The Best Cloud Storage for iPhone & iPad in 2024: Back Up Your Apps and Photos
iPhone users have cloud-based storage services built into iCloud Drive. However, there are better options than iCloud Drive, as we will discuss below. We highlight several alternatives with great features, excellent security or stringent privacy. To help you decide, we list the best cloud storage for iPhone.
Written by Jason Stagnitto (Writer)
Reviewed by Valentina Bravo (Editor)
Facts checked by Jasna Mishevska (Lead Fact-Checking Editor)
Last Updated: 2024-03-29T09:01:37+00:00
All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.
Key Takeaways: The best cloud storage services for iPhone and other iOS devices
- Sync.com — The best overall cloud storage service for iPhone
- pCloud — Excellent security and privacy that’s great for photos and videos
- Icedrive — Great iOS app integration, along with a secure and private user design
- Dropbox — Strong collaboration tools with many third-party integrations
- Google Drive — Excellent affordability with ease of use and collaboration tools
Facts & Expert Analysis
- iCloud’s Free 5GB: Although iCloud Drive starts you off with 5GB of free cloud storage, you’ll find that’s quickly eaten up if you take a lot of photos or videos.
- An Alternative Service Is Better: With one of the options on this list, you’ll not only have more storage space, but better integration with other platforms and services.
- What to Look For: For a pain-free iPhone cloud storage experience, you want a service that will easily upload from your camera and iCloud Drive, includes file sync and has strong security and privacy.
Anyone who uses an iPhone regularly likely has data taking up a lot of space. For iPhones without much storage, data management could be a problem. A cloud storage service stores your precious data and frees up space on your device. Fortunately, you can’t go wrong if you choose from the best cloud storage services. To help you choose, we focus on the best cloud storage for iPhone.
iPhone users are probably familiar with iCloud Drive as it’s a core feature across many of Apple’s devices. For features like advanced file sharing, collaboration or privacy, iCloud Drive isn’t the best option. Choosing one of the following cloud storage providers will ensure that you get the features, storage and security you need.
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06/25/2022
Updated Sync.com’s plans and pricing information.
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05/18/2023
Updated with new information regarding Icedrive’s zero-knowledge encryption.
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02/21/2024 Facts checked
This article was rewritten to include updated features and pricing.
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03/29/2024
Updated to reflect changes in Icedrive’s pricing plans and storage offers
Cloudwards Editor’s Choice: Sync.com
Sync.com is our top cloud storage service choice for iPhone as it integrates well with the mobile app, is easy to use and provides excellent security and privacy. Sync.com protects everything you store from your iPhone by using zero-knowledge encryption. You can easily upload photos from your camera or transfer photos over from iCloud.
How to Choose the Best Cloud Storage for iPhone
To choose the best cloud storage for iPhone, we looked at how well the mobile app integrates with the Apple device. The more functionality and interaction, the better the overall experience. Additionally, since we are looking at cloud storage, we also considered the following features:
- File sync: When you add, remove or make changes, file sync keeps your data updated.
- File sharing: File sharing lets you share files from your account with anyone.
- Security: Security protects your data from cyberattacks while it’s stored on servers or transferred between devices.
- Privacy: Privacy keeps your data secure from unauthorized access.
- Storage space: The more storage space you have, the more data you can store in the cloud.
The 5 Best Cloud Storage Services for iPhone Compared
| Cloud App: | Free Storage | Price | Security | End-to-End Encryption | Collaboration | Sharing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 5GB | $8 per month (one-year plan) 2TB | AES-256 TLS/SSL | * | Microsoft Office | |
 | 10GB | $99.99 (one-year plan) 2TB | AES-256 TLS/SSL | * | ||
 | 10GB | $71.88 (one-year plan) 1TB | Twofish TLS/SSL | |||
 | 2GB | $9.99 per month (one-year plan) 2TB | AES-256 TLS/SSL | Google Workspace Microsoft 365 Native apps App marketplace | ||
 | 15GB | $19.99 (one-year plan) 100GB | AES-256 TLS/SSL | Google Workspace App marketplace |
1. Sync.com — Best Cloud Storage for iPhone
Pros:
- Zero-knowledge encryption
- Excellent iPhone integration
- Automatic camera uploads
Cons:
- Slower speeds
The Sync.com iOS app makes file sharing and synchronization with your other devices easy. The app’s homepage shows your content, and clicking on the three dots next to a file or folder pulls up a menu with options that include sharing, copying or moving. A “plus” button at the bottom lets you create a new folder or document, and upload a file or image.
