Best Microsoft OneDrive Alternatives: Our Favorite Options

OneDrive is Microsoft’s attempt at becoming a prevalent player in the cloud storage world. With competitive pricing and seamless integration with Windows, it’s a choice for many productivity-oriented users. However, at the same time, plenty of users search for Microsoft OneDrive alternatives.

While not a bad service by any means, it has its share of downsides. For one, it doesn’t offer a great macOS app and its privacy-related practices are flimsy and questionable. Also, the provider has a lackluster 5 GB free plan that some of you will find inadequate.

One thing to note is that people search for OneDrive alternatives due to slightly slower speeds. For example, pCloud is a lot faster, and so is NordLocker, a popular encrypted cloud storage option. Whatever your cause of dissatisfaction is, we have you covered.

Today, we’ll talk about the 5 best Microsoft OneDrive alternatives that should set you on the right path. Forget about Microsoft. There are FAR better options that give you more privacy and better features. Read on to find out more about the best alternatives to OneDrive in 2024.

Best Alternatives to OneDrive: Our Top 5 Picks for 2024

First of all, we must clarify that we’ll focus on paid OneDrive alternatives in this article.

Microsoft OneDrive is a premium service first and foremost, so most likely, you’ve paid for it. Therefore, if you’ve got your money back and are looking for an alternative, you have the money to spend on another service.

Later on, we’ll quickly go through some free alternatives to OneDrive, so don’t worry. According to our numerous tests, the top 5 OneDrive alternatives include:

1. pCloud
2. NordLocker
3. Google Drive
4. Sync
5. Icedrive

Now, if you’re interested in our further analyses of each service, we recommend reading the article until the end. Or simply take a quick detour and go through our comprehensive OneDrive test.

1. pCloud – the best alternative to OneDrive

At the first spot, we have pCloud, the best OneDrive alternative of 2024. This cloud storage provider is based in Switzerland, nourishing some of the strongest privacy values. First, it offers AES-256 encryption to protect your files from being accessed, and second, it offers zero-knowledge encryption.

If you pay slightly more, you can protect your files completely and have them accessed only by you. Another perk is that you get more cloud storage options. Perhaps the most attractive is the Lifetime plan, where you get to pay once and enjoy from 500 GB to 10 TB of storage – sweet!

We like that pCloud is perfect for storing photos and videos. It has an in-built editor that lets you quickly access all multimedia files. Moreover, you can share them effortlessly, with no file size limit. pCloud is a household name in the industry, with data centers in the US and Europe.

Storing files on one server automatically replicates it to other servers, ensuring they’re never lost in the process. Unlike OneDrive, pCloud is much easier to use and feature-rich, even on mobile devices. It has a great desktop and web app but its iOS and Android support is phenomenal.

Price-wise, pCloud won’t be extremely expensive, although, admittedly, it’s not the most affordable alternative to OneDrive. Our team recommends the Premium Plus 2 TB plan in the Lifetime version, which will cost you a little over $400. Remember – this is a one-time payment, after which, you get to use it infinitely.

pCloud also offers a wide range of family and business plans for you to choose from. They come with some excellent features like 180-day file versioning, pCloud encryption, secure file sharing, and priority support. Individual plans have lackluster support, which is pretty much the only downside.

To try the best alternative to Microsoft OneDrive without further delay, click the button below:

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2. NordLocker – a really secure alternative to OneDrive

If you ever wanted to use encrypted cloud storage with zero-knowledge encryption, this is your lucky day. An alternative to OneDrive, NordLocker comes with impeccable security that supersedes Microsoft OneDrive by a long shot. In addition, it comes from Nord Security, a team known for NordVPN.

NordLocker comes with end-to-end encryption, which lets you be in total control over what you store in your secure vault. You’re the only one who knows the password, so if you lose it, you lose access to your files. Moreover, NordLocker is very easy to use and functions similarly to Windows Explorer.

Simply drag and drop the file to upload it or download it – simple. Although it lacks file versioning, the good thing is that secure sharing is here. You can password-protect your files and even share the entire vault with all files inside of it for increased ease of access.

Another perk of NordLocker is that it supports all files and doesn’t put limits on transfers. Each file is neatly secured and synced across all devices, making it easy to access at any time. NordLocker offers a remarkable desktop app but its browser app is no less impressive.

