pCloud review

pCloud stands out for one reason most rivals do not offer: lifetime plans, where you pay once and keep the storage. The service is based in Switzerland and lets you choose whether your files live in Europe or the USA. New accounts start with up to 10 GB free, the phone app backs up photos and videos automatically, and the built-in player streams music and video straight from the cloud, which suits people with large media libraries. On the US App Store, Premium costs $4.99 a month and Premium Plus $9.99 a month, with plans reaching 10 TB, and a Family plan covers up to 5 users. Zero-knowledge encryption is available but sold separately as pCloud Encryption, also $4.99 in the app. Lifetime prices on the website appeared in euros from our location, so confirm the US price before buying, and do the math: a lifetime plan pays off only if you keep using it for years.

Who it is for

People who would rather pay once for storage than keep a monthly subscription.

Price

Up to 10 GB free; Premium $4.99 per month as an in-app purchase on the US App Store; Premium Plus $9.99 per month; lifetime plans on the website.

Premium $4.99 Premium Plus $9.99
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 9, 2026.

Key features

• Up to 10 GB of free storage on registration
• Automatic photo and video backup from your phone
• Stream videos and music without downloading
• Choice of data region in Europe or the USA
• Optional zero-knowledge pCloud Encryption add-on

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Lifetime plans avoid recurring fees
• Strength: Family plan for up to 5 users
• Strength: Built-in music and video player
• Weakness: Client-side encryption is a paid add-on
• Weakness: Website prices showed in euros from our location
• Weakness: Premium at $4.99 a month costs more than the $1.99 entry tiers from Google and Microsoft

Key facts

• Free storage: Up to 10 GB
• Cheapest paid plan: Premium, $4.99 per month in the US App Store
• Maximum storage: Up to 10 TB
• Lifetime plans: Yes, one-time payment
• Data regions: Europe or USA

Where it ranks

pCloud is No. 4 in our Best Cloud Storage verdict.