The “settings” menu gives users plenty of flexibility, with a standout option being camera choices. You can enable camera uploads, make it so uploads only happen on WiFi or allow background uploading, among other possibilities. Other options include adding a passcode, clearing cached files or managing active uploads.
Sync.com Hands-On Testing
Using Sync.com on an iPhone is a simplified experience. Items are logically arranged, and the look and feel mixes Sync.com’s style with iPhone functionality. The UI doesn’t feel dated compared to the web interface.
Another area where the iOS app shines is with previews. You can play videos, listen to music and view your images. There’s an option to edit photos, but it doesn’t do much. When you click on the “pencil” icon, no other options exist for changing your images.
Notes From the Lab: Sync.com Speed Test Results
| ↕️ | 1st Test | 2nd Test | Average Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upload | 0:09:48 | 0:18:30 | 0:14:09 |
| Download | 0:15:11 | 0:15:03 | 0:15:10 |
Speed isn’t where Sync.com excels, as that is a typical trade-off for tight security and privacy. Uploads and downloads averaged over 14 minutes during our tests using 5GB of mixed data.
| Encryption Type: | Protocols |
|---|---|
| Encryption at rest | AES 256-bit |
| Encryption in transit | TLS/SSL |
Security and privacy are highlights for Sync.com mainly due to zero-knowledge encryption that protects your entire account.
Sync.com Pricing & Value
The most affordable paid plan is the Solo Basic plan. It comes with 2TB of storage and costs $96 per year. All new plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee. Additionally, you can try the Solo Pro Professional plan — which has 6TB of data — free for 30 days.
To learn more, check out our Sync.com review. You can create a free cloud storage account with 5GB to try out Sync.com.
- 5GB
- 2TB
- 6TB
More plans
- Price per user
- 1TB
- Price per user
- Unlimited GB
2. pCloud — Best Cloud Storage for Multimedia
Pros:
- Excellent iOS integration
- Great file sharing
- Real-time file sync
Cons:
- Poor collaboration
- Private encryption costs extra
pCloud does a great job of making its iOS app feel like Apple designed it. It does more than just function as a cloud storage service. If the option is enabled, you can airdrop files to other Apple devices and print using WiFi. The sharing and export tools mirror what you see when performing the same functions using iOS apps.
Photos and videos are where the iPhone pCloud app truly shines. Videos have light editing features, with the main function being to crop and trim. Photos have similar functionality, with the ability to mark up or add text. Any changes you make to videos or photos instantly sync with your pCloud account.
pCloud Hands-On Testing
The iOS app is a breeze to use, with the same look and feel as the pCloud web interface. Navigation is simple and organized logically. Having the same “sharing” menu as other Apple apps makes it easy for iPhone users to download the app and begin using it immediately.
There are a few customization options, and the “settings” tab is mainly informational. The most notable tool is the option to either upload all your photos and videos, or simply upload the newer ones starting from when you first enable the feature. If you paid for the encrypted folder, it has some specific settings of its own, including an option to reset it.
Notes From the Lab: pCloud Speed Test Results
| ↕️ | 1st Test | 2nd Test | Average Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upload | 0:08:55 | 0:07:30 | 0:08:12 |
| Download | 0:06:41 | 0:06:43 | 0:06:42 |
pCloud is one of the fastest cloud storage services, averaging eight minutes for uploads and under seven minutes for downloads in our testing.
Notes From the Lab: pCloud Security Analysis
| Encryption Type: | Protocols |
|---|---|
| Encryption at rest | AES 256-bit |
| Encryption in transit | TLS/SSL |
pCloud offers zero-knowledge encryption in the form of an encrypted folder. Every account has this folder. However, you’ll need to purchase pCloud Crypto — and a subscription as well, unless you’re a business user — to unlock this option.
pCloud Pricing & Value
pCloud has several choices for upgrading to a paid plan. The Premium 500GB plan costs $49.99, while the Premium Plus 2TB plan costs $99.99. pCloud also offers family plans, lifetime plans and business plans. New plans include a 10-day money-back guarantee.
You can try pCloud with 2GB of free cloud storage, and you can expand this amount to 10GB by completing a few microtasks. We cover pricing in our pCloud pricing guide and conduct a full exploration of the service in our pCloud review.
- 10GB
- 500GB
- 2TB
More plans
- 2TB
- 10TB
- Price per user (minimum 3)
- 1TB
- Price per user (minimum 3)
- 2TB
- Encryption for pCloud Drive
3. Icedrive — Best Cloud Storage for Ease of Use
Pros:
- Strong security & privacy
- Affordable plans
- Clean UI
Cons:
- Limited customization
- Paid zero-knowledge security
Icedrive’s iPhone app has many of the same features and functions as the web interface. You can share any folder or file by touching the three-dot menu. Options include creating a public link or sharing directly via email. When using an email address, a toggle switch is available to give recipients “editor” access.
