pCloud — A Swiss-based cloud storage service best known for one-time lifetime storage purchases instead of recurring subscriptions, with plans from 500GB to 10TB.
By Noahlast updated pricing verified
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pCloud in 20 seconds
Best for: Users who want to pay once for long-term cloud storage instead of an ongoing subscription.
Pricing: Free plan available; lifetime plans from $199 one-time for 500GB up to $1,190 for 10TB.
- pCloud lifetime plans start at $199 one-time for 500GB.
- pCloud lets users choose EU (Luxembourg) or US data center storage.
- A free plan is available with no credit card required.
- Zero-knowledge client-side encryption is a separate paid add-on called pCloud Encryption.
Limitations: True end-to-end encryption costs extra as a separate add-on.; Lifetime plans require a large upfront payment.; No clearly published monthly/annual subscription pricing alongside lifetime plans.
Top alternatives: Google Drive, Dropbox, Sync.com — full list
What is pCloud?
pCloud is a Swiss cloud storage service: it stores, syncs, and shares files across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, with users choosing whether their data lives on servers in Europe or the US. pCloud's defining feature is its pricing model — instead of a recurring subscription, most customers buy a lifetime plan with a single one-time payment covering 500GB, 2TB, or 10TB of storage permanently. This appeals to users who dislike accumulating subscription costs over years of cloud storage. Add-on products extend the core service: pCloud Pass is a password manager, pCloud Transfer sends large files without an account, and pCloud Encryption adds client-side zero-knowledge encryption as a paid extra. The company reports over 22 million users across 130+ countries and a 99.98% uptime guarantee.
pCloud is a Swiss cloud storage provider that lets users choose where their data is stored, in Europe or the US, and sells storage primarily through one-time lifetime purchases rather than monthly subscriptions. A free plan is available with no credit card required; paid lifetime plans start at $199 one-time for 500GB, $399 for 2TB, and $1,190 for 10TB. It targets photographers, remote workers, and privacy-conscious users who want to pay once instead of recurring monthly fees, and includes 256-bit AES encryption, 30-day file version history, and media streaming. A Family plan sharing storage across up to 5 users is also available.
Standout feature: One-time lifetime storage plans (500GB to 10TB) that replace recurring subscriptions entirely, backed by a choice of EU or US data centers.
Biggest weakness: Client-side zero-knowledge encryption (pCloud Encryption) is sold as a separate paid add-on rather than included by default, and the large lifetime payments ($199-$1,190 upfront) are a bigger initial commitment than a monthly competitor's plan.
Pros
- One-time lifetime plans eliminate recurring subscription costs for long-term storage.
- Choice of EU (Luxembourg) or US data center for stored files.
- 30-day file version history and password-protected sharing links included on paid plans.
- 14-day money-back guarantee on lifetime purchases.
Cons
- True zero-knowledge client-side encryption (pCloud Encryption) costs extra rather than being built in.
- Lifetime plans require a large upfront payment ($199-$1,190) instead of a low monthly fee.
- Free plan's exact storage allocation isn't clearly stated on the pricing page.
- No annual/monthly subscription pricing is prominently displayed alongside the lifetime plans, which can make comparison shopping harder.
pCloud pricing
Free tier · paid from $199 one-time · verified from the vendor's pricing page
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Free plan, no credit card required; exact storage allocation not listed on pCloud's marketing pages. |
| Premium 500GB | $199 once | One-time lifetime payment (discounted from $299); 500GB storage, 500GB download link traffic. |
| Premium Plus 2TB | $399 once | One-time lifetime payment (discounted from $599); 2TB storage, 2TB download link traffic. |
| Ultra 10TB | $1190 once | One-time lifetime payment (discounted from $1,890); 10TB storage, 2TB download link traffic. |
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