iDrive Review

iDrive Review

Features - 93%
Usability - 87%
Security - 92%
Support - 92%
Pricing - 93%

91%

Very Good

Overall, iDrive offers plenty of features, generous storage quotas and is very reasonably priced given the amounts of storage on offer and the fact it can be shared between multiple personal devices for those owning more than one

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iDrive

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    iDrive is well known as a comprehensive cloud offering, one providing secure cloud storage which is backed-up by many other related features including cloud backup software, secure file sharing, integrations with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 plus smartphone apps for iOS and Android amongst many others.

    Whilst there are many great features to be found within an iDrive account, the backup tools themselves are worthy of special mention given the range of functionality they provide. iDrive backup functionality extends beyond simple cloud backup to include both locally stored and cloud-based backup functionality, good historic versioning options (including file archiving abilities), secure AES 256-bit zero-knowledge encryption plus the ability to make use of full disk imaging and disk cloning tools amongst various other useful backup abilities.

    I previously tested out iDrive a few years ago and was impressed by the full range of cloud storage and backup features which are included within the service. In this latest version of my iDrive review, now fully updated for 2023, I will be putting the service to the test again and finding out how it compares in an ever cloud storage market – let’s go!

    Looking for Cloud Storage?

    Are you looking for practical help and advice in choosing cloud storage? If so, then be sure to check out our various guides including our Top 10 Free Cloud Storage guide, our guide to the Best Free Cloud Storage Services plus our guide to the Best Cloud Storage for Photographers amongst several others!

    Key Features

    • Secure cloud drive & cloud backup included
    • Zero-knowledge / AES 256-bit encryption
    • Secure file sharing & device synchronisation
    • Support for multiple devices per account
    • File-level backups, disk image backups & disk cloning
    • Real-time data backup & synchronisation
    • Desktop apps for Windows & MacOS devices
    • Smartphone apps for iOS & Android
    • Historic file versioning enabled (up to 10 versions)
    • Support for Linux backups (script based)
    • Multi-factor authentication (2FA)
    • iDrive express (large restores via shipped USB drive)
    • No monthly plans (annual plans only)
    • Premium personal plans up to 50TB available
    • Team & business plans also available
    • Very generous 10GB free account
    • Pricing from just $79.50 / year for 5TB
    • 100GB Mini account from just $2.95 / year!

    iDrive Usability

    In this section of my review, I will be looking at the usability aspects of the iDrive service, this begins by going through the sign-up process for myself and registering an iDrive account. With an account registered, I will then look at various aspects of the service including the installation of the desktop software and smartphone apps, configuration of the cloud drive and device backup solutions, use of the secure file sharing and device synchronisation plus the bult-in disk imaging software amongst other things.

    This work begins at the official iDrive website where all new users to the service can get hold of a free 10GB account for themselves. This free to use account contains almost all of the same functionality as the personal premium account does (minus the use of iDrive express) and makes for a great way to test the iDrive service out prior to purchase!

    Signing-up to iDrive

    Signing up for an iDrive account beings at the official iDrive website where a 10GB free account is available for all new users to the service as are multiple premium account offerings ranging up to a massive 50TB in storage!

    idrive review - web sign-up page

    As can be seen above, the initial sign-up is very easy with iDrive requiring only a name, working email address (which will need to be verified) and an account password in order to set-up the 10GB free account. With these few details entered, the next screen in the process is where we can opt to select the type of security we wish to use, a choice between the default setting of allowing iDrive to manage encryption and encryption keys on our behalf or, alternatively, the choosing of a private encryption key which is the responsibility of the account holder to remember!

    idrive review - choosing encryption options during sign-up process

    NB – In order to configure iDrive to make use of zero-knowledge encryption, the “Private encryption key” option (see above) should be selected! It is this option which allows iDrive users to manage and keep safe their own encryption key which covers the encryption of all data sent to and from the cloud storage service (with iDrive themselves managing the key when the default (top) option is selected).