There are several tabs, including one for accessing the encrypted folder if you paid for a plan. You can review any shared links you created, or review folders or files you identified as favorites. The “more” tab has options to view recent activity, manage deleted files, access settings or get help.
Icedrive Hands-On Testing
Using the Icedrive app on iPhone is a painless experience as your content is logically arranged on the main page. You can organize your data by a list or grid, and you can move items around by touching the “checkbox” option in the upper-right corner.
The Icedrive app’s settings are limited. You can only make changes related to photo uploads; you can’t alter anything else about the app or your account. Otherwise, it functions as expected. You can upload photos and videos, encrypt them (if you have a paid plan) and auto-organize them by date. Other choices involve converting images to JPEGs and including live photos.
Notes From the Lab: Icedrive Speed Test Results
| ↕️ | 1st Test | 2nd Test | Average Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upload | 0:06:50 | 0:07:41 | 0:07:15 |
| Download | 0:07:06 | 0:07:07 | 0:07:06 |
Icedrive’s speeds are remarkably fast, considering its stringent encryption. We easily uploaded and downloaded 5GB of mixed data using Icedrive.
encryption and two-factor authentication.
| Encryption Type: | Protocols |
|---|---|
| Encryption at rest | Twofish |
| Encryption in transit | TLS/SSL |
Icedrive uses the Twofish encryption algorithm instead of the more common AES 256-bit encryption. Technically, Twofish is the more secure option. However, AES 256-bit is in no danger of being hacked.
Icedrive Pricing & Value
Icedrive offers several paid plans. If you upgrade from your iPhone, you can select the Lite plan, which has 100GB of storage for $47.88 per year. Pro I’s one-year plan costs $71.88 for 1TB of storage. Icedrive also offers two-year plans, and every plan includes a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Icedrive’s cloud storage service has 10GB of free space, so it’s easy to take it for a spin. Read more about its features in our Icedrive review.
- Bandwidth limit: 50GB
- 10GB
- Bandwidth limit: 250GB
- 100GB
- Bandwidth limit: 2TB
- 1TB
More plans
- Bandwidth limit: 8TB
- 3TB
- 512GB
- Additional 128GB storage for users who purchased the Lifetime Plan
- 128GB
- Additional 512GB storage for users who purchased the Lifetime Plan
- 512GB
4. Dropbox — Best Cloud Storage for Collaboration
Pros:
- Strong iOS integration
- Great cloud features
- Excellent collaboration
Cons:
- No zero-knowledge security
- Limited free storage
Dropbox’s iPhone app integrates well with the flagship Apple device, making it easy to upload documents, photos or videos. You can send files to your Dropbox account outside of the app, which is an option on other iPhone apps like Notes or Photos. In the Messages app, you can send files to others using Dropbox without leaving the app.
In addition to uploading or creating new files, including those from Dropbox Paper or Microsoft 365, you can scan a document or record audio while in the app. Changes you make sync seamlessly to your Dropbox account, letting you move between devices with little hassle. Dropbox also creates a tab in the Files app, making it easier to sync your data using an iPhone.
Dropbox Hands-On Testing
When you open the Dropbox app for iPhone, it’s clear that a lot is happening. The “home” menu is full of everything but your data. To work with the files in your account, touch the “files” tab at the bottom of the screen.
The functionality of the app is noticeably robust. You can manage devices beyond your iPhone, connect a computer or handle offline files. Camera uploads let you include videos, save photos in JPEG format or choose which images to store.
Notes From the Lab: Dropbox Speed Test Results
| ↕️ | 1st Test | 2nd Test | Average Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upload | 0:08:10 | 0:07:51 | 0:08:00 |
| Download | 0:07:45 | 0:07:40 | 0:07:42 |
Dropbox has no issues in the speed department — it averages eight-minute uploads and just over seven-minute downloads. During our testing, the CPU loads were minimal, and Dropbox quickly got up to top speed.
is currently only planned for business account holders.
Notes From the Lab: Dropbox Security Analysis
| Encryption Type: | Protocols |
|---|---|
| Encryption at rest | AES 256-bit |
| Encryption in transit | TLS/SSL |
Dropbox uses strong security measures to protect your data. However, despite the recent purchase of Boxcryptor, a third-party encryption software, Dropbox still doesn’t offer zero-knowledge encryption.
Dropbox Pricing & Value
Dropbox’s paid plans start at $9.99 monthly when billed annually and come with 2TB of storage. The Standard plan costs $15 per user per month and has 5TB of shared storage. Other Dropbox plans increase in size and price depending on your needs. Dropbox does not offer a money-back guarantee.
