Cloud storage is an essential tool for backing up and securing our files, but not all services are equal in terms of price. How to pay less without sacrificing quality?
In this article, we compare the best economical and reliable offers starting from around 1 TB, with precise comparisons between low-cost subscriptions and the most cost-effective lifetime offers. Whether you are looking for the lowest price, storage without a subscription, or the best security for your data, find out which option will allow you to save the most without compromising on quality and reliability of service.
When we talk about private encryption (also known as zero-knowledge encryption), it is a digital safe of which only you hold the key: the provider cannot read your files. Be sure to set up and keep the recovery method provided during activation.
On price, one detail changes the ranking: a lifetime offer (also called a Lifetime offer: a one-time payment, no monthly subscription) at pCloud for €399 for 2 TB often comes out better than Internxt at €380 for 1 TB. We therefore place pCloud at the top, and Internxt just behind for the included privacy.
Last updated: 25 August 2026.
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Quick Recommendation: Our Top 3
🏆 1. pCloud
The best price/capacity/maturity balance: 2 TB for life at €399, or 10 TB for €1,190.
Who is it for? Individuals and professionals who want a mature service, well-developed apps, and the best price per TB for a lifetime offer.
Crypto optional if you have sensitive files (private encryption not included by default).
✅ Cost-effective lifetime offer in the long term
✅ Family Offer: up to 5 private spaces on the same plan (pCloud Family)
✅ 14 days satisfaction guarantee
✅ From 500 GB to 10 TB of storage
✅ Comprehensive and proven cloud service
Quick registration to test the service, no credit card required.
Subscribe via the pricing, no conditions.
Detailed review of pCloud
🥈 2. Internxt
The best choice if you want a lifetime offer with private encryption included, at −80 % (from €380 for 1 TB).
Who is it for? Those who prioritise privacy and accept 1, 3, or 5 TB rather than a versatile 2 TB pack.
✅ Lifetime offer −80 %: from €380 for 1 TB
✅ 30 days satisfaction guarantee
✅ 100% private storage (even Internxt cannot read your files)
✅ From 1 to 5 TB of storage
✅ Private encryption included (VPN and tools depending on the plan)
No commitment.
30 days satisfaction guarantee. For annual plans, the −80 % generally applies to the 1st year.
Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back, no conditions.
Detailed review of Internxt
🥉 3. kDrive
The cheapest cloud storage for those who prefer a classic subscription (monthly or annual), with up to -20% discount depending on the commitment duration.
Who is it for? Flexible subscription, collaboration, and low prices on 3 TB, without a large one-time initial payment.
✅ The cheapest monthly or annual subscription (but no lifetime offers)
✅ 30 days free trial
✅ Up to -20% with a 3-year commitment
✅ 3 TB of storage
✅ Reliable and very comprehensive European service
Price per terabyte does not mean complete backup. These offers are primarily for synchronising and sharing files. To restore a computer, protect an external drive, or keep an independent history, consult the guide cloud storage or backup and our comparison of backup solutions.
The price per TB is not enough for a backup
| Desired Budget | Logical Solution | To Check |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-effective synchronised storage | pCloud, Internxt or kDrive | Capacity, sharing, history and encryption |
| Backup for multiple devices | IDrive | Global quota, renewal and overage |
| Backup of a NAS or servers | Swiss Backup | Capacity, devices, retention and restoration |
A hybrid offer like pCloud or Internxt may be sufficient for a few selected files. It should not be compared solely on a price per TB basis with a dedicated backup: the number of devices, the versions retained, and the ability to restore after a failure change the truly useful cost.
