What is the best free cloud storage?
The short answer
MEGA gives the most free space of any mainstream provider, with 20 GB and end-to-end encryption included. pCloud and Icedrive offer around 10 GB free with nicer apps. Filen pairs 10 GB with open-source zero-knowledge encryption.
In detail
Free tiers are partly marketing. That also makes them easy to compare. MEGA’s 20 GB is the largest in the category. End-to-end encryption is on by default. That makes MEGA a sensible first stop for anyone who wants to store a sizable archive for free. The apps are practical and get the job done. Speeds can be throttled at peak times. That is part of offering free storage at that scale.
The 10 GB tier is where the most polished products are. pCloud’s free plan is the same fast, polished product as its paid one. Icedrive’s clean interface makes it the nicest free drive to use day to day. Filen offers open-source zero-knowledge encryption. That is rare at any price, let alone for free. Koofr’s free plan is smaller and has a unique feature. It connects your existing Google, Dropbox and OneDrive accounts in one searchable view.
Two tips help here. Free accounts sometimes expire when you do not use them. Logging in a couple of times a year keeps them active. Free plans also come without support or guarantees. Keep anything irreplaceable in more than one place. Free tiers are excellent for overflow and for trying a service. Family photos are best kept in a paid plan with versioning.