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Cloud storage helps slash data on hardware in a remote physical location, which can be accessed from any device with the help of the internet. Below are some of the best free cloud storage in 2023:
Microsoft One Drive provides a cloud storage service and offers users 5 GB of free storage. OneDrive, earlier called Skydrive, can be used to store important files securely at one location and these can be accessed from anywhere and from any compatible system. Cloud storage works like a traditional hard drive, the difference being that it is available online and can be accessed from anywhere around the world. Also, companies offer to extend the storage capacity if required. Files of any format can be stored in Microsoft OneDrive, though it is better for Office documents.
It offers cross-device and cross-platform design, which implies that you can resume your work from where you left off without the need for saving it or making a copy of it. Due to its Office365 integration, it is easy to share your content and files with other users and hence facilitates collaboration among a team. One prominent feature of Microsoft OneDrive is Files on demand. This means you can access your files stored in the cloud from anywhere, without downloading them to your local device which saves a lot of local storage. Since the files are stored and changes are saved in the cloud, the recovery is very convenient in case the system you are working on gets crashed, damaged, or stolen. You can easily upgrade your account by buying extra storage in case you are running low on memory.
Dropbox is operated by the American company Dropbox, Inc., and provides cloud storage and is used for file sharing and collaboration. Dropbox is available as an application for desktop for Windows, Linux, and Macintosh operating systems. It is also available as an app for Android, iPad, iPhone, and Blackberry. It provides a limited storage capacity of 2GB, which can be upgraded up to 100 GB by purchasing from several plans offered. The upgraded version of Dropbox is called Dropbox Plus. Upgrading to this version offers many benefits like automatic camera roll back up, which implies that all the photos that you click from your personal mobile phone get backed in Dropbox.
Dropbox provides a robust API that allows other apps to collaborate with it and use it for file storage and sync. Dropbox does not require a complicated upgrade or timely installation. It is mainly focused on file exchange. It does not limit the number of files you can share or the number of users you can share with. You can even share your files with users who do not have a Dropbox account. It supports the exchange of files among any operating system and any device.
Dropbox facilitates easy collaboration among team members. If you edit or make changes to any file that is shared with your team, they will receive a notification about the changes made. Teams can communicate and edit files at a minimal cost. You can easily get started with Dropbox by just downloading the app on your phone. After you create an account, you can start sharing your content. You can even use it offline if you sync your local storage or additional account data with it. To ensure the security of your stored files, Dropbox is designed with multiple layers of protection.
Google Drive is a file storage and sharing service offered by Google. The first 15 GB is free. You can store any kind of files like photos, videos, designs, drawings, recordings, and stories. Just like most other cloud services, you can upload your files online, and can access it from anywhere and on any device. You can even invite people to view, download or contribute to your project.
Google drive provides storage options for any kind of files such as images, sheets, pdf, videos, word documents, etc. one can even save their email attachment in google drive directly through Gmail without going through the hassle of moving files. One of the greatest features of Google Drive is that it allows the user to view the file in the browser without having to download it. The files that can be previewed are Adobe, Microsoft Office, images, audio, texts, and video files, such an option is not provided by most of the zero-knowledge services as those services are unable to decrypt the files. Google Drive's versatility makes it more user-friendly than any other storage platforms.
The only drawback Google Drive has is that it does not provide any specific way to share files, however, it is one of the best storage options as its strength surpasses its weaknesses.
Though pCloud is new in the market compared to its counterparts, it has emerged as a versatile cloud solution for both business and personal use. The features of pCloud which make it stand out among other cloud services are as follows:
Mega is secure cloud storage offered by Mega Limited, an Auckland-based company. Mega offers 20 GB of free storage space.
Mega is also available for Windows phones, iOS, and Android in the form of mobile apps. It provides services basically through a web-based app. For Windows, Linux, and Mac desktop programs, one can download MEGAsync. A folder is created in which one can drag and drop the files that one needs to upload to the MEGA account. Mozilla Thunderbird users have the option of the MEGAbird add-on to share large files over email.
It was founded by Kim Dotcom in 2013 and was launched on January 19, 2013. Kim Dotcom left the company in 2015 when the company was taken over by a Chinese investor who was wanted for fraud in China and the consequent seizure of the investor's shares by the New Zealand government. The site is now controlled by the New Zealand government. Mega was created for privacy and security reasons and all files are end-to-end encrypted locally before they are uploaded. It has bandwidth limits that have to be set in account settings while uploading through a browser and through a desktop client while working in the application. Through various achievements, one can activate additional storage but the maximum limit is 50 GB.
Hope this article helped you get an understanding of all the best cloud storage available for free. If you want to learn about AWS, you should try the AWS Certification course or explore other cloud computing courses.
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