Is cloud storage getting cheaper?

Table of Contents

Is cloud storage getting cheaper?

The most generous free cloud storage: Google Drive Pricing: 15GB free

  1. Best budget cloud storage: i-Cloud

Pricing: 50GB, $0.99 per month ($0.0198 per GB)

  1. The cheapest cloud storage ( 100GB or 200GB )
  2. Google One

Price for 100GB: $1.99 per month ($0.0199/GB) or $19.99 per year ($0.01666/GB)<

The price of 200GB: US$2.99 ​​per month (US$0.01495 per GB) or US$29.99 per year (US$0.0125 per GB)

  1. The cheapest 500GB cloud storage: p-Cloud 

Price: 500GB, $4.99 per month ($0.00998/GB) or $47.88/year ($0.00798/GB)

  1. The cheapest 1TB cloud storage: Media Fire
  • Price: 1TB, USD 5 per month (USD 0.005 per GB) or USD 45 per year (USD 0.00375 per GB)
  • The cheapest 2TB to 4TB cloud storage: Sync.com
  • 2TB pricing: $96 per year ($0.004 per GB)
  • 3TB price : $144 per year ($0.004 per GB)
  • Price for 4TB: $180 per year ($0.00375 per GB)
  • The cheapest large-scale cloud storage: MEGA.nz
  • Price for 8TB : $22.17 per month ($0.00277/GB) or $221.81/year ($0.00231/GB)
  • 16TB pricing : 500GB, $33.26 per month ($0.00208 per GB) or $332.72/year ($0.00173 per GB)

Now you know what the cheapest cloud storage provider is for each tier. Whether you are looking for free cloud storage or need a large budget, you can find the right cloud storage to meet your needs.

Although we mainly set prices here, it is essential to use convenience, feature set, and integration of cloud storage services. It may be worth paying a couple of dollars a month for these benefits.

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is cloud storage getting cheaper
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Cloud storage graph over the past 10 years

 

Years

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Price($)

2.93

2.1

1.49

1.06

0.75

0.63

1.2

2.4

3.9

5.5

7.8

10.5

The “Minimum Storage Period” applies to data stored in these types of storage spaces. You can delete objects whose storage time has not reached this period, but the system will charge you for the shortest storage period when you delete the object. In storage partitions that use object version control, the system will charge these fees when the object version is removed from the storage partition. Still, these fees will not be charged when the object is removed after becoming a non-current version. The cloud storage pricing graph increases gradually over the past ten years. However, the price of per GB storage drastically changes in 2015 from 1.2 dollars to 2.4 dollars.
Storage space and network usage are based on binary gigabytes (GB) are calculated in units, where 1 GB is 2 30 bytes. This unit of measurement is also called gigabytes (GiB). Similarly, 1 TB is 2 40 bytes or 1024 GB.

The system will calculate each object’s storage cost in proportion to the sub-second accuracy (except for data deleted or modified in advance in the Near line, Cold line, and Archive storage spaces.

10 reasons why cloud storage is getting cheaper

 

  • For individuals, storage is cheap, and a 1TB hard disk is only a few hundred yuan, but for enterprises, not only the hard disk, the data in the hard disk is the most expensive, so enterprises should consider when choosing a hard disk.  
  • The stability of the hard disk, so the price of the hard disk will increase accordingly. Secondly, a copy of data must have at least one backup, so you may need two GB of space to upload a 1GB file. 
  • There is also the construction of cloud storage servers, maintenance costs, labor, land occupation, electricity, and bandwidth that account for the bulk of the cost, all of which add up to the cost not cheap.
  • Hard disks are already the cheapest part of the cloud server hardware configuration.
  • Whether it is CPU, memory, or bandwidth, other links are more expensive than hard drives.
  • One is that the cloud storage foundation is at least IP SAN or FC SAN, as well as machine heads, disaster recovery backup, distributed storage, object storage and other business deployments. That is, in addition to the hard disk, there are many other hardware and software investments and the same 1GB file, the space occupied by your hard disk is only 1GB, but in the cloud storage field, it occupies at least 1.2GB to 1.5GB of space, or even a few times space. 
  • Data reliability
  • Smaller foreign operators are cheaper, and individuals open two object storage spaces
  • One is a fixed capacity (starting at 25GB, 2 euros plus 23% tax, capacity can be expanded, and the price is installed at 25gb/2 euros in proportion to add) fixed charges and no other charges (no traffic charges, request fees, etc.).
  • The other unlimited capacity uploading is free, downloading 0.01 euros per GB plus 23% tax, only downloading traffic fees, no other fees.