Pricing Summary (subscriptions and lifetime offers)
| 🏆 | Service | Reference offer | Price noted | Type | Trial / Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
pCloud
|
Premium 500 GB Premium Plus 2 TB Ultra 10 TB |
Lifetime: 199 € / 399 € / 1 190 € instead of 299 € / 599 € / 1 890 € 2 TB subscription: 9.99 €/month or 99.99 €/year |
Lifetime offer or subscription |
🎁 Up to 10 GB 🔎 Compare pCloud plans |
| 2 |
Internxt
|
Essential 1 TB Premium 3 TB Ultimate 5 TB |
Lifetime (−80 %): 380 € / 580 € / 780 € instead of 1 900 € / 2 900 € / 3 900 € Annual (−80 %, 1st year): 1.99 / 3.99 / 5.99 €/month |
Lifetime offer or annual subscription |
🎁 1 GB free 🔐 −80 % for life |
| 3 |
kDrive
|
Solo 3 TB |
4.99 €/month or 59.88 €/year with 1 year commitment |
Subscription |
🎁 30 days trial 💰 Subscriptions |
1st. pCloud: the best value for money, capacity and maturity
For whom ? Those who want the best compromise in a lifetime offer around 2 TB (or 10 TB), with a proven service.
pCloud is overall the best cloud for storage. With a very attractive pricing policy, it tops the ranking of the cheapest cloud storage. Its offer in this category provides 2 TB for €9.99 per month, or €99.99 per year (17% savings for annual payment). But like Internxt and Icedrive, what allows for real savings with pCloud is the lifetime online storage offer.
90 DAYS FREE TRIAL • UNTIL 27TH SEPTEMBER
Really test pCloud: 90 days free (500 GB + Pass + Encryption)
Anniversary offer: create an account and use pCloud like a real subscriber for 3 months. Storage, password manager, and zero-knowledge encryption to keep your sensitive files confidential, with no commitment.
500 GB
cloud storage
pCloud Pass
passwords
Encryption
sensitive files
✓ 3 months to decide • ✓ No commitment • ✓ New accounts
ADVANTAGES
- Up to 10 TB of storage
- Service and data hosted in Europe (Switzerland) or the United States of your choice
- Private encryption available via the pCloud Crypto option (paid)
- Satisfied or refunded within 14 days
- Free space of 10 GB
- Very economical lifetime offers (one-time payment)
- Family Offer: up to 5 private accounts on a shared plan (details)
DISADVANTAGES
- Private encryption (pCloud Crypto) as a paid option, to be added to the calculation of the true price
- Collaboration tools to improve
LIFETIME ONLINE STORAGE: long-term savings
This plan allows you to pay once to enjoy a lifetime of online storage. It involves a one-time payment of €399 to use 2 TB in the cloud, unlimited over time.
At €399 for 2 TB for life, compared to the annual subscription at €99.99, the break-even point is about 4 years (399 ÷ 99.99). Compared to the monthly fee of €9.99, it’s more around 3.3 years. Beyond that, each year is “gained”, a strong argument alongside Internxt at €380… for only 1 TB.
- About 3.3 years vs the monthly subscription (€9.99).
- About 4 years vs the annual subscription (€99.99).
It is therefore an easy plan to make profitable if you plan to use such a cloud storage service for at least a few years. It offers excellent value for money for a mature service, especially if you are aiming for 2 TB or 10 TB in a single payment.
Important point for the “real price”: private encryption is not included by default in Premium / Premium Plus in the lifetime offer. You need the pCloud Crypto option (subscription or one-time payment depending on the current offer). If privacy is crucial, add this cost before comparing with Internxt or Icedrive, where private encryption is already included.
Another advantage: the Family plan, which allows you to distribute 2 TB or 10 TB among up to five private spaces (each with their own account), rather than sharing a single password. Useful for a household or a small close-knit team.
It is necessary to specify, however, that the pCloud site has communicated this price as a temporary promotion of 33%, the actual price being €599 for 2 TB. It is not very clear whether this promotion is set to last or not.
For those who want more: 10 TB of online storage for life!
For those looking for an even larger online storage space, pCloud has recently offered a lifetime cloud storage space of 10 TB! This is available at the price of €1190 (which is €119 / TB). This price of €1190 is displayed as a 37% promotion compared to the actual price of €1890.
See the features of 10 TB lifetime cloud storage
Monthly and annual payments
pCloud is also among the best prices for monthly and annual payments. Although in this category the competitors are very close to each other, apart from kDrive, which is significantly cheaper in subscription.
In the form of monthly payments with no long-term commitment, the 2 TB offer costs €9.99 per month.
This amounts to 200 GB per euro invested, which is twice as good as the best prices for lightweight online storage from 200 to 500 GB.