    With the more secure private encryption key option chosen (in my case at least), it is on the next screen that the process continues with the downloading of the iDrive desktop software. As can be seen below, iDrive conveniently select the correct download for the operating system currently being used whilst also providing some basic instructions on how to get started with such software.

    idrive review - windows software download page

    With the download now complete, I found installation of the iDrive desktop software was very quick and easy and with just a few clicks of the mouse (and very little in way of further configuration), the installation was complete and the login screen for the service ready for use.

    NB – If you opted to use the private encryption key option earlier on, then this will also need to be entered as well as the account credentials as can be seen below:

    idrive review - windows application login page

    With login to the desktop app now complete, the welcome screen will appear and will start off by showing a basic overview of the app interface and where the major functions are kept such as device backup and the scheduling tool. We also see all other available tools and features listed on the left-side menu as well as the account menu and storage quota which can both be found on the top menu and the file browser itself in the middle of the page.

    idrive review - windows application initial welcome page and intro guide

    And with this the iDrive signup process is complete as is the initial download and installation of the desktop app. In the following sections I will be looking into this software in more detail as well as looking at some of the many features and functions which are on offer, including, secure file synchronisation, device backup plus disk-image backups and disk cloning amongst other things.

    NB – Remember, if you are looking to investigate the many features included within iDrive for yourself, then be sure to sign-up to the iDrive 10GB free account which is a great place to get started!

    Backing up Data

    One of the core features within iDrive is its ability to backup important data and multiple devices via a set of dedicated backup features built into the desktop software itself. This backup functionality can be either cloud-based backup (which sees data saved to the iDrive cloud) or locally stored backup which sees data stored on a locally attached external hard drive or NAS device.

    NB – Regardless of which backup storage location is chosen, iDrive maintains strong end-to-end encryption throughout the entire process ensuring all data is fully protected regardless of where it is stored!

    Starting a new backup within the iDrive desktop software begins via the “Backup” page, from here we can initially specify whether we want to make use of the iDrive cloud storage or a locally attached drive or NAS device for storing the backup (as is pointed out below).

    idrive review - initial backup page view in desktop software

    NB – As far as I can see whilst testing out this software for myself, we can only choose between the two default sets already included for locally saved and cloud-based backup sets. Whilst this could mean the software is less flexible in certain circumstances (e.g., backing up larger files during off-peak hours), iDrive do also include a “Continuous Data Protection” feature (covered later on in the review) which helps to mitigate some of the potential issues with only using a single backup set for both local and cloud backups.

    With the storage location chosen (I will be making use of the cloud storage in this example), the next step involves choosing the files to be backed-up using the “Change” button which is found towards the bottom left of the page. After any files here are selected for inclusion in the backup, the “Schedule” button can then be used to configure how and when the backup set can be run automatically.

    NB – Setting a schedule for the backup, whilst recommended, is not a strict requirement of using the iDrive backup tool! Simply pressing the “Backup Now” button will allow for an ad-hoc backup to be run manually as and when it might be required!

    idrive review - backup scheduling page

    As can be seen above, once in the backup scheduling screen, we can set a daily backup schedule which will run at a specified time on selected days of the week or an hourly schedule which runs the backup set every hour. We can also specify other backup settings here including whether to send email or desktop notifications on job completion or when issues are encountered plus the ability to automatically restart a missed backup job when the device is turned on again amongst other options.

    Clicking on “Save Changes” will commit the new backup job and it will become active at the next scheduled run time as is specified. Whilst this is a fairly easy and straightforward setup process so far, the iDrive software does also offer some other backup related settings under the main app settings page (which is accessible via the left side menu).

    idrive review - general backup settings within desktop application

    As can be seen above, the “General Settings” screen provides additional scope for fine-tuning the backup set already created and operating on the device currently in-use. This starts by being able to specify the folder on the iDrive cloud where backup data is to be stored alongside the option to specify restore locations, optimize CPU utilisations, specify thresholds for missing file errors and whether to allow open files to be backed up or not (files open and in-use on the device at time of backup).

    idrive review - cdc and verify settings

    Also accessible on this General Settings page, as is pointed out above, are options to turn on automated verification of the backup sets themselves (or this can be done manually as well) as well as the ability to turn on “Continuous Data Protection” for ensuring the additional protection and integrity of any backed-up data.