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10 reasons why cloud storage is getting more expensive

 

Point 1: Usability

The characteristic of self-built is centralized and maintained by oneself. Cloud storage provides services after virtualizing many devices. 

The second point: reliability

All the data stored on my self-built server. What if my server has a problem and my data cannot be retrieved? The self-built method can only be backup, and backup requires purchasing storage equipment, which increases the cost.

The third point: the security of the system

Of course, self-built security measures must be taken by themselves, and some cloud storage services provided by cloud factories are used, and this security measure is done by themselves.

Fourth point: network resources

Self-built are generally single-line or dual-line, and the speed is not very ideal, and the bandwidth is also limited. 

Fifth point: file processing capabilities

Built on a Windows-based system, it only supports more than 60,000 files in a directory and more than 30,000 files in a Linux system directory. 

Sixth point: Operation and maintenance costs

If you build it yourself, you need someone to take charge of the operation and maintenance, and the labor cost will increase. 

Seventh point: resource utilization

The biggest problem with self-building is that it is not flexible enough. Expansion requires the purchase of more equipment to achieve, and this will lead to more unused equipment after the peak, resulting in a waste of resources.

Eighth point: Capabilities

The file processing capabilities of cloud storage support massive data processing, and the processing capabilities of one file can be indistinguishable from billions of files.

Ninth point: Efficiency

First of all, the increase in costs brought about by improving efficiency is reasonable. After all, there are a few cheap, easy-to-use, high-end products, less work, more money, and less work close to home.

Tenth: Reliability

Reliability in data storage in the cloud. Therefore, cloud storage can be compared without considering the hidden costs of self-construction. The price may be high, but isn’t it expensive enough to conceal its technical advantages.

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Will cloud storage become cheaper any time soon?

There is an accepted fact that migrating business to the cloud will help save small businesses’ cost. However, there are some associated costs of using cloud services. Although those costs may seem trivial at first, it will snowball from small to large if you ignore them. “Boil the frog” trap. If you want to continue to obtain essential benefits in the cloud, you must take measures to reduce your cloud computing costs. Here are some small suggestions on how to prevent the cloud from becoming too expensive.

 

There are many types of cloud services, and many services are independent, which will undoubtedly increase cloud costs.

As mentioned above, if you are not careful, the cost of cloud computing will increase. For independent services, the cost is even higher. It is easy to fall into the trap of “50 dollars a month/100 dollars a month make a difference?” One of the best ways to solve this problem is to find a service provider that provides a complete set of products. This method is often a bit more expensive than a stand-alone product.

Besides, purchasing cloud services from a provider that can provide you with a central point solution to your problem can save you a lot of time, and after some time, it will also save you a lot of costs.

What is the cheapest cloud storage?

The cheapest 2TB to 4TB cloud storage: Sync.com

2TB pricing: $96 per year ($0.004 per GB)

3TB price : $144 per year ($0.004 per GB)

Price for 4TB: $180 per year ($0.00375 per GB)

Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud, iCloud, and the little-known Sync.com all provide 2TB of storage space. Their prices are similar, but pCloud and Sync.com are each priced at $8 per month.

Like pCloud, Sync pays attention to privacy and provides many reliable features, which are worth seeing. The service has no limit on the amount of data you can share each month and provides an impressive 180-day file recovery (365 days for 3TB and 4TB plans), compared to 30 days for pCloud.

The two services are similar; it’s worth trying a free account for both, and see which one you prefer before deciding to upgrade. Sync also offers a 3TB plan for $144/year or a 4TB plan for $180/year if you need more storage space. Each level is the most cost-effective.