For annual payments (one payment to use pCloud services for 12 months), the price is €99.99 per year. That’s 17% lower than the monthly price.
Conclusion on pCloud
pCloud is our top recommendation in this “cheaper” comparison, and it also remains at the top of our overall ranking of the best online storage.
For those looking for rock-solid cloud storage, the savings offered by a one-time payment to purchase 2 TB or 10 TB of lifetime storage will be a key selling point.
Moreover, pCloud has a “satisfaction or money-back” policy for 14 days following payment. This reassures us that it is a very low-cost online storage and the best overall (see our review of pCloud).
To learn more: our full review of pCloud, the guide to lifetime cloud storage, or the general comparison of cloud storages.
2nd. Internxt: privacy and lifetime offer at −80 %
For whom ? Priority for included private encryption and one-time payment at −80 % (1 / 3 / 5 To).
Internxt is a newcomer in the online storage market. Founded in 2020 in Spain, it is establishing itself thanks to its commitment to security and privacy, as well as its very competitive pricing.
ADVANTAGES
- Enhanced security and privacy through private encryption (zero knowledge)
- Data hosted in Europe and GDPR compliance
- Lifetime plans at −80 %, with private encryption included
- Essential (1 To), Premium (3 To) and Ultimate (5 To) plans, available annually or for life
- Satisfied or refunded within 30 days
- Website and applications available in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese, and Russian
DISADVANTAGES
- Some missing features for collaborative work
- An ecosystem even younger than pCloud for certain advanced collaborative uses
Internxt’s lifetime offers with −80 %
Internxt offers lifetime online storage plans. You pay once and get cloud storage space that you can use as long as the company exists. No subscriptions or recurring payments to manage.
These offers are very interesting for their long-term savings potential (especially with the current promotion). Internxt offers three plans: Essential (1 TB), Premium (3 TB) and Ultimate (5 TB), available as an annual subscription or a lifetime offer. The displayed discount of −80 % is consistently present on the pricing page (as of 21 August 2026).
In lifetime offer (one-time payment): €380 for 1 TB, €580 for 3 TB and €780 for 5 TB (instead of €1,900, €2,900 and €3,900). In annual (billed monthly): €1.99, €3.99 and €5.99 /month (instead of €9.99, €19.99 and €29.99). According to Internxt, a promotional annual offer generally applies to the first year, after which renewal occurs at the full rate.
Simple example: at €380 for 1 TB for life, the investment compares favourably to a few years of subscription. The 3 TB and 5 TB plans remain interesting for large libraries, with private encryption (also known as zero-knowledge encryption) included: your files are encrypted before sending, and you alone hold the key, like a digital safe that Internxt does not have the code to.
The discount of −80 % is displayed permanently, but the amounts may change. Always check the total at checkout. In the long run, a lifetime offer is often more economical than a subscription renewed each year at full price.
Enjoy 80% off Internxt for life
Is Internxt a good online storage?
Internxt, although being a player in cloud storage (created in 2020), already has a lot to offer. Admittedly, it does not yet have all the advanced features of some of its more established competitors, like pCloud, even though Internxt has made progress on several tools (backup, secure sharing, VPN depending on the plan).
However, Internxt stands out for its commitment to security and privacy. Its private encryption (zero knowledge) ensures that only you can read the content of your files. Additionally, as a European service storing all its data within the European Union, Internxt provides extra peace of mind as it complies with European regulations (GDPR).
Although it does not have all the features of a more established competitor like pCloud, Internxt offers all the basic options expected from online storage today: Android and iOS mobile apps, file synchronization between your devices, file sharing, photo backup, etc.
When to choose Internxt?
If you are primarily looking for privacy (including private encryption) with a one-time payment at −80 %, Internxt is an excellent option. For the best capacity/price ratio around 2 TB, first compare with pCloud.
Enjoy 80% off on Internxt for life
3rd. kDrive by Infomaniak: the cheapest subscription
For whom ? Low-cost subscription, 30-day trial, personal use or small collaboration, no lifetime offer.
kDrive is a cloud storage created by the Swiss cloud service provider Infomaniak (hosting, servers, online tools, etc.). As an online storage solution, kDrive is perfectly suited for both individuals and businesses.