    NB – The “Continuous Data Protection” feature (mentioned above) does not replace the scheduled backup jobs within iDrive, instead it will run alongside them and, at a set interval, look for any modified files and make a backup of them to the cloud. This option will help in providing additional data protection in scenarios whereby (for example) only a daily backup job is scheduled but files on the device are been modified several hours before it is set to be run!

    Moving past this “General Settings” tab and we come to the “Archive Clean-up” tab which also contains some additional settings which are relevant to our backup set. These are settings involving the historic versioning timescales for any backed-up files and the subsequent clean-up process of said files thereafter.

    idrive review - archive cleanup settings

    As can be seen above, we have the option to turn on periodic cleaning of any files stored within the iDrive account, this includes the ability to specify automatic clean-ups when the number of files to be removed is less than a certain percentage as well as the ability to set an interval in days up to a maximum of once every 30 days.

    NB – iDrive currently has a set historic versioning policy for any backed-up data, this sees the service automatically keeping the previous 10 versions of any modified files and is available across all accounts for no additional cost!

    And with this, the core backup functionality of the iDrive app has been covered. So far, I feel this is a very easy to use service and the process of getting an initial backup in place was quick and effective. Whilst this is definitely a positive experience overall, I feel that by making available more advanced scheduling options, the ability to create multiple backup sets per storage medium plus the ability to set longer historic file retention values (currently set at 10 versions) could all very easily make this backup tool even better.

    Disk Imaging & Disk Cloning

    So far, during this look into the backup functionality of iDrive, we have seen the cloud backup service being configured and working in action. In this section I am going to look at two additional backup-related tools which help to enhance this offering even further, these are the disk image backup and disk cloning tools!

    idrive review - initial disk imaging or disk cloning tools page

    As can be seen above, these more advanced tools are accessed via the “Clone/Computer Backup” button found on the left side menu of the desktop software. I will be starting with a look at the “Entire Machine Backup” option as this is the utility which will allow for us to take a full image-level backup of the device which is currently in use.

    idrive review - full system image backup configuration page

    When making an entire machine backup (disk image backup) using iDrive, we have two key settings to make in the initial configuration screen as can be seen above. Initially, we must choose whether to make use of the iDrive cloud account for storing the backed-up data or a locally attached hard drive (or NAS device) before then choosing the local drive to make use of if choosing this local option.

    NB – Making use of cloud storage for disk image backups might not be ideal for those with slow internet connections, be sure to factor in a longer than usual backup time if you are using a slower internet connection!

    idrive review - system image backup schedule

    After choosing the backup location, the next screen in the process is where we can optionally set a schedule for the new image backup set to run upon. We can also specify that the backup be run immediately after the set is saved as well as various other settings including turning on notifications and specifying cut-off times should this be required.

    idrive review - system image backup running

    And with that, the local disk image backup set will be active and running. Clicking on the main “backup” tab found on the left side menu will allow the progress of the backup to be monitored whilst it is running (as can be seen above).

    Moving on and disk cloning is another very useful (if somewhat unexpected) feature which is included within iDrive. Going back to the original “Clone/Computer Backup” page which was seen a little earlier on is where we can this time specify the disk cloning option (instead of “Entire Machine backup”) to access the disk cloning interface.

    idrive review - initial disk cloning page view

    As can be seen above, we have two main disk cloning options available to us which are highlighted by the arrows. These include a drive image backup for creating images of individual disks and a system image backup option for covering the entire system.

    NB – Also note that when opting to perform a locally stored disk cloning operation, iDrive allows optional encryption of the resulting disk image file. This is a very useful approach as secure encryption is available if it is required and an unencrypted clone of a disk can be made for those wanting increased accessibility to the image.

