Alternatives to pCloud
Swiss cloud storage with lifetime plans and optional client-side encryption. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
pCloud
Swiss cloud storage with lifetime plans and optional client-side encryption.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as pCloud.
MEGA
End-to-end encrypted cloud storage with a large free tier.
MEGA makes end-to-end encryption the default rather than a paid add-on and has a large free tier, but it applies transfer quotas.
Dropbox
The original file sync service, with clients on every platform.
Dropbox has a mature sync engine with smart sync on every platform, but its free tier is only a few gigabytes and files are not encrypted from its point of view.
Sync.com
Canadian zero-knowledge encrypted cloud storage.
Sync.com includes zero-knowledge encryption for everything by default rather than as an add-on and stores data in Canada, but it has no Linux client.
Google Drive
Google's cloud storage and file sharing service with desktop sync and mobile apps.
Google Drive offers 15 GB free and Docs integration, but it has no official Linux desktop client and no end-to-end encryption by default.
Filen
German end-to-end encrypted cloud storage with open-source clients.
Filen includes zero-knowledge encryption by default with open-source clients and German storage, though it is smaller and newer, with some rough client edges.
Internxt
Open-source, end-to-end encrypted cloud storage and photo backup.
Internxt also sells lifetime plans and adds client-side encryption with open-source clients, but its free tier is small and its sync reliability has been uneven.
Proton Drive
End-to-end encrypted cloud storage from Proton for backing up, syncing and sharing files and photos.
Proton Drive encrypts end to end by default with automatic mobile photo backup, but it needs a Proton account and lists only Android, iOS and web apps.
Tresorit
Swiss zero-knowledge encrypted storage aimed at businesses.
Tresorit is also Swiss and adds default zero-knowledge encryption with business access controls, but it is more expensive with no meaningful free tier.
Also worth comparing
These listings name pCloud as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
Icedrive
A cloud storage service with 10GB free, client-side encryption and a mountable virtual drive.
pCloud is Swiss cloud storage with lifetime plans and a virtual drive that streams files, but client-side encryption is a paid add-on rather than included.
iCloud Drive
Apple's cloud storage, integrated across macOS, iOS and Windows.
pCloud works across every platform including Linux and Android and sells lifetime plans, with client-side encryption offered as a paid add-on.
kDrive
Infomaniak's Swiss-hosted cloud storage for storing, sharing and syncing files, with online office editing.
pCloud is also Swiss cloud storage, with lifetime plans and a virtual drive, but client-side encryption is a paid add-on and it is closed source.
Koofr
European cloud storage service that can also connect and search your other cloud accounts.
pCloud is Swiss storage with lifetime plans and a streaming virtual drive, but it does not gather your other cloud accounts in one view.
MediaFire
A long-running cloud storage and file hosting service for sharing files through links.
pCloud is Swiss cloud storage with lifetime plans and a virtual drive across desktop and mobile, with client-side encryption as a paid add-on.
Microsoft OneDrive
Microsoft's cloud storage, built into Windows and Microsoft 365.
pCloud has a Linux client, lifetime plans and a virtual drive that streams files, with client-side encryption available as a paid add-on.
TeraBox
A cloud storage service with up to 1 TB of free space and apps for desktop and mobile.
pCloud is Swiss storage with lifetime plans, a Linux client and a virtual drive, though client-side encryption is a paid add-on.
Yandex Disk
Cloud storage service from Yandex 360 with sync apps for computers and phones.
pCloud stores files in Switzerland with lifetime plans and a streaming virtual drive, with client-side encryption available as a paid add-on.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Rclone
A command line tool that syncs, copies and mounts files across more than seventy cloud storage services.
IDrive
Cloud backup service that protects multiple computers, phones and servers under one account.
CryFS
An encrypted filesystem that protects files stored in cloud storage, including their metadata and folder structure.
ExpanDrive
Mounts cloud storage and file servers as native drives on macOS, Windows and Linux.
CloudMounter
A desktop app that mounts cloud storage accounts as local drives in Finder and Explorer.
Air Explorer
Desktop app for managing, transferring, syncing and encrypting files across many cloud storage accounts.
