Is iCloud+ worth it in 2026?

Reviewed 2026-05-23

iCloud+ and the alternatives

Cheapest 2TB

Apple iCloud+

United States
1.4(115 reviews)

Starting from €0.99/month

50 GB · billed monthly
1 GB free2 TB: €9.99/mo
View plans
Biggest free tier

Google One

United States
1.8(38 reviews)
Save up to €15.89 on annual plan

Starting from €1.67/month

100 GB · billed annually
15 GB free2 TB: €9.99/mo
View plans
Best lifetime
2.5(1,191 reviews)
80% discount

Starting from €1.99/month

1 TB · billed annually
1 GB freeLifetime available
View plans

Icedrive

United Kingdom
3.8(870 reviews)
Save €20 with annual subscription

Starting from €3.75/month

200 GB · billed annually
10 GB free2 TB: €9.99/mo
View plans

pCloud

Switzerland
3.1(1,538 reviews)
33% discount limited-time offer + Save €750.00

Starting from €4.17/month

500 GB · billed annually
2 GB freeLifetime available2 TB: €9.99/mo
View plans

iCloud+ is the paid tier of iCloud. It costs €0.99/mo for 50 GB, €2.99/mo for 200 GB, and €9.99/mo for 2 TB. Pricing is the same worldwide, and family sharing is included on every paid tier.

Its strength is integration. On an iPhone or Mac it handles device backups, photo sync, and app data without you thinking about it. The bundled privacy features, like Private Relay, Hide My Email, custom email domains, and unlimited HomeKit camera support, are genuinely useful and don't eat into your storage.

The weak spots are lock-in and value for plain storage. iCloud on Windows is clumsy and on Android it barely exists, so it's a poor fit for a mixed household. And if storage is all you want, the 2 TB tier is matched or beaten by providers that also sell lifetime plans. The table puts iCloud next to those alternatives.

Frequently asked

How much does iCloud+ cost?
€0.99/mo for 50 GB, €2.99/mo for 200 GB, and €9.99/mo for 2 TB. Apple also sells 6 TB and 12 TB tiers. Prices are the same worldwide.
Is iCloud+ worth it without an iPhone?
Not really. iCloud's value is how tightly it works with Apple devices. On Windows it's clumsy and on Android barely supported, so a cross-platform provider would serve you better.
Does iCloud+ include end-to-end encryption?
Optionally. Apple's Advanced Data Protection turns on end-to-end encryption for most iCloud categories, but it's off by default and you have to enable it yourself.

Provider details

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