Eleven cloud storage services give a business free space to store, sync and share files — ten hosted free tiers from 2 GB to 20 GB and one open-source server you host yourself. The number that matters is gigabytes, and the table leads with it; the second number, the cheapest step to 100 GB or more, decides what you pay when you outgrow it. Prices are USD and were checked on 21 October 2026. How we score · All Kurums Free lists
TL;DR — the free storage plan that fits
- Most free space: MEGA — 20 GB with end-to-end encryption; Google Drive 15 GB shared with Gmail and Photos.
- Sharing with enterprise controls: Box — 10 GB for an individual with Box’s sharing model; 250 MB per upload.
- Privacy first: Proton Drive or Sync.com — 5 GB each, zero-knowledge encryption.
- Own the server: Nextcloud (AGPL) — unlimited users and space on your own hardware or VPS.
Which cloud storage for business tools have a free plan in 2026?
Every service on this page stores and shares files indefinitely without a subscription. Ten are hosted free tiers; Nextcloud is open source and self-hosted. Nothing on the brief was trial-only, so nothing is excluded, though the free tiers of MEGA and pCloud could only be read from third-party sources on the verification date and are flagged.
Free storage is capped in gigabytes, from Dropbox’s 2 GB to MEGA’s 20 GB, with per-file limits (Box 250 MB), device limits (Dropbox three) and transfer quotas (Koofr 50 GB a day) as the second layer. For a business the more useful question is the cheapest step past free: Google One at $1.99 for 100 GB, Microsoft 365 Basic at $1.99 for 100 GB, Icedrive at $2.99 for 200 GB, Koofr at €0.50 for an extra 10 GB.
The table shows the one limit most likely to push you to a paid plan, whether a card is needed to start, and the Free Score. The rows below open into the full Scorecard with every limit, the upgrade trigger, the cheapest paid step and the page we checked.
| Company | Free as | Key limit | Card | Free Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G |
Free forever | 15 GB · shared with Gmail | No | 90 | Scorecard ↓ |
| M |
Free forever | 20 GB · E2E encrypted | No | 86 | Scorecard ↓ |
| B |
Free forever | 10 GB · 250 MB/file | No | 82 | Scorecard ↓ |
| I |
Free forever | 10 GB · no client-side crypto | No | 80 | Scorecard ↓ |
| K |
Free forever | 10 GB · 7-day trash | No | 78 | Scorecard ↓ |
| N |
Open source | Self-hosted · unlimited | No | 78 | Scorecard ↓ |
| O |
Free forever | 5 GB | No | 70 | Scorecard ↓ |
| P |
Free forever | 2–10 GB · lifetime plans | No | 70 | Scorecard ↓ |
| P |
Free forever | 5 GB · E2E | No | 68 | Scorecard ↓ |
| S |
Free forever | 5 GB · zero-knowledge | No | 66 | Scorecard ↓ |
| D |
Free forever | 2 GB · 3 devices | No | 56 | Scorecard ↓ |
Free tiers verified 21 October 2026 on each vendor’s pricing page (third-party sources named in the Scorecard where the vendor page was silent). Order is by Free Score only; sponsorship never changes it.
What do the free storage plan plans actually include?
Open any row for the eight-field Scorecard. The “Why it ranks here” note under each row explains the score in plain terms.
1G
Google DriveUS · 15 GB with every Google account, shared across Drive, Gmail and Photos, with Docs, Sheets and Slides built inFree forever15 GB · shared with GmailNo card90⌄
- What’s free
- 15 GB of storage across Drive, Gmail and Photos; Docs, Sheets and Slides; sharing and desktop sync
- Hard limits
- 15 GB total, shared with Gmail and Photos
- Time limit
- Unlimited
- Card required
- No. Any Google account.
- Upgrade trigger
- Exceeding 15 GB
- Cheapest paid step
- Google One Basic 100 GB at $1.99/month (annual saves up to 16%)
- Best free for
- Anyone on Gmail or Google Workspace; the office suite makes it more than storage
- Verified
- Oct 2026 · one.google.com/about/plans
2M
MEGANew Zealand · a minimum of 20 GB free with end-to-end encryption, the largest base quota on this listFree forever20 GB · E2E encryptedNo card86⌄
- What’s free
- Free account with a minimum of 20 GB of end-to-end encrypted storage, sync and sharing
- Hard limits
- 20 GB base · transfer quota not stated · bonus storage is temporary
- Time limit
- Unlimited
- Card required
- Not stated.
