pCloud is a file storage & sharing tool for Freelancers and Small businesses, offered as freemium ($5/mo). Founded in in 2013. Popular alternatives include IDrive, MEGA, lifebox.
About pCloud
pCloud is a cloud storage service founded in 2013 and headquartered in Switzerland, with its development team in Bulgaria. Users choose at sign-up whether their data is stored in data centers in the United States or in Luxembourg in the EU. It is best known for lifetime plans, where storage is bought once instead of paid every year, and for a virtual drive that shows the whole cloud on a computer without using local disk space.
pCloud Drive works on Windows, macOS and Linux, with mobile apps that offer automatic photo upload. Built-in audio and video players stream media directly from storage, file versioning and a rewind feature recover earlier states, and sharing works through download links, upload links and shared folders. pCloud Encryption is a paid add-on that provides client-side, zero-knowledge encryption for a dedicated folder. Plans include a free tier of up to 10 GB, Premium and Premium Plus storage as yearly or lifetime purchases, family plans and Business plans for teams.
pCloud suits individuals and freelancers who want large personal storage and prefer a one-time payment, especially for photo archives and media libraries. Collaboration features are basic compared with Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive, encryption costs extra while Proton Drive and Sync.com include it by default, and the value of a lifetime plan depends on the company's long-term survival. Icedrive is another provider that offers lifetime pricing.
Key features of pCloud
- Virtual drive
- Lifetime plans
- File versioning
- Media streaming
- Client-side encryption add-on
- Sharing links
Pros and cons
Pros
- Lifetime pricing
- Swiss privacy
- Virtual drive
- Cross-platform
Cons
- Encryption is extra
- Team features limited
- Company longevity risk for lifetime
- Collaboration basic
pCloud pricing
pCloud uses a freemium model.
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 10 GB (per help.pcloud.com plan details) |
| Premium 500 GB | $4.99 / mo | $49.99/yr; lifetime $219 |
| Premium Plus 2 TB | $9.99 / mo | $99.99/yr; lifetime $499 |
| Ultra 10 TB | $29.99 / mo | $299.99/yr; lifetime $1,499 |
Source: www.pcloud.com · checked on Oct 20, 2026
How pCloud compares in File storage & sharing
- Rank by votes
- #1 / 16
- Starting price
- $5
- Free alternatives
- 1
0 votes from members
29% below the category median ($7/mo)
Free or open-source tools in File storage & sharing
pCloud ranks #1 of 16 file storage & sharing tools by community votes and is priced below most tools in the category.
Common use cases
- 1Personal photo archive
- 2Media storage
- 3Long-term backup
- 4Freelancer file sharing
Best for
Individuals preferring one-time payment.
Not ideal for
Team collaboration.
Integrations
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
- Web
Our take
pCloud is the best lifetime cloud storage deal.
FAQ
- What is pCloud?
- pCloud is a File storage & sharing tool: Swiss cloud storage with lifetime plans.
- How much does pCloud cost?
- pCloud uses a Freemium model; paid plans start at $5 per month.
- What are the best alternatives to pCloud?
- Community-listed alternatives to pCloud include IDrive, MEGA, lifebox.
- What does pCloud integrate with?
- pCloud integrates with Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web and more.
- Which platforms does pCloud support?
- pCloud is available on web, macos, windows, ios, android.
- Who is pCloud for?
- Individuals preferring one-time payment.
Alternatives to pCloud
IDrive
▲ 0Cloud backup for multiple PCs, Macs, phones and servers in one account
Freemium · $0Small businessesFreelancers
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