ADVANTAGES
- Subscriptions are generally twice as cheap as competitors for the same cloud space
- Suitable for professionals and businesses
- 30 days free to try the entire service
- Data hosted in Switzerland
- Discounted prices (up to -20%) depending on a commitment of 1, 2, or 3 years
DISADVANTAGES
- No private encryption vault yet (announced as “coming soon” by kDrive)
The offer that interests us here is the kDrive Solo offer, which provides access to 3 TB of data. In terms of features, kDrive is very comprehensive and has almost nothing to envy from other options on the market.
The main drawback remains the lack of a private encryption vault (your files are encrypted so that even kDrive cannot read them). Internxt and Icedrive include it; with pCloud, it is the paid option Crypto. kDrive still lists it as “coming soon” on its pricing page.
Unlike Icedrive and pCloud, kDrive does not have “lifetime” plans, but only more traditional subscriptions to offer. However, the price of these subscriptions is so low compared to the qualities that kDrive possesses, that it certainly has its place in this ranking.
kDrive subscriptions are half the price of competitors
Let’s now talk about the prices of kDrive. It’s simple: overall kDrive offers subscriptions that are at least two times cheaper than its competitors for equivalent storage space!
Let’s break down the pricing of the 3 TB Solo offer (as of 20 August 2026, displayed in euros):
- 5.54 € / month for a monthly billing without commitment.
- 59.88 € / year with a 1-year commitment, which is 4.99€/month (-10%).
- €56.52 / year with a 2-year commitment, which is €4.71/month (-15%).
- 53.16 € / year with a 3-year commitment, which is 4.43€/month (-20%).
In comparison, the subscriptions of pCloud or Icedrive are twice as expensive, around €9.99 per month for 2 TB at pCloud. It’s simple: kDrive has subscriptions that are at least twice as cheap as all the competitors (Google Drive, Mega, Dropbox, iCloud, …) ! To convince you, check out our comparison of cloud storage.
Another thing to note is that kDrive offers a lot of flexibility with its subscriptions, with monthly subscriptions, or commitment periods of 1, 2 or 3 years for annual subscriptions. This option allows for even lower rates (up to -20%) if you are willing to commit for the medium term.
A 30-day free trial to convince us
To finally convince those who are hesitant about kDrive, Infomaniak has taken the excellent initiative of offering a 30-day free trial (a payment card is required to sign up, but no charge will be made).
It’s a very good idea, and even more reassuring than the periods with a full money-back guarantee from Sync.com (30 days), pCloud (14 days), and Icedrive (time indicated on its page) since there is no need to pay to test the service under good conditions.
kDrive as an alternative to the Web Giants
In this time when the web giants Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft seem to have more and more control, many are looking for effective alternatives.
kDrive and Infomaniak are rightly positioned in this niche. Indeed, it is a European (Swiss) service, which remains sovereign over the data it stores only in its own data centres. Its entire policy is centred around this aspect and the respect for privacy, which is so problematic with the American giants.
Also, kDrive and Infomaniak have good support in many languages, both by email, chat, or phone.
Reviews of Infomaniak’s kDrive
In summary, kDrive is an excellent service, although it is still slightly behind in terms of features compared to pCloud, for example. In particular, the lack of a digital vault is unfortunate.
If you’re not excited about the idea of paying for lifetime cloud storage but prefer a more traditional approach with a monthly or annual subscription, then kDrive is undoubtedly the most interesting option for its very attractive price, as well as its other qualities detailed above.
Promotional Alternative: Icedrive
For whom ? Those who want an immediate promotional subscription with private encryption included, without aiming for a lifetime offer.
Icedrive is no longer in our Top 3: its lifetime offers are no longer the criterion for this comparison. However, its summer promo (with no end date displayed as of 21 August 2026) remains a subscription option to be aware of.
Promotional rates noted: €59, €89 and €149 for the first year on 2 TB, 4 TB and 6 TB (instead of €99, €149 and €249). Monthly: €3, €4.50 and €7.50 /month for three months (instead of €9.99, €14.99 and €24.99). Private encryption included. These amounts will be updated when the promotion ends.
