The Best Cloud Storage for iPhone & iPad in 2025: 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, Script Writer)
Reviewed by Valentina Bravo (Editor)
Facts checked by Jasna Mishevska (Lead Fact-Checking Editor)
Last Updated:
All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing.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
- Internxt — Excellent affordability, security and usability
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.
-
06/25/2022
Updated Sync.com’s plans and pricing information.
-
05/18/2023
Updated with new information regarding Icedrive’s zero-knowledge encryption.
-
02/21/2024 Facts checked
This article was rewritten to include updated features and pricing.
-
03/29/2024
Updated to reflect changes in Icedrive’s pricing plans and storage offers
-
12/27/2024 Facts checked
Added video comparing Google Drive and iCloud, the two biggest mobile cloud storage providers.
-
02/21/2025 Facts checked
This article was updated to include more details about important cloud storage features and Sync.com’s security and functionality.
-
04/19/2025 Facts checked
We updated the article to include Internxt as an affordable cloud storage provider.
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
Since we are looking at 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. Cross-platform compatibility is also important if you need to access files from non-Apple devices like Windows PCs or Android phones.
There are a few other considerations to keep in mind when choosing a cloud storage service for iPhone. For example, mobile networks average 50 Mbps for downloads and 11.3 Mbps for uploads as of 2024, which can impact your backup speeds and overall experience. Check if the service uses bandwidth throttling, which could slow down large file uploads and downloads.
Advanced backup configuration options, such as the ability to exclude specific files or file types from automated backups, can help you optimize storage space and ensure only essential data is backed up. Block-level sync capabilities can significantly speed up subsequent backups by uploading only changed portions of files rather than entire files, though not all providers offer this feature on iOS.
Some providers also offer enhanced photo management features like timeline views, which make it easier to organize and browse your photo backups chronologically. We considered the following features as well:
- File sync: When you add, remove or make changes, file sync keeps your data updated. Selective sync lets you choose which folders to sync to your iPhone, helping manage storage space on your device.
- File sharing: File sharing lets you share files from your account with anyone.
- File recovery: Version history features let you recover previous versions of files if you make unwanted changes or need to reference older drafts. Robust file recovery options will allow you to restore accidentally deleted files within a specified time period.
- 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 | $4.80 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 | ||
 | 1GB | $2.20 per month (one-year plan) 1TB | Kyber-512 TLS/SSL | * |
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, such as the option to add a passcode, clear cached files or manage active uploads. However, the standout feature is the camera choices. You can enable camera uploads, make it so uploads happen only on WiFi or allow background uploading, among other possibilities.
The latest version of Sync.com’s iOS app features significantly improved camera upload functionality when running in the background, making it more reliable for automatic photo and video backup from your iPhone.
For Mac users who want to sync their iPhone data with their computer, note that Sync.com’s CloudFiles now requires OS X 13 or later, ensuring better integration with newer Apple ecosystems.
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. This client-side encryption ensures your files are encrypted before they leave your device, providing maximum security for sensitive data.
Sync.com has enhanced its security features for teams with mandatory password protection and expiry date controls for shared content. Administrators can now enforce organization-wide sharing policies, making it an excellent choice for businesses concerned about data security on iOS devices.
Sync.com Pricing & Value
The most affordable paid plan is the Solo Basic plan. It comes with 2TB of storage and costs $57.60 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
More plans
- 6TB
- Price includes 3 users
- 1TB
- Monthly price for 1 user (3 users minimum) Yearly price for 3 users
- Unlimited GB
- Minimum 100 users, custom requirements, account manager, training options
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
- + FREE Encryption
- 2TB
- + FREE Encryption
- 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
- 2TB
- 10TB
- Additional 128GB storage for users who purchased the Lifetime Plan
- 128GB
- Additional 512GB storage for users who purchased the Lifetime Plan
- 512GB
- Additional 2TB storage for users who purchased the Lifetime Plan
- 2TB
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. Document scanning capabilities let you quickly digitize physical documents using your iPhone’s camera.
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. Offline access capabilities allow you to view and edit your files even without an internet connection, with changes syncing once you’re back online. 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 (even smaller than iCloud’s 5GB worth of free tier — read more in our Dropbox vs iCloud comparison). 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
- up to 6 users
- 2TB
More plans
- (Formerly Dropbox One) 1 user Signature requests and eSignature templates
- 3TB
- 3 users minimum
- 5TB
- 3 users minimum
5. Internxt — Best Cloud Storage for Affordability
although the iPhone app provides a limited experience.
Pros:
- Affordable paid plans
- Zero-knowledge encryption
Cons:
- No collaboration features
- Limited free storage
The Internxt app for iPhone lets you upload, download, move, view and share files. However, there isn’t much beyond these basic features. You can upload directly from your camera roll but there’s no way to automatically back up photos that are taken outside of the app.
Internxt lets you open certain file types in the app, including images, videos and PDFs. However, we couldn’t open audio files or most documents. You can’t edit files in the app, either, but you can share them. Sharing a file or folder gives you a link that you can send to anyone and delete in the app at any time.
Internxt Hands-On Testing
The Internxt iPhone app is fairly basic. There are four tabs fore recent files, all files, shared files and settings, and a button for uploads. Much like the Internxt web and desktop apps, the interface tries to stay out of your way.
There aren’t many options in the settings menu. You can email support, adjust the language settings and access your trash folder from the main settings tab. If you go into the account settings page, you can upgrade your plan or change your security settings. Overall, there isn’t much you can do to change how to app functions on iPhone.
you can’t make any significant changes in the “settings” tab.
Notes From the Lab: Internxt Speed Test Results
| ↕️ | 1st Test | 2nd Test | Average Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upload | 0:07:43 | 0:07:40 | 0:07:42 |
| Download | 0:08:59 | 0:10:35 | 0:09:47 |
Internxt has fast upload speeds, quickly getting to max speed with minimal CPU impacts. The download speeds aren’t as good, but they don’t hold the app back too much.
Notes From the Lab: Internxt Security Analysis
and a good track record when it comes to privacy.
| Encryption Type: | Protocols |
|---|---|
| Encryption at rest | Kyber 512-bit |
| Encryption in transit | TLS/SSL |
Internxt protects your data well with Kyber-512 encryption and TLS/SSL encryption protocols. It’s also committed to user privacy with zero-knowledge encryption for all accounts and EU-based servers.
Internxt Pricing & Value
Internxt has a handful of plans if you want to purchase additional cloud storage space. All plans are a one-year subscription, though there are lifetime options. The Essential plan has 1TB of storage and costs $2.20 per month. The Premium 3TB plan costs $4.40 per month and the Ultimate plan gives you 5TB for just $6.60 per month.
All paid Internxt plans come with a basic VPN and antivirus. There’s also a 1GB free plan for testing the service. Our Internxt review covers the service in greater detail.
- 1GB
- Storage + VPN (FR), Antivirus, Backup & More
- 1TB
- Storage + VPN (FR, DE, PL), Antivirus, Backup & More
- 3TB
More plans
- Storage + VPN (FR, DE, PL, CA, UK), Antivirus, Backup & More
- 5TB
- Storage + VPN (FR, DE, PL), Antivirus, Backup & More
- 1TB
- Storage + VPN (FR, DE, PL, CA, UK), Antivirus, Backup & More
- 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.
While iCloud does offer “advanced data protection” (its term for end-to-end encryption), you must manually enable it through your iPhone’s settings menu, and it’s not available in all regions.
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 Internxt. 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.