Do you often run out of storage space on your phone? Are you tired of losing important files? Cloud storage might be the solution. It’s cost-effective, easily accessible, secure and keeps your files safe, so you don’t have to worry about losing them. 

Free or paid? 

The first consideration is if you want to pay for cloud storage. This may not be necessary: most good cloud storage providers have free tiers, albeit these tend to offer minimal space. Paid storage means you get much more space, but you must either keep paying for it or get a lifetime deal if one is available.  

How much space do I need? 

You may have gigabytes of space available. Yet it won't take long to fill if you use it to back up your entire phone. Cloud backup companies make their money selling extra space, and it suits them when you keep running out. But if you get storage for a specific purpose, such as storing important files, you can manage storage costs and space usage. Dumping everything into one place is how you keep paying more and more for storage.  

How much can I afford? 

Cloud storage can seem cheap month to month, but it adds up. And what if you can’t pay any longer – will you lose your files? Cloud backup storage can be a long-term commitment, so consider your budget. It may be worthwhile to pay for storage to keep important files, such as bond certificates or family photos, and use free storage for sharing files or periodic phone backups. 

Can I download files easily? 

 

Backup services make it very fast to upload files but slow if you want to download them. They can also make it hard to download many files simultaneously, which becomes a serious problem if you decide to move all your files elsewhere. Use the free versions of backup services to test their download speeds and batch-download features. 

Is the security good? 

The last thing you want is for someone to hack into your storage. Only use cloud backup providers that provide multi-factor authentication (MFA). This means that even if someone steals your password, they can’t log in without also stealing your phone or hacking into your email. Always use strong passwords and MFA. 

Does the provider have a good reputation? 

There are plenty of fly-by-night and disreputable storage services. Read online reviews, compare products, and ask friends for recommendations. It is also good to have a cloud strategy in place detailing how you're going to implement the cloud into your business and how it can help you. 

Here are a few top storage providers and what to know about them: 

Google Drive/Apple iCloud/Microsoft OneDrive/Huawei Cloud: These services share storage with other things; for example, Google Drive also stores your Gmail emails and Google Docs files. They are usually best for temporary backups, such as syncing your phone. 

Dropbox/Box/Mega: Particularly good for sharing files and other collaboration features. But they can become expensive if you need a lot more space. 

Cloud/iDrive/NordLocker: So-called “locker” storage offers extra features such as encryption and tight security, most suitable for critical files. Prices vary, but you can get great annual and lifetime deals. 

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