Best Family Cloud Backup in 2024

Sync.com is a Canadian online backup and cross-platform syncing service with a strong focus on privacy. It is ideal for families because it allows you to sync data to a single account from a total of 5 devices. It also has a free 5GB plan, so you can set up as many accounts as you need for your family, and each of those family members can store up to 5GB without spending a dime.

If you do pay, you will get 2 TB of storage for five of your family's devices at a cost of just $8 per month. And, if you want each of your family members to manage their own space, you can opt for a Teams account at a cost of $5 per user per month. This will give each family member exclusive control over their storage space on five devices.

Where features are concerned, Sync has end-to-end encryption, which means that your data is always completely private and secure. And it has secure file sharing, syncing, apps for all platforms, automated scheduled backups, and file versioning. This makes it a great all-round backup service for those who want absolute privacy.

NordLocker 2.0 is an encryption tool with integrated cloud backups, and was developed by the highly respected company NordVPN. Whilst thoroughly testing the platform, I found that it excellently encrypted the content of my computer and ensured that my files were all secure in the event of a device theft. I also found NordLocker to be ideal for backing up data to the cloud in a completely encrypted state.

The apps are easy to use on both macOS and Windows, and it is a powerful and easy-to-use service that provides superb functionality for families that require backups. With a single subscription, NordLocker can be installed on an unlimited number of Windows and Mac computers. What's more, you can actually set up multiple accounts (one for each family member) without exposing one user's files to another user who might be using the same computer. This allows you to back up files on the same family computer with total privacy.

Unfortunately, there are no mobile apps available for this service yet. Family members will need to move their photos, videos, and personal files onto their cloud locker folders to ensure that they are stored safely on the cloud. This adds an extra step to the process, but considering the amount of storage NordLocker offers, and the relatively low cost of a subscription, we think it's worth it. You'll also be able to use the service for free with 3 GB of storage, meaning each family member can join and start securing their data on the cloud without paying a penny.

I was impressed with the sync and share functions which allow users to access, or provide access to, their cloud locker if they want to. The fact that NordLocker is a local encryption tool on top of a cloud backup service is a massive win for anybody looking for a solution to both security and privacy issues. We think that $3.99 per month for 500GB of storage is a good price for a cloud backup with automatic backups for any changes that happen in your cloud locker folders. Just bear in mind that NordLocker will only backup the data in your cloud locker folder (ie, the same as Dropbox). 

IDrive is a superb fully featured cloud storage solution that includes full system disk image backup, true archiving, and the option of end-to-end encryption. It is suitable for families because it has apps for all platforms, and it charges you for the amount of storage space you require - rather than the number of users or devices that want to back up. That means you can have multiple computers and mobile devices attached to a single subscription plan!

With IDrive your photos are always stored in the cloud, which means you can easily access them from a web browser, computer, or mobile device. And the service has important features such as syncing, secure file sharing, and file versioning and file archiving to ensure you can get back to the previous version of a file if you need to. It is also super easy to use and can be set up to back up data from devices automatically in the background, which is perfect if you want to set it up on a family member's device and have it work for them from then on.

The cost of an account starts at $69,50 for 2 TB of data, which should be enough for most families' backup needs. However, if you have videos that take up a lot of space, you can increase the amount of storage space for a reasonable cost. A great all-rounder that is well worth considering if you need backups for your family. It even has a unique feature that you can use to back up photos from Facebook directly to your cloud storage (including photos you are tagged in posted by others)!

pCloud is a secure cloud storage service that permits users to store files online using robust end-to-end encryption. It is a service that has received a 4.1 score on Google Play – which shows that it is well-liked. It is ideal for families because it allows multiple users to back up their devices on a single account.

The service is based in Switzerland, which is considered excellent in terms of data privacy. And it has apps for all platforms that are easy to use, which means that nobody in your family will have issues when using it. Scheduled backups allow you to ensure that your data is backed up regularly, and file sharing lets you pass files around safely with friends if you want to. You also get file versioning, to ensure you can backtrack and access the previous version of a file if you need to.

The web portal allows you to access your data online from any machine, no matter where you are. And you can preview files before you download them. pCloud has a basic free plan with 10 GB of free space, which means that every family member can have their own account for free if they want to. And a family subscription (that can be used by five people and provides 2 TB of storage) starts at around $120 per year. 

DropBox is a well-known cloud backup provider that anybody can use to back up their data to the cloud. It is now suitable for families because it added a family plan for up to 6 people last year. Dropbox Family comes with 2TB of storage. That space can be used for both shared and split storage with individual folders for different family members.

The Family Room can be accessed by all members, while individual folders are available for anyone who wants privacy for their work data or personal files. It also has a feature for automatically backing up photos and videos from Facebook for social media junkies who want to make sure they back up all their images for posterity.

Admittedly, DropBox will not give you end-to-end encryption, so if you want absolute control over your data and watertight privacy, you should probably shop elsewhere. At a cost of $16.99 per month for 2 TB of space, this is a pretty expensive option too. That said, if you want a popular option that is easy to use, and you don't mind paying over the odds, then this service has proven its worth and is often praised by consumers.