- Upgrade trigger
- Exceeding 20 GB or the transfer limits
- Cheapest paid step
- Pro I 3 TB at $9.78/month billed yearly ($11.68 monthly) — third-party figures
- Best free for
- The most free space with encryption, for a business that does not need an office suite
- Verified
- Oct 2026 · cloudwards.net review updated 22 Sep 2026 (mega.io blocked our fetch)
Why it ranks here. Twenty gigabytes encrypted is the best raw offer here. MEGA’s own site blocked our fetch, so every figure is from a dated third-party review and the row is marked for manual re-verification; the transfer quota, which MEGA is known for, could not be confirmed.
3B
BoxUS · 10 GB for an individual with Box’s sharing and permissions model; 250 MB per uploadFree forever10 GB · 250 MB/fileNo card82⌄
- What’s free
- Individual free plan: 10 GB storage, basic sharing and permissions, desktop and mobile apps
- Hard limits
- 10 GB · 250 MB per file · single user
- Time limit
- Unlimited
- Card required
- Not stated.
- Upgrade trigger
- A file over 250 MB or more than 10 GB
- Cheapest paid step
- Personal Pro 100 GB with 5 GB uploads at $10/month (shown struck from $14; billing basis not specified)
- Best free for
- An individual who wants enterprise-style sharing controls free
- Verified
- Oct 2026 · box.com/pricing/individual
Why it ranks here. The sharing model is the reason to pick Box; the 250 MB per-file cap is the reason video and design teams cannot. Business plans need minimum seats, so the free tier does not grow into a team plan.
4I
IcedriveUK · 10 GB free and a 200 GB plan at $2.99, the cheapest paid step per gigabyte hereFree forever10 GB · no client-side cryptoNo card80⌄
- What’s free
- Free: 10 GB storage quota, web, desktop and mobile clients, sharing
- Hard limits
- 10 GB · client-side (zero-knowledge) encryption not included on Free · monthly bandwidth cap not stated
- Time limit
- Unlimited
- Card required
- Not stated.
- Upgrade trigger
- Exceeding 10 GB or needing client-side encryption
- Cheapest paid step
- Starter 200 GB at $2.99/month annual ($3.99 monthly)
- Best free for
- A generous free quota with the cheapest 200 GB upgrade
- Verified
- Oct 2026 · icedrive.net/plans
Why it ranks here. Ten free gigabytes and a $2.99 step to 200 GB make it the best value path on the list. The brand is smaller and the bandwidth cap is unstated, which keeps the core-job and friction scores modest.
5K
KoofrSlovenia · 10 GB free forever, EU-hosted, with other clouds connected into one view, no cardFree forever10 GB · 7-day trashNo card78⌄
- What’s free
- 10 GB free forever, connects Dropbox, Drive and OneDrive accounts, 1 Vault safe box
- Hard limits
- 10 GB · 7-day deleted-file retention · share with up to 10 Koofr users · 50 GB per day public transfer
- Time limit
- Unlimited (free forever)
- Card required
- No. The page states no credit card is required.
- Upgrade trigger
- Exceeding 10 GB or needing longer retention
- Cheapest paid step
- Briefcase +10 GB at €0.50/month, yearly subscriptions only (incl. VAT)
- Best free for
- An EU business that wants one window onto several clouds and EU data residency
- Verified
- Oct 2026 · koofr.eu/pricing
Why it ranks here. The aggregator feature is unique and the EU hosting matters for GDPR. Seven-day trash is short and the paid tiers are priced in euros only.
6N
NextcloudGermany · open-source (AGPL) file server with sync, share, office and talk apps; unlimited users on your own hardwareOpen sourceSelf-hosted · unlimitedNo card78⌄
- What’s free
- Self-hosted Nextcloud server: files, sync, sharing, office and talk apps; no user limit
- Hard limits
- None stated; limited by your server
- Time limit
- Unlimited (open-source license)
- Card required
- No. Self-hosted download.
