Best Cloud Storage For iPhone Photos

Are they looking for decent alternatives to the somewhat insecure and expensive iCloud? Join us as we present the top five best cloud storage for iPhone users, alongside a list of their pros and cons.

Out of the box, the iPhone can take photos, shoot videos and create documents. It takes little time to fill up a device’s internal space, highlighting the need for supplemental cloud storage. That said, more than adding storage is needed. The files saved need to be easily accessible and secure, too.

Cloud storage is often mistaken for online backup, but it works differently. Instead of creating a copy of everything stored on your iPhone, cloud storage adds more space to what is already there. This means that you can store more files without taking up precious storage on your device. All the data is stored on the servers of the cloud storage provider, freeing up space on your phone.

We tested five of the best cloud storage providers for iPhones and ranked them by their performance under our criteria. Our top pick is Sync.com, which works well with iOS and offers robust security without charging a dime.

The best cloud storage depends on what you’re using it for. Photo junkies need to look no further than the best online storage for photos. Likewise, videographers will find the best cloud storage for helpful video. We even have frugal users covered with our best free cloud storage article.

This article introduces iPhone’s best cloud storage for iphone photos, including iCloud, OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, and pCloud.

If you are looking for the best cloud storage for iPhone, you’ve landed on the right page. This article narrows your options to a handful that perfectly fits our criteria for the best cloud storage solution tailored for iPhone users to back up iPhones. iCloud is the official cloud-based service for iPhone users, but there are many options to back up your iPhone without iCloud when your iPhone is full of storage or your iCloud storage is full.

Top 5 cloud storage☁️for iPhone services:

Apple iCloud – The best overall cloud storage for iPhone
Google Drive – The best free cloud storage for iOS
Microsoft OneDrive – The best cloud storage for Microsoft Office
Dropbox – The best cloud storage for rich features
pCloud – The best cloud storage for iPhone photos

Best Cloud Storage For iPhone Photos Options

Our reviews cover each cloud storage option’s pros, cons, features, and pricing, aiming to empower you to make an informed and quick decision.

1. Apple iCloud

iCloud is Apple’s official cloud-based service that allows users to store and synchronize data across multiple iOS devices and Macs. Especially when you switch to a new iPhone, you can quickly transfer data to a new iPhone with iCloud. It provides seamless access to files, photos, videos, contacts, and more and can be easily accessed with Apple ID credentials.

Key features:

Seamless synchronization of data across Apple devices
Backup iPhone to iCloud and restore to iPhone or iPad.
Include the “Find My” feature to locate lost or stolen Apple devices
Allow the “Optimize iPhone Storage” option to save local device storage
Support collaboration with iCloud Drive

Pros:

Built-in feature on iPhone
Deeply integrated with Apple devices
Automatic iPhone backups

Cons:

Less compatible with non-Apple devices or services
Limited supported file types

Free and paid plans: Apple iCloud offers 5GB of free storage, and all Apple devices associated with the same Apple ID share the free storage. You can upgrade to iCloud+ to get an additional 50GB ($0.99/month), 200GB ($2.99/month), 2TB ($9.99/month), 6TB ($29.99/month), and 12TB ($59.99/month).

2. Microsoft OneDrive

OneDrive is a cloud storage service provided by Microsoft for users who want access to documents or media files from the web. It is the best cloud storage choice for Windows users but also provides a specialized client app for iPhone. When you switch to a new iPhone, you can back up your iPhone to OneDrive.

Key features:

Enable real-time collaboration within Microsoft 365 applications
Collaborate with various third-party applications
Back up and restore Windows settings
Automatic photo and video backup from iPhone and other mobile devices

Pros:

Deep integration with Windows and Microsoft 365
Maintain a version history of files
Mark files for offline access

Cons:

Has a file size limit of 15GB
Best experienced within the Microsoft ecosystem
Occasional syncing issues

Free and paid plans: Microsoft OneDrive offers a free plan with 5GB of free space. You can add more storage by purchasing a Microsoft 365 plan – Basic ($1.99/month for 100GB), Personal ($6.99/month for 1TB), and Family ($9.99/month for 6TB).

3. pCloud – Best Cloud Storage App for iPhone & iOS

Once the new kid on the block, pCloud quickly built a name for itself in the cloud storage world.

Features

pCloud is a cloud storage service that works seamlessly with various iOS features. It allows you to share files through AirDrop and print using AirPrint. Besides, the app provides state-of-the-art security features to ensure the safety of your data. When you upload any file to pCloud, it creates five different copies of that file on its servers for extra security. Additionally, you can also subscribe to pCloud Crypto for an additional monthly fee to encrypt your files. The app also integrates well with iPhone’s advanced security features like FaceID and TouchID for added convenience.
Furthermore, the app boasts “instant file synchronization,” a fancy term for matching files in real-time across your iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Regarding uploading files, you get to choose between automatic upload or manual upload. You should go with automatic upload since it will make your life much easier. However, manual upload does have its perks, too.

Privacy

The people behind the app are based in Switzerland, where privacy laws are stringent. In other words, you won’t have to worry about anyone sniffing at your precious personal data.

Pricing

This application offers a free plan that includes 2GB of storage and up to 50GB of download link traffic per month. If you require more storage, you can choose the Premium plan, which comes with 500GB of storage at an annual cost of $47.88 or a one-time payment of $175. For those who need even more storage, there is the Premium Plus plan that provides a massive 2TB of storage at an annual cost of $95.88 or a one-time payment of $350. Additionally, you can choose to opt for pCloud encryption, which is an optional service that costs $47.88 per year or $125 as a one-time payment. This service is essential for those who value their privacy.

