If the memory on the smartphone, tablet or laptop is running out or users simply want to access their photos, videos and data from anywhere, cloud services are an ideal solution. They offer storage space on the Internet. We present five cloud providers who provide such Internet storage space free of charge – but also offer more complex packages for an extra charge.

Life is becoming more and more digital. At the same time, the need for storage space to store photos, videos and other data increases. Although smartphones, laptops and tablets now often have a lot of memory, this also reaches its limits at some point with large amounts of data. An alternative for storing data are cloud services, i.e. storage space on the Internet.

Google Drive and the iCloud from Apple are among the most prominent representatives among the cloud services. This is because they are firmly embedded on Android smartphones and iPhones. But there are other providers who provide storage space in the cloud. We compared the offerings of the five best-known cloud services. Which one has the largest free storage? Which is the safest? And which one has special features that the others don’t? You can find all this information clearly in our table.

You should pay attention to this with cloud services

There are numerous cloud providers on the market. Not all of them are recommended, however, as the servers on which the data are stored are located in different countries, depending on the provider. And different data protection rules apply there – the GDPR that applies in Europe sometimes does not apply. So if you want to store sensitive data in the cloud, you should pay attention and possibly choose a cloud service whose servers are in Germany. This is the case with the Telekom Cloud and Strato HiDrive, for example. Another way to secure data is to use special encryption methods. Some providers offer these for their services. The data is thus secured against unauthorized access.

In principle, almost all cloud services offer free storage space – only their data volume differs significantly in some cases. From 2 GB to unlimited storage space, everything is included. If you want more performance or even more storage space, you can also choose from various packages that can be subscribed to on a monthly or annual basis for a fee. Often these packages come with a larger range of functions – this can be end-to-end encryption, an image processing function for photos or the possibility of simultaneous data processing within groups. Users should also ensure smooth synchronization between the device and the cloud so that data upload and access is as straightforward as possible.

The private cloud as a secure alternative

The table shows that the servers of the best-known cloud providers are sometimes also in the USA. Anyone who stores their data here should trust the company. Often, however, convenience wins out over safety. If iCloud or OneDrive is already installed on the device and integrated into the system, many people simply use them – without worrying about any risks. However, it has to be said that the providers mostly try to secure the data stored in their cloud. Because they cannot and do not want to afford a data scandal – that would be extremely damaging to their reputation. Many European users therefore also allow access to servers within the EU – although the companies actually operate from the USA.

If you still want to be on the safe side, you should think about your own private cloud. With it, users can be sure that their data is protected from unauthorized access. Setting up a private cloud is not that difficult. All users need is a modern router and an external hard drive with sufficient capacity. Connected to the router, it serves as a cloud and users can also access the data stored there while on the move.

Most current routers now support the cloud function. No matter whether the Fritzbox from AVM, a speed port from Telekom, a Netgear router or others. It is only important that the models have a fast USB port for connecting the hard drive and allow the management of NAS storage (Network Attached Storage) in the menu. A DynDNS service is also required for remote access while on the move, which router manufacturers usually offer. In the case of the Fritzbox, for example, this is MyFritz.