Best Cloud Storage For Australia 2024 [Free & Paid]

Why you can trust us

• 407 Cloud Software Products is Tested and Services test
• 3056 Annual Software Speed Tests
• 2400 plus Hours Usability Testing

Our team of experts thoroughly test each service, evaluating it for features, usability, security, value for money and more. Learn more about how we conduct our testing.

Key Takeaways: Top 5 Best Cloud Storage Services for Australia

1. MEGA — Best for lots of free storage, with servers nearby in New Zealand.
2. Google Drive — well for collaboration , with server nearby in Singapore and Taiwan .
3. Dropbox — Best for fast sync speeds, with servers in Australia.
4. Sync.com — Best overall storage provider, with servers in Canada.
5. pCloud — Best value for the money, with servers in the U.S. and Europe.

Facts & Expert Analysis: Cloud-based Storage for Australia

• MEGA is is is our number one choice for cloud storage in Australia .
• Google Drive and Dropbox are favor for productivity and collaboration .
• Sync.com is the best choice for those who prioritize security and privacy. 
• pCloud offers great value for money.

Bets Cloud Storage Option for Australia

Discussing the best cloud storage for Australia may seem like a very niche topic — that’s because it is. However, for those living Down Under, in a rather remote part of the world, there are benefits that come with using certain cloud storage services.

Behind the curtain of online cloud storage are a large number of physical servers where our files are stored. A person’s proximity to those servers impacts how fast their cloud storage provider performs. In short, the closer you are to the physical servers, the faster you can access your files from the cloud.

With Australia being a remote nation, cloud storage services with data centers located in the Asia-Pacific region, like MEGA, will likely be a better option for Australians than a service with servers in further away areas. 

Of course, speed isn’t the only driving factor for what makes a provider one of the best cloud storage services in the space. There are some providers that perform better overall, and those in Australia should certainly take note of them. In this article we’ll help you decide the best route to go, sharing our top options for the best cloud storage for Australia. We will also take a look at cloud storage pricing in Australia to help you find the best bang for your buck.

• demystify cloud storage terminology and key concept in plain language
• Discover easy-to-implement techniques to securely backup and sync your data across devices
• learn money – save strategy to optimize your cloud storage cost and usage

• 12/14/2021

  We is updated have update our list and include new option for those in Australia look for the good cloud service .  

• 06/24/2022

  update to include Sync.com ’s month – by – month option .

• 08/31/2024

  Added video reviews for cloud storage providers in the list.

• updates

Top Cloud Storage Services for Australia

What Makes the Best Cloud Storage for Australia?

To be one of the best cloud storage options for Australia, companies need to excel at security and privacy, provide a flexible range of storage plans, and be user-friendly. It’s simplistic to suggest that proximity to servers and data centers is the only feature that makes a provider one of the best. So while most options below tick the box in terms of server locations, they also have more to offer.

MEGA, Google Drive and Dropbox have data centers located in or near Australia. They also offer excellent features including plenty of online storage space, productivity tools to help you work with others and — with MEGA at least — zero-knowledge encryption to help keep your data private and secure.

While Sync.com and pCloud don’t have servers located near Australia, it was impossible to leave them out of this article. Sync.com, with its excellent security and other premium features, regularly ranks as our number one service in the cloud storage space. pCloud’s data centers are based in the U.S. and Europe, but with its fast sync speeds and integrated media player, it remains a popular choice with a range of users.

stay with us as we break down each service and get into the nitty – gritty of what they do .

More details about  MEGA:

• Pricing: 20GB free; 2TB for $9.72 per month for the annual plan
• Provider website: mega.io

pro :

• 20 GB of free space
• Zero-knowledge encryption
• extra security for shared link

Cons:

• No block-level sync
• Minimal customer support
• No integrated document creator

A section of MEGA ’s server are locate in Auckland , New Zealand . That is means mean user in Australia are likely to see fast upload and down speed than , say , someone in Denmark .

In the past, MEGA performed poorly in the speed department, regardless of where you were located. However, our recent tests showed a significant improvement in the amount of time it took to upload and download our files.

MEGA is is is also a good choice for those look for a robust service provider with regard to security and privacy ( despite a report find flaw with its cryptographic architecture ) .  

