Shared cloud. Cloud data storage

Today, cloud storage is an integral part of our lives. Many people and organizations store their files there, thereby ensuring their safety and security, as well as ease of access for various users and comfort in work. At the same time, the functionality of these services in 2018 may differ in the presence (or absence) of any elements essential for cloud services, inspiring the user to choose the most convenient one. In this material, I will tell you what free cloud storages with large amounts of memory are available in 2018, describe the features of their functionality, and also explain how to work with them.

We study cloud storages with large volumes for free 2018

Nowadays, there are a sufficient number of cloud services on the Internet that offer users their services for hosting and storing user files. However, these services differ:

• by the volume of paid and free space provided;
• on the possibilities of encrypting data located in the cloud;
• by the speed of working with them;
• if possible, support the service on mobile devices (in the form of specialized applications);
• the possibility of restoring previously deleted files, the presence of a built-in media player, support for various languages, and so on.

At its core, cloud storage works on a similar principle. You go to such a storage facility, register there, and receive a predetermined amount of empty space for your needs. You can upload and download files from there, share links to these files with the right people, view them, and perform other relevant actions.

Many storages support file synchronization: for example, a folder is created on your PC into which you copy the necessary files, and these files will be automatically copied to the cloud service.

I would also note that over the past couple of years, leading market players have been pursuing a policy to reduce the space provided to the user free of charge. In particular, in 2016, Microsoft reduced the amount of free space provided in its OneDrive from 15 gigabytes to 5 gigabytes. Other well-known players are pursuing a similar policy, significantly reducing the amount of free space on their resources.

The best cloud data storage services for free

Let's consider cloud services, the free services of which we can use.

Service "pCloud" - allows you to store and send large files

1. To start working with the service, follow the above link and go through the registration procedure.
2. After completing the procedure, you will be taken to the Yandex.Disk workspace, where you can create directories, upload files to them, delete files, share the desired folder, and so on.

Service "Cloud.Mail.ru"

“Mail.ru Cloud” is another well-known cloud service with a large volume from the Mail.ru company. 8 gigabytes of free space are provided for free. Supports work with shared folders, two-factor authentication, online document editing, automatic, selective synchronization and other functions.

To work with this cloud service, follow the link, log in (if necessary), and start using the rather classic cloud functionality.

Degoo service

The Degoo service offers as much as 100 gigabytes of free space, and this is not a standard cloud service, but a cloud service for storing backup copies of files.

• It does not support file synchronization.
• Does not allow you to share your files with friends.
• Does not support scheduled file copying.
• It does not have other relevant bonuses available to the usual cloud service.

At the same time, you can connect many devices to Degoo, including a laptop and a mobile phone. Scheduled backups are not available here, but the service automatically makes copies of files once every 24 hours.

To work with the service, follow the link, download this application to your device, and start using its functionality. Uploading files using this service will also not cause you any problems; try this cloud storage for free.

Conclusion

This material described the best, in my opinion, cloud storage systems with large amounts of data that provide free functionality in 2018. In terms of general functionality, the pCloud service is one of the best in its segment, therefore I recommend that users directly experience the multifunctional capabilities of this service. It is also worth taking a closer look at the other alternatives I mentioned above; they all provide significant amounts of disk space completely free of charge for their user.

Cloud storage services are more affordable than ever in 2018, but which service is more affordable and best suited for your business?

On which cloud storage can you store your files for free, and how much?

Under the spoiler is a historical note about the emergence of cloud storages

Cloud computing is one of the major technological advancements of this century, allowing applications, individuals and businesses, to work outdoors, store huge databases and collaborate effortlessly, even if they live on opposite sides of the world.

The concept of cloud computing has actually been around for decades. The idea of ​​remotely connecting people and data was proposed in the 1960s by Joseph Carl Robnett Licklider, an American psychologist and computer scientist.

Licklider is called the spiritual father of the World Wide Web, the man who sowed the seeds of the Internet

He developed the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET), which was the precursor to the Internet as we know it today.