The cheapest large-scale cloud storage: MEGA.nz

Price for 8TB : $22.17 per month ($0.00277/GB) or $221.81/year ($0.00231/GB)<

16TB pricing : 500GB, $33.26 per month ($0.00208 per GB) or $332.72/year ($0.00173 per GB)

If you need a lot of storage in cloud storage space, you will find that the cheapest cloud storage is on MEGA.nz. This long-term cloud storage service was once known for providing 50GB of free space. Although it does not do this anymore, it provides the most value at this storage layer.

MEGA may not have sufficient familiarity with Dropbox services, but it is available and provides reliable features. Considering that Google One charges $99.99 a month for a 10TB package, these prices are low for those who need them.

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What is the catch to Ten cent’s 10TB cloud storage over Baidu’s and Qihoo’s 1TB cloud storage?

Baidu directly provides 2T of storage space for free, which is far ahead of other rivals. 2T of space is enough to store ordinary users’ mobile phone photo files for several years or n video files, so We can often see that many users share files such as movies, TV shows, etc. through Baidu network disk, also because Baidu provides more free space; on the other hand, other cloud disks only provide 5g, 10g, 15g storage space, let alone videos Even photos can’t store much, these spaces can only be used to store small-capacity data such as text documents.

 

Cloud storage is already a tool service that many digital workers love to use today. The most direct way for various businesses to attract users is to give away capacity space generously through various promotional activities. 

But no matter how to send, US fortune Dropbox and other brands, often hundreds of G would have to start paying, but China’s cloud storage, but this time around officially entered the era of the Warring States “TB free” of (1TB = 1024GB), giant Tencent” micro “Cloud” service, announced last week that it would grab the beach with free “10TB” space.

Weiyun, which was launched in 2012, exceeded 100 million users in May of this year. Faced with the recent “TB war” launched by rivals such as Baidu and Qihoo 360, the free 10TB solution offered is strictly In other words, the user does not “directly” get the full 10TB, but as the usage increases, the service will release more free space in a certain proportion until the 10TB limit is reached.

With the built-in hard disk of many computers in the market with a capacity of only 1TB, Weiyun’s 10TB adopts such a supply and demand mechanism, which is indeed an ingenious approach. Still, it should be noted that the service must be logged in with Tencent’s QQ social service account. 

What is the cheapest 1TB cloud storage for backup?

The cheapest 1TB cloud storage: Media Fire

Price: 1TB, USD 5 per month (USD 0.005 per GB) or USD 45 per year (USD 0.00375 per GB)

Many people mainly use Media Fire to share files with others, but it can also be used as a personal cloud storage solution. Its 1TB pricing is the lowest price you can find, but unfortunately, it has some problems that may prevent you from seeing it elsewhere. Media Fire does not provide a desktop application, so you must use a website to synchronize all content or mobile applications. Compared with other providers, it lacks security and privacy features and skips some powerful features that make other cloud storage so convenient.

Since the launch of Cloud Drives, the number of suppliers has been falling one after another. After well-known manufacturers have consolidated their market positions, their free capacity has been dramatically reduced, and MediaFire is still a good choice!

If you only care about the price, please pay attention, but for most people, there is a better choice at the 1TB level…

Provides up to 1TB storage capacity

Create sharing links and set passwords for files and folders

Compatible with “Android,” “iOS,” and “Windows.”

MediaFire from the United States provided free file storage services in the early days, and now the factory provides personal cloud hard drives so that users can manage content more properly. Its registration process is quite simple. You can log in directly with your Facebook account. It provides 10GB of capacity when you first use it. By completing tasks and recommending friends, you can get up to 50GB of free space.

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Is there any cloud storage available for free?

The most generous free cloud storage: Google Drive

Pricing: 15GB free

The cheapest online storage is no longer available and cost-effective than free. If you don’t want to pay, Google Drive will provide the most storage space for free and 15GB of generous storage space.