    With the disks to be cloned and a target location selected, all that remains is to set the schedule (or run immediately) and the IDrive desktop software will take over the process and clone any disks as requested.

    Restoring Backed-up Data

    Having now seen both cloud-based and locally stored system image backups in use, it is time to look at the process of restoring data back from iDrive. In this particular example I will be looking at restoring via the iDrive desktop software (as can be seen below), although it is possible to also restore data via both the web-interface and smartphone apps as and when required.

    idrive review - initial restore page view

    Selecting one or more files from the above interface for restoration is easy, as is the specifying (towards the bottom of the page) whether to use the original restore location or restore files to a new location as applicable. It is also important to remember that iDrive automatically keeps the previous 10 versions of any modified files meaning we can restore from an earlier date (referred to as a snapshot within the app) using the “snapshots” link as can be seen below.

    idrive review - restore snapshots view

    With any files to be restored, their restore location and the correct version (when applicable) now selected, the restore process can be started by clicking on the “Restore” button. At this stage the restore operation will begin running with the progress shown on the bottom bar as can be seen below.

    idrive review - restore in progress

    And with that we can see some of the restore capabilities within iDrive in action. It is important to note how simple and straightforward both backing up and restoring data to the cloud is with this tool, this includes the service keeping multiple historic versions of any backed-up by default plus the ability to restore to locations other than the original file location which is a nice addition to have.

    Cloud Drive & Synchronisation

    With the core backup functionality found within iDrive now covered, I will in this section be focusing on the multiple cloud storage related features which are also found within the iDrive desktop software and the service at large. This begins with a visit to the “Cloud Drive” tab found within the desktop software where the device currently in-use can be set to start synchronising with the cloud (a process which, amongst other things, will start to keep in-sync a specified folder on the device).

    idrive review - cloud drive & sync config

    Once the cloud synchronisation functionality is enabled using the “Sync Status” switch (see above), the desktop software will create a new cloud synchronisation folder on the device (Called “Cloud-Drive” in my instance) and set this folder to remain automatically in-sync with the iDrive cloud.

    idrive review - cloud drive folder location

    With the local device now set-up to synchronise a selected folder with the cloud, this is a good time to take a first look at the iDrive web interface and see the result of this sync operation. As can be seen below, once logged in to the web interface, this beings via the “Cloud Drive” tab found on the main left menu.

    idrive review - cloud drive in web interface

    At this point, we can easily add more files via simply dragging and dropping them over this web interface or onto the synchronised folder on a connected device and the iDrive sync service will automatically keep everything in sync!

    Moving back to the device with the iDrive desktop software installed again and I want to finish this section off with a quick look at the options available to us for controlling the synchronisation process. Whilst this is largely an automatic and real-time process, we can start off by looking at the iDrive Windows sys tray menu at the controls which are available for pausing and stopping the sync process as and when this is required.

    idrive review - windows system tray menu

    Finally, whilst we can’t set the synchronisation to happen on a fixed schedule within iDrive (say, once every hour), we can alternatively set CPU and bandwidth restrictions within the settings pages of the desktop software should we need to adjust the impact synchronisation is having on the system:

    idrive review - bandwidth settings

    NB – Remember, if you would like to see this synchronisation functionality in use for yourself, iDrive offer all new users of the service a 10GB free account which allows full usage of the synchronisation tools!

    Web Interface & File Sharing

    We have already seen a quick preview of the iDrive web interface in the previous section of this review, in this section I will be looking at this resource in more detail and hopefully showing how a well featured web interface can help make any cloud backup and storage service much more valuable for their respective users.

    NB – One of the first things to note about the iDrive web interface is that it will, upon first login, still require the private encryption key to be entered if you have one set (if you elected for iDrive to manage the encryption during the account setup process then this is not applicable).

