Overview
pCloud is operated by pCloud International AG, a company registered in Switzerland with its registered office in Baar[15]. Its about page gives 2013 as the founding year and cites a user base of more than 22 million (elsewhere on the same page, over 24 million)[14]. Customers choose at sign-up between a US data region in Dallas, Texas and an EU region in Luxembourg[16].
pCloud is distinctive for selling lifetime plans as one-off purchases alongside annual subscriptions. The pricing page reviewed, which was served in euros during a Black Friday promotion, listed lifetime list prices of €279 for Premium (500 GB), €709 for Premium Plus (2 TB) and €2,799 for Ultra (10 TB), with sale prices of €159, €379 and €1,099 respectively; a 3-in-1 bundle with 3 TB, pCloud Encryption and the pCloud Pass password manager listed at €1,517 (sale €579)[13]. A family plan for up to five users is also offered[13]. Client-side encryption (pCloud Encryption) is an extra rather than a default, which means standard folders are not zero-knowledge. A lifetime plan is a bet on the company’s long-term survival, which buyers should weigh against the saving.
pCloud features
- Lifetime one-off purchase plans
- US (Dallas) or EU (Luxembourg) data region
- pCloud Encryption client-side add-on
- Family plan for up to five users
- pCloud Pass password manager in bundle
- Lifetime storage plans
- Automatic phone gallery and desktop backup
- Third-party cloud backup import
pCloud pricing
Prices as shown in EUR during a promotion: Premium 500 GB lifetime €279 (sale €159); Premium Plus 2 TB €709 (sale €379); Ultra 10 TB €2,799 (sale €1,099); 3in1 Bundle 3 TB with Encryption and Pass €1,517 (sale €579). Annual plans offered; annual figures and US-dollar prices were not shown on the page reviewed.
pCloud strengths and limitations
Strengths
- Lifetime plans avoid recurring fees
- Choice of US or EU data region
- Large 10 TB lifetime tier
- Swiss-registered operator
- One-time lifetime payment option
- Mobile and desktop backup built in
Limitations
- Zero-knowledge encryption costs extra
- Lifetime value depends on the company's longevity
- Prices shown in EUR to non-US visitors
- Frequent promotions make list prices hard to compare
- Sync-first design gives weaker ransomware protection than versioned backup
- Client-side encryption costs extra
Appears in
pCloud alternatives and competitors
Alternatives to pCloud: companies ranked in the same lists.
Microsoft Power BI- Dropbox
Proton VPN for Business
Egnyte- Tresorit
Box
Sync.com
Google Password Manager
WeTransfer
ShareFile Virtual Data Room
Internxt
Icedrive
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