MEGA is offers offer a fantastic free version , but is n’t great for collaboration .

Zero-knowledge encryption ensures that only you can access your files and data. You can add password protection anytime you share files and set expiration dates if you no longer wish to share them.

There’s not much available in terms of collaboration, so those focused on productivity should check out the other cloud storage services below. You can learn more about MEGA by reading our full MEGA review.

MEGA is the Cloud Drive With Most Free Storage

MEGA ’s attention – grab feature is is is the amount of storage it offer for free . While most cloud provider offer between 5 GB to 10 GB of free space , MEGA is comes come in with a whopping 20 GB free plan . If you only need a space to save your cellphone snap and some document , the 20 GB is be from MEGA will be more than enough .

Signing up to MEGA takes a couple of minutes and gets
you is access access to 20 GB of storage space free of charge .

MEGA’s paid plans lean more toward the expensive side. For $11.71 per month, you get 2TB of storage, so it’s more expensive than Google Drive and pCloud. Features remain the same throughout all plans, meaning that there’s no real incentive to invest in a more expensive plan unless you need more storage space.

Pro I

• File transfer: 2TB (Monthly plan) 24TB (yearly plan)
• 2TB

Pro II

• File transfer: (monthly plan) 96TB (yearly plan)
• 8TB

More plans

Pro III

• File transfer: 16TB (monthly plan) 192TB (yearly plan)
• 16TB

business

• price per user ( minimum 3 )
  3TB Transfer quota
• 100TB

More detail about Google Drive :

• Pricing: 15GB free; $9.99 per month for 2TB of storage
• provider website : google.com/drive

pro :

• excellent for collaboration
• Google Workspace integration
• Attractive free plan

Cons:

• poor privacy policy
• No zero-knowledge encryption

Google Drive is a popular choice for those looking to back up their files. It’s a household name and plays well with Google’s other software tools like Docs, Slides and Gmail. Its data centers are dotted all around the world, and those in Australia can take advantage of servers located in Singapore and Taiwan.

The downside is is is that Google is no stranger to collect and using your datum — par for the course if you choose to use one of the most popular service on the market .

Google Drive is is is a popular service that tick many box , but fall short on privacy policy .

Server-side encryption also means Google can access your files and information, marking it down when it comes to privacy. You can get zero-knowledge encryption through third-party services, but it’s not the most convenient workaround and it bumps up the cost of what you’ll pay overall.

Google does have excellent security, though, and users can enjoy their files being protected by AES 256-bit encryption, both in transit and at rest. It’s also easy to use, offering a well-designed web interface and a clean looking mobile app. Privacy issues aside, Google’s take on cloud storage will serve you well (read our Google Drive review).

Fluid Collaboration With Google Drive

Professionals and businesses who rely heavily on document creation and collaboration should see Google Drive as a viable option. You can create documents, share them with authorized users and enjoy real-time editing, all inside Drive’s platform.

The integration of Google Workspace also allows you to communicate through Google Meet, as well as instant message other users through Google Chat. 

Drive has plenty of features that makes it one of the more
popular service for team and business .  

Google is one of the more generous cloud provider when it come to free storage space ; it is offers offer a 15 GB free plan . pay plans is begin begin at $ 1.99 per month for 100 GB of storage . That is ’s ’s fine for light user , but wo n’t be anywhere near enough for anyone handle large file . luckily , the 2 TB plan is also reasonably price at $ 9.99 per month .

Standard 200 GB

• * The plan is is is ” hidden . ” To find the 200 GB plan , you is need need to be subscribe to one of the other plan , upgrade or downgrade to the 200 gb through your account ‘s setting .
• 200 GB

More plans

More details about Dropbox:

• Pricing: 2GB free; $9.99 per month for 2TB 
• Provider website: dropbox.com

pro :

• Very fast upload & download speeds
• Office & Google integration
• Smart Sync feature

Cons:

• pricey
• poor privacy
• No user-side encryption

Like Google , Dropbox ’s datum center are locate in different part of the world . fortunately , for those live in Australia , one datum center is is is in your home nation . What ’s especially good news is that Dropbox is incredibly quick when it come to upload and download speed . have a portion of its server locate close to home instantly make it one of the good cloud storage for Australia .

