Apple charges $9.99 a month for 2 TB of iCloud+ storage, with no yearly or one-time option, so five years cost about $600. pCloud sells 2 TB for a single payment just under $500, and its apps work on Android, Windows, and iPhone. iCloud still does one job no alternative can: complete iPhone backups with apps, settings, and messages.
The five services ranked replace iCloud Drive and iCloud Photos, and we tested each one’s speed, free plan, and file recovery in our October tests.
Top iCloud Alternatives for 2026
- pCloud: Best iCloud alternative overall, with lifetime plans and automatic photo upload
- Internxt: Best for privacy, encrypting files before they leave your iPhone
- NordLocker: Best for sending files from an iPhone with code-protected links
- Sync.com: Best for file history, with up to a year of earlier versions
- MEGA: Most free storage, with 20 GB and end-to-end encryption
iCloud vs the Alternatives
| Service | Free storage | Typical paid plan (US) | One-time payment | End-to-end encryption | Android app |
| iCloud+ | 5 GB | 2 TB, $9.99 a month | No | Optional, with Advanced Data Protection | No |
| pCloud | Up to 10 GB | 2 TB, $99.99 a year or $499 lifetime | Yes | Paid add-on | Yes |
| Internxt | 1 GB | 3 TB, €435 lifetime | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| NordLocker | 3 GB | 2 TB, $83.88 for the first year | No | Yes | Yes |
| Sync.com | 5 GB | 1 TB, $72 for the first year | No | Yes | Yes |
| MEGA | 20 GB | 3 TB, about €100 a year | No | Yes | Yes |
Proton Drive, from the Swiss company behind Proton Mail, is another encrypted option for iPhone users, with 5 GB free and automatic photo backup. We haven’t tested it, so it isn’t part of the ranking.
The 5 Best iCloud Alternatives
1. pCloud: Best iCloud Alternative Overall
Pros
- No monthly bill with lifetime plans
- Automatic photo upload from iPhone
- Apps for Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux
- Speedy desktop sync
- Plays videos without downloading
Cons
- Encryption sold as an add-on
- No document editing on the free plan
pCloud covers what most iPhone users rely on iCloud for. It uploads new photos from the camera roll automatically, shows up in the iOS Files app, and creates share links. Its apps also cover Android, Windows, and Linux, where iCloud offers only a web version or nothing. In our October tests, pCloud used 96% of our upload speed while sending a 500 MB archive, and the download finished in 24 seconds.
The free plan offers up to 10 GB, compared to iCloud’s 5 GB, and keeps deleted files for 15 days. For roughly four years’ worth of iCloud+ 2 TB payments, pCloud’s Premium Plus lifetime plan covers 2 TB for good. Zero-knowledge protection requires pCloud’s separate Encryption add-on. Our pCloud vs iCloud comparison goes feature by feature, and the pCloud review covers every plan.
2. Internxt: Best for Privacy-Focused Apple Users
Pros
- Encryption works without any setup
- Protection against future quantum attacks
- Lifetime plans from 1 TB
- VPN and antivirus on paid tiers
- Transparent, inspectable code
Cons
- Limited free space
- Euro billing for US buyers
Internxt encrypts files on your device before upload, so Internxt can’t read them. Its iPhone app also offers to back up the camera roll during setup. iCloud offers the same protection only after Advanced Data Protection is enabled, and Apple withdrew that option in the UK in 2025. Internxt’s upload used 95% of our connection’s capacity, so its on-device encryption cost almost no speed.
Paid plans add a VPN and antivirus, though the VPN is basic next to the best VPN services. The Premium 3 TB lifetime plan costs about €435, charged in euros even in the US, while the free plan offers only 1 GB. Our Internxt review explains each plan.
3. NordLocker: Best for Sending Files From an iPhone
Pros
- Zero-knowledge vault for all files
- Share links that self-expire
- Recipients skip signup
- Apps for iOS, Android, and Windows
Cons
- Deletions can’t be undone
- Older file versions aren’t kept
- Renewal price jump
Built by the team behind NordVPN, NordLocker applies end-to-end encryption to every file, including on the free plan. Files sent from its iPhone app go out as links with an end date and an optional code, and the person receiving them doesn’t sign up. iCloud Drive’s shared links can’t be locked with a code. NordLocker sent our archive at 89% of our upload speed, slower than pCloud and Internxt.
When we deleted the test file, it was gone immediately: NordLocker has no trash and no version history, while iCloud Drive keeps deleted files for 30 days. Two terabytes cost about $84 for year one and about $180 a year after that. Each NordLocker app is examined in our NordLocker review.
