Cloud Storage Comparison 2026: Pick ONE and Cancel the Rest

Updated February 2026 • 8 min read

📊 The average person pays for 2.3 cloud storage services — spending $15-30/month on overlapping storage they could consolidate into one service for $3-10/month.

The Full Comparison

Google One / Google Drive

Free: 15GB (best free tier)
200GB: $3/month
2TB: $10/month
Best for: Android users, Gmail users, Google Docs/Sheets users
Bonus: Google Photos with AI search, VPN (on 2TB+), family sharing

iCloud+

Free: 5GB
200GB: $3/month
2TB: $10/month
Best for: iPhone/Mac users (seamless integration)
Bonus: Private Relay (VPN-lite), Hide My Email, HomeKit Secure Video

Microsoft OneDrive / Microsoft 365

Free: 5GB
100GB: $2/month (standalone)
1TB: $7/month (includes Office apps!)
Best for: Windows users, Office-dependent workers
Bonus: Full desktop Word/Excel/PowerPoint included at 1TB tier

Dropbox

Free: 2GB (worst free tier)
2TB: $12/month
Best for: Cross-platform file sharing (no ecosystem lock-in)
Downside: Most expensive, smallest free tier, no ecosystem integration

Which One Should You Pick?

iPhone + Mac user: iCloud+ ($3-10/month) — deepest integration, automatic backups
Android + Chromebook: Google One ($3-10/month) — best photos, largest free tier
Windows + Office needs: Microsoft 365 ($7/month) — 1TB + full Office suite is unbeatable value
Privacy-focused: pCloud ($5/month) or Proton Drive ($4/month) — end-to-end encryption
Cheapest possible: Google free tier (15GB) + external hard drive backup ($50 one-time)

The Nuclear Option: No Cloud Storage

For the truly frugal:

External SSD: Samsung T7 1TB ($80) — portable, fast, no subscription
NAS device: Synology DS223 ($200) + 2TB drive ($60) — personal cloud at home, access from anywhere
Total cost: $80-260 one-time vs $120+/year ongoing cloud fees
Break-even: 8-24 months, then free forever

Related Cancel Guides

🔍 How many storage services are on your statement?

Upload your bank statement to JustCancel — we find iCloud, Google One, Dropbox, OneDrive, and every other recurring charge.