pCloud

pCloud gives you cloud storage based in Switzerland with a clear choice: keep your files in the EU (Luxembourg) or the US. Pick your region at signup, and your data stays there. The free plan starts at 10 GB, paid plans go up to 10 TB, and there are lifetime options if you want to pay once and be done with it.

The service works across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. It creates a virtual drive on your computer that streams files from the cloud without eating local disk space. Upload speeds are fast with no individual file size limits, and a built-in media player handles audio and video directly from your storage.

Standard encryption covers all files with AES-256 at rest and TLS in transit. For sensitive documents, the Crypto add-on provides zero-knowledge encryption. You set a separate Crypto Pass that pCloud never sees. Files in your Crypto Folder are encrypted on your device before they leave it. The trade-off: Crypto costs extra ($49.99/year or $150 lifetime) and is not included in individual plans.

Worth knowing

pCloud is not open source, so there is no way to independently verify the encryption code. Customer support is email-only, which can be slow for urgent issues. Some users on Trustpilot have reported occasional sync problems in early 2026. The lifetime plans are genuine one-time payments, but the company is 13 years old with over 22 million users, which gives reasonable confidence they will be around to honor them.