But the cloud as a storage method didn't take off until 2006, when Amazon Web Services (AWS) launched its cloud storage service as a means of storing data away from the on-premises data center. It was then adopted by Dropbox (it has since built its own infrastructure) and then Pinterest, and soon cloud storage was adopted by companies like Google, Microsoft, Apple and many others.

Now cloud storage has become one of the things we take for granted. There are so many of them that it can sometimes be difficult to determine which one is best for your business. There are many options, such as the amount of storage you can use, collaboration capabilities, security, uptime, and any service extensions, just to name a few.

It is vital that you first identify your business needs in order to make any decisions regarding your company's IT infrastructure, with a view to being able to cope with future challenges that your organization will face.

While such a drastic decision may seem daunting, fear not because we've rounded up the best of the cloud market, comparing their features and prices to bring you a comprehensive list of the best cloud storage services available in 2018.

A quick guide to choosing cloud storage

Please note that the comparison table below of popular cloud storage services and their tariff plans is not a public offer and is provided for informational purposes ONLY. Tariffs and conditions can and will change in accordance with the policies of companies providing remote file storage services.

After comparing cloud storage rates, check out more detailed information about the individual file storage service company.

Best Cloud Storage of 2018: Sync.com

Sync makes it easy to store, share and access your files from virtually anywhere

The cloud service in Switzerland places a strong emphasis on security with the pCloud Crypto service, which provides client-side encryption for any sensitive data you or your company may want to store.

Business plans start at 1 TB and include the pCloud Crypto standard. For personal accounts, the service also compares favorably with others on the market, offering storage at a starting level of 10GB - with the option of a free 20GB through referrals and other offers. Larger plans offer 500GB or 1TB for $3.99 or $7.99 per month, respectively.

Best Cloud Storage 2018: Mozy

In mozy you can schedule backups automatically or at specific times every day.

It is not only a cloud storage service but also a backup tool for all the computers for your business.

Additional features include user access and control over other staff accounts. This means that if someone leaves the company, their data remains under your control.

You also get the ability to delete work files from devices connected to any of the accounts you manage.

Best Cloud Storage of 2018: SpiderOak

SpiderOak software uses cryptographically enforced separation so you can share and exchange messages securely.

Many businesses are considering cloud services to enable secure file sharing and document sharing.

Box offers teams of three or more people in a work environment. The OneCloud app's local ecosystem means there are plenty of third-party tools that will integrate with the service, expanding their usefulness beyond just cloud storage.

The service also supports fine-grained administrative controls, allowing users and groups to access specific shared folders. Owners, co-owners, and editors can upload, edit, share, and delete files from any folder they have access to.

Best Cloud Storage of 2018: OneDrive / OneDrive for Business

Keep doing what you started with OneDrive on your phone, tablet, or computer—no matter where you are.

This backup and cloud storage service allows users to back up not only their PC, but also any external drives connected to it. The service will, for a fee, place backups on an external hard drive as an alternative to downloading it.

Backblaze provides reporting and matching specifically designed to help you recover lost or stolen equipment.

Best Cloud Storage 2018: BT Cloud

Most users will receive 5GB of free storage by default with their subscriptions, but BT Total Broadband Option 3 or BT Infinity Option 2 customers get 50GB. Visitors can increase this by paying extra per month, up to a hard limit of 550GB.

If you are concerned about data leaving the EU, BT's servers are located only within the European Union. It also promises that it does not check the contents of files to target advertisements.

The service has desktop apps for Mac and Windows, as well as apps for Android, iOS and Windows Phone, and can also be accessed via a web browser.

Many users have heard about cloud storage, but could not choose one cloud storage. And now there are already a large number of free cloud storages with large volumes. All of them offer similar functionality, but there are still differences.

In this article we will look at the best cloud storages of 2018. We will also try to help you decide which cloud storage is better. To do this, we will compare cloud storage systems in 2018 and analyze the main features and differences of each of them.

Google Drive

• Free 15 GB of Drive available
• Setting up public access and the ability to comment on documents
• Integration with other Google services

Google Drive is an ideal choice for owners of a device running the Android operating system, since it is integrated there. But Google Drive cloud storage can be used by all Google account holders.

