5 Best cloud backup for personal use

The core function of Sync.com is essentially to sync folders on your computer with the cloud and keep them as up-to-date as possible. If you pay for their service, you can keep all the old versions of your files for an unlimited amount of time and, even better, it has no impact on your storage allocation.

Although Sync.com will grant you 5GB of data as a free user, you can upgrade to 2TB, 3TB, or 4TB for $8, $12, and $15 a month, respectively. There are other options, but these are the only ones you'll really need for personal use. 

In terms of security, Sync.com really excels, encrypting data end-to-end on the client-side as well as in transit and at rest. Sync.com is another provider that uses AES-256 bit encryption during account creation, but most of its security is based on a 2048 bit RSA private encryption key. On top of this, Sync.com also has a two-factor authentication option to ensure your files are kept safe. Sync.com actually has a whole pdf dedicated to explaining its security and privacy practices available to read online, so make sure to check that out before you make your decision! 

NordLocker 2.0 is a fantastic cloud backup option for personal use. The service is designed, managed, and maintained by NordVPN, one of the most trusted VPN providers on the market that have been helping customers take back control of their privacy online for many years now. NordLocker's purpose, first and foremost, is encrypting files on a local hard drive, which is great because it solves one of the security issues many people have with storing their files locally

Usually, if a device is stolen, for instance, then the thief will be able to view your files if they can get into your laptop – but your NordLocker-stored documents will be encrypted and safe. However, you can also select the data or files you'd like to store in the cloud. NordLocker uses end-to-end encryption to protect your files, and you can log onto any device and securely access your important documents with your login credentials. 

NordVPN is great for personal use because it's a no-frills service. If you're looking for somewhere just to keep your files safely, then you don't need fancy add-ons and a plethora of settings to configure. This cloud backup service is one of the easiest to use and has an incredibly slick feel to its UI, which is a nice touch. NordLocker will grant you 3GB of space for free – which is a decent amount of space – but for just $3.99 a month, you can upgrade to 500GB, which is enough space for a very hefty catalog of documents.

You can, despite the high level of security, still share files with contacts (fellow NordLocker users only) and as long as you have your login credentials, you can access your files on any device. Although it currently only has apps for Windows 10 and Mac, apps for mobile operating systems like Android and iOS are on their way shortly. 

IDrive has a basic plan called IDrive basic (who saw that coming) that allows for 5GB of storage and is completely free – so if you only have a few things you want to back up and access from elsewhere, this might be the option for you. IDrive Personal, on the other hand, allows you to backup 5TB of files, documents, pictures, or videos, and you can access it from as many computers as you please. Although this is more than enough for the average person, if you really need to, this can be doubled to 10TB quite easily. 

IDrive uses incremental backups to simply replace what has been changed in a file rather than the whole thing, which makes for a swift and easy process. IDrive does use AES-256 bit encryption, the best on the market, and you can obtain a private encryption key on request that only you'll know. Be careful with this, however, as you won't be able to share anything and it can be a bit of a nightmare if you forget it, as everything needs to be reset.

Much like NordLocker, IDrive has one of the best user interfaces in the cloud backup/storage sphere, which is useful if you've never used a cloud service like this before. It's also got great apps across multiple platforms, including Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android.

Adrive is a cloud backup solution for people on a budget that need a large chunk of space – if you go with its most basic plan, for just $2.50 a month, Adrive will grant you 100GB of room to work with. On Adrive, accidentally deleting files is not a problem – you can revert back to older versions thanks to weekly snapshots of all your documents. It also has a great customer service line, a user forum and they respond to requests and questions pretty sharpish when compared to other cloud service providers. 

Although Adrive used to offer 50GB of storage on their free plan, which is a lot more than some of the other providers on this list, it wouldn't let you use its desktop apps and that plan has now been discontinued. In its place, however, is a 60-day free trial, which means you have a whole two months to decide if it's the right backup service for you, which is more than enough.

If you do decide to go with ADrive, it is one of the cheaper options out there. However, like Livedrive, Adrive does not use end-to-end encryption, but it does secure files using TLS and SSL when they are in transit and at rest. It's not got the best reputation in the world for privacy and security, but if you're not backing up super-sensitive information, then it could be a good shout.

Livedrive offers several backup and storage options, from full cloud backups to file versioning and syncing. It has a smooth backup process that's pretty speedy compared to many other popular providers, which is an advantage. So is the fact that Livedrive's most basic plan, just called 'Backup', allows completely unlimited storage for one user, making it a really solid choice for personal use. You can access your files through your computer and the mobile app, on this plan, for just $79.90 a year – it's a bit pricier than some of the other plans on this list, but if you need unlimited storage, this might be the way to go. 

On Livedrive's servers, all files and documents are encrypted with the AES-256 bit standard. However, the main problem with Livedrive is that it doesn't use end-to-end encryption on its non-business packages, which means that your files aren't encrypted on your local device before being moved to the cloud. But, if you're looking to store non-sensitive data in cloud-like music files or holiday photos, this is perhaps the best option for you.

Like the cloud providers above it, Livedrive has an incredible user interface that comes with handy little features like letting you preview photos and play music directly from the cloud.