- Upgrade trigger
- Wanting vendor enterprise support
- Cheapest paid step
- Enterprise Standard from €71.29/user/year at 100 users minimum, ex VAT
- Best free for
- A company that needs on-premise or private-cloud control of its files
- Verified
- Oct 2026 · nextcloud.com/pricing · github.com/nextcloud
Why it ranks here. No vendor limits and complete control, paid for in hosting and admin time. Friction is scored near zero for that reason; capacity is full.
7O
OneDriveUS · 5 GB free with a Microsoft account and the cheapest step into Microsoft 365Free forever5 GBNo card70⌄
- What’s free
- 5 GB of OneDrive storage with a Microsoft account; web Office apps
- Hard limits
- 5 GB · other free-plan limits not listed
- Time limit
- Unlimited
- Card required
- Not stated.
- Upgrade trigger
- Exceeding 5 GB
- Cheapest paid step
- Microsoft 365 Basic 100 GB at $19.99/year or $1.99/month
- Best free for
- A Windows or Microsoft 365 user who wants the integrated option
- Verified
- Oct 2026 · microsoft.com compare-onedrive-plans
Why it ranks here. Small quota, excellent integration, and a $1.99 step that matches Google’s. The compare page states the free details only in its metadata.
8P
pCloudSwitzerland · a free account that starts at 2 GB and grows to 10 GB through verification and referrals; famous for lifetime plansFree forever2–10 GB · lifetime plansNo card70⌄
- What’s free
- Free account from 2 GB, expandable to 10 GB via email verification, beginner steps and referrals
- Hard limits
- 2–10 GB · 50 GB shared-link traffic a month (third-party) · account needs activity every 12 months (third-party)
- Time limit
- Unlimited with activity
- Card required
- Not stated.
- Upgrade trigger
- Exceeding 10 GB, or wanting a lifetime plan
- Cheapest paid step
- Premium 500 GB Lifetime shown as both $279 and $219 on the page; annual price not shown
- Best free for
- A user who may later buy a lifetime plan
- Verified
- Oct 2026 · pcloud.com pricing (free text absent) · whtop.com listing (free details)
Why it ranks here. The free tier is real but assembled through steps, and the vendor page did not describe it to our fetch; the third-party listing we used flags part of it as discontinued. Verify in-app before relying on the 10 GB.
9P
Proton DriveSwitzerland · 5 GB end-to-end encrypted with an online document and spreadsheet editorFree forever5 GB · E2ENo card68⌄
- What’s free
- Free: 5 GB storage for photos and documents, online document and spreadsheet editor, end-to-end encryption
- Hard limits
- 5 GB
- Time limit
- Unlimited
- Card required
- Not stated.
- Upgrade trigger
- Exceeding 5 GB
- Cheapest paid step
- Drive Plus 200 GB at $4.99/month monthly (yearly not shown)
- Best free for
- A privacy-first user who wants encrypted documents, not just files
- Verified
- Oct 2026 · proton.me/drive/pricing
Why it ranks here. The only encrypted tier with an editor built in. Five gigabytes is small and the paid step is pricier per gigabyte than Icedrive or Google.
10S
Sync.comCanada · 5 GB of zero-knowledge storage free, with team plans from $4.50 a userFree forever5 GB · zero-knowledgeNo card66⌄
- What’s free
- Individual (Free): 5 GB secure storage and basic sharing
- Hard limits
- 5 GB
- Time limit
- Unlimited
- Card required
- Not stated.
- Upgrade trigger
- Exceeding 5 GB
- Cheapest paid step
- Personal 1 TB at $9/month billed annually the first year, renewing at $12; Teams 1 TB at $4.50/user/month annual, 3-user minimum
- Best free for
- Zero-knowledge storage at no cost, with a team path later
- Verified
- Oct 2026 · sync.com/pricing-individual · sync.com homepage
Why it ranks here. Privacy credentials and a sensible team plan; the free quota is small and the personal paid plan is promotional for year one.
11D
Dropbox BasicUS · the original, now the smallest free tier here: 2 GB on up to three devicesFree forever2 GB · 3 devicesNo card56⌄
- What’s free
- 2 GB to store and share files, sync and sharing
- Hard limits
- 2 GB · up to 3 connected devices
- Time limit
- Unlimited
- Card required
- Not stated.
