Have you backed up your phone lately? If you haven’t, you’re playing a dangerous game – you could drop your phone and shatter it, lose it somewhere you’ll never find it, or watch it meet a watery demise. And if any of these unfortunate events happen, how will you replace the files, photos, and other important content on your phone?
Everyone needs a cloud storage solution. While all of today’s top tech devices let you store photos and documents on the device itself, cloud storage provides an extra level of protection. It keeps your most important mementos safe no matter where or when you need to access them.
If you don’t have a cloud storage account or service, here’s why you should consider getting one.
What is Cloud Storage?
From your laptop to your smartphone to your tablet, any files you create are typically saved right to that device. Snap a photo, and it saves to your phone. Create a video and it’ll be stored on your tablet. However, when your device fails or can’t be accessed, getting your files back can be difficult if not impossible.
Cloud storage provides you with an alternative: you can access your files from anywhere and any device. Cloud storage takes your files off a device’s hard drive and backs up them securely, storing them remotely in a cloud system. These files are protected, and you can only access them with a cloud storage account or service. And no matter what happens, you’ll always have a backup of your important documents.
The Benefits of Cloud Storage
In addition to making sure your files are always available and protected, cloud storage offers other benefits like:
- Efficiency – Files can be accessed from multiple devices and shared with others
- More Device Space – Using cloud storage will free up space on your device’s hard drive
- Affordable Storage – Instead of buying a device with a bigger hard drive, you can store your files in the cloud for free or a few dollars a month
- Increased Security – Your data and files are encrypted, meaning you’re protected from hackers or unauthorized users
Additionally, you may not have to pay a single cent to keep your files backed up. Most cloud storage services do charge fees, but those fees are only charged if you exceed a certain about of space. Popular services offer anywhere from 2GB to 15GB of free storage space, so you don’t have to spend a cent to keep your most important files safe.
The Best Cloud Storage Solutions
When you’re trying to determine whether you need a cloud storage service, consider one that offers you free space. That way, you can test out the service and see if you like all of its features and its security before you pay for additional storage. Many of today’s top cloud storage options will even let you store the bulk of your files for free or a small monthly fee.
Here are three of the best cloud storage solutions available right now:
Google Drive: Google Drive is an entirely free cloud storage option anyone can use – and if you’ve already used Google Docs, Sheets, or Photos, you likely already have an account. Google Drive will store all of your documents in a variety of formats, and you can access them on any smartphone, tablet, or computer. You have up to 15GB of free storage at your disposal, and if you need more you can opt to pay a small monthly fee.
Dropbox: One of the world’s most popular cloud storage options, Dropbox is easy to access and secure. You can store any kind of file, from photos and videos to PDFs and spreadsheets. It’s also easy to share your Dropbox files with others, making it a great choice for families. Dropbox offers 2GB of storage for free, and if you need more storage you can either buy more or complete small tasks to earn free gigabytes.
Amazon Drive: You likely already have an Amazon Prime account, but did you know that cloud storage is included in your membership? All Amazon Prime members have unlimited storage for photos on the Amazon Cloud Drive and up to 5GB of free storage for everything else. If you aren’t a Prime member, you can pay a small fee for the same perks. Amazon Drive can easily be accessed any time you log into your account.
Back Up Your Devices Today
If you aren’t using cloud storage, you need to make a change – protect your files and give yourself the added benefit of easy access from any device. Don’t wait until the worst occurs to backup your photos, videos, and most important documents.
And you may not need to pay for cloud storage. There are plenty of free options available, letting you store files of any kind and most sizes at no cost. Free cloud storage is as great as paid options, too, meeting your needs, protecting your data, and ensuring you always have your files at any time.
To choose a cloud storage service, you’ll want to compare the different options available. Determine how much space you need, and then assess the capabilities of each reputable cloud storage company. Doing comparison shopping is the right way to find the best fit.