4. Sync.com: Best for Version History
Pros
- Private by default
- Restores older file versions
- Camera upload on iPhone
- Unlimited storage tier
- Microsoft 365 integration
Cons
- Slower transfers than average
- Higher renewal price
- No PC folder backup
Sync.com keeps earlier versions of files for up to a year on its top plans, something iCloud Drive doesn’t offer for most files. It encrypts everything end to end by default, and its iPhone app has a camera upload option. Sync.com was the slowest service in our test, at 81% of our upload speed. Our deleted archive was restorable from Sync.com’s trash.
Personal plans start at about $72 for 1 TB in the first year, and the Personal Unlimited plan costs about $270 for year one. They renew at about $144 and $540. It’s one of our top choices for encrypted cloud storage.
5. MEGA: Best Free iCloud Alternative
Pros
- Generous free storage
- Photos backed up as they’re taken
- Encrypted even on free accounts
- Private messaging and video calls
Cons
- Longer upload times
- Transfer quota on free accounts
- Subscription-only pricing
Signing up for MEGA brings 20 GB without payment, with end-to-end encryption on free accounts too. Camera Uploads in its iPhone app copies new photos and videos from the camera roll. MEGA’s upload used 85% of our connection, and only Sync.com was slower. Free users also face a download quota that resets over time.
The Pro I plan costs about €100 a year for 3 TB, more space than pCloud’s yearly 2 TB plan at a similar price, but MEGA has no lifetime option. We compared the two in MEGA vs pCloud.
What iCloud Alternatives Can’t Replace
No third-party service backs up a whole iPhone. iCloud Backup saves apps, settings, and messages, and the only other option is a local backup to a Mac with Finder or to a Windows PC with the Apple Devices app.
Live Photos don’t stay intact either. In our iPhone test, pCloud and Internxt saved each Live Photo as a separate photo and video file, while iCloud Photos keeps the two together.
Leaving iCloud+ also removes a few extras that come with the paid plans:
- iCloud Private Relay: hides your IP address in Safari.
- Hide My Email: creates random email addresses for signups.
- HomeKit Secure Video: stores recordings from compatible home cameras.
- Family Sharing: splits one plan with up to five other people.
A practical setup is to keep iCloud’s free 5 GB for device settings and messages, and store photos and files with one of the five alternatives.
How to Move Photos and Files Off iCloud
- Download your originals. On iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, then iCloud, Photos, and choose Download and Keep Originals. On a computer, iCloud.com can download photos and files in batches.
- Install the new service’s app. Enable its camera upload, which pCloud, Internxt, Sync.com, and MEGA offer on iPhone.
- Move your iCloud Drive files. On a Mac, drag them from the iCloud Drive folder in Finder to the new service’s folder. On Windows, use the iCloud for Windows app.
- Check that everything arrived. Then disable iCloud Photos and switch to a smaller iCloud+ plan or the free 5 GB.
Apple can also copy iCloud Photos straight to Google Photos through its Data and Privacy page, which saves the download step for that service.
Our Test Method
In our October tests, we created free accounts with all five services. Every upload used the same 500 MB archive and each service’s desktop app, with a Windows 11 PC in Europe as the test machine. We then downloaded the file, deleted it, and tried to restore it. Our fastest cloud storage ranking has the full results.
Summary
Choose the alternative by what you’re moving off iCloud. For photos and everyday files, pCloud offers automatic camera upload and a lifetime 2 TB plan that costs less than five years of iCloud+. For private documents, Internxt encrypts everything without extra settings, and NordLocker adds protected share links.
Sync.com keeps the longest file history, and MEGA offers the most free cloud storage of the five. Whichever you choose, iCloud’s free tier can stay in place for iPhone backups, the one job none of them can do.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best iCloud alternative?
pCloud is the best iCloud alternative, with automatic photo upload on iPhone, apps for Android and Windows, and lifetime plans that end monthly payments.
What is the best free iCloud alternative?
MEGA is the best free iCloud alternative. New accounts receive 20 GB with end-to-end encryption and automatic camera roll backup, while Google Drive offers 15 GB without it.
What is the best iCloud alternative for photos?
pCloud is the best iCloud alternative for photos, with automatic camera roll uploads on iPhone and a built-in video player. Google Photos is the better choice for editing tools.
Can you back up an iPhone without iCloud?
Yes. Connecting the iPhone to a Mac or Windows PC creates a full local backup, including apps and settings. Cloud storage services can back up photos and files, but not the whole device.
Is there a cheaper alternative to iCloud storage?
Yes. pCloud's lifetime 2 TB plan is a one-off purchase below $500, compared to roughly $120 a year for iCloud+ 2 TB. Internxt sells 3 TB for life at about €435.
How do you stop paying for iCloud storage?
Move photos and files to another service, disable iCloud Photos, then downgrade to the free 5 GB plan in iPhone settings. Device backups and messages usually fit within that space.