There is also support for all platforms and the ability to use storage directly in the browser, namely edit files directly from the cloud.

Price: 15 GB free. 100GB for $1.99 per month. 1 TB for $9.99 per month.

Cloud Mail

• Free 8 GB available
• Setting up sharing
• Edit files directly from the browser
• Supports all popular operating systems

Thanks to a promotion from Mail, in order to popularize the cloud, many users were able to take a gift of 1 TB of cloud space, which is enough for a lifetime. But generally speaking, over the years Cloud Mail offers its users less and less space.

If we talk about functionality, then everything is good here. Thanks to Microsoft services, it is now possible to edit documents directly from your browser. And support for multiple platforms makes Mail's cloud storage top of our list.

Price: 8 GB free. 1 TB for $12.3 per month.

Yandex Disk

• Free 10 GB cloud storage available
• Integration with Office Online with the ability to edit documents

Cloud storage Yandex Disk used to give 10 GB of space for free, and it still does. In this regard, everything is stable. An interesting feature is support for a large number of formats and integration with Office Online.

You can use Yandex Disk both in a browser and on any operating system by downloading the official application. And also for mobile device users it is possible to use automatic uploading of photos and videos to cloud storage.

Price: 10 GB free. 1 TB for 200 rub. per month.

Mega

• Free 50 GB available
• Simple user interface
• Availability of applications for different operating systems and browser extensions

A truly generous offer and simple user interface makes Mega cloud storage a leader. There is a convenient mobile application that allows you to directly upload files and photos, as well as synchronize with the client on your computer.

Mege claims that all data is locally encrypted on your device before it reaches the cloud servers. The company also opened the source code of its client to allow experts to check for vulnerabilities.

Price: 50 GB free. 200 GB for € 4.99 per month.

One Drive

• Free 5 GB available
• Integration directly into Windows 10
• Integration with Microsoft services

Cloud storage One Drive, formerly known as SkyDrive, is integrated into the Windows 10 operating system. This means that you do not need to download additional applications, and it can be used immediately after installing the Windows 10 operating system.

A plus is the availability of applications for all popular operating systems. To use the cloud, you only need to create a Microsoft account. Automatic cloud synchronization on the Windows 10 operating system means that you can already use the One Drive cloud without knowing it.

Price: 5 GB free. 50 GB for $1.99 per month.

• Free 2 GB expandable available
• Supports all popular operating systems
• Ability to configure sharing
• Ability to recover deleted data
• Availability of an affiliate program

Dropbox cloud storage offers a fairly paltry 2GB of free storage space. Agree, this is quite small when compared with direct competitors. But you have the opportunity to increase the volume up to 16 GB for free by linking your Dropbox to social networks and inviting friends.

An interesting feature is support for all known operating systems. It is very popular in educational institutions and companies because it is very convenient of its kind.

Price: 2 GB free. 1 TB for $10 per month with Dropbox Plus.

Which cloud storage is better?

Many users are interested in the question of which cloud storage is better. The answer is simple, it all depends on how to use cloud storage, namely for what purpose it is used.

If we talk about simple synchronization of photos from a mobile device, the leaders here are Dropbox, Mail Cloud, Yandex.Disk, One Drive. If you need cloud data storage for study and work, then you should pay attention to Google Drive. It all really depends on your needs.

In order to help you decide on the choice of cloud storage in 2018, we will conduct a small comparison of cloud storage in 2018.

Cloud storage comparison 2018

And it’s also worth mentioning Google’s distinctive cloud storage. Namely, you have the ability to connect many different add-ons to your cloud, from a PDF converter to lightweight audio and photo editors, as well as the ability to program in a number of languages.

Conclusions

In this article, we have collected for you the best cloud storage systems of 2018. We also tried to help you which cloud storage is better to choose by comparing cloud storages in 2018.

Based on the comparison, there are two favorites: Mega - with its large volume and Google Drive - with the ability to connect different extensions. But if you caught a promotion from Mail, where everyone could get 1 TB of cloud space for free, then the Mail cloud most likely remains your favorite. And also, if you use Samsung smartphones, which provide 50 GB of space in the Dropbox cloud, then you don’t have to look for new clouds. The main choice, as always, remains yours.