For a broader product review: our Icedrive test.
Subscriptions vs Lifetime Offers: What is the best strategy?
If you prefer a regular payment, kDrive (kDrive review) remains the lowest subscription of this trio: 3 TB at €4.99/month for a year, with up to −20 % on longer commitments.
If you want to avoid the subscription and optimise over several years, the lifetime offers are the right lever:
- pCloud : our reference for 2 TB (€399) or 10 TB (€1,190), mature service. Reviews on pCloud
- Internxt : lifetime offer at −80 % with private encryption included (380 € / 580 € / 780 €). Reviews on Internxt
- Icedrive : interesting in subscription promotion (not like the pillar “lifetime offer” of this ranking). Review of Icedrive
Lifetime cloud storage : FAQ
A lifetime cloud storage offer works like a permanent purchase, rather than a monthly or annual rental. Instead of paying a recurring subscription fee, you pay just once for storage space that you can use for an unlimited period of time.
It’s like buying a virtual hard disk instead of renting temporary space. Once you’ve paid, you can store your files online for as long as the service is active, at no extra cost. It’s a great way to save money over the long term while keeping your data secure.
The main advantage is the savings you make over several years: after 2 to 4 years, a lifetime offer generally becomes more cost-effective than a subscription.
You also avoid price hikes and remain independent of monthly subscriptions. The downside is that a higher initial payment is required, and you need to choose a reliable service to guarantee long-term continuity.
Opting for cloud storage with a lifetime offer can be an excellent financial decision, but you still need to know whether it’s worth it compared with a subscription.
Here’s a simple method for calculating the profitability of a lifetime offer:
1.Know the price of the equivalent subscription: Look at the monthly or annual price of the service you’re considering.
2.Divide the lifetime offer price by the annual cost: This will give you the number of years required for the purchase to become profitable.
3.Compare with your expected period of use: If you expect to use the service for longer than the break-even period, the lifetime offer is a good deal.
Example:
If an annual subscription costs €100 and the lifetime offer is €300, the break-even period is:€300 ÷ €100 = 3 years
If you expect to use the service for more than 3 years, then the lifetime offer is a better deal.
Which services offer the best return?
Internxt: The most affordable lifetime offer, paying for itself in around 2 years.
pCloud: More expensive, paying for itself in around 3 to 4 years.
Icedrive: An alternative, but of more limited financial interest.
Conclusion: The longer you plan to use a service, the more profitable a lifetime offer becomes. If you use your cloud storage for long-term needs (backup of important files, photos, videos, etc.), then a lifetime offer is often the most economical choice.
The choice between a monthly, annual or lifetime subscription depends on your budget and your long-term vision.
– Monthly subscription: maximum flexibility, but more expensive over time. Prices may also increase in the future.
– Yearly subscription: Generally 10-20% cheaper than monthly, but more expensive if you use it for several years.
– Lifetime offer: Higher initial investment, but becomes profitable after only a few years. For example, Internxt’s current lifetime offer pays for itself in just 2 years. Another advantage is that a lifetime offer is not affected by future price increases.
If you’re using cloud storage on a long-term basis, a lifetime offer offers considerable savings. Internxt is the most affordable choice, pCloud is a premium choice.
Three services currently stand out: Internxt, pCloud and Icedrive.
Internxt is the most affordable option, and the most secure thanks to its Zero-knowledge encryption. pCloud is an excellent general-purpose service with a robust infrastructure, but a little more expensive.
Icedrive also offers a lifetime deal, although its appeal is more limited compared with the other two.
Yes, in theory, a lifetime offer means unlimited access over time. However, it depends on the sustainability of the company offering it.
Established services such as pCloud or Internxt have a solid business model, guaranteeing greater reliability over the long term. It is always advisable to choose a reputable service to avoid unpleasant surprises.
As with any online service, there is a risk that a provider will go out of business. That’s why it’s important to choose a reliable company with a good reputation. Internxt, pCloud and Icedrive are well established and are investing in their development. For added security, it’s always advisable to have a local backup to complement the cloud.
That said, even if a service were to close down, it wouldn’t happen overnight. In the past, storage services that have gone out of business have given users time to recover their files before shutting down for good.
