What are the best iCloud al­ter­na­tives? 5 solutions at a glance

Finding an al­ter­na­tive to iCloud is straight­for­ward. We explain what to look for when choosing a reliable iCloud backup al­ter­na­tive.

What are the al­ter­na­tives to iCloud?

A powerful iCloud al­ter­na­tive should offer secure cloud storage, reliable en­cryp­tion and flexible access. To use cloud services securely, you should consider several factors, including suf­fi­cient storage space, reliable en­cryp­tion during transfer and storage, good per­for­mance and clear data pro­tec­tion policies. Modern cloud services mainly differ in whether they offer file syncing or a true backup solution.

Below, we present five providers offering at­trac­tive and secure services.

Overview of the best iCloud al­ter­na­tives

Legend for price category:

+ = Low // ++ = Medium // +++ = High

In­for­ma­tion correct as of May 2026

What should an iCloud al­ter­na­tive offer?

Backup and syn­chro­niza­tion features

• Access to cloud storage across multiple devices with automatic syn­chro­niza­tion
• File ver­sion­ing, recovery options and automated backups

Security and data pro­tec­tion

• TLS/SSL en­cryp­tion during data transfer
• AES 256-bit en­cryp­tion for stored data
• Zero-knowledge en­cryp­tion for enhanced data pro­tec­tion
• Com­pli­ance with data pro­tec­tion reg­u­la­tions

Per­for­mance and usability

• Upload and download speeds
• Support for large files
• Apps for iOS, Android, Windows and macOS
• In­te­gra­tion with tools such as Microsoft Office and Google Workspace

Microsoft OneDrive

As an al­ter­na­tive to iCloud, Microsoft’s cloud storage service OneDrive combines cloud storage, syn­chro­niza­tion and col­lab­o­ra­tion in a single service. Files are au­to­mat­i­cal­ly synced across iOS, Android, Windows and macOS, so they are available re­gard­less of location or device. Your data transfer is secured with TLS/SSL en­cryp­tion and data at rest is typically protected on servers using strong al­go­rithms such as AES 256-bit, ensuring a high security standard.

OneDrive is a strong choice for users who col­lab­o­rate on Office documents or already work with Microsoft 365. Its close in­te­gra­tion with Microsoft services makes teamwork easier through features such as real-time co-authoring and automatic version history. Personal Vault offers added pro­tec­tion for sensitive files, although Microsoft retains control of the en­cryp­tion keys. In­tel­li­gent document recog­ni­tion and search also extend OneDrive beyond basic cloud storage.

• Ad­van­tages: Automatic syn­chro­niza­tion across devices and seamless in­te­gra­tion with Microsoft 365
• Ideal for: Users who work in cloud-based Microsoft en­vi­ron­ments
• Price category: ++

HiDrive

As a provider of domains and hosting, IONOS offers HiDrive, a cloud storage service that lets you store data centrally and securely on European servers. HiDrive is par­tic­u­lar­ly strong in terms of data pro­tec­tion and data pro­cess­ing. The highly secure servers are ISO-certified and the data centers meet strict data pro­tec­tion re­quire­ments. HiDrive not only provides automatic backups and syn­chro­niza­tion, but also team sharing, ver­sion­ing and central file man­age­ment, which com­par­i­son tests highlight as a benefit for team col­lab­o­ra­tion.

In the Pro plan, end-to-end en­cryp­tion is also included, which encrypts all data locally on your device before it is uploaded to the cloud. In the other plans, this option can be added at any time for an ad­di­tion­al fee.

• Strengths: Strong data pro­tec­tion, team features and ver­sion­ing
• Ideal for: Privacy-focused in­di­vid­u­als and teams
• Price category: ++

Google Drive

Alongside OneDrive, Google Drive is one of the most widely used cloud services worldwide and is a popular iCloud backup al­ter­na­tive. Many personal users who are weighing the pros and cons of Dropbox and Google Drive opt for Google Drive – not least because it is deeply in­te­grat­ed into the Google ecosystem with Workspace services such as Docs, Sheets and Slides. All data is also secured in transit and at rest with AES‑256 en­cryp­tion. Client-side en­cryp­tion is available in Frontline Plus, En­ter­prise Plus, Education Standard and Education Plus plans. For other plans, Google manages the keys itself.

To use Google Drive, you only need a Google account. A Google account gives you access to Drive and other connected Google services. Files can be uploaded, syn­chro­nized and shared across supported devices. In addition, many third-party apps can be easily in­te­grat­ed, data can be shared centrally, syn­chro­nized and down­loaded or uploaded re­gard­less of the device.

• Ad­van­tages: Strong in­te­gra­tion with Google services, extensive platform support, real-time editing
• Ideal for: In­di­vid­u­als and teams who col­lab­o­ra­tive­ly edit documents and already use Google services
• Price category: ++

pCloud

pCloud is a Swiss cloud storage provider that combines user-friendly features with TLS/SSL and AES-256 en­cryp­tion and the pro­tec­tions offered by Swiss data pro­tec­tion law. Its EU data center is certified to ISO 27001 for in­for­ma­tion security and ISO 9001 for quality man­age­ment. pCloud also stands out for its com­pet­i­tive pricing, optional end-to-end en­cryp­tion and lifetime storage plans, which can provide a cost-effective option for long-term storage.

pCloud is also well suited to storing large media col­lec­tions or extensive photo libraries, thanks to its fast syn­chro­niza­tion and generous storage options.

• Ad­van­tages: Fast syn­chro­niza­tion, lifetime storage plans and good value for money
• Ideal for: Users with large media col­lec­tions, long-term storage needs or a limited budget
• Price category: +

IDrive

IDrive is one of the most powerful iCloud backup al­ter­na­tives, as the service offers not only syn­chro­niza­tion but also a true backup solution. Data is trans­mit­ted via TLS/SSL and stored at rest with AES‑256‑bit en­cryp­tion. Unlike classic cloud storage, IDrive enables automatic backups, ver­sion­ing and the restora­tion of older file versions. Par­tic­u­lar­ly practical is the support for multiple devices, so data from smart­phones, PCs and servers can be centrally backed up. In current com­par­i­son tests, IDrive is regularly rated as one of the best backup solutions, as it offers com­pre­hen­sive backup and recovery functions.

• Ad­van­tages: True backup with ver­sion­ing, automatic backups, multi-device support
• Ideal for: Users with high security and backup re­quire­ments
• Price category: +++