10 best cloud storage services and apps for Android

Cloud storage is one of the most valuable types of storage you can have. It’s efficient, doesn’t take up your internal storage, and is far more convenient than carrying a hard drive everywhere. Unfortunately, with the death of the SD card in phones, this is a slightly necessary evil if you want to back things up on a medium you can get to if your phone dies. It also makes it easier to share files with other people. You can get ahead of the curve with these extraordinary cloud storage services and apps for Android.
There are also some great free cloud storage apps here that don’t cost you anything. Prices are accurate as of the publish date but could change before the next one.

The best cloud storage services and apps for Android

Amazon Drive

Price: Free app/ $1.99-$11.99 per month

Amazon Drive is a good start for anyone who uses Amazon Prime. Those with Amazon Prime will get 5GB of free storage and unlimited backup for only photos via the Amazon Photos app (Google Play link). You can upgrade to unlimited storage for about $60 per year. Those without Amazon Prime get complete photo backup for $12 per year. The app itself works fine and isn’t anything special. There is a slight lag occasionally; otherwise, it’s a decent overall experience. It also recently changed its prices. The $1.99 per month price gives you 100GB, the $6.99 per month price gives you 1TB, and the $11.99 per month price gives you 2 TB.

Autosync

Price: Free / Up to $9.99

Autosync is a family of apps by MetaCtrl. Each one deals with a different cloud storage app, and you can choose between Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, MEGA, and a new universal one (still in beta) that works with all of the previously mentioned services along with pCloud, Yandex Disk, and SharePoint Online. Autosync functions as a cloud storage manager. It forces full two-way syncing between your phone and cloud storage (or one way if you prefer), and you can set it to sync at customizable intervals. That’s all it does, but it’s great if you want copies of your cloud storage on all your devices.

Box

Price: Free / $15-$25 per month / Enterprise options

Box.com is an up-and-comer in the cloud storage world. There are a variety of file management apps and others that have Box integration as well, and that’s nice. New users can sign up for personal accounts for free and get 10GB of free storage, while $15/month gets you 100 GB. Business version costs $25/month per user and include far more features. The app works pretty well, and it emphasizes simplicity and organization. It is a bit more expensive than most for its base 100GB plan for individual use, so keep that in mind.

Dropbox

Price: Free / $9.99-$16.58 per month

Everybody knows about Dropbox, and there’s a good chance that some of you already have this app pre-installed on your devices. The app comes with auto-photo upload, easy sharing options, the latest Android design elements, Microsoft Office support, and the ability to send files to others. It’s an excellent option with more features than most. Individual accounts get 2GB for free. You now get 2TB for $9.99 per month, which is on par with industry competitors. 

Google Drive

Price: Free / $1.99-$9.99 per month

Google Drive is among the most respected and popular cloud storage apps. Users get 15GB free out of the gate with Google Photos integration if they choose. There is also an assortment of office apps available for documents, note-taking, spreadsheets, and presentations. The plans are pretty versatile and include 100GB ($1.99 per month), 200GB ($2.99 per month), and 2TB ($9.99 per month). Between the photo storage, full-featured office apps, and collaborative features, Google Drive is a step above most in this game. However, if you just need cloud storage, they’re competitive, but not the only option.

MEGA

Price: Free / €4.99-€29.99 per month / $6-$36 per month

MEGA is the spiritual sequel to the controversial site MegaUpload from years ago. It has the best free offering of any cloud storage app, with 50GB just for signing up. It has plans ranging from 400GB for $6 per month to a whopping 16TB for $36. In terms of cloud storage, MEGA has a lot going for it. The app is easy to use, and you can organize your files as needed. The only real caveat is the bonus storage you earn isn’t permanent. Otherwise, this is a solid option. The 50GB alone makes it great for a lot of folks.

Microsoft OneDrive

Price: Free / $1.99-$9.99 per month

Microsoft OneDrive is a popular cloud storage option because it integrates directly with various Windows products. For starters, you can get 5GB of free cloud storage and upgrade to 50GB for $1.99 per month. OneDrive storage is also included in every Office 365 subscription for personal or business use. You can get a bundled package of OneDrive space and Microsoft Office 365 for $6.99 per month (1TB, one device) or $9.99 per month (6TB, five devices). That gives you Microsoft Office and online cloud storage space for an exceptionally reasonable price. An optional $1.99 per month OneDrive standalone package with 100GB is also available.

Nextcloud

Price: Free

Nextcloud is a different type of cloud storage. It works a lot like Resilio Sync. You create your own Nextcloud server on your computer. The app lets you sync files between your computer and your phone. It operates like your typical cloud storage, but you control where the files go and what happens when they arrive. It’s an excellent resource for people who like the idea of cloud storage but don’t want their files on the servers of some other company. Plus, you get as much cloud storage as you have storage on your computer. It is free to use for personal use. There are enterprise options for businesses as well.

Proton Drive

Price: Free 

Proton Drive, the cloud storage application by Proton, offers complete security with end-to-end encryption and password-protected sharing. It’s free, ad-free, and available on both Android and iOS. Users can share files securely with unlimited sharing options and access files across devices. However, it requires an internet connection and occasional bugs or glitches can impact performance. The free version gives you 1GB space. You can get 200GB after paying $3.99/month and 500 GB for $9.99/month.

Tresorit

Price: Free / $18-$24 per month

Tresorit is one of the newer and more expensive cloud storage options. However, it takes security very seriously. It features end-to-end encryption of every file uploaded to its service. Basic accounts get 1GB of storage. The the pro plans include far more security features than the free account. There are also additional options for businesses and enterprise use. It’s a strong option for those who don’t mind paying for extra features and some extra privacy.

Who do you use for your cloud storage? If we missed any other great Android cloud storage options let us know about them in the comments below!