Best Free Cloud Storage in 2026: 9 Free Plans Compared

Google Drive remains one of the easiest free cloud storage choices because it is connected to Gmail, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Photos, Android, and the broader Google ecosystem.

Every Google Account includes up to 15 GB of storage shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. Since March 2026 Google has been testing a 5 GB starting allowance for some new accounts in selected regions, with the full 15 GB unlocked once a phone number is linked. Even so, that makes Google Drive one of the strongest free options for general users who want a simple place for documents, spreadsheets, PDFs, screenshots, and personal files.

The tradeoff is that your 15 GB is not only for Drive files. Email attachments and Google Photos can consume the same storage pool. If you use Gmail heavily or back up many phone photos, the free space can disappear quickly.

MEGA is often mentioned when people ask which cloud storage gives the most free space. It is known for generous free storage and for its focus on privacy.

MEGA makes sense if your first priority is getting more free storage than Dropbox, OneDrive, or many mainstream services offer. It works well for large personal folders, media files, and encrypted file sharing.

MEGA's base free storage is 20 GB. Achievement bonuses come on top but expire after a year, so plan around the 20 GB. Downloads count against a transfer quota, but since May 2026 a file only counts once it has been downloaded in full more than 10 times, so normal personal use is rarely affected.

pCloud offers up to 10 GB of free secure cloud storage and works well for personal files, photos, videos, and media access across devices. It suits users who want a clean storage product without being locked into Google or Microsoft.

pCloud appeals most to users who want file storage and sharing without a full office suite attached. It feels like a dedicated cloud drive, with no productivity platform around it.

The catch is that only 2 GB is available at signup. The rest of the 10 GB comes from finishing pCloud's beginner tutorial and inviting friends, so plan on 2 GB unless you do both.

Box offers a free individual plan with 10 GB of storage. It is more business-oriented than many consumer cloud storage tools and concentrates on secure file sharing, document workflows, and collaboration.

The free plan can be useful for documents, PDFs, contracts, and work-style file exchange. It is not the best free option for large media files because the free individual plan has a 250 MB file upload limit.

So Box is a good free cloud storage service for documents and a weaker choice for video archives, large design files, or full device backups.

Icedrive offers 10 GB of free cloud storage and has a simple, modern interface. It suits users who want a straightforward cloud drive without the complexity of a large productivity ecosystem.

The free plan can be useful for documents, media files, and light backup use through the web and mobile apps. It has no desktop sync client and no file versions, and Icedrive's zero-knowledge encryption is reserved for paid plans.

OneDrive is the natural free cloud storage option for Windows users. A free Microsoft account includes 5 GB of OneDrive cloud storage, and OneDrive integrates closely with Windows, Microsoft 365, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Its biggest advantage is convenience: if you use Windows every day, OneDrive is already built into the operating system. It is easy to sync desktop folders, save Office files, and access files from mobile devices.

The downside is the smaller free storage allowance. 5 GB is enough for documents and lightweight files, but it is not enough for serious photo backup, video storage, or large archives.

Proton Drive is a privacy-focused cloud storage service from the team behind Proton Mail. Free accounts start with 2 GB and grow to 5 GB once you complete three setup tasks within the first 30 days.

People choose Proton Drive for privacy, since it does not offer the most storage. It is designed around end-to-end encryption and zero-access encryption, which makes it a better fit for sensitive personal files than many mainstream cloud storage services.

The tradeoff is that the free storage allowance is smaller than Google Drive, MEGA, pCloud, Box, or Icedrive.

Dropbox Basic includes 2 GB of free storage. That is small compared with most other free cloud storage options, but Dropbox remains one of the simplest and most familiar file sync tools.

Dropbox is useful when you need quick file sharing, simple folder sync, and a tool many people already know how to use. For lightweight workflows, 2 GB may be enough.

Basic also limits sync to three devices, which catches people with a laptop, a desktop, and a phone plus a tablet. For photo backup, media storage, or large personal archives, Dropbox Basic is too limited.

Internxt offers 1 GB of encrypted cloud storage for free. That makes it less competitive if your main goal is maximum free space, but it can still be useful if you want to test a privacy-focused storage service before upgrading.

Single files can be up to 10 GB, more than the 1 GB of space itself. Treat the free plan as a trial or a small secure storage account, and do not expect a full free cloud drive.