
Yes. Proton Drive, Sync.com and Icedrive have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Nextcloud — every license claim links its source.
Nextcloud can be self-hosted. Cells marked ? mean we have not verified a self-host path yet.