Pros

Excellent backup and security features
Deep integration with iOS apps
All the plans can be purchased as a one-time deal
Guaranteed privacy

Cons

Extra features, such as pCloud encryption, cost extra
The free plan only offers 2GB of storage

4. Dropbox

Launched back in 2008, Dropbox is one of the first and best cloud storage providers. However, their veteran-like status doesn’t mean that they are perfect. For instance, they need to catch up to other providers regarding security.
Users can manually upload files from their iPhone to Dropbox or send photos and videos automatically using the “camera uploads” feature. It’s prone to delays and drops, so Dropbox support recommends having location services on when enabling the feature.

Sharing files is a quick tap away, thanks to a chain icon that automatically generates links. Dropbox also supports other methods, such as email and iMessage.

Dropbox is compatible with various iOS features like AirPrint and TouchID, and it also works with the Files app. This allows users to access files with the same functions they would get from the Dropbox folder. Furthermore, Dropbox integrates well with third-party apps such as 1Password, which is one of the best password managers. For more information, you can check out our best password manager roundup.

However, there is one downside. Certain file types cannot be edited while in the Dropbox folder. For example, if you have a Word document saved that you want to change, tapping the edit button (pencil and paper icon) will prompt you to open it in the Microsoft Office app. Once you have made the necessary changes, it is easy to save the document back to Dropbox.

While security may not be Dropbox’s strongest point, it offers in-transit and at-rest encryption to ensure protection. You can check out our comparison of Dropbox vs. Google Drive vs. OneDrive for an in-depth explanation.

Dropbox’s Basic plan offers 2GB of free storage. You can refer others to Dropbox to gain additional storage, up to 16 GB more with 500MB per referral.

If you need more storage space, the Plus plan is the first paid plan, costing $9.99 per month for 1TB. The next level up is Professional, which costs $19.99 monthly for 2TB. There is a discount for year-long commitments, and paid users get 1GB of additional storage for every referral, potentially up to 32GB more.

Other Reasons We Like Dropbox

The iOS app has a practical feature that can convert a photo containing text into a document. This feature is called “document scanning” and it can save users valuable time from manually typing the text. The best part is that it is available on the free version of the app.

We appreciate Dropbox’s presence on our iPhone, especially in areas where other services are not available. For instance, on the “widgets” page, which users can access by swiping right on their home screen, there is a plugin that scans and uploads files. Additionally, there is a quick access button for Dropbox in iMessage, making shareable files just a tap away during chats.

Features

Please find below the rewritten text, with corrected spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors:

Their age may have some benefits. For one, they have seamlessly integrated with iOS over the years. You can either manually upload your photos and files or have them automatically uploaded by turning on the “camera uploads” feature. Dropbox recommends having your location services on when using this feature to prevent any unwanted delays or drops.

The app works well with AirDrop, AirPrint, and TouchID and also integrates well with the Files app, offering many of the same functions you would find when using the Dropbox app.

One of the app’s downsides is that you can’t edit certain file types using the Dropbox folder. For instance, if you have a Word document downloaded on your iPhone, clicking the pencil and paper icon to edit it will prompt you with an advertisement to use the Microsoft Office app.

Pricing-wise, Dropbox’s basic plan comes with just 2GB of free storage with the ability to gain an additional 500MB for each person you refer, with a cap of 16 extra gigs.

There are two paid plans:

Dropbox Plus, which offers 2TB for $11.99 a month ($9.99/month if paid yearly)
Dropbox Professional, which offers 3TB for double the price at $19.99 a month (or $199 per year)
Paid users can get an extra 1GB for each referral with a bonus cap of 32GB.

Pros

Seamless integration with third-party apps, including Files
Comes with helpful apps, such as Document Scanner
Great tools that provide collaborative capacity

Cons

Slightly costlier than other cloud storage services
No zero-knowledge encryption

5. Google Drive

As one of Apple’s top competitors, Google Drive may seem like a distant option for iPhone loyalists. However, it’s a solid choice worth considering despite its security issues. It works well with collaborative apps in G Suite, such as Gmail and Google Docs, making it an appealing package. Still, its lack of security options and privacy is enough to rank it in fourth place. You can read our Google Drive review to see how we ranked it in all categories.

The app on iOS allows users to edit and view files. When uploading files to someone else’s folder, the space is still taken out of your storage. Fortunately, the free version gives users a substantial 15GB to work with, but note that all Google apps share space. Users can save files manually from the iPhone or enable automatic uploads for their photos.

The default sharing option opens a draft window where users can choose recipients and file parameters. There are three ways to decide how others use the file: “view,” “edit,” or “comment.” “View” lets others see it, “edit” gives them revising and sharing privileges, and “comment” is view-only but creates a thread for others to post messages.

Google is in the U.S., where laws don’t favor cloud storage privacy. It also lacks zero-knowledge encryption, which means your data is visible to Google and whoever may subpoena that data from the company.

Users can get 15GB of free storage without paying anything. If needed, they can upgrade to bigger storage plans, such as 100GB for $1.99 per month, 1TB for $9.99 per month, or 2TB for $19.99 per month.

Other Reasons We Like Google Drive:

Google Drive’s best features have less to do with cloud storage and more to do with productivity. If you already use Gmail and Google Docs on the iPhone, adding Google Drive into the mix makes sense because of how well they work together.

Google Drive’s technical support is also an excellent resource in a bind. The Google Drive help center makes it easy to find solutions and offers a comprehensive database with step-by-step instructions.