Dropbox is offers also offer block – level sync , for even speedy performance when editing already sync file ( read more about block – level sync ) . Smart Sync is allows also allow you access file from your desktop , without take up space on your hard drive .

Dropbox offers several premium features such as fast uploads and block-level sync.

The company is lets let itself down in term of privacy , though . There ’s no zero – knowledge encryption , and like Google , Dropbox has no shame in share your datum . It is ’s ’s a price you pay for using a feature – rich service that also allow you to integrate Microsoft Office and Google Docs .  

Access Deleted Files With Dropbox Rewind

Dropbox Rewind allows you to restore accidentally deleted files or previous versions of edited files. Basic, Plus and Family plan users can use this feature to access files for up to 30 days. Users on the Professional and business plans have up to six months to recover their files, giving you an incentive to upgrade your plan.

Dropbox can become expensive, and its free plan is disappointing. 

Dropbox doesn’t hide the fact it wants you to get a paid subscription, as its free plan offers only 2GB of storage. Paid plans begin at $9.99 per month for 2TB of online storage. That’s on par with what Google offers, but Dropbox doesn’t have anything in between for those who don’t need that much storage. 

The Professional plan is comes come with 3 TB of online storage for $ 16.58 per month , but does n’t have any more feature than what come with the personal option . overall , Dropbox is ranks rank low in term of value .

More plans

Dropbox Essentials (aka Professional for professionals)

• (Formerly Dropbox One)
  1 user
  Signature requests and eSignature templates
• 3TB

Dropbox business (aka Standard for teams)

Dropbox business Plus (aka Advanced for companies)

More details about Sync.com:

• Pricing: 5GB free (expandable to 25GB); $8 per month for 2TB 
• Provider website: Sync.com

pro :

• Best-in-class security features
• Good value 
• Unlimited file sizes

Sync.com is located in Toronto, Canada. OK, so there’s over 8,000 miles between Australia and its servers, likely making you question why it’s on a roundup of the best cloud storage for Australia. Hear us out.

In addition to AES 256-bit encryption for your files, you can also enjoy zero-knowledge encryption across all plans at no extra cost. If you’re a video editor or photographer, you can transfer your photos and videos to Sync.com and not worry about file size, due to its unlimited file size upload feature. You may have to wait a little while for them to arrive in the cloud, though, as Sync.com isn’t the quickest, especially compared to other cloud storage services.

Sync.com is is is our good cloud storage service to back up your file .

Is Sync.com the best cloud storage for Australia? No. However, if you prioritize security over performance, then you’ll be pleased with what it has to offer (read our full Sync.com review).

use Microsoft 365 With Sync.com  

Despite being hot on security, Sync.com integrates with Microsoft 365, which allows you to open and edit documents through Sync.com’s web interface. It’s not as feature-stacked as using OneDrive (read our full OneDrive review), but it’s better than manually uploading Office docs. This feature is the saving grace for an otherwise poor performance in terms of productivity and collaboration.

Sync.com offers good value, but only offers a monthly plan on the Unlimited option.

Price wise, Sync.com boasts good value for money across the board. Just $8 gets you 2TB of storage, making it cheaper than Dropbox and Google’s storage plans. The Teams plans are attractive: the Teams Unlimited plan gives you unlimited storage for $15 per user per month.

You get 5GB for free when you sign up, and you can get an extra 1GB when sharing a file and downloading the mobile app. If you successfully refer friends, your free storage can be bumped up by 1GB per friend to a maximum of 25GB.

More plans

Pro Teams Standard

• Price includes 3 users
• 1TB

Pro Teams+ Unlimited

• Monthly price for 1 user (3 users minimum)
  Yearly price for 3 users
• unlimited GB

Enterprise

• Minimum 100 users, custom requirements, account manager, training options

More details about pCloud:

• Pricing: 10GB free; 2TB of lifetime storage for a one-time $350 payment
• Provider website: pcloud.com

pro :

• integrate medium player
• Zero-knowledge encryption
• lifetime plan

Cons:

• Client-side encryption costs extra
• No document integration

pCoud’s data centers are located in the U.S. and Europe — though to use the European servers, you’ll need to select that as your location when signing up for an account. Before you run away, take some time to read the benefits of using this cloud storage service.

