Cloud storage is a new way to save data and information that you can access anywhere, anytime as long as you have an internet connection. Why pay for it when you can have it for free? This is the question most will ask when it comes to availing of a cloud file storage service or any service at all. A little research and you will be able to find lots of free services. So why indeed pay when it is available at no price at all. Why are there companies offering their products for free, when people are willing to pay for it. If not free, companies will at least offer free trial for their members. What are you really paying for when you get a paid service, is it just convenience or are there really perks to getting a paid service.
Is Free Cloud Storage Really Free?
First of all, is it really free when companies say their product is free. Or is this just a ploy and a marketing tactic to get people to sign up for them. Maybe there are hidden fees and before you know it your credit card is charged for getting an online data storage that you thought was free. Of course, there are legitimate companies offering free storage but they are also offering paid storage, in the hopes that the free users will eventually convert into paying customers.
Secondly, there are free storages but that doesn’t mean that everything that comes with it would also be free. Some additional features would not be available for free users and can only be used when you convert to a paying customer. Also, the storage would be limited since companies won’t probably be able to financially support their product if they gave everything away for free. Security might also be compromised if there is not enough money coming in for proper security.
Third, there are hidden agendas to free products. It might be that they want you to become a paid customer eventually with never ending reminders to get the paid product. They could also be bombarding you with advertisements that they could be getting paid for. Seeing ads on software is really a downside to getting free wares.
Why Are There Free Cloud Storages?
The reason for free cloud file storage service really depends on the service provider. Most of the time though, they offer a free product because they want the customers to become a paying consumer. This is a marketing strategy, giving morsels of the real product for free to entice the customers to ultimately decide to get the whole product for the additional features. The companies won’t pressure you to pay for it but sooner or later the limitations of the free product will show and you will know why they are offered for free. The inadequacy will either force you to pay for the product or to go to another service provider. It is doubtful that some companies will offer their services for free out of the goodness of their hearts. Mostly and very ironic is that, they offer free products to get more money.
Why Pay When You Can Get It for Free
Paying for the best cloud file storage services will ensure that you will get the whole package. There will be more space for your files and documents. You can get multiple free cloud storage but that would be a hassle and a security concern so paying a service provider will be the better option. It is also more comfortable and convenient to use a paid service rather than a free one. You won’t get limitations and you are more likely to have customer service support if you are a paying customer. You can try the free trial before getting the real deal if you are not comfortable in the beginning. Getting a free trial will also ensure that the product is fit for you. Another way to know the real score about the different services is to read the reviews of cloud file storage services. You can read unbiased opinions from reviews of current users, they will tell you if the product is living up to its hype or not. Anyways, you can always stick with the free one if paying is not in your budget.
How Much Storage You Will Get
For free storages, users will most likely get about two to five gigabytes of storage. This is enough for the casual user, with not much pictures, movies or music to store. This is enough if you are just storing word documents and small sized files. However, if you are a more serious user with lots of files that occupies big spaces, then getting a paid service may be applicable to you. The storage space you will get will depend on the plan, price and the service provider that you will get. The higher the money you fork out the bigger the storage space. Same with monthly plans, the limitations on the monthly bandwidth will also be higher the more expensive you pay for. For $10-100 a month, you can get up to a hundred gigabytes of storage. There are others that offer up to five terabytes of storage for a lifetime. So far, no company even the best cloud file storage services, are offering an unlimited amount of space.
When Should You Upgrade to Paid Cloud Storage?
Maybe you started as a free user because you don’t use much space but then you started saving large files which would require more storage. If this is your case, then this is the right time to upgrade to paid cloud storage. There are more benefits to paying than being a free user, like more storage, more secure servers, a dedicated customer service support and you can also share the storage with your relatives and trusted friends or coworkers. Another reason is if you are storing sensitive information, ones which might require a tighter security that free storage will not be able to provide. If you want your files more secure, it is a good idea to upgrade to paid service. PCWorld and FindtheBest conducted a research to know which is better between hard drives and cloud storage for backup storage. The results indicated that free cloud-based storage is best for your pocket, but surely, paid storage is even better. It is more secure and it won’t likely get lost.
Pros and Cons of Paid Cloud Storage
The con for paid cloud storage is that, well, it’s paid. That’s the only con and a lot of pros. First is that you get more storage. You can get from 10 gigabyte up to five terabytes depending on the plan that you are paying for. This is surely enough for whatever you need it for. Second pro is that there is a tighter security for your files. Options like encryption and two factor authorization is available. Not that the security is lax for free users, but it is taken more seriously once you are a paying customer since there will be more budget. Third and very important is the customer support. This is also available for free users of cloud file storage but you are more likely to get through customer support if you are paying. To know the best cloud storage, read reviews of it on review sites available on the internet.
Pros and Cons of Free Storage
The pro for free cloud storage is, of course, it’s free. No need to pay for anything to get the service. The con would be there would be limitations. Limited storage, limited security and a lot of limited features. Another con for cloud storage in general is that it requires the use of an internet connection. There is also a lack of total control since the servers are managed by a company and usually are on different parts of the world. The difficulty to transfer the files is also another con for cloud storage. You would have to download everything and then upload them again, if ever you want to transfer to a different service provider. Despite these cons, cloud storage is still better than hard drives when backing up files. Read reviews of cloud file storage services to know which one is the best.
We all want to avail of products that are free. No paying anything and we can put the money on other things that we really need. Free is more attractive but paying for a cloud storage is like an investment. You can put your important files and documents on it to keep them forever and you will have a service provider that will protect them. You may be paying a little amount of money but this will be worth it in the end with all the services that you will get in return. Do not compromise the security of your files by being a cheapskate and only availing of the free ware.
Want to know the best cloud storage service providers? Head on now to CrowdReviews to read the reviews of some of the best cloud storage.
Trevor Price
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