CloudStorageExplorer
Issue 47 · March 2026

Cloud storage, clarified.

Independent, opinionated reviews of every serious cloud storage provider — updated continuously, measured by real-world testing, not press releases.

Editor's Choice
Editor’s choice
pCloud
pCloud
Swiss-based cloud storage with lifetime plans
8.7/10
Great

Lifetime plan eliminates recurring costs

Read full review
The ranking

The cloud providers we'd actually pay for

PersonalBusinessUpdated 2026-04-17
Decision tool

Compare any two providers,
side by side, in 30 seconds.

Pricing, storage ceilings, encryption, sync quality, version history, client support — all cross-referenced against our test bench.

pcloud
pCloud
8.7/10
$4.99 · 10TB
vs
sync-com
Sync.com
8.5/10
$8.00 · 6TB
Interactive tools

Stop reading. Start comparing.

Our tools do the work for you. Built with real pricing data from 12 providers, updated monthly.

Our approach

How we’re different

Real speed tests

12 providers

We benchmark upload and download speeds with standardized 1GB file sets on 1Gbps fiber — not theoretical maximums from marketing pages.

True cost math

5-year view

Our calculator reveals hidden fees, renewal price increases, and per-TB costs that comparison listicles ignore.

Zero filler

Every claim cited

Every claim backed by a number, a date, or a named source. No "comprehensive guide" padding. No weasel words.

Latest

Recent reviews

·12 min read

Backblaze review 2026: the best backup deal that isn't cloud storage

Hands-on Backblaze Personal Backup and B2 review covering unlimited backup pricing, AES-128 encryption, private key limitations, physical restore, and who should use it in 2026.

·11 min read

Box review 2026: built for enterprise, awkward for everyone else

Hands-on Box review covering enterprise compliance certifications, the 1,500+ integrations, Box Sign e-signatures, the personal plan pricing problem, and who should actually use it in 2026.

·12 min read

Carbonite review 2026: the veteran backup service that's falling behind

Hands-on Carbonite review covering unlimited backup tiers, Mirror Image bare-metal restore, the Basic plan video file exclusion, AES-128 encryption, OpenText ownership concerns, and who should still use it in 2026.

·10 min read

Filen review 2026: the cheapest zero-knowledge cloud storage, built by a small German team

Hands-on Filen review covering AES-256 zero-knowledge encryption, $0.99/month pricing, 10GB free E2EE tier, German EU jurisdiction, open-source clients, and the risks of a very young company in 2026.

·12 min read

Icedrive review 2026: beautiful interface, unusual encryption, and a company still finding its footing

Hands-on Icedrive review covering Twofish encryption concerns, virtual drive performance, lifetime plan value, UK jurisdiction issues, and who should buy it in 2026.

·13 min read

Internxt review 2026: post-quantum encryption and a StackSocial deal worth understanding

Hands-on Internxt review covering Kyber-512 post-quantum encryption, the Securitum audit, what the StackSocial lifetime deal excludes, EU jurisdiction, and who should buy it in 2026.