We like that NordLocker can also encrypt files locally! This means you can store a file on your PC, for example, and still have it encrypted and safe from unauthorized access. Now, in terms of storage, you can get 500 GB or 2 TB, if we’re talking about individual plans.

We recommend its annual plan because it’s the cheapest. For example, at just $6.99 a month, you can obtain the 2 TB plan and enjoy 3 extra months! Business users can get the 1 TB plan as well and receive 24/7 live chat support plus a dedicated account manager.

Visit NordLocker

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3. Google Drive

OneDrive and Google Drive are very similar in terms of productivity and collaboration. While OneDrive has Office 365, Google Drive offers its Workspace apps that function the same. However, this one also offers more flexible plans with higher storage.

For example, its free plan packs 15 GB and the largest individual plan has 2 TB of storage. Then, Google Drive includes a photo editor, with the option to preview full-size videos from the interface. We love Google Drive’s web app, which we prefer over OneDrive.

Another thing to mention is speed. In our tests, Google Drive proved to be relatively quick, going ahead of OneDrive in many instances. This could be due to Google’s ubiquitous data centers around the world, providing substantial performance for every user.

As one of the best Microsoft OneDrive alternatives, Google Drive offers apps for all devices. Like its rival, it lacks Linux support and its privacy isn’t the best. Google can pry into your files and read your documents on the cloud, which we’re strongly against.

On the other hand, it offers cheap Business plans that support up to 300 users – more than pCloud or NordLocker. Google Drive even has 100 and 200 GB plans for those on a budget, with lower requirements for storage space. File versioning of up to 30 days is here.

Alas, Google Drive keeps only up to 10 file versions on the cloud. The fact that you can keep some file versions forever is soothing, plus Google Drive allows for advanced file sharing and editing documents simultaneously with other users for top-tier collaboration

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4. Sync

Sync is one of the most versatile alternatives to Microsoft OneDrive. It’s by no means a revolutionary provider but it does offer some interesting stuff. For one, it’s very cheap and simple to get into. Its web app is especially easy, with fast and secure access to your files.

Speaking of which, Sync relies on bank-grade encryption and servers across Canada to keep your files intact. Besides, it’s GDPR compliant, so privacy worries should be eliminated. Sync is great for both storing and sharing your files via encrypted and password-protected links.

In addition, it’s useful for collaboration and teamwork, keeping in mind its ease of access and editing regarding documents. Sync Pro, the premium plan, lets your entire team access the files from one centralized cloud and work from home seamlessly.

This OneDrive alternative is also cheaper. For example, the Solo Basic plan with 2 TB of secure storage is just around $8 a month, with the Solo Professional being $20 but with a whopping 6 GB of storage, advanced sharing, and custom branding. Interestingly, a 365-day file history can also be purchased.

As such, you can get a full year of all the previous versions of your files. A key feature is that Sync isn’t limited in regards to file transfer size. It also supports real-time syncing across all devices, even introducing 2FA to ensure your files are accessible only to you.

Sync even offers unlimited storage for large teams in the Teams+ Unlimited plan. However, it’ll cost you $15 per user per month, so it can be costly. Finally, the provider has a 30-day refund policy but its customer support and performance aren’t the best. Read more about it in our Sync review.

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5. Icedrive

Icedrive represents itself as “the next generation of cloud storage.” It’s a flexible OneDrive alternative with plenty of subscription plans and storage options. First of all, it uses Twofish client-side encryption to secure your files, folders, and everything important.

Second, Icedrive is compatible with pretty much every device and even offers a Linux app, which none of the options on this list have. It can be portable, so in this case, it won’t require installation. Icedrive’s interface is reminiscent of your Windows Explorer but it looks so much more modern.

You can drag and drop files to upload and download them, share them with one click, and organize them to your liking. Of course, features like Syncing and Backups make their return, ensuring your files are accessible across all devices. In fact, Icedrive can also reproduce videos directly from the app.

Icedrive isn’t great for productivity and collaboration like OneDrive. However, it’s perfect if you’re an individual user and want additional storage to back up your files. We said it’s flexible and that’s because it offers several subscription plans, including 5-year deals.