- Upgrade trigger
- Exceeding 2 GB or linking a fourth device
- Cheapest paid step
- Plus 2 TB at $9.99/month for one person
- Best free for
- Light file sharing with people who already use Dropbox
- Verified
- Oct 2026 · dropbox.com/basic · dropbox.com/plans
Why it ranks here. Two gigabytes is a tenth of MEGA’s offer and the device cap makes it awkward on a laptop, phone and desktop. Dropbox’s sync remains excellent; its free tier is a reminder of it.
Which free storage plan has no credit-card requirement?
Google Drive and OneDrive need only an account; Koofr states that no card is needed; Nextcloud is a download. Every other service does not state a card requirement for the free tier, which we record as “not stated”. No free tier here converts to a paid one automatically.
Sort the eleven by gigabytes: MEGA 20, Google 15, Box, Icedrive, Koofr and pCloud (eventually) 10, OneDrive, Proton and Sync 5, Dropbox 2; Nextcloud is whatever your disk holds. Then by the cheapest step to 100 GB or more: Google One and Microsoft 365 Basic at $1.99, Icedrive at $2.99 for 200 GB, Proton at $4.99 for 200 GB, Box at $10 for 100 GB, Dropbox at $9.99 for 2 TB.
When does the free plan stop being enough?
Kurums Match: which free storage plan fits your situation?
Already on Gmail
Google Drive, 15 GB, and $1.99 for 100 GB when you need it.
Want the most free space
MEGA, 20 GB encrypted; verify the transfer quota first.
Need sharing permissions like a corporate IT team
Box, 10 GB.
Cheapest route to 200 GB
Icedrive Starter at $2.99.
EU data residency
Koofr hosted, or Nextcloud self-hosted.
Encrypted documents, not just files
Proton Drive.
Which paid backup & disaster recovery providers can you move to?
When the free tier stops being enough, these are the providers in the Kurums Solutions Directory. Every company there is listed free and A–Z by our editors, with a buyer’s guide for the category — no one pays for a position.
How we score free tiers
Duration (30): free forever scores 30, a 30-day-plus trial 15, a trial of 14 days or less 8, credit-based tiers 12. Capacity (30): whether the limits carry a team of three for twelve months. Core job (25): whether the free tier does the category’s main work — here, storing, syncing and sharing files from a web or desktop client. Friction (15): no card 15; card but no auto-charge 8; auto-charge 0; self-hosting deducts for setup and maintenance.
Each free tier was checked on the vendor’s pricing page on 21 October 2026; where the vendor page was silent, the Scorecard names the third-party source used. Free tiers change, so this list is re-verified every quarter and a discontinued free plan stays listed for one month with a notice. Order is by Free Score only. Kurums Free sells no placement; sponsorship, affiliate links and vendor requests never change a score, a rank or a label. Vendors can submit corrections to the Kurums editorial team.
How did we verify these free tiers?
For each service we opened the pricing or plans page and recorded the free tier’s stated quota and limits, the cheapest paid plan and its billing basis, and the card requirement if stated. MEGA’s site blocked our fetch, so its row is from a dated third-party review; pCloud’s pricing page did not describe the free tier, so its free details are from a third-party listing; both are marked for manual re-verification. OneDrive’s free details appear only in its page metadata.
Prices are USD except Koofr and Nextcloud, which are priced in euros. We did not test sync or upload speeds; the score measures the published free tier, not performance.
Frequently asked questions
Which cloud storage gives the most free space?
MEGA, with a minimum of 20 GB, then Google Drive at 15 GB. Box, Icedrive, Koofr and pCloud offer 10 GB; pCloud’s must be unlocked in steps.
Is Dropbox free?
Dropbox Basic gives 2 GB on up to three devices, the smallest free tier on this list. The Plus plan is $9.99 a month for 2 TB.
Which free storage is end-to-end encrypted?
MEGA, Proton Drive and Sync.com. Icedrive’s free tier excludes client-side encryption; Nextcloud can be configured for it on your own server.
What is the cheapest paid step past free?
Google One and Microsoft 365 Basic at $1.99 a month for 100 GB, Icedrive at $2.99 for 200 GB, Koofr at €0.50 for an extra 10 GB.
Can a business use a free personal tier?
Yes, but without admin controls, shared drives or audit logs. Box’s business plans and Google Workspace are the step up; Nextcloud gives those controls free if you host it.
How is this different from the Best Cloud Storage comparison?
This list answers ‘where can I store files without paying’. The Best comparison answers ‘which one should I buy’. Both use the same no-sponsorship rule.
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