Choosing a file storage service online is similar to choosing a bank in real life. Having given your money to the unknown, dubious “Kukareku Bank”, there is a chance that you will not see it again. Therefore, it is worth choosing projects with a good reputation!
Beginners should be reminded that cloud data storage require the user to have email. Get yourself a free box on any popular site.

∴ Free Cloud Storage Services (2018)
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♦ Microsoft OneDrive

https://onedrive.live.com/
The deal: 5GB of free cloud storage

Formerly known as SkyDrive, OneDrive is an online storage from Microsoft. After free registration you get 5 GB of free space on the server.

Download the application for Windows OneDriveSetup.exe(19 MB), you can use the services of synchronizing and sharing folders for several people.

OneDrive- online storage that you can access from anywhere. You can easily save Office documents and other files in the cloud and access them on any device.
By using OneDrive you can share documents, photos and other files without sending cumbersome email attachments. In addition, with files OneDrive easy to work in Windows and on the computer Mac.

Use OneDrive on your phone or tablet to work with files on the go. Available for iOS, Android And Windows Phone.

♦ Box

https://box.com/

A veteran among file hosting services, on the market for more than 10 years. A worthy offer of ten free gigabytes does not come without a nasty fly in the ointment: you cannot upload a file weighing more than 250 MB.

Why is it interesting? Box.com? The successful name from a marketing point of view and the draconian conditions for uploading files give confidence in the solid future of this project. They won't let him bend. You can safely store files here without fear of the untimely death of the service.

♦ MediaFire

https://www.mediafire.com/
The deal: 10GB of free cloud storage

Average upload and download speeds, in a word – a workhorse. Main course – 10 free gigabytes- works honestly. Sharing the desired file occurs with one click of the mouse. There is an application for iOS And Android.
Free version MediaFire allows you to upload files weighing only up to 4 GB.

From the side of the one who pumps, not everything is so rosy. On one of the forums they posted a file of the magazine in the form of a link to a folder MediaFire. I couldn't find a way to download the entire folder: the site requires Upgrade(a hint of money - switch to a premium account). You download one file at a time and curse everything in the world, fighting with crazy advertising windows (the plugin makes life a little easier Adblock in the browser).

♦ Gavitex

https://gavitex.com/

The free cloud service makes a mixed impression. It would seem that after logging into the site, I successfully uploaded 15 GB of my files into the virtual storage, but firstly, the process turned out to be very slow, and secondly, the current upload status was not displayed. The user is forced to “wait for the weather by the sea”, wondering if it’s frozen? Gavitex offers to download the application - for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android. Maybe things are different here? Alas, it’s difficult to check this - the downloaded installer refused to connect to the server: “error”.

Nevertheless, 25 free gigabytes- the thing is quite pleasant. A serious argument from Gavitex! I was pleased with the convenient function for generating public links: by clicking on the stylized “corner” near the desired file, a menu is called up Download links. Everything is clear and simple.
If you correct childhood mistakes, the main problem of the little-known Gavitex will remain in the brand itself. Are you sure that Gavitex will exist in 2–3 years? I'm not at all sure. The service is not suitable for storing valuable files - personal photo and video archives, documents - only as an “alternate airfield”.

♦ pCloud

https://www.pcloud.com/ru/
The deal: 10GB of free cloud storage

This cloud data storage service works like this: download the desktop application pCloud_Windows_3.5.6.exe(8 MB), install, launch. pCloud Drive creates a virtual partition that Windows refers to Devices with removable media, i.e. recognizes it as a regular flash drive.

This discreet app is so convenient to use that you can’t help but be amazed. IN Windows 7 64-bit it eats up from 18 to 135 MB of RAM. Can also be installed on Mac And Linux, plus a mobile application for iOS/Android devices.

Working with files is the same as when using a computer every day. With high Internet speeds, you can completely forget that a flash drive is not a simple one, but a virtual one. Chapter "P" now all the time Windows and, of course, does not disappear anywhere and does not require connection the next time you start the computer. You can work with him at least Total Commander, but I must admit, ordinary windows turn out to be more informative Windows.

