Cloud storage is a great way to store files, images, videos, and so on, other than keeping them on your computer or an external hard drive. Not only does it prevent you from using up all of your computer’s available space, but you can also access the files from your other devices. You just need to connect your smartphone, tablet, or another computer to the internet and access the file there.
It’s also great that these cloud storage services are available for free. It’s a cheaper option than purchasing another external hard drive to store all of your data. Though cloud storage like Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, and so on are available for free, they do have paid plans available. These plans come with more storage space for you to use, as well as added features like how many users can use them, data protection, and so on.
As the world transitions more to a digital world, cloud storage becomes more and more important. Despite its rising importance, is it a good idea to pay for cloud storage? Is it advisable to spend money on them instead of just using them for free? Let’s discuss this further in this article.
The Pros and Cons of Paying For Cloud Storage
To help understand better if it’s a good idea to pay for cloud storage, let’s first discuss what are its pros and cons. With this, you can see the good things of getting a paid service and the bad things it offers
You Get More Storage Space
Probably one of the biggest pros of paying for cloud storage is that you are given more storage space to use. This can be helpful, especially if you’re someone who creates a lot of content, thus requiring ample storage space to keep all your files or data. For example, Google provides 15GB of free cloud storage for every Google account.
The free storage is shared between Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos. For most people that is already enough, but if you’re a content creator or a graphic artist, you’d likely use that available storage quickly. But if you get a paid Google account, you can get as much as 5TB of storage space, allowing you to store tons of files without worrying about using it all up quickly.
Added Features
Another advantage of paying for storage is that it will provide you with added features that can prove to be beneficial. One example would be the Dropbox Vault that Dropbox offers. It’s a feature that will allow you to properly secure your most important files, which only a few people will be able to access.
A paid Dropbox account can also have the watermark feature, which will allow you to add a digital watermark to any file before you share it with others. This can help protect your ideas from others who are looking to steal them. These are just some samples of the added features you can get from paid accounts. There are likely more great and useful features available.
Harder to Migrate Files
One of the biggest disadvantages of paying for cloud storage is that you will have a harder time migrating from your chosen cloud storage provider to another. If you decide to pay for cloud storage, you are likely going to use it as one of the main ways to store all of your files. In case you want to switch provider since you are having issues with your current one, transferring that large data will be a big problem.
Most likely you will have to do it manually since providers don’t usually have options or features that allow you to instantly transfer large data to another provider. This can be a nuisance, especially if you massive amounts of data stored.
There will be a Monthly Cost
Of course, this will be a disadvantage as well since there will be a recurring monthly fee that you have to pay. The amount you’ll pay will depend on the kind of paid plan you decide to get. The monthly fee is not that huge, but it’s still an added cost that you will have to deal with. So unless you have the budget for it, paying for cloud storage might not be a good idea.
Verdict
Cloud storage is a great way to store your files so you won’t have to put them all on your computer and use up all its available space. Using cloud storage will also allow you to easily access files from any device, as long as it’s connected to the internet. Though most cloud storages are available for free like Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Amazon Drive, and more, they also offer paid services.
As mentioned above, paying for cloud storage will result in more storage space and added great features. But these things are not needed unless you own a company or are someone who has tons of files and data to store. So, getting a paid cloud storage might benefit you. But if your just an individual or even a company that’s starting the cost of getting paid account might not be a good idea.
Unless you need it, it would be better if you would just stick to a free cloud storage space. The benefits that it offers are not something that everyone will need. It’s mostly the big businesses or experienced content creators and graphic artists who will likely appreciate the huge storage space and extra features a paid account offers.