How to choose the best cloud storage for you: what to check before you sign up

In this guide, cloud storage is a service that keeps copies of your files and photos on the company's computers, so you can reach them from any device and don't lose them if a device breaks.

Why the adverts are not enough

Cloud storage adverts show the best result a service can reach. The detailed terms often say something different. For example:

• Your phone or computer may already include some free storage from its maker, which fills up and then asks you to pay.
• "Syncing" is not the same as a backup: if you delete a file on one device, it may be deleted everywhere.
• Getting years of photos out of a service can be slow and hard if you decide to leave.

So check the same things for every service, using its own price, privacy and help pages.

Before you look at any service

Write down your answers to these four points. They decide which checks in the list matter most to you.

• How much you have. The space your photos, videos and files use now, and how fast it grows.
• Your devices. Phones, computers and tablets, and their operating systems (the main software they run).
• Who will use it. Just you, or family members who could share one plan.
• What it is for. Backing up photos, reaching files from anywhere, sharing with others, or a safe copy of important papers.

The checklist

The checks are in three groups. Must have means a problem here can put your files at risk, lock them in, or cost more than expected. Nice to have means it makes a real difference for many people. Optional means it only matters to some people. When you open the checklist in NeutralPick, you can move any check to a different group to match your answers above.

• Must have
• Enough space at a price you can keep payingHow much space do I get on each plan, what does the plan I need cost per year, and what happens if I go over?Compare the yearly price, in your currency and with tax, for the space you need now plus a few years of growth. Check the price after any first-year offer.
• Works on all your devicesDoes it have apps for every phone, computer and tablet I use, and do they back up photos and files automatically?Some services work best with one maker's devices. Check each app's store page and reviews.
• Deleted files can be recoveredIf I delete or overwrite a file by mistake, or ransomware damages my files, how long can I get older versions back?Ransomware is software that locks your files and demands payment. Version history lets you go back to before the damage, if versions are kept long enough.
• You can get all your files outCan I download all my files and photos at once, in their original quality, with dates and folders kept?This is what lets you leave later. Some services make it slow or keep only lower-quality copies.
• Strong account securityCan I protect my account with two-step login (a code or key as well as your password), and does the service explain how my files are encrypted?Two-step login stops someone who learns your password from getting into all your files.
• Nice to have
• Only you can read your files, if you need thatAre my files encrypted so that even the company can't read them (often called end-to-end encryption), and is it on by default?Many services can read your files to scan or index them. With end-to-end encryption, search may be limited, and if you lose your password and recovery key, nobody can get your files back.
• Good for photos and videosDoes it back up photos and videos in full quality, and can I find photos easily, for example by date or place?Some plans reduce photo quality to save space. Check the settings.
• Sharing with othersCan I share a file or folder with a link, set a password or an end date for the link, and let others add files?Links with an end date reduce the risk of old links being found later.
• A family plan, if you need oneCan family members share the plan with their own private files, and how many people does it cover?Family plans are often cheaper than several separate plans.
• Where your files are storedIn which country or region are my files stored, and can I choose?Matters for some work files and for people who prefer their data stays in a region. The privacy page usually says.
• Optional
• Files available without internetCan I mark files to keep on my device so I can open them without an internet connection?Useful when travelling.

Claims to look at carefully

Adverts and product pages often describe the points below in vague terms. When you see one, look for the specific information shown here. If you cannot find it, assume the answer is "no" or "only partly".

• "Unlimited storage". Look for limits in the terms, such as rules against very heavy use, a maximum file size or slower uploads.
• "Secure" or "encrypted". Look for whether the company itself can read your files, and two-step login.
• "Backup". Look for version history: syncing alone copies mistakes and deletions to every device.
• The price. Compare the yearly price for the space you need over several years, after any first-year offer.

What to do with what you found

1. Put all the services side by side, including any free storage your devices already include.
2. Look at the Must have checks first. If one gets a No on one of your must-haves, remove it, however good the rest looks. Look closely at any Partial.
3. Try the one left at the top with a small part of your files before moving everything.
4. Turn on two-step login as soon as you create the account. Once you have moved, check that a file you delete can be recovered.

Why use NeutralPick to compare cloud storage services

• The same checks for every cloud storage service. You fill in the same checklist for each cloud storage service you are considering, so you compare them in the same way.
• Everything in one table. You see every cloud storage service side by side, check by check, instead of switching between shop pages and notes.
• Nobody can pay to influence it. There are no adverts, no paid placements and no "featured" products. No maker or shop can pay to be shown to you or placed higher.
• Free, with no account. You don't need to sign up or pay anything.

Start with this checklist See an example comparison