The desktop application (launched by a shortcut on the desktop) also has tabs Sync And Shares, responsible for the so-called syncing folders and public links to your files respectively.
By logging in to the site pCloud, we will find a typical web interface: in the section Browse your folders (i.e. you can upload files here), section Basket, in which deleted free account files are stored for 24 hours. If the user does not have enough space in the cloud, you can upgrade to a premium account.

Rules pCloud state that if an account is inactive for more than 1 year, it is closed and the files are permanently deleted.

♦ Syncplicity

https://www.syncplicity.com/
The deal: 10GB of free cloud storage

Many of our competitors have the function synchronization(“backup”, “mirror”, “backup”), but there are also specialized Internet services. Their main task is not to save space on your hard drive, but to duplicate folders selected by the user to the server.
Thus, valuable files are stored in two places at once: on your computer and in the cloud, which ensures their reliable safety.

Such services include the wonderful Syncplicity. After downloading the client Syncplicity_Setup.exe(8 MB) and installing it, we get a convenient tray icon (in the lower right corner of the screen). By default, the service allocates a folder at My Computer / Favorites / Syncplicity– everything that is thrown there will be duplicated in the online cloud.

I recently did a service iDrive is also an interesting, high-quality project whose specialization is backup.

♦ hubiC

https://hubic.com/
The deal: 25GB of free cloud storage

"25 GB are not lying around on the road!" – I said to myself and rushed to create a free account on hubiC. Managing files and folders is very simple, you can hardly get confused in basic English phrases "Download – Other Actions – New Folder – Add Files"("Download - Other actions - New folder - Add files").

To create a public link, click the “corner” next to the desired file. By decision of the authors hubiC link lifespan is limited to a maximum 30 days.
The upload speed to the file storage is quite average; in any case, there are not enough stars in the sky.
hubiC– a calm, self-possessed, unflappable web portal with an excellent offer 25 free gigabytes virtual space. Deservedly included in the top ten best cloud data storage.

♦ Ulozto

https://ulozto.net/
The deal: unlimited space (free)

An unusual participant in our review. At first glance, Ulozto looks like a typical commercial file hosting service. Soon you notice pleasant things: after free registration a paid account is not forced, the upload speed is above average, the download speed is acceptable, and, finally, the most attractive thing is unlimited space for your files, including large ones (3 GB videos are uploaded without problems). This stunning "feature" that makes Ulozto from the gray mass of exchangers, forces you to pay close attention to it.
Files can be divided into private And public. Marked as private (For me only), files will not be displayed in general search web portal.
How secure is storing files on Ulozto? It was not possible to find exact information, but “eternal storage” is implied. My files have been on the server for six months, no threats or warnings from Ulozto does not arrive.

Unlimited space for files is a complex and ambitious task for the company that created Ulozto. At the address in Facebook it is clear that she has Czech roots.

Cloud storage remains an established type of service in our lives. They experienced rapid growth, experienced market oversaturation, when new “clouds” opened almost every week, and experienced a recession when these same “clouds” began to close one by one. And now we are faced with simply a type of service that has become established and has become commonplace, has stood the test of time, taking into account the features and speed of the modern industry.

There are quite a lot of cloud storages. Each has its own characteristics and its own audience. Some people choose only one “cloud”, others use several at once. We have chosen the ten most interesting of them. One of the criteria for this top is a free plan with free cloud space so that every user can try it out for themselves. No trial, just a free plan with free space.

10. pCloud

Quite an interesting and rapidly developing cloud. The cloud blog is updated almost every week, and it is clear that the developers are actively working on it. They give you 10 GB for free, but only after a few simple steps. You can get a few more GB. There is a referral system that will also allow you to increase your free space. It is also interesting that pCloud, in addition to the monthly and annual subscription fee for advanced features, also has a one-time purchase tariff, you simply pay a certain amount and increase the volume of your cloud, forever, it is difficult to remember which cloud still does this.

