iCloud+ Review: Features, Pricing & Alternatives

Overview

iCloud+ is Apple’s paid tier of iCloud, covering iCloud Drive, Photos and device backups. Every Apple account gets 5 GB free; paid US plans are 50 GB for US$0.99 a month, 200 GB for US$2.99, 2 TB for US$9.99, 6 TB for US$29.99 and 12 TB for US$59.99, and all of them can be shared with up to five other family members^[8]. Paid plans also include Private Relay, Hide My Email, custom email domains and HomeKit Secure Video camera support (one camera on 50 GB, five on 200 GB, unlimited from 2 TB)^[8].

Security is configurable. Under the default standard data protection, 15 data categories such as Keychain and Health are end-to-end encrypted, but iCloud Drive and Photos are encrypted with keys Apple holds. Turning on Advanced Data Protection extends end-to-end encryption to 25 categories, including iCloud Drive, Photos and iCloud Backup, and requires iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2 or macOS 13.1 or later^[9]. iCloud is the natural choice inside Apple’s ecosystem, but its Windows client is less complete and there is no Android app for iCloud Drive.

iCloud+ features

5 GB free with every Apple account
Family Sharing with up to five others
Advanced Data Protection (opt-in end-to-end encryption)
Private Relay and Hide My Email
HomeKit Secure Video storage
Tiers from 50 GB up to 12 TB

iCloud+ pricing

Free: 5 GB. 50 GB: US$0.99/month. 200 GB: US$2.99/month. 2 TB: US$9.99/month. 6 TB: US$29.99/month. 12 TB: US$59.99/month. Monthly billing only; some US states add tax.