    As can be seen below, once logged on to the iDrive web interface we can access all of the core services which are on offer, including any backed-up data from connected devices and the cloud drive via the main menu on the left side of the page.

    idrive review - initial view of web application

    As can be seen above, the web interface makes viewing all files within the cloud drive easy. We have the option to view files as a list or in gallery view (as is shown above) plus any new files can also be easily added to the drive by simply dragging and dropping them over the web page itself. Moving onto the sharing of files and this can be done by either right-clicking one or multiple selected files and choosing “share” form the context menu or, alternatively, clicking on the share icon which features on the menu above the file view (which is pointed out below).

    idrive review - web view with sharing context menu open

    Once in the file sharing window, iDrive offers all users of the service (including those on the 10GB free account) a full set of file sharing options including the ability to set passwords, set a fixed number of days before the link expires and even set a limited number of downloads in total before the link expires automatically.

    idrive review - web view with link sharing options showing

    Once any sharing links have been created (either via the cloud drive page shown above or for any files backed-up to the service using the backup view), viewing and managing any active links is also very easy via the sharing management page (which can be seen below):

    idrive review - link sharing management page

    NB – In order to make use of the iDrive file sharing service, the account itself must be initially configured to allow iDrive to manage the encryption (an option seen in the earlier parts of this review whilst setting up the account). If your account is set so that you are managing your own encryption key then this will need to be changed by resetting the account (from the account settings page) before link sharing becomes available!

    Moving on past the sharing abilities of iDrive and we see various other aspects of the service can be used and configured, one of which is the dashboard view which makes checking in on multiple computers backing up to the iDrive cloud easy.

    idrive review - active devices view

    In addition to making it easy to check in on the backup status of all devices connected to the IDrive account (as can be seen above), we can also centrally configure (or reconfigure) the core iDrive backup settings form this dashboard section as well.

    idrive review - web view of centralised backup settings

    As can be seen above, we can configure such backup settings centrally and then (using the antenna button) push any new settings out to all connected devices at once. Whilst this might not be suitable for all backup settings, it is important to note that iDrive had divided these settings up into multiple sections meaning we can simply push out only a single configuration to all devices leaving any other locally configured settings in-tact (e.g., we could push out a centralised change to the time at which all connected devices are backed-up whilst leaving everything else untouched).

    NB – Whilst these centralised backup settings might not seem important for an individual user with a single device, they can be very useful for more business focused users who have multiple devices to keep backed-up, potentially all physically located in different locations making such a service potentially very useful!

    Finally, the web interface also allows full management of the overall iDrive account itself, this includes the user profile, billing details, configuration of multifactor authentication (2FA) plus the ability to easily see all devices linked to the account (and, of course, unlink said devices when required).

    idrive review - web account settings page

    As can be seen above, the account management pages found within iDrive are well designed and make accessing various account management tasks quick and easy. We can also see important metrics concerning the account from such pages including, amongst other things, the overall storage quota which has been used to date.

    Finally, the main sidebar menu of the iDrive web portal will show some of the many other features and services available from within the account. This includes the ability to make use of the iDrive Express service which sees any larger restoes sent via a physical USB drive in the mail, a service wide file search box, weblogs (for monitoring usage of the service) and a “Trash” folder for seeking previously deleted files form the account.

    Smartphone Apps

    In addition to the web portal (seen in the previous section) and the desktop software for MacOS and Windows devices seen earlier on in this review, iDrive also feature smartphone apps for both iOS and Android devices.

    idrive review - android app in app store

    One of the key features of the iDrive smartphone app, aside from its ability to easily access all cloud drive content on the go, is the automatic photo upload tool. Once switched on, this feature allows iDrive to automatically upload any smartphone photos directly to the iDrive cloud as they are taken. This not only means that any photos are automatically backed-up and protected straight away, but that they can also be easily shared via a simple sharing link which can be created once the upload is complete!

    Other Features of iDrive

    There really is a lot of functionality available within iDrive and whilst I have tried to cover many of the key features in this review, there are still many other uses of this service which might be applicable for your own particular uses. For example, also available form iDrive are the following additional features:

    Server Backups:

    If you have more than a simple PC / Mac device to keep backed-up or are a business focused user, iDrive also provide facilities to keep various servers backed-up as well. This includes support for various enterprise level technologies including VMWare, Oracle, MS SQL Server, Hyper-V and Microsoft Exchange server amongst others.

