At any given time, the precious and irreplaceable files stored on your personal hard drive are susceptible to damage through a vast array of threats, from accidental erasures to natural disasters. Online storage services provide an easy and convenient way to safeguard your documents, photos and music files from such threats. Your files are backed up and the copies are stored online, where they are safe, secure and accessible from any internet connection. If your original files are ever damaged or lost, you can easily restore your files. Many online storage services also allow you to share your files with others, typically through a link to a folder with the files you want to share.
There are many excellent players in the industry, including SugarSync, Egnyte and OpenDrive. Our comprehensive reviews, side-by-side comparison and articles on online storage services are designed to provide information to help you make an informed decision on which service is right for you. At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don't Have To.
Online storage services all provide the same basic functionality of internet data storage, but they can differ greatly when it comes to features and storage space allotments. Before choosing a service, it ís crucial to evaluate your storage needs and the quality of the service. The following are the criteria we used to assess the top online storage services in our lineup.
Features
Online storage services should provide practical features that make uploading, accessing and sharing your files easy. We looked for the ability to share files, schedule backups and create sub-accounts for additional users. An online storage service should also provide remote and mobile access to your account, so you can access your files from any internet connection no matter where you are.
Security
Security should be a top priority when it comes to choosing an online storage service. Online storage services should employ robust security measures to safeguard your files during transmission and when stored on their servers. These should include, but aren't limited to, SSL encryption when files are transferred, password-protected accounts and multi-level security.
Storage Space
The best online storage services offer ample storage space for a reasonable price. In our lineup, we included services that provided several gigabytes of storage for a low monthly price.
Ease of Use
We looked for online storage services that are powerful yet simple enough for the average consumer to understand and use. A clean, intuitive account interface should foster easy navigation, and uploading files and software installation, if required, should be straightforward. A good online storage service will allow you to begin uploading files to your account within a few minutes.
Help & Support
Even the most user-friendly online storage services should be supplemented with useful help and support options. Troubleshooting and technical resources should be available, including tutorials, FAQs, user manuals and community forums. Direct customer support should also be offered by the manufacturer via telephone, email or online chat.
Online storage services provide secure and easily accessible cloud storage that allows you to view and share your files from anywhere, anytime. You can free up space on your hard drive while ensuring you'll never lose your personal files.
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SugarSync | Egnyte HybridCloud | MyPC Backup | ZipCloud | JustCloud | OpenDrive | Mozy | Box.net | Carbonite | ADrive |
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Monthly Fee for at Least 5 GB of Space |
$4.99 |
$9.99 |
$9.95 |
$9.95 |
$9.95 |
$5.00 |
$5.99 |
$15.00 |
$4.92 |
$6.95 |
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