5-year deals allow for the highest savings. For example, this Pro X plan with 10 TB of storage and client-side encryption is just $999 – a one-time payment (for 5 years), mind you.

Then, the Pro III 5-year plan with 3 TB of storage is just $499. It’s cheaper than pCloud, but that doesn’t make it the best alternative to OneDrive. If you’re interested, we recently compared Icedrive and pCloud.

Now, Icedrive isn’t blazing-fast and won’t “move mountains”, as it says on the site. However, you do get live chat support, alas, not 24/7, which is a bummer. Icedrive also doesn’t come with unlimited bandwdith, although its limits are generous in higher-tier plans.

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The Best Free Alternatives to Microsoft OneDrive

Microsoft OneDrive offers a free plan that many find bleak and uninteresting. With 5 GB of space, it’s not the largest, yet, it doesn’t exactly pack the speed of a Ferrari. Free cloud storage options do offer more in terms of space, security, and functionality, and these 3 should suffice.

1. pCloud (10 GB of free cloud storage)

Once again, the best free alternative to Microsoft OneDrive is pCloud. We placed this provider first because it offers 10 GB of free storage, which is 2 times more than OneDrive. In addition, you’re getting a premium-like experience with not many limits, which is delightful.

pCloud remains fast and secure even here, with speeds that are way beyond Microsoft’s service. Furthermore, the free version also encrypts your files with AES-256 encryption and lets you store all your documents, files, and videos, as well as open them directly from the interface.

It’s no wonder pCloud tops the list of best free cloud storage providers. With the apps that scream intuitiveness, Swiss-grade security, and flexible paid plans, it’s easy to see why so many are in love with it. Best of all, pCloud requires no credit card info and is really a free option.

Just provide your email, create a password, and voila – you’re free to use it right away. Sharing, collaboration, or simple file storing – it’s absolutely up to you.

2. NordLocker (3 GB of free cloud storage)

NordLocker offers 3 GB of free cloud storage. Less than OneDrive, you’ll say. While this is true, NordLocker’s storage is much more valuable because, like pCloud, it doesn’t skimp on security features like end-to-end encryption and secure data centers.

It’s awesome that free users get zero-knowledge encryption without paying a dime. NordLocker retains the same level of quality, with very few features lacking, so it’s on par with the premium version in terms of the user experience. Of course, the only limit is the storage.

We like that NordLocker is free forever and can be upgraded to a premium version with a few clicks. Also, Nord Security grants you a 30-day refund policy for each plan, so if you ever want to go back to being a free user, you can do so in the first 30 days at any moment.

3. MEGA (20 GB of free cloud storage)

The last Microsoft OneDrive alternative is MEGA. This one is our favorite because it’s robust, end-to-end encrypted, and very secure. In 2024, MEGA comes with 20 GB of free cloud storage, which, you’ll agree, is commendable. It used to offer 50 GB not long ago and we were lucky enough to get it then.

Still, if you’re new to MEGA, its 20 GB of space will suffice, no doubt. Its interface is excellent, with one of the best web apps you’ll find on the market. Another thing is that MEGA is handy for collaboration, offering chat, video, and audio calls, which we use extensively.

File sharing is simple too, as you can drag and drop your files or share them directly in the chatroom with your friends. MEGA can also open your photos and videos and share them through secure links with password protection and expiry dates, albeit, these two are reserved for Pro users only.

Lastly, MEGA supports backups of your mobile devices and computers. Mobile users can back up their photos and videos, while desktop users can set up automated backups for added convenience.

Summary: Which OneDrive Alternative to Choose?

After everything we said, it’s safe to conclude this Microsoft OneDrive alternatives ranking. Without a doubt, you’ll be looking at pCloud if you’re after the very best service. pCloud is safer than OneDrive, offers more storage options, and has much faster speeds.

NordLocker is another excellent option with zero-knowledge encryption. However, Google Drive shouldn’t be disregarded if you’re after solid collab/business features along with plenty of storage space. Sync and Icredrive are also affordable alternatives, with Sync even offering unlimited plans for teams.

Perhaps, if you’re seeking a free alternative, your options are similar. pCloud again tops the chart, with NordLocker and MEGA following closely. All of them are better than Microsoft OneDrive, and will, by extension, give you a better overall experience.

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