Having a reliable backup solution is crucial for protecting your important files and data. While external hard drives are a popular option, they can be expensive, especially for large amounts of storage space. There is another kind of backup solution that is not only cheaper than buying multiple external hard drives, but also provides virtually unlimited storage: cloud storage services.
What is cloud storage?
Cloud storage refers to saving files and data on remote servers that are accessed over the internet. Rather than storing information on a local hard drive or external device, your files are uploaded and stored on servers owned and maintained by a cloud storage provider.
Some of the most popular cloud storage services include Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and Apple iCloud. Each service gives you access to a certain amount of free storage space, usually around 5-15 GB. If you need more space, you can pay a monthly or yearly subscription fee for upgraded storage plans.
How is cloud storage cheaper than external hard drives?
External hard drives are a one-time upfront cost. For example, a 5 TB external hard drive costs around $100-150. If you need 10 TB of storage space, you would need to buy two 5 TB hard drives for a total cost of $200-300. The more storage space you need, the more external drives you have to purchase.
In contrast, most cloud storage services only charge a monthly or yearly fee based on how much storage you use. Prices vary across providers, but you can generally get 1 TB of cloud storage for around $10/month. So getting 10 TB through a cloud provider would cost about $100/month or $1000/year.
The main advantage is that cloud storage is an ongoing operating cost rather than a steep one-time capital expenditure. It’s a more flexible and scalable approach as your storage needs grow over time. You don’t have to keep buying new external hard drives whenever you need more space.
Cloud storage provides unlimited capacity
External hard drives always have a fixed limit on their storage capacity. Even if you bought 10 drives of 10 TB each, you’d still only have 100 TB total space. Cloud storage services, however, offer unlimited storage for a recurring fee.
For example, Google Drive and Dropbox offer plans where you pay a flat monthly or yearly fee for unlimited storage space. You never have to worry about running out of capacity again. Amazon S3 and Microsoft Azure also provide unlimited cloud storage, although their pricing model is based on storage usage and bandwidth rather than a fixed flat fee.
Having virtually unlimited capacity is a huge advantage for organizations and individuals that need to scale up their storage at any time. It provides peace of mind that you’ll always have room to save your files and data.
Cloud storage advantages
Here are some of the other key benefits that make cloud storage a better backup solution compared to external hard drives:
- Accessibility – You can access your cloud data from anywhere, across all your devices.
- Collaboration – Cloud services make it easy to share and collaborate on files.
- Security – Reputable providers use encryption and security measures to protect your data.
- Automatic backups – Cloud storage will automatically sync and backup your latest files.
- File versioning – You can restore previous versions of a file or recover deleted files.
- Disaster recovery – Your data is always safe if your local devices are damaged, lost or stolen.
Cost comparisons
Let’s compare the costs of cloud storage versus external hard drives for different storage requirements:
| Storage needed | External hard drive cost | Cloud storage cost (1 TB for $10/month) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 TB | $100 one-time purchase | $120 per year |
| 5 TB | $500 one-time purchase | $600 per year |
| 10 TB | $1000 one-time purchase | $1200 per year |
| 100 TB | $10,000 one-time purchase | $12,000 per year |
For smaller storage needs, external drives are cheaper. But as your capacity requirements grow, the yearly costs of cloud quickly become lower than buying more external drives.
When external hard drives make sense
Despite the advantages of cloud storage, external hard drives can still be a wise choice in certain situations:
- You just need an inexpensive way to back up a few hundred GBs or a couple TBs of data.
- You want to create local backups as an additional layer of redundancy beyond the cloud.
- You need to back up large files very quickly over a fast local connection.
- You have privacy concerns about storing sensitive data exclusively in the cloud.
- You want the assurance of having physical control over your backup media.
For these use cases, a small external drive as a supplementary backup can be the right option. But for unlimited scalability, robust redundancy, and offsite protection, cloud is still preferable as the primary backup repository.
Cloud storage options
When choosing a cloud storage provider, the main factors to consider are:
- Reliability – Look for providers with a solid reputation and track record for uptime and security.
- Pricing – Compare monthly or annual costs relative to the amount of storage space needed.
- Features – Ensure the provider has all the features and functionality you require.
- Accessibility – Check they support access across your devices: PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, etc.
- Security – Verify they use encryption and other measures to protect your data.
- Bandwidth limits – Make sure bandwidth caps won’t constrain your upload or download needs.
Some top cloud storage platforms include:
- Google Drive – An overall excellent platform with unlimited storage options. Integrates seamlessly with other Google services.
- Dropbox – User-friendly app and robust syncing capabilities. 2 TB of space on basic plan.
- Microsoft OneDrive – Best for Windows/Office users. 1 TB of storage in the basic plan.
- pCloud – Emphasis on security and privacy. 500 GB of free storage.
- IDrive – Good balance of price and features. 5 TB free for the first year.
Conclusion
For virtually unlimited, scalable storage that keeps pace with your capacity needs, cloud backup is more affordable and flexible compared to buying multiple external hard drives. Leading cloud providers offer reliable services with robust features for a competitive monthly or yearly price.
External drives still serve a purpose for local backups and redundancy. But for businesses and consumers that need abundant and expandable storage that can grow over time, cloud platforms are the smartest choice as a primary backup solution.