    Microsoft 365 Backups (Office 365):

    For an additional cost of just $20 / seat, per year, iDrive can also be used to keep a Microsoft 365 account backed-up. This includes automatic scheduled backups, granular recovery options (for recovering specific items) and companywide search abilities for those adding more than a single user to their account.

    iDrive 360:

    A business focused version of iDrive allowing multiple business devices to be backed-up from a central management point. iDrive 360 not only facilitates cloud backup for multiple devices, but also incorporates many other useful technologies including external drive backups, support for Linux and smartphone devices plus full AES 256-bit encryption amongst other useful features.

    Security & Privacy

    Strong privacy and security credentials are fast becoming one of the key considerations for many whilst choosing a cloud backup or cloud drive solution. Thankfully, security and privacy are two things iDrive clearly take very seriously and this is evident by the way the way the service is designed and set-up to be used.

    This starts off with an implementation of one of the most effective ways of maintaining the maximum of levels privacy and security for any data stored upon the cloud, this being the use of strong, zero-knowledge AES 256-bit encryption.

    idrive review - encryption choices

    As can be seen above, whilst initially configuring our iDrive account, we are given the option to allow iDrive to manage the account encryption key for us or, alternatively, create our own encryption key which we can store and manage ourselves.

    NB – Whilst allowing iDrive to manage the account encryption key on our behalf will provide additional convenience, the creation of a private encryption key which we can save locally ourselves (the second option in the above screenshot) is required to provide full zero-knowledge encryption across the entire iDrive service!

    As I have recently written about in this guide to zero-knowledge cloud storage, whilst zero-knowledge does place more responsibility on the account holder in terms of having to remember their encryption key (or save it somewhere very safe), it also helps to provide some of the most secure cloud storage currently available! With all of this said, it is great to see iDrive offer zero-knowledge as an option whilst still allowing a more user friendly (but still very secure) option for anyone who might feel more comfortable using it.

    Moving on past the implementation of end-to-end encryption which is utilised by iDrive and we see some of the other security functionality also implemented. First of which is the ability to turn on multifactor authentication (2FA) which helps to provide an additional (and very secure) layer of login protection for the entire account.

    idrive review - multifactor authentication settings (2fa)

    Another, sometimes overlooked, security feature found within iDrive is the implementation of historic file versioning. Historic file versioning allows older versions of files to be recovered (up to 10 previous versions in the case of iDrive) and can be very useful when attempting to recover from a malware attack, especially so from ransomware which is known to attempt to encrypt personal files on a device meaning a solid backup with historic versions available might be the only way to fully recover such data.

    Finally, whilst iDrive certainly offers a good set of core security features across the entire cloud service, they also offer further protection for their customers via customer built and highly physically secure data centres located in the USA – more information on their datacentre setup can be found via the security details page on the official iDrive website.

    iDrive Support

    iDrive provide comprehensive support for their services via a dedicated support portal which can be found at the official iDrive website.

    As can be seen above, iDrive provide plenty of options for getting support for the product itself, this begins with 24/7 phone support, a support email address plus the option of using a web-based support form for submitting any other support requests.

    Further help and support is also available via both a dedicated tutorials portal found on the iDrive website which provides lots of great documentation alongside a comprehensive FAQ section for answering any specific questions about the service.

    iDrive Pricing

    iDrive is available in several different plans for both individual and business-based users alike. Each of these plans provide different levels of cloud features and storage quotas and start from just $2.95 / year for the iDrive Mini plan which provides a single user up to 100GB of cloud storage for a very competitive price.

    The full iDrive pricing scheme as of time of writing is:

    • iDrive Mini (100GB) – $2.95 / year (single user / device)
    • iDrive Mini (500GB) – $9.95 / year (single user / device)
    • iDrive Personal (5TB) – $79.50 / