iCloud storage alternatives that give you more space

Photo by Alex Vámos on Unsplash

TL;DR:

• I finally hit the dreaded iCloud Storage is Full limit. Didn’t want to pay — yet, so I tried different alternatives.
• Google Drive is the most collaboration-friendly, but Terabox offers the largest free storage space (1TB)
• But before you sign up for a subscription, use **CleanMyMac **to unclutter and get more space.

I’m sure I’m not alone in this — wishing that Apple were more generous with iCloud’s limit. With 5GB, there’s really not plenty of room to work with, even for a writer like me.

I guess I’ve taken too many screenshots, the occasional selfies, and tutorial videos that seem to somehow fill my iCloud to the brim.

So, it’s only natural that I was prompted to upgrade to iCloud+. Yet, I didn’t give in to the urge to upgrade. Instead, I tried freeing up some storage (which is a mammoth task given years’ worth of files and photos).

First, I removed junk I never knew existed

If you’ve followed my writing on Medium, you would have known that I’ve tested several Mac cleaner tools. And **CleanMyMac** is my favorite.

(If you’re wondering how I managed to find a productivity app for most of my tasks, check out this GPT tool finder, which is built specifically for discovering the best productivity tools.)

• I did a full scan with CleanMyMac
• Found junk files that have been clogging up my drive.
• I removed them and got back several weeks of storage.

Apparently, some of these unwanted files are synced to my iCloud Drive. (I wished that I could free up more, but it bought me time to try different **iCloud storage alternatives**.

Google Drive: Collaboration has never been easier

Free storage: 15GB.

Paid plans: From $1.99 per month (100GB)

My first choice was obviously Google Drive. It’s free and also comes with a generous limit.

• Basically, you get 3x more storage space on Google Drive compared to iCloud.
• But more importantly, Google Drive integrates with Mac so seamlessly.
• If you’re not keen on accessing the drive in a browser, you can download its macOS app. After downloading, you could access the files directly from Finder.

And if photos are the culprit taking up your iCloud storage space, you can sync your Photos with Google Drive. Plus, if you’re working with Google Docs, you can edit them even if you’re offline. That’s a big bonus if you’re often in places with dodgy internet connections.

Still, despite being the best alternatives to iCloud Storage, not everything is rosy. Once you’ve hit that 15GB limit, Google Drive’s upgrades are more costly than iCloud. (starting at $0.99 for 50GB).

pCloud: Pay once, use forever

Free storage: 10GB.

Paid plans: From $4.99 per month or $299 lifetime (500GB)

**pCloud **caught my attention because of its lifetime pricing. Honestly, how many storage providers allow you to pay once for indefinite usage? Barely any. In this aspect, pCloud is a great cloud storage alternative to iCloud.

• Like Google Drive, pCloud has a macOS app that lets you easily upload and sync files and folders from your Mac.
• Once set up, you can drag and drop folders to the app and wait as they’re automatically uploaded.
• It has a dedicated Photo section where you can store and manage images and videos.

In fact, I’ll argue that pCloud has a more polished desktop interface. For a fee, you can unlock a Crypto folder, which automatically encrypts stored files.

A word of caution, though: pCloud isn’t exactly collaboration-friendly. You can’t ‘share’ files or folders you uploaded with others.

Terabox: Unbelievable, but I got 1TB for free

Free storage: 1024GB.

Paid plans: From $3.49 per month (2TB )

I blinked twice when I came across **Terabox **— I mean, 1TB of storage without even needing your credit card details? Apparently, that’s what you get after signing up.

• Terabox offers a generous amount of free storage compared to alternatives like Google Drive and pCloud.
• And it’s also very easy to use. I suspect that it’s modelled after Google Drive. Drag-and-drop, folder management, and different view styles.
• You can manage file-sharing permissions, including creating time-sensitive links.

I must admit that I was bracing for an ad-heavy app, just like how many of **these TrustPilot reviews** cautioned. But I guessed Terabox has done away with ads for its free version, or at least, reduced them.

To be safe, I checked with other reviews, and the team at Cloudwards did give a fair assessment. So, I tried Terabox, and so far, there are no major red flags.

My only complaint? It doesn’t mount natively onto Mac’s file system. You can’t manage the files you stored on Terabox in Finder.

So, which iCloud alternative should you choose?

It depends on what you want to do. Go for Google Drive if you want a collab-friendly storage. Choose pCloud if you think a lifetime license is a deal breaker. Or try Terabox if you find the free 1TB storage irresistible.

What do you think is the best iCloud alternative? Let me know in the comments below.