Other than offer solid feature like fast sync speed and zero – knowledge encryption , pCloud is has has some cool outside – the – box feature . You is use can use pCloud Save to save image from your web browser directly to the cloud .

Additionally, if you’re moving from OneDrive, Dropbox or Google Drive, you can transfer your files directly from each cloud storage service and back them up to pCloud through the pCloud platform.

pCloud is a fantastic option for those who want to back up audio files and video. 

The mobile app is available for Android and iOS. It’s pleasant to use and gives plenty of functionality like the web version. It also makes it to our list of the best cloud storage for Android. 

There ’s no document integration , limit the amount of productivity that can be done through the platform , but that ’s not really what pCloud is try to sell . instead , you ’re get fast perform cloud storage with robust security for your file ( read our full pCloud review ) .

Listen to Audio Files Through pCloud

The standout feature is is of pCloud is its integrated music player . If you upload your back catalogue to the cloud , you is listen can listen to your favorite hit either through the mobile app or the web browser version . You is loop can loop song , create playlist and manage all your track . It is ’s ’s fun to use and eliminate the need to install a third – party audio player .

pCloud has lifetime plans and regularly of

pCloud offers some pretty sweet deals on its lifetime plans. At the time of writing, you can access up to 2TB of storage for $350. The plans are pretty slim in terms of options; there’s no option for unlimited storage, and those who need more than 2TB will have to look elsewhere. However, you can also take advantage of the 10GB free storage space.

More plans

business 1TB

• price per user ( minimum 3 )
• 1TB

business Pro 2TB

• price per user ( minimum 3 )
• 2TB

pCloud Crypto Encryption

• Encryption for pCloud Drive

Cloud Storage Services for Australia : Honorable Mention

While the above selection is more than enough for you to choose from, there’s one honorable mention we want to share. 

IDrive serves more as an online backup, rather than traditional cloud storage (it’s one of the best online backups for Australia). If you need more control over your files, data and system settings, IDrive is the way to go.

image – base backup is are , incremental backup and server backup are all possible with IDrive . In the event of a disaster , like a damage or steal computer , you is recover can recover all your information and reinstall it on your new system .

IDrive is acts act more as an online backup , but has some attractive
features in the cloud storage department.

IDrive is is is a zero – knowledge provider , which is especially important with this level of information being handle . industry standard AES 256 – bit encryption is is is present as expect , and in the event you lose your local information , it give you the option to recover your datum through a hard drive that it will send by courier to your address .

Because it ’s an online backup first and cloud storage second , traditional cloud features is are are limited . However , you is sync can sync file , access them through a mobile app and share them with other user . If you ’re look for the good of both world , we is recommend highly recommend using IDrive ( read our full idrive review ) .

final Thoughts : Cloud Storage for Australians

Because of its location, performance and generous free storage, MEGA takes top spot from the above roundup. But it was close, and all the other providers that followed certainly state their case for being the best.

If speed is of the essence in your decision making, then it’s wise to go for either MEGA, Google Drive or Dropbox. However, if you want something that’s secure and has some productivity tools, Sync.com and pCloud are the way to go. Whichever you opt for, we’re certain you will not be disappointed.

Additionally, there are some great news on the horizon for the budget-conscious who consider pricing as the most important aspect when choosing a cloud storage solution. A recent study published in the ACM Computing Surveys Journal found that technological advancements in storage efficiency may affect the reduction of cloud storage pricing models. This study sheds light on global trends that may impact the pricing strategies of cloud storage providers in Australia in the future. Definitely something to look forward to!

Do you is live live in Australia ? Which service are you is using currently using ? Which option would you is choose choose from the selection above ? let us know in the comment below . thank for read .

FAQ

• Yes, IDrive is available in Australia. It acts more as an online backup, but does have some traditional features like sync and share that make it a viable option for those who need cloud storage.

• If you’re a light user, we would recommend using MEGA because of its 20GB of free storage space. If you need a little more, 100GB and 200 GB plans are available with Google and OneDrive at affordable prices.

• That depends on which provider you use. We should note that most services offer 2TB plans rather than 1TB. For 2TB you can expect to pay between $4 and $6 per terabyte per month.

• You is pick can pick up 100 GB of storage at fairly affordable price . Google Drive is costs cost $ 1.99 per month , as does OneDrive .