9. MEGA

Encrypted storage from Kim Dotcom. There were rumors that the cloud was taken away from him, about other unpleasant vicissitudes in the management of MEGA, but this does not prevent the cloud storage from developing and existing. The cloud is built on a fairly high level of encryption; to make working with the web version more comfortable, it is better to install a special browser extension to make the decoding process much faster. There are applications for all popular operating systems. The main thing that attracts many is that MEGA gives 50 GB on the free plan. This volume was at the start, and it remains so to this day.

8.MediaFire

One of the oldest services in this top, it works well, but is developing quite slowly. There is no version for computers, so you have to use the web version, but the mobile apps are fine.

MediaFire started as a file hosting service, but in time it realized the decline of such services and repurposed itself into cloud storage. Old users and those who managed to fall under the promotion have 50 GB of free space, while the rest are given 10 GB, but sometimes it becomes possible to increase the amount of available space for free.

7.Box

Another time-tested cloud storage. Box was originally focused on business and this has allowed it to survive to this day and have a loyal user base. They give 10 GB for free, and sometimes there are promotions to get 50 GB of free space. But the free plan has many limitations. All these restrictions will be removed if you upgrade to a subscription.

6. Cloud Mail.Ru

Mail.Ru Cloud launched with 100 GB of free space, then there was a promotion where you could get 1 TB for free, then the volume was significantly reduced, and new accounts are given a meager amount of space. The cloud has received a built-in audio player, integration with Office Online and continues to receive new features and support for new formats, but instability with free volume does not allow it to rise higher in the ranking.

5. Yandex.Disk

Surprisingly stable, in terms of volume, cloud storage from Yandex. At launch they gave 10 GB of free storage. Several years have passed, and 10 GB remains, but there are constant promotions when you can either temporarily get free volume or increase your cloud on an ongoing basis. Let's add here support for a large number of formats, integration with Office Online and constant development of applications.

At the end of 2017, Disk also spun off. Everything you upload to Yandex.Disk from your phone will not be taken into account when calculating the total volume. Apparently this is not a promotion, since no deadlines are given. There are also no size restrictions, which makes this feature even better than Google Photos.

4.iCloud

If you love Apple technology, then you have definitely come across this cloud storage. Many applications work through it, backup and synchronization occur. You can also use iCloud as your usual cloud storage. Let's add here a screwed-on office suite from Apple and an application for Windows and we'll get a good cloud storage with a loyal fan base.

But if you don’t use Apple products, any other cloud storage in this top would be a better option for you, since it will give you more options.

3. Dropbox

It is Dropbox that is considered the service that started the “explosive” growth of cloud storage. Dropbox was one of the first to popularize this type of service, and although it is not having the best of times, the service continues to develop and gain new opportunities. Dropbox only gives you 2 GB for free. Promotions increasing the free volume have not been carried out for a long time, and the restrictions of the free tariff do not allow using the cloud to the fullest. Unfortunately, Dropbox is no longer the ideal cloud storage solution.

2.OneDrive

Cloud storage from Microsoft. There is tight integration with the Office Online office suite, which is also integrated into other cloud storage services, with the consent of Microsoft. By default, it is integrated into Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. The format support is also quite extensive. Working in this cloud, many users can safely abandon the full-fledged Microsoft Office suite or Microsoft Office 365, which provide only advanced capabilities for more professional tasks.

When purchasing a subscription to Microsoft Office 365, you are also given 1 TB of OneDrive space as a bonus. So many simply do not expand the cloud volume on a paid basis, but simply purchase a subscription to Office, and at the same time increase the cloud space.

1. Google Drive

Google cloud storage has the largest number of supported file formats, which can be expanded with additional cloud extensions. Small office documents, as well as photographs and videos with a small extension, are not taken into account when calculating the available space in the cloud. And this space is 15 GB.

The cloud is integrated with the Google Docs cloud office suite, which has a simple and user-friendly interface, which is why it is preferred by many for use as the main office suite. More recently, the Google Drive and Google Photos apps have been combined into one app called Google Backup & Sync. There were rumors about an application for Linux, but so far many continue to use unofficial clients and this is almost the only serious drawback of the leader of the current top.