As long as you’ve used your storage long enough to make your purchase worthwhile (usually between 2 and 4 years), you’re still a winner economically, even if the service does shut down.
Yes, in the majority of cases, lifetime packages offer the same features as classic subscriptions.
However, some services may offer premium options as extras, such as advanced encryption (pCloud Crypto) or specific features. It is therefore advisable to check the details of each offer before buying in our article on the best lifetime cloud storage.
Internxt is the most affordable and secure option with Zero-knowledge encryption. pCloud is a more robust choice, with a proven infrastructure and more features, but a higher price tag. Icedrive is an interesting alternative, but its positioning is less attractive than the other two.
Yes, provided you choose a reliable service. Internxt is particularly secure thanks to its Zero-knowledge encryption, which ensures that no-one but you can access your files (not even Internxt).
pCloud and Icedrive also offer a good level of protection. To maximize your security, we always recommend activating two-factor authentication and making regular backups.
Cloud storage “hard drive”: from 1 TB
Usefulness of a “hard drive” cloud storage
With such a large amount of storage (starting from 1 TB or 1000 GB), many people can sync all their important data. It is truly the equivalent of a reasonable-sized physical hard drive.
As you can imagine, this provides a real extra comfort compared to lightweight online storage (200 to 500 GB).
First of all, these offers present the advantages of online backup to secure your data in case of hardware failure. The large storage space allows you to consider synchronising all of your data, instead of an incomplete selection.
Moreover, the data synchronization and sharing features of online storage promise you a user-friendly experience that you didn’t have before: all your data is shared and accessible from all your devices (phones, tablets, work or laptop computers, …).
Also, the sharing features take on a completely different dimension. The ability to send a link to any of your files at any time (assuming all your data is synced) sometimes simplifies life.
Are you looking for cloud storage of less than 1 TB? All the services featured in this article also offer smaller storage options. We also have a dedicated article on the cheapest cloud storage from 200 to 500 GB.
FAQ: choose a cheap cloud from 1 TB
Lifetime offer or subscription: what to choose ?
The lifetime offer is appealing if you keep the service for several years (often 3–4 years to make pCloud 2 TB worthwhile). The subscription (kDrive or annual Internxt) remains more flexible if you want to be able to change quickly.
Is pCloud Crypto Necessary ?
Yes, if you store really sensitive documents: private encryption is not included by default in Premium / Premium Plus. Internxt and Icedrive include it in their paid offerings.
Is the Icedrive promotion interesting ?
Yes, as a promotional subscription (59 € / 89 € / 149 € for the 1st year for 2 / 4 / 6 TB), not as equivalent to a lifetime offer. These prices will be updated at the end of the promotion.
Is 2 To enough ?
For most photo/document libraries/a portion of videos, yes. Upgrade to 5–10 TB (Internxt Ultimate or pCloud Ultra) if you are archiving a lot of 4K video or complete system backups.
Conclusion: The most economical cloud storage
Lifetime offers allow for real savings by eliminating subscriptions. In just a few years, the investment is often recouped, and you limit the impact of future price increases.
Which path to choose ?
- Best price / capacity / service balance → pCloud lifetime offer (399 € for 2 TB, 1 190 € for 10 TB). Add Crypto if private encryption is essential.
- Privacy priority + one-time payment → Internxt lifetime offer (−80 % : 380 € / 580 € / 780 € for 1 / 3 / 5 TB, private encryption included).
- Subscription without large upfront payment → kDrive Solo (3 TB at €4.99/month for 1 year).
- One-off subscription promotion → Icedrive (59 € / 89 € / 149 € for the 1st year for 2 / 4 / 6 TB).
The recommended offer: pCloud for life
For most readers of this comparison, pCloud currently offers the best balance between price, capacity, and service maturity, particularly the lifetime offer of 2 TB for €399. Internxt remains excellent if you refuse to pay for Crypto separately and want the private package at −80 %.
To go further
Also read our general comparison of cloud storage, our guide to lifetime cloud storage, our selection of free clouds, and our comparison of enterprise cloud storage.
To test risk-free: free sign-up (10 GB), or paid offer with 14 days satisfaction guaranteed.
