pCloud

What it is

pCloud, from Switzerland-based pCloud International AG, syncs and backs up files through pCloud Drive, a virtual drive that keeps files in the cloud until you open them, with desktop apps for Windows, macOS and Linux plus iOS and Android. Every plan has unlimited file sizes and transfer speeds, password-protected share links, 30-day file recovery and version history, a built-in music and video player, and the new pCloud Photos and pCloud Docs editors; you choose an EU or US data region at signup. Files are encrypted in transit and at rest, but client-side (end-to-end) encryption is the separate paid pCloud Encryption add-on. US prices: free account with up to 10 GB; Premium 500 GB at $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year; Premium Plus 2 TB at $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year. Lifetime plans are a one-time payment: during the Black Friday sale running on November 13, 2026, Premium 500 GB was $159 (list $279), Premium Plus 2 TB $379 (list $709), Ultra 10 TB $1,099 (list $2,799), and a 3in1 bundle of 3 TB plus Encryption and pCloud Pass $579. 14-day money-back guarantee; family plans for up to 5 people. Checked November 13, 2026 on pcloud.com.

Best for

• People who want to stop paying a monthly storage bill
• Linux users who want an official desktop app
• Photo and video collections you want to stream from the cloud

What we like

• Lifetime plans: 2 TB for a one-time $379 during the Black Friday sale, about 3 years of Dropbox Plus
• Official desktop apps for Windows, macOS and Linux
• Up to 10 GB free, 5 times Dropbox Basic
• No file size limit, plus EU or US data region at signup

What to watch

• End-to-end encryption is a paid add-on (pCloud Encryption), not on by default
• A lifetime plan only pays off after roughly 3 to 4 years and if pCloud stays in business
• File recovery and version history only go back 30 days on standard plans
• No office suite as deep as Google Docs or Microsoft 365