iCloud for Windows took 16 minutes 48 seconds to upload our 2 GB test file, the slowest upload we recorded, and that matches how iCloud feels in our everyday use. pCloud sent the same file in 15 minutes 14 seconds, and its 2 TB lifetime plan replaces monthly billing with one payment. iCloud+ charges about $10 every month for that space. Each alternative we ranked has apps for iPhone and Android, and iCloud has no Android app.
Five Services That Replace iCloud
- pCloud: Best All-Round Replacement for iCloud Drive and Photos
- Internxt: Best for Encrypted Storage Paid Once
- NordLocker: Best for Sending Private Files With an Expiry Date
- Google Drive: Best for Homes With iPhones and Android Phones
- Dropbox: Best for Syncing Across Mac, Windows, and Linux
iCloud and Five Alternatives Compared
| Service | 2 GB upload | Free storage | iPhone camera upload | Pay once | Android app |
| iCloud | 16:48 | 5 GB | Yes | No | No |
| pCloud | 15:14 | Up to 10 GB | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Internxt | 15:28 | 1 GB | Paid plans | Yes | Yes |
| NordLocker | 15:58 | 3 GB | No, manual uploads | No | Yes |
| Google Drive | 15:27 | 15 GB | Through Google Photos | No | Yes |
| Dropbox | 15:16 | 2 GB | Yes | No | Yes |
The times come from one 2 GB file, uploaded through each desktop app on our test PC in Europe, with iCloud for Windows as Apple’s client.
Why Switch From iCloud
- Monthly bills only: iCloud+ is billed monthly, from about $1 for 50 GB to about $60 for 12 TB, with no one-time option.
- No Android app: Android phones can open iCloud only in a browser, and Linux has no app either.
- Plain share links: iCloud Drive links can’t use a password or an expiry date.
- Encryption is opt-in: end-to-end protection depends on Advanced Data Protection, which Apple withdrew for UK users in 2025.
iCloud Alternatives We Tested
1. pCloud: Best All-Round Replacement for iCloud Drive and Photos
Pros
- Appears in the iPhone Files app
- Camera upload covers photos, videos, or both
- Lifetime plans up to 10 TB
- Office editing in the browser with pCloud Docs
- Storage in the US or the EU
Cons
- Monthly download limit on shared links
- Live Photos split into two files
pCloud‘s iPhone app offers automatic upload during setup, so new photos upload without the app being opened again. Its desktop app moved our 2 GB file faster than any service we timed, 15:14 up and 1:45 down. pCloud’s lifetime price for 2 TB is $499, paid once, and the Family plan splits 2 TB among five people for $749.
Free accounts start at 2 GB, and setup tasks plus invites add up to 8 GB more. Zero-knowledge protection is an optional add-on limited to the Crypto Folder. Our pCloud review details every plan.
2. Internxt: Best for Encrypted Storage Paid Once
Pros
- Files encrypted on the iPhone before upload
- Post-quantum key protection
- Lifetime licenses up to 5 TB
- Open-source, audited apps
- Antivirus and VPN extension on paid plans
Cons
- Small free plan
- Live Photos lose their motion
Internxt encrypts each photo and document on the iPhone itself, before it uploads, at no extra cost and with no setting to enable. Camera roll backup to Internxt Photos is a paid-plan feature, and the free tier relies on manual uploads. Our 2 GB file went up in 15:28 and downloaded in 1:51.
Lifetime licenses start at €285 for 1 TB and go up to €585 for 5 TB, billed in euros for US buyers too, and free accounts are limited to 1 GB. Older versions are kept only for office documents on Premium and Ultimate. Our guide to encrypted cloud storage compares Internxt with other zero-knowledge services.
3. NordLocker: Best for Sending Private Files With an Expiry Date
Pros
- Same encryption on free accounts
- Adjustable expiry on every link
- Face ID unlock in the iPhone app
- Recipients download without an account
Cons
- No automatic camera upload
- Deletions are permanent
- No Mac app
Every NordLocker file is encrypted on the device before upload. Sharing a file from the app produced a link protected by a code and set to expire in two weeks, and we could move that date to about a year later. Its 2 GB upload finished in 15:58, 44 seconds behind pCloud. Deleting our test file erased it permanently, with no trash folder or earlier versions to restore from, so originals belong on another drive.
Year-one pricing for the Personal 500 GB plan is about $36, and renewals cost about $60. Our NordLocker review covers the Windows app in detail.
4. Google Drive: Best for Homes With iPhones and Android Phones
Pros
- Large free allowance
- Photo search by faces and places
- Same apps on iPhone and Android
- Shared editing in Docs and Sheets
Cons
- No end-to-end encryption
- Gmail uses the same free space
Google Drive starts every account with 15 GB, and email and photos count toward it. On an iPhone, the Google Photos app backs up new shots as they’re taken, and Drive appears in the Files app. The 2 GB file uploaded in 15:27, and the trash returned a file we deleted.
Google’s 2 TB plan, Google AI Plus, costs about $100 a year and can be shared across a family of six. Google keeps the encryption keys, so stored files aren’t private from the company. Services that encrypt on the device instead are listed among our Google Drive alternatives.
5. Dropbox: Best for Syncing Across Mac, Windows, and Linux
Pros
- Linux app next to Mac and Windows
- Camera uploads from the iPhone
- Block-level sync for edited files
- Office files open in Microsoft’s web apps
Cons
- Free plan limited to three devices
- No end-to-end encryption
- No lifetime option
Dropbox uploaded our 2 GB file in 15:16 and downloaded it in 1:48, and its 500 MB upload of 3:31 was the fastest we measured. Its trash also passed our restore check. Dropbox’s free tier is 2 GB. The Plus plan costs roughly $120 per year for 2 TB, with a 30-day restore window, but it doesn’t support link passwords. Our Dropbox review has more test results, and Dropbox vs pCloud compares it with pCloud.
Using an iCloud Alternative on an iPhone
Before switching, set iCloud Photos to Download and Keep Originals under Settings, your name, iCloud, and Photos. Otherwise, the phone stores reduced copies while iCloud keeps the originals, and a new app would upload the smaller versions. Two automatic uploads at once also compete for the same connection, so disable iCloud Photos once the new service has the library.
Live Photos are the main loss. Our iPhone uploads to pCloud and Internxt produced two files for each one, an image and a video, so the motion effect no longer plays. Complete device backups remain an Apple-only feature: iCloud Backup stores them online, and a Mac or Windows PC can store one locally through Finder or the Apple Devices app.
Moving Your Photo Library Off iCloud
- From the iPhone: once the originals are on the phone, enable camera upload in Google Photos, Dropbox, pCloud, or Internxt, and leave the app open on Wi-Fi until it finishes.
- From a computer: download the library with Photos on a Mac or iCloud for Windows, then drop the folder into the new service’s desktop app.
- With Apple’s transfer tool: request a transfer at privacy.apple.com, and Apple copies the iCloud Photos library to a Google Photos account.
Compare the item count in the old and new libraries before deleting photos from iCloud. Our cloud storage for photos guide ranks services for big photo libraries.
Verdict
An Apple household loses the least by splitting the job: iCloud’s free 5 GB keeps the device backups, and an alternative takes the photos and files. For that second role, pCloud fits most people. It uploaded fastest, shows up in the Files app, and its lifetime plans end the monthly iCloud+ bill.
Tax records and ID scans belong on Internxt, which encrypts every file before upload. NordLocker works best for sending files protected by a code and an end date. Families with a mix of iPhones and Android phones will find Google Drive the easiest shared home, and Dropbox covers Linux computers. Audit histories appear in our most secure cloud storage ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best alternative to iCloud?
The best alternative to iCloud is pCloud. It works on Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, and Android, uploads photos automatically, and offers 2 TB as a lifetime plan instead of a monthly subscription.
Is there a free alternative to iCloud?
Yes. A Google account includes 15 GB at no cost, and pCloud's free account has a 10 GB maximum. iCloud's free allowance is 5 GB, and Google's space is shared with Gmail and Photos.
What is the best alternative to iCloud for photos?
pCloud, for most iPhone photo libraries. Its app sends new pictures to the cloud as they're taken, at original quality, and its Photos section sorts them by date.
Can another cloud service back up an iPhone?
No. A full iPhone backup, including app data and settings, can only be saved to iCloud or to a computer. Other cloud services store copies of photos, videos, and documents.
Is there a European alternative to iCloud?
Yes. pCloud, a Swiss company, offers EU storage in Luxembourg, and Internxt operates from Spain, where the GDPR applies. pCloud and Internxt also have iPhone apps with photo backup.