Although Dropbox is one of the more popular cloud storage services, it has a meager 2GB of free storage space. Check out our Dropbox pricing guide if you plan to upgrade your account, or see our Dropbox review to learn more about the service.
- 1 user
- 2GB
- 1 user
- 2TB
- 1 user
- 2TB
More plans
- 1 user
- 3TB
- 1 user Signature requests and eSignature templates
- 3TB
- 3 users minimum
- 5TB
- 3 users minimum
5. Google Drive — Best Cloud Storage for Affordability
Pros:
- Google Workspace integrated
- Affordable paid plans
- 15GB free storage
Cons:
- No private encryption
- Poor privacy track record
The Google Drive app for iPhone integrates nicely but lacks some features that its competitors have. Noticeably absent is any relevant photo integration, mainly because Google Photos is its dedicated standalone app for images. Even the “camera” icon on the iPhone app is designed for scanning documents rather than taking pictures.
You can upload, create and edit files like Google Docs from your device. Options include adding comments or searching for keywords. Opening other file types, like Excel or PowerPoint, allows you to edit in the respective Google app. Touching the three dots next to a file opens a menu with options to share it, manage its access or make it available for offline use.
Google Drive Hands-On Testing
The Google Drive app for iPhone could be more visually appealing. Most tabs show your data, and there are very few graphics, as Google tries to stay out of your way. Anyone familiar with Google Drive will feel at home in the iPhone mobile app.
The device settings lack any significant options. You can set up face ID to unlock the app, manage your backups (if you’ve configured that option) or make Google your default app for things like email or browsing. Google doesn’t want you messing with the app’s functionality on iPhone.
Notes From the Lab: Google Drive Speed Test Results
| ↕️ | 1st Test | 2nd Test | Average Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upload | 0:07:23 | 0:07:20 | 0:07:21 |
| Download | 0:07:15 | 0:07:19 | 0:07:17 |
Google has fast speeds for both uploads and downloads, quickly getting to max speed with minimal CPU impacts.
Notes From the Lab: Google Drive Security Analysis
but a poor track record when it comes to privacy.
| Encryption Type: | Protocols |
|---|---|
| Encryption at rest | AES 256-bit |
| Encryption in transit | TLS/SSL |
Google protects your data well with AES 256-bit encryption and TLS/SSL encryption protocols. However, it needs a better privacy record as it collects data on how you use Google products and services.
Google Drive Pricing & Value
Google has a handful of Google One plans if you want to purchase additional cloud storage space. The Basic plan has 100GB and costs $1.99 per month, or $19.99 annually. The Premium 2TB plan costs $99.99 per year and includes Google Workspace premium features. Google does not offer a money-back guarantee.
New Google accounts come with 15GB of free storage space, among the most generous options. Check out our best free cloud storage for more alternatives. Our Google Drive review covers the service in greater detail.
- Free plan
- 15GB
- 100GB
- 2TB
- 2TB
Why We Don’t Recommend Apple iCloud Drive on iPhone
iPhone users may have read this article and wondered why we didn’t include iCloud Drive, which is Apple’s built-in cloud storage option that comes on every device. To its credit, iCloud Drive works seamlessly with Apple products, is easy to use and offers affordable upgrade plans. You can check out our iCloud Drive review for more information.
The main reason we can’t recommend iCloud Drive is that it pales in comparison to the cloud storage providers in the above list. It has far fewer features and limited file sharing, and it isn’t a great option for anyone who needs better privacy or collaboration tools.
iCloud Drive has strong security features but uses AES 128-bit encryption, which is technically less secure than those that use AES 256-bit encryption. Privacy measures have improved since the infamous photo leak incident in 2014. However, Apple still collects data on you and shares some of it with third-party entities.
Final Thoughts
Every iPhone comes with iCloud Drive preinstalled. However, there are better options to support your cloud storage needs. We give that nod to Sync.com, which we consider to be the best cloud storage option. Other great choices are pCloud, Icedrive, Dropbox and Google Drive. Choosing any of these providers will give you a great cloud storage service.
Is iCloud Drive enough to meet your needs? If not, have you used one of the cloud storage services in this list? What is your choice as the best cloud storage for iPhone? Let us know in the comments section below. Thanks for reading our article.
FAQ: Best Cloud Storage for iPhone
Sync.com is an excellent cloud storage alternative for iPhone. It has great features, excellent security and zero-knowledge encryption that protects your entire account.
Sync.com is the best cloud storage choice for iOS devices. It is a secure, private and affordable option.