However, please note that this storage space is shared between your Google accounts. Therefore, if you also use Gmail or Google Photos, you may find that storage disappears faster than you want.

In this case, take a look at pCloud. The service provides 10GB of free space, but you can easily increase it to 15GB by completing simple tasks after signing up. This includes verifying your email address, downloading software on your computer and phone, and enabling automatic photo uploads.

Onedrive (Skydrive)

Microsoft’s network hard disk storage service, Office 365 subscribers can get 1TB of storage space. Free users have 5GB of storage space (in addition to free space, users can also invite new users to join OneDrive. Both you and the invitees can get 0.5GB of extra storage space. , Up to 10GB).

Dropbox

Free Dropbox users only have 2G capacity, but they can get extra space by inviting others to join the plan. Each successful invitation will increase both parties’ capacity by 500MB, and the capacity increased through the invitation will be capped at 16GB. In other words, free Dropbox users can have 18GB of space.

MEGA

50G

transmission speed in China is still breakneck,

web version supports resumable transmission

Nut Cloud

Free users upload 1GB a month, download 3GB, and open membership for 199.9 a year. Nut Cloud is more suitable for collaborative office, that is, to build several synchronization disks on the computer. Nut Cloud can synchronize in real-time to prevent loss and is not suitable for storage disks.

How are cloud storage prices dropping so quickly?

The pricing methods of cloud computing are becoming more and more complex. For cloud computing service providers, setting prices and determining the scope of discounts is quite tricky. Google, Microsoft Azure, AWS, etc., all have different discount methods.

Market research firm RightScale released the results of a survey on the price of cloud computing. The results showed that AWS is not the cheapest cloud computing option. It is usually between Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

AWS will have a lot of discounts during 1 and 3 years of use. Microsoft Azure provides a certain range of discounts to enterprises, while Google needs to continue using it to get discounts.

In general, RightScale found that in most cases, Google is the cheapest because continuous use will continue to get discounts.

The price of cloud services, both in terms of storage capacity and processing power, has been declining, partly because of economic factors brought about by the construction of larger cloud data centres. Major vendors like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google are all competing to attract customers who are adopting the cloud for the first time while also consolidating existing price-sensitive customers. Cloud computing giants are also trying to differentiate their services, shifting from price war to a “cloud function war.”

Conclusion

I use the cloud, mainly iDrive and pCloud. I said that everyone has two cloud spaces as much as possible. Like myself, I mainly pay attention to security and upload and download speed, so I found this information online. After actual use, I found it was perfect. Of course, there were also some cloud solutions that I was not used to and that were too expensive. Like I’m not used to using Mega’s space, so I’m not using Mega now, but if you don’t have a budget, I would still recommend you to use it. Compared to other brands, Mega’s space makes me feel quite generous, so I don’t have a budget. I highly recommend it.

It can be seen that it is not enough to use cloud storage to meet the personal needs of watching dramas. It is better to open a Youku account in this scenario, which costs more than ten yuan a month. Such cloud storage requirements can be regarded as shared resource requirements.

In fact, security, convenience, and cost are contradictory. The popularity of cloud disks is mainly reflected in their convenience. As long as there is a network to check at any time, it is cheaper than buying a hard disk. Understandably, users have chosen the latter two between absolute safety and convenience and low cost. The landlord said that he, as an amateur photographer, always takes a lot of photos, all photos are stored in cloud disks (multiple cloud disks); and some important information of the company will be done in the cloud and locally. 

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Luis Gillman
Luis Gillman

Hi, I Am Luis Gillman CA (SA), ACMA
I am a Chartered Accountant (SA) and CIMA (SA) and author of Due Diligence: A strategic and Financial Approach.

The book was published by Lexis Nexis on 2001. In 2010, I wrote the second edition. Much of this website is derived from these two books.

In addition I have published an article entitled the Link Between Due Diligence and Valautions.

Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information published on this website is accurate, the author and owners of this website take no responsibility  for any loss or damage suffered as a result of relience upon the information contained therein.  Furthermore the bulk of the information is derived from information in 2018 and use therefore is at your on risk. In addition you should consult professional advice if required.