Alternatives
Best iCloud alternatives in 2026
Data compiled by Toolradar Updated How we rate
Cite this list: Toolradar, best iCloud alternatives 2026, toolradar.com/alternatives/icloud
5 direct alternatives to iCloud and 3 more tools in the same category, compared on pricing, features, and best-for use cases. Pick the right replacement without the marketing fluff.
Quick answer
- Google Drive is the top alternative to iCloud on our list, followed by Dropbox and Box.
- 6 of the 8 alternatives have a free plan, starting with Google Drive.
- Highest rated: iLovePDF, 4.7 out of 5 from 13,659 ratings, Sep 2026.
- 8 alternatives
- 5 direct
- 6 with a free plan
Top 3 alternatives to iCloud
Google Drive
#1 Top pickCloud storage and collaboration with 15GB free
Starting price
From $1.99 /mo
Cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 2026
4.3 /5 on Toolradar · 3 reviews
Our take
Best overall
Dropbox
#2Cloud storage and collaboration
Starting price
From $9.99 /mo
Cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 2026
4.4 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 53,152 ratings, Sep 2026
Box
#3Secure cloud content management
Starting price
From $5 /mo
Cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 2026
4.3 /5 across SourceForge, G2 and Capterra · 10,971 ratings, Sep 2026
iCloud vs 8 alternatives
| Tool | Starting price (Nov 2026) | Free plan | Rating | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Price: $0.99/mo | Free plan: Yes | 3.5 out of 5, from 117 ratings across Capterra and SourceForge (117) | |
| Price: $1.99/mo | Free plan: Yes | 4.3 out of 5, from 3 reviews on Toolradar (3) | Direct alternative |
| Price: $9.99/mo | Free plan: No | 4.4 out of 5, from 53,152 ratings across G2 and Capterra (53,152) | Direct alternative | |
| Price: $5/mo | Free plan: No | 4.3 out of 5, from 10,971 ratings across SourceForge, G2 and Capterra (10,971) | Direct alternative |
 | Price: Free + paid | Free plan: Yes | 4.3 out of 5, from 353 ratings across SourceForge and G2 (353) | Direct alternative |
 | Price: Free + paid | Free plan: Yes | 4.3 out of 5, from 56 ratings on G2 (56) | Direct alternative |
 | Price: $5/mo | Free plan: Yes | 4.7 out of 5, from 13,659 ratings across Trustpilot, TrustRadius, G2 and more (13,659) | Same category as iCloud |
 | Price: $1.99/mo | Free plan: Yes | 4.4 out of 5, from 23,284 ratings across G2 and Capterra (23,284) | Same category as iCloud |
 | Price: $8/mo | Free plan: Yes | 4.7 out of 5, from 3,470 ratings across G2 and Capterra (3,470) | Same category as iCloud |
Why people consider alternatives to iCloud
iCloud syncs files, photos, and data across Apple devices seamlessly. Users access documents from any device, back up iPhones automatically, and share storage with family members.
Here are the real cost and limitation gotchas that push teams to look elsewhere:
- Free tier is 5 GB shared across Photos, backups, and iCloud Drive. A single iPhone backup often fills it.
- US list prices: 50 GB $0.99/mo, 200 GB $2.99/mo, 2 TB $9.99/mo, 6 TB $29.99/mo, 12 TB $59.99/mo (apple.com/icloud, Aug 2026).
- iCloud+ is also bundled inside Apple One. Buying both stacks storage; it is not a second Photos library.
The 5 direct alternatives below cover the same core job (file management) with different trade-offs. The 3 tools marked "Same category as iCloud" fit the category but replace iCloud less directly.
iCloud by the numbers
Toolradar data: iCloud's entry paid plan ($0.99/mo, billed monthly) ranks #1 of 14 for price among the Cloud Storage tools with a verified entry price and no stated unit, where the median is $2.84/mo. As of Nov 2026.
| Metric | iCloud | Peer median | Position (1 is best) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid plan | $0.99/mo, billed monthly | $2.84/mo | #1 of 14 tools with no stated price unit, verified price |
| Free plan | Yes | 23 of 36 have one | n/a |
| Listed as an alternative to | 3 tools | 4 | #19 of 36 (joint) |
| User rating | 3.5/5 (across the web, 117 ratings) | 4.3/5 | #22 of 23 (joint) tools with 20+ reviews |
| Compare-page visits, last 30 days | 62 visits | 41 | #9 of 21 tools with 20+ compare-page visits |
Visitors most often compare iCloud with Dropbox (last 30 days, Nov 2026).
Listed as an alternative to: #19 on 2026-10-16 to #19 on 2026-11-02 (rank among 36 tools, 1 is best).
Each position is counted among the tools that have data for that row, as noted under it. A lower entry price ranks higher; prices are read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis. All Cloud Storage data · How we compute this. Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position. Visit counts include visits from every source.
Cite this: Toolradar, “iCloud by the numbers”, Nov 2026.
File Management leaderboards from Toolradar data
Toolradar ranks File Management tools on one measure at a time, only where at least 8 tools have data. As of Nov 2026.
Lowest entry price, plans with no stated unit
Cheapest standard paid plan per month (annual prices divided by 12), read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis.
Counted among 27 tools with no stated price unit, verified price.
| # | Tool | Entry plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DockFlow | $0.90/mo, billed yearly |
| 2 | iCloud | $0.99/mo, billed monthly |
| 3 | Movens | $1.67/mo, billed yearly |
| 4 | Amazon Photos | $1.99/mo, billed monthly |
| 4 | Google Drive | $1.99/mo, billed monthly |
Lowest entry price, per-user plans
Cheapest standard paid plan per month (annual prices divided by 12), read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis.
Counted among 8 tools priced per user, verified price.
| # | Tool | Entry plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MediaSeg | $4/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 1 | Sigma File Manager | $4/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 3 | Box | $5/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 4 | Microsoft 365 | $6/user/mo, billed monthly |
| 5 | Nitro PDF | $15/user/mo, billed yearly |
Most visited, last 30 days
Distinct visitor sessions on the tool's Toolradar page over the last 30 days, with bots excluded by our analytics. A session counts once however many times it reloads the page.
Counted among 8 tools with 50+ visits.
| # | Tool | Visits |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PDFgear | 244 visits |
| 2 | darktable | 182 visits |
| 3 | Google Drive | 126 visits |
| 4 | pCloud | 109 visits |
| 5 | Dropbox | 85 visits |
A position exists only when at least 8 tools have data for that metric. 35 of 132 File Management tools have a verified price; the others publish none we could read (often "contact sales"). Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position. Visit counts include visits from every source. How we compute this. Cite this: Toolradar, “File Management leaderboards”, Nov 2026. Data licensed CC BY 4.0. All File Management statistics.
8 alternatives to iCloud
Direct alternatives come first, ranked by G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editor review. Tools marked "Same category as iCloud" follow, ranked the same way.
- 1
Google Drive
Free planCloud storage and collaboration with 15GB free
4.3 /5 on Toolradar · 3 reviews
From $1.99/mo, billed monthly; free plan available
- 2
Dropbox
Paid Higher rated by usersCloud storage and collaboration
4.4 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 53,152 ratings, Sep 2026
From $9.99/mo flat, billed monthly
- 3
Box
Paid Higher rated by usersSecure cloud content management
4.3 /5 across SourceForge, G2 and Capterra · 10,971 ratings, Sep 2026
From $5/user/mo, billed monthly
- 4
pCloud
Free plan Higher rated by usersSecure cloud storage with lifetime plans and advanced encryption.
4.3 /5 across SourceForge and G2 · 353 ratings, Sep 2026
Free plan available; paid prices not published
- 5
Sync.com
Free plan Higher rated by usersSecure cloud storage with end-to-end encryption for privacy and collaboration.
4.3 /5 on G2 · 56 ratings, Sep 2026
Free plan available; paid prices not published
- 6
iLovePDF
Free plan Higher rated by usersEvery tool you need to work with PDFs in one place, 100% FREE and easy to use.
4.7 /5 across Trustpilot, TrustRadius, G2 and more · 13,659 ratings, Sep 2026
From €5/mo, billed yearly; free plan available
Same category as iCloud
- 7
OneDrive
Free plan Higher rated by usersSeamless cloud storage for Windows and Microsoft 365
4.4 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 23,284 ratings, Sep 2026
From $1.99/mo, billed monthly; free plan available
Same category as iCloud
- 8
WeTransfer
Free plan Higher rated by usersSend large files easily, up to 200GB with Pro
4.7 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 3,470 ratings, Sep 2026
From €8/mo, billed monthly; free plan available
Same category as iCloud
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to iCloud?
Based on real-signal scoring (G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editorial review), the top alternatives to iCloud are Google Drive, Dropbox, Box. Each solves the same core job with different trade-offs on pricing, features, and integrations.
Is there a free alternative to iCloud?
There is no fully free alternative in this list. Google Drive is freemium: a permanent free tier plus paid plans (Cloud storage and collaboration with 15GB free).
Why do people look for iCloud alternatives?
Common reasons teams switch away from iCloud: pricing that scales aggressively, missing integrations with the rest of their stack, performance or scale limits, or a specific feature gap in file management. The alternatives on this page solve the same core problem with different trade-offs.
Side-by-side comparisons
In-depth comparison pages for iCloud versus each alternative.
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