Cloud storage is the present and the future. Gone are the days of lugging around data in hard disks or pen drives or any other form of removable storage, with every risk of the data getting compromised. Everyone is focusing on cloud storage and with good reason too!
Cloud Storage? Why?
Cloud storage has a lot of technical aspects to it. But let me put it in the simplest terms for you. Imagine storing all your files in one place and having the power to access them from anywhere in the world, without remembering to take around your removable storage. That is the basis of cloud storage. When your data is in the cloud, you don’t have to worry about it being lost or compromised because it is stored in a protected server. So, if you think that cloud storage is for people in sensitive jobs who don’t want their data to get into the wrong hands or for large business who have to manage thousands of files each day, think again. Cloud storage is available for everyone to use and this has become possible largely due to the commercialization efforts of Dropbox. Of course, many tech giants followed Dropbox and finally, Box, Dropbox, and iCloud are the top contenders for the best cloud storage experience.
Box:
Box offers the maximum free storage to its users: 10GB with a limit of 250MB per file. This offering is one of the reasons why Box is more popular among regular users. Of course there are other pricing options for business and individuals looking to upgrade. But for someone who is just getting the hang of cloud storage and wants to explore without limits, 10GB is more than enough. You may just want to store the pictures on your phone to the cloud before backing it up or getting a new phone. Unless you are a major photo clicker on a clicking spree, 10GB is sufficient for you to explore. Of course there are other pricing options too, like:
| Name of the package | Price per month | Storage | No of users | Other features |
| Personal PRO | $11.50 | 100GB | 1 | |
| Starter | $6 per user | 100GB | 3-10 | 2 GB Max File Size, Mobile, Sync and Share Capabilities,
Microsoft Office 365 Integrations and so on |
| Business | $17 per user | Unlimited | Minimum 3 | 5 GB Max File Size, Active Directory & Single Sign On,
Custom Branding, Mobile Security Controls, Integrations with leading EMM providers, Advanced User and Security Reports |
Dropbox:
Dropbox is the pioneer in cloud storage and is fairly comfortable to use. While Box takes the lead for free storage, Dropbox offers the lowest free storage among the three: a measly 2GB. Come on Dropbox; my phone has better free storage than yours! Drop box can be introduced to minimalist users: people who have very little use for cloud storage but want to get on the bandwagon nonetheless. However, Dropbox’s paid versions have a lot more to offer than its free one. Maybe they want to focus on serious businesses who want to prolong their association with Dropbox than the late adopters or laggards. Dropbox offers 3 plans: 2 for individuals and 1 for businesses.
| Name of the package | Price per month | Storage | No of users | Other features |
| Dropbox Pro | $9.99 | 1000GB (1TB) | 1 | Mobile apps, Set passwords for shared links, Higher sharing limits, Version history, Set expiration dates for shared links, Remote wipe for lost devices, Priority support |
| Dropbox Business | $15 per user + tax | Unlimited | Share files of any size, quickly and easily, Collaborate seamlessly
within shared folders, Work on any device or system, Get your team file sharing that’s easy to manage and scale |
Dropbox’s focus is on safety and simple file sharing rather than fancy offerings, which I believe is more important in the long run but I would like at least 5GB free data.
iCloud:
How is it possible that Apple does not have a part to play when it comes to innovation? iCloud is Apple’s proud cloud storage offering. As is with Apple, you do need an Apple device to unleash the full power of the cloud storage. If your heart belongs to Windows, you can still access the iCloud but you can use limited features in it. Once you sign up for iCloud, you get 5GB free storage (are you listening, Dropbox?), which I feel is less for Apple but I couldn’t expect more anyway. You can upgrade to extra storage and Apple if flexible in this: it offers you extensions of 50GB, 200GB, or 1TB. With Apple, you don’t usually have to worry about security; all you need to worry about is the pricing, which I think is not that high from the others, considering it is Apple and all.
| Storage Extension | Price |
| 50GB | $0.99 |
| 200GB | $2.99 |
| 1TB | $9.99 |
Apple stands out in this field because it syncs with your Apple device and so it can also give out reminders about your meetings and basically have a backup of your entire device, in case you ever lose it. Your iCloud id also functions as a mail address, which is a feature that isn’t available in the other cloud storage options. Basically, iCloud is exclusive to Apple users (because Apple believes in exclusivity) and it is ideal for them too because it makes their lives much easier.
Cloud storage is the future because imagine having to give a presentation halfway across the world and realizing that you can’t because you forgot a small device. If you think about depending on mails, I’d like to see you mail a 1GB file across. Cloud storage is comfortable and keeps everyone happy.
