According to statistics, people are increasingly stopping storing their files on PCs and other devices, giving preference to the so-called cloud storage. It is understandable, because in this way you can not only free up space on your hard drive, but also not worry about the safety of the data if something happens to the computer.
Due to such a rush, the number of “clouds” is growing day by day, so it’s becoming more and more difficult to choose really high-quality services from all this variety. However, this article will help you make the right choice. Here you will find the rating of cloud storage, which presents all more or less decent resources. Moreover, the services are arranged in increasing order of their volume, so you can evaluate them also by this criterion.
Dropbox
This cloud-based data warehouse is one of the oldest resources of its kind. When the concept of “cloud” was not even used in computer terminology, Dropbox already worked hard. Thanks to such vast experience, the developers - creators of the service were able to fine-tune its work, as well as take care of ease of use.
Alas, this is where the benefits of Dropbox end. For registering in this cloud-based file storage, you get only 2 GB for free, which is very small compared to the closest, not even such eminent competitors. However, the available volume can always be increased by inviting friends through a referral link and sharing information about the service on social networks. In addition, no one is stopping you from buying extra gigabytes for money.
Another drawback of Dropbox is the low speed of file upload / download. This is especially critical if you regularly work with large volumes of information. It is recommended to use this cloud storage for photos, music, documents and other small files.
Cubby
For registration in this service you will immediately be given 5 GB of free space. Of course, this is not such an impressive amount, but not 2 GB, as is the case with Dropbox. Moreover, inviting your friends through a referral link, you can increase free disk space up to 25 GB. The rest, alas, is only for money.
CubM is developed and supported by LogMeIn. This is not the last company specializing in creating all kinds of network products for business. Simply put, you can not worry about the fact that at one point Cubby cloud storage will close and your data will be irretrievably lost.
By the way, before registration on this service was not available to all users. The fact is that those who wanted to join the project should first receive an invitation from people who already use Cubby. Then, due to the appearance of a large number of competitors, the administration revised its policy and allowed everyone to use the service.
Idrive
IDrive cloud storage provides 5 GB of free storage. At the same time, the developers of the service promise to ensure maximum safety of your files even if they are deleted from the local computer.
Separately, it is worth noting the IDrive Express service. Its essence lies in the fact that the administration agrees to physically restore the disk on which your data was stored if the medium is damaged in any way.
If desired, the amount of free space available in IDrive can be increased up to 2 TB. True, such a pleasure will cost you more than 50 dollars. Not a very good solution, especially considering the fact that there are free cloud storage services with a large volume.
Onedrive
Not everyone knows, but this service from Microsoft was created back in 2007. True, then it was known as SkyDrive, and received its current name only in 2014. All OneDrive users are given 5 GB for free, and for expanding up to 50 GB you will have to pay 72 rubles per month. Plus for the purchase of Microsoft Office you will receive a bonus of 1 TB.
Of course, the main advantage of OneDrive cloud storage is its integration into the Windows 10 operating system. Thanks to this, you can quickly upload files from your computer to the "cloud" without the need to install additional software.
Also, OneDrive service will be appreciated by owners of Windows-based smartphones. In this case, it will be possible to synchronize the storage on the phone and computer to get access to the necessary files at any time and from anywhere.
Media fire
MediaFire’s cloud storage available for free is 10 GB. This resource was primarily created for storing media files (video, pictures, music, etc.), therefore, according to the administration, it is optimized for working with them.
The advantage of the service is the availability of separate programs for computers and mobile devices. However, this can also be considered a minus, since the version of the download manager for the PC does not work correctly and users have to work with files through the project website.
Another negative point in MediaFire is the abundance of advertising. Using the service, you will now come across ads that pop up from all angles, and other delights that flash before your eyes.
Yandex.Disk
Domestic project, which is a cloud storage with a convenient interface and fast speed. To register in the service, you just need to create an e-mail on the Yandex website, after which you will get access to a 10 GB remote disk. There is also a referral program, thanks to which you can receive 512 additional MB for each invited user, but not more than 10 GB in total.
In addition, the Yandex administration periodically holds contests from partners, by participating in which you can get hold of additional gigabytes of available space. The terms of such promotions are constantly changing, so do not forget to follow the news.
An additional plus to the Yandex.Disk piggy bank is the ability to integrate the service into programs from the Microsoft Office suite. In addition, you can synchronize the storage with a digital camera and a smartphone, and even get 32 GB for storing information for this (though only for 6 months).
4shared
This file storage service is considered one of the most popular in the world. According to Alexa, it ranked 82nd on the list of the most visited Internet resources. However, after mid-2017, the popularity of 4shared somewhat decreased due to the emergence of many worthy competitors.
By registering on the project website, you will immediately receive 10 GB of disk space. Then, after confirming the email, you will be credited with an additional 5 GB. Unfortunately, this is where the ways to get hold of the free volume for storing data end there.
The 4shared interface is very much like the standard "Explorer", familiar to all users of the Windows operating system. Thanks to this feature, even the person who first decided to use it will be able to understand all the intricacies of resource management.
Also note that, according to the rules of the service, you must conduct at least some operations with your account at least once every 180 days. Otherwise, all your information stored on the 4shared resource may be deleted without the possibility of recovery.
Google drive
This service is considered to be one of the best cloud storage services. What can I say, if its creator is Google, known for a solid approach to all of its projects.
It is not surprising that Google Drive is somehow connected with the resources of Gmail (email), Google Docs (online documents), Google Sheets (tables) and so on. For example, if you create a document in Google Docs, it will automatically be placed in the cloud storage, where you can easily edit it without having to download it to your computer.
You get access to Google Drive immediately after creating Gmail. The administration will give you 15 GB of free space for free. At the same time, the Google company holds an action every year, thanks to which it is possible to expand the storage volume. The essence of such events is quite simple: you agree to check the security of your account and get free gigabytes for it.
It is also possible to synchronize Google Drive on multiple devices. So, you can easily upload files to the “cloud” from a computer, and then, if necessary, download them to your smartphone or tablet.
Hubic
Now it's time to move on to the heavyweights. The first large cloud storage that you can use for free is called Hubic. Here, after going through a simple registration procedure, you will get 25 GB of available disk space. Few? Then invite only five friends via a special link and immediately receive another 2.5 terabytes. By the way, your referrals will also not be left without gifts. They will receive 30 GB for clicking on your referral link, so the offer is mutually beneficial.
Otherwise, Hubic is a quality service with a convenient interface. By the way, when adding a file to this storage, two more of its backups are automatically created. This reduces the likelihood that you will lose valuable information to a minimum.
File uploads are fast, customer support is fast and security is top notch. The only disadvantages are the lack of the Russian language, but this problem can be completely solved with the help of a translator.
Cloud Mail.Ru
Another cloud service from domestic developers, supported by the well-known company Mail.Ru. After registering, which consists in creating email, you get 25 GB of storage. Unfortunately, there are no ways to increase the amount of available disk space.
Previously, Mail.Ru held campaigns that made it possible to acquire 100 GB or even 1 TB of storage. But now there are no more such events. However, it is possible that the administration will someday hold the same action, so do not miss your chance.
Of the features of "Cloud Mail.Ru" can be distinguished integration into e-mail. So, for example, when you receive a letter with attachments, you can immediately drop files from it into the data warehouse. There is also a special version of the service for smartphones. This program, in the presence of high-speed Internet, automatically sends all the photos from your device to the cloud storage.
Mega
This service provides all its users with 50 GB of free disk space for free, and even more eminent competitors cannot boast of it. In addition, all files stored in the cloud are immediately encrypted. This means that even the administration of the resource will not be able to access your information without permission. Nevertheless, if necessary, you can open certain files for your friends using special keys.
As you probably already understood, Mega developers are responsible for the security of their customers' information. So, by placing any files in this cloud storage, you can not worry about their safety. Plus, you can note the intuitive interface and fast speed.
Like many popular resources, Mega supports working with smartphones and tablets. The portable version of the service is in no way inferior to the desktop, so you can safely use it.
Yunpan 360
And the title of the largest cloud storage goes to the Chinese service Yunpan 360. For registration in this project you will get 36 TB of disk space. Yes, this is really not a typo, the administration will give you 36 terabytes for free.
It’s worth saying that it’s exactly 10 TB that will be issued for registration, but you will receive the remaining 26 TB by installing the application on your smartphone. If this doesn't seem enough to you, you can also invite your friends to the service and get 512 MB for each of them. But that is not all! The administration holds a lottery daily, by participating in which you can win additional volume for your virtual storage.
Well, now about the shortcomings. The most significant of them is the lack of support for the Russian language. Rather, there are no languages other than Chinese here. Fortunately, craftsmen have already managed to concoct a Russian-language guide for registering and working with the project, so that, following it entirely, you can easily use this wonderful service.
So which service to choose?
This is where the cloud storage overview comes to an end. If you still cannot decide, use one of the helpful tips:
- It’s better to immediately decide how much information you are going to store in the cloud. If you need to upload there just photos or some other small files, then you should not bother with complicated registration on services such as Yunpan 360.
- It is also useful to know if you want to install the accompanying program provided by the administration of the resource on your computer. If not, then you should pay attention to services with the ability to download files through a browser. For example, Google Drive and Yandex.Disk are suitable for these requirements.
- If you do not need additional protection for your data, then you should choose a simpler storage. It is very strange to use the Mega service with encryption and other security measures in order to store photos of your cat.
And finally, no one is stopping you from registering in multiple cloud storages at once. So you not only increase the amount of disk space available to you, but you can also divide all your files into separate categories and store them on different resources.