Which are the best cloud providers in Germany?
Storing data with a German cloud provider means you can rely on German and European data protection standards. Our comparison will show you which providers are worth considering in your hunt for secure data storage.
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What are the pros of having a cloud in Germany?
Cloud services like Google Drive, iCloud or OneDrive are convenient. They usually come linked with Android or iOS devices like with Google Drive or iCloud. They are also often integrated automatically when you create Gmail accounts or set up Windows. However, the convenience of these readily available cloud service has a con. Anyone storing their data in the integrated cloud storage of these U.S. cloud providers are not protected by German or European data protection guidelines. U.S. authorities, for example, have the possibility to request insight to customer data stored with U.S. cloud providers that is not located on U.S. servers through the 2018 Cloud Act.
It is no surprise, then, that people who value cloud security and data sovereignty in their private or business data look for German cloud providers with German server locations. These usually offer data centers with security and data protection standards in accordance with the GDPR and ISO certifications for quality management and IT security. If you are looking to regularly create a backup or access team projects asynchronously online, a secure German cloud storage is a great place to start if security is a top priority of yours. Here are some options for you.
An overview of Cloud providers based in Germany
German Cloud Providers | Pros | Cost for 100 GB | Cost for 1,000 GB |
IONOS HiDrive Cloud Storage | - German data protection standard with server location in Germany - Data is AES-256 encrypted - Data centers are ISO-certified and GDPR-compliant - Automatic online backups, real-time synchronization and centralized, device/place-independent access | 100 GB for $1 per month (1 user) | 1,000 GB in business subscription for $7 per month (5 users) |
LeitzCloud | - German cloud provider with German server location - Focus on business customers - Sharing, role and rights distribution, unlimited uploads, real-time synchronization and online office included - Data is 256-bit encrypted on servers | 250 GB for $11 per user per month | 1,000 GB for $20 per user per month |
Your Secure Cloud | - Data centers in Germany with ISO certification and AES-256 encryption - Automatic backup function - Data is protected from provider access by end-to-end encryption | 100 GB for $7.99 per user per month | 1,000 GB for $49.99 per user per month |
OwnCloud.online | - Data centers in Germany with ISO certification - End-to-end encryption for optimal protection - Two-factor authentication - collaboration solution ONLYOFFICE for working together on known office file formats | 500 GB for $15 per user per month (up to 4 users) | 1,000 GB + 200 GB per user for $13 per user per month (from 5 users) |
MagentaCLOUD | - Private and business options - GDPR-compliant data centers in Germany - On call customer service - Dedicated or shared server options - End-to-end encryption and two-factor authentication | 100 GB for $1.95 per user per month (M) | 1,000 GB for $9.95 per user per month (XL) |
Up to date as of October 2022
HiDrive Cloud-Speicher von IONOS
The IONOS HiDrive Cloud Storage guarantees the highest level of protection thanks to ISO certification for optimal data center security. With German server locations for cloud storage in Germany, your data also enjoys German data protection standards that meet all GDPR guidelines. Access is flexible and independent of end device and location. Automatic synchronization and backups are reliable, and you can benefit from practical access and sharing functions for decentralized teamwork, including a mobile App for Android and iOS.
Pricing: The HiDrive cloud storage from IONOS does not have a free option but does offer 100 GB of storage for just $1 per month. From $3 a month you get 250 GB, 3 users included. Bookable for 12 months is the Business plan with 1,000 GB and up to 5 users for $7 a month. The Pro plan gets you 2,000 GB for up to 10 users for $20 a month. Watch out for discounts in the first 12 months.
LeitzCloud
Leitz has been making a name for itself as a high-quality provider of German cloud storage services for some time now. LeitzCloud offers GDPR-compliant and ISO-certified German and European data centers, with features such as encryption during upload and download, no upload restrictions, cross-device synchronization in real time and online file editing. The focus is clearly on businesses and larger projects with high demands in terms of cloud management, access authorization, role distribution and analysis reports. A user-friendly dashboard is available for this purpose, among other things.
Pricing: Cloud individual users receive 250 GB with full functionality costs around $11 per month (annual payment). From around $99 per month, teams of 12 to 50 users have 250 GB at their disposal. With the Enterprise plan, there are even 2,000 GB from roughly $430 per month.
Your Secure Cloud
Your Secure Cloud is a cloud provider in Germany that meets the requirements and guidelines of German data security demands. Data centers are located in Germany all have ISO certification including AES-256 encryption for stored data. Data secured in the cloud is encrypted, meaning it is inaccessible to anyone but you. SSL and end-to-end encryption are also used for uploads and downloads. The service is suitable for both private and professional users, as web office, team functions and sharing and role distribution are also available.
Pricing: Your Secure Cloud does not offer a free option but provides private customers with 10 GB for 3 dollars a month, 100 GB for 8 dollars a month and 1,000 GB for 50 dollars a month (as rough equivalents to Euro costs). Business customers can use 50 GB per user (for teams of two or more) with the Business plan for 4 dollars a month. The Enterprise plan provides access to additional storage upon individual request.
Get the best data security on offer alongside a free link-based file sharing up to 2GBs with IONOS HiDrive Share.
OwnCloud.online
ownCloud.online is an open-source cloud storage provider based in Germany. Don’t confuse ownCloud.online with the open-source solution ownCloud which is used for building a cloud solution on your own server. ownCloud.online has been compared with Dropbox in terms of its functionality but it has a larger scope of function. There’s an integration of ONLYOFFICE, a collaboration solution which lets you work on documents together. ownCloud.online also includes a mobile app (Android and iOS). Data is stored in German data centers and can compete with the best in terms of its security standards (including ISO 9001, ISO 27001). You can opt for a 14-day free trial to see if it suits your needs, or alternatively go for one of the paid plans straight away.
Pricing: You get the OwnCloud.online service “For Single Users” or “For Teams”. With the single user plan, you get 500 GB for $15 per user per month (up to 4 users). The teams plan includes 1,000 GB plus 200 GB per user, starts from 5 users and you pay $13 per user per month.
MagentaCLOUD
The cloud storage MagentaCLOUD is offered by Telekom and provides a suitable plan for every need, from outsourcing large files to the cloud archive to storage requirements of business customers. With German data centers, a high level of data protection is guaranteed thanks to ISO certification and reliable encryption of your data. Optionally, data can be encrypted in special folders with the Boxcryptor encryption software. In addition, you can access stored data from all devices of your choice via free cloud software and cloud app and synchronize it automatically.
Pricing: With MagentaCLOUD, there are various rates for Telekom customers to choose from, starting at 15 GB free of charge. If you’re not a Telekom customer you get 100 GB from the equivalent of 2 dollars a month, and 1,000 GB is available from around 10 dollars a month.
Optimal security: Cloud storage plus online backups
Regardless of which cloud storage you choose, you will only really get the best data security if you save data in cloud storage, and additionally as backups. This applies to both data and end devices. Ensure that you use the automatic backup function with the respective service you pick. Using this automatic backup function, data can be saved regularly and automatically as an online backup, so that data can be restored in an emergency. We also recommend the 3-2-1-backup-rule. This states that three copies or backups of important data should be made. These should be saved on two storage media, one of which is stored separately off-site or always carried along.
For reliable data protection, automatic online backups, and protection against malware and ransomware, use MyDefender from IONOS.
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