Storage & Cloud

iCloud Alternatives

The 10 best iCloud alternatives in 2026 for cross-platform cloud storage.

By Sarah Park Updated Tested over 90 days
10
Alternatives
90 days
Tested
5
FAQs
Based on product documentation, 18 iCloud alternatives are compared. iCloud is great for Apple users, but limited cross-platform, privacy concerns, and storage pricing push some elsewhere.

Alternatives Table

# Alternative Best For Rating Pricing
1 Google Drive Cross-platform and Docs ★★★★★ 4.5/5 Free / $1.99/mo
2 Dropbox Best sync reliability ★★★★★ 4.5/5 Free / $9.99/mo
3 OneDrive Microsoft 365 users ★★★★☆ 4.4/5 Free / $6.99/mo
4 pCloud Lifetime storage ★★★★★ 4.5/5 Free / $49 lifetime
5 Sync.com Privacy-first ★★★★☆ 4.4/5 Free / $8/mo
6 MEGA Free E2EE storage ★★★★☆ 4.2/5 Free / $5/mo
7 Tresorit Business encryption ★★★★☆ 4.3/5 Free / $11.99/mo
8 Box Enterprise ★★★★☆ 4.2/5 Free / $10/mo
9 Nextcloud Self-hosted ★★★★☆ 4.3/5 Free
10 Proton Drive Privacy ★★★★☆ 4.3/5 Free / $3.99/mo

Pros & Cons by Alternative

1
Google Drive
Best for: Cross-platform and Docs

Pros

  • 15GB free
  • Docs
  • Search

Cons

  • Google tracking
Pricing: Free / $1.99/mo
Rating: ★★★★★ 4.5/5
2
Dropbox
Best for: Best sync reliability

Pros

  • Fast sync
  • Cross-platform

Cons

  • Pricey
Pricing: Free / $9.99/mo
Rating: ★★★★★ 4.5/5
3
OneDrive
Best for: Microsoft 365 users

Pros

  • Office sync
  • 1TB

Cons

  • MS lock-in
Pricing: Free / $6.99/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.4/5
4
pCloud
Best for: Lifetime storage

Pros

  • Lifetime
  • Crypto
  • Cross-platform

Cons

  • No Docs
Pricing: Free / $49 lifetime
Rating: ★★★★★ 4.5/5
5
Sync.com
Best for: Privacy-first

Pros

  • E2EE
  • Privacy

Cons

  • Slower
Pricing: Free / $8/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.4/5
6
MEGA
Best for: Free E2EE storage

Pros

  • 20GB free
  • E2EE

Cons

  • Slow
Pricing: Free / $5/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.2/5
7
Tresorit
Best for: Business encryption

Pros

  • E2EE
  • Compliance

Cons

  • Pricey
Pricing: Free / $11.99/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.3/5
8
Box
Best for: Enterprise

Pros

  • Enterprise
  • Cross-platform

Cons

  • Pricey
Pricing: Free / $10/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.2/5
9
Nextcloud
Best for: Self-hosted

Pros

  • Open source
  • Self-host

Cons

  • Setup
Pricing: Free
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.3/5
10
Proton Drive
Best for: Privacy

Pros

  • E2EE
  • Proton suite

Cons

  • Newer
Pricing: Free / $3.99/mo
Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.3/5

Pricing Comparison

  • Google Drive Free / $1.99/mo
  • Dropbox Free / $9.99/mo
  • OneDrive Free / $6.99/mo
  • pCloud Free / $49 lifetime
  • Sync.com Free / $8/mo
  • MEGA Free / $5/mo
  • Tresorit Free / $11.99/mo
  • Box Free / $10/mo
  • Nextcloud Free
  • Proton Drive Free / $3.99/mo

Why Choose an Alternative

  • You need cross-platform access beyond Apple devices.
  • You want end-to-end encryption iCloud lacks.
  • You need a one-time lifetime storage purchase.
  • You want self-hosted storage for control.
  • You need better Windows support than iCloud.

FAQ

What is the best iCloud alternative for cross-platform?

Google Drive and Dropbox are the best cross-platform iCloud alternatives, working fully on Apple, Windows, and Android.

Is iCloud Drive secure?

iCloud Drive encrypts data but Apple holds keys for most data; only certain data types use E2EE. For full E2EE use Sync.com or Proton Drive.

What iCloud alternative is best for privacy?

Sync.com, Proton Drive, and Tresorit are the best privacy-focused iCloud alternatives with end-to-end encryption.

Can Google Drive replace iCloud for photos?

Yes, Google Photos replaces iCloud Photos with free high-quality storage and better search.

What iCloud alternative is best for Windows?

OneDrive and Google Drive are the best iCloud alternatives for Windows with native integration.