Best Free Cloud Storage 2026: 8 Options Compared

Free cloud storage is a lead-in to a paid plan, so the useful comparison is how much you get and what happens at the limit. Google Drive gives 15 GB shared with Gmail and Photos. iCloud gives only 5 GB but is deeply tied to Apple devices. Dropbox starts at 2 GB, the smallest here, but its sync is still the benchmark for reliability. Box offers 10 GB with a 250 MB file cap, which suits documents more than video. Proton Drive gives up to 5 GB of end-to-end encrypted storage, trading features for privacy, and IDrive's free Basic plan gives 10 GB aimed at backup. OneDrive and pCloud also have free tiers, but the pages we could read did not state the storage amounts, so confirm those before relying on them. None of these free plans is a good place for your only copy of important files. Treat them as sync and sharing tools and keep a second backup. Think about where your phone backs up photos, because that is what usually fills the quota first. If you outgrow the free tier, compare per-gigabyte cost on the paid plans before moving, and remember that switching later means re-uploading everything.

Google Drive

15 GB per Google account, shared with Gmail and Photos. Best collaboration with Docs and Sheets; the first paid step is Google One Basic at $1.99 a month for 100 GB.

Price: Free (15 GB of storage per Google account, shared with Gmail and Photos); paid from $1.99 per month (Google One Basic, 100 GB) (Google Drive pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Proprietary.

Best for: The most free space and collaboration.

Compare: Google Drive alternatives

iCloud

5 GB free and tied to Apple devices and Windows via an app. The 50 GB plan is $0.99 a month.

Price: Free (5 GB free); paid from $0.99 per per month, iCloud+ 50 GB plan (200 GB $2.99, 2 TB $9.99) (iCloud pricing, checked 2026-10-23).

Platforms and license: iOS, macOS, Windows, Web. Proprietary.

Best for: iPhone and Mac users.

Compare: iCloud alternatives

Dropbox

Basic plan with 2 GB, the smallest here, but reliable sync across Windows, macOS, Linux and mobile. Plus costs $9.99 a month.

Price: Free (Basic plan with 2 GB of storage); paid from $9.99 per month for 1 person, 2 TB (Plus, billed monthly) (Dropbox pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. Proprietary.

Best for: Reliable cross-platform file sync.

Compare: Dropbox alternatives

Box

Free single-user plan with 10 GB, a 250 MB file size limit and 5 Box Sign requests a month. Aimed at business documents.

Price: Free (Free single user: 10 GB storage, 250 MB maximum file size, 1 file version, 5 Box Sign requests a month); paid from $5 per user/month (Business Starter, minimum 3 users; page headline 'From $5 Per User/Month'; exact billing term not stated in the extracted text) (Box pricing, checked 2026-10-23).

Platforms and license: Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Proprietary.

Best for: Documents and small teams.

Compare: Box alternatives

Proton

Free plan offers up to 5 GB of Drive with end-to-end encryption alongside 1 GB mail. Fewer collaboration tools than Google.

Price: Free (Free plan with 1 GB of Mail, up to 5 GB of Drive, 1 encrypted email address and 3 personal calendars); paid from $3.99 per month, billed annually (Mail Plus) (Proton pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Web, iOS, Android. Proprietary hosted service.

Best for: Privacy-focused storage.

IDrive

Basic plan gives 10 GB with no credit card. Built around backup; paid personal plans start at $6.99 a month for 5 TB in the first year.

Price: Free (Basic plan: 10 GB, no credit card required); paid from $6.99 per month, 5 TB Personal plan billed yearly (first-year price; $11.99 billed monthly) (IDrive pricing, checked 2026-10-23).

Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. Proprietary.

Best for: Free backup space.

Worth knowing: Discounted price applies to the first year; standard pricing applies from year two.

OneDrive

Free tier exists with Microsoft accounts and integrates with Windows and Office. The pricing page timed out, so check the free amount there.

Price: Free (OneDrive pricing, checked 2026-10-23).

Platforms and license: Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Proprietary.

Best for: Windows and Office users.

Compare: OneDrive alternatives

pCloud

Free account exists; check the site for the current free amount. Paid lifetime plans start at $219 for 500 GB.

Price: Free; paid from $219 per one-time, Premium 500 GB lifetime plan (Premium Plus 2 TB lifetime is $499) (pCloud pricing, checked 2026-10-23).

Platforms and license: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. Proprietary.

Best for: Lifetime plan buyers.

Compare: pCloud alternatives

Which one to pick

• You want the most free space: Google Drive
• You are in the Apple ecosystem: iCloud
• You need encrypted storage: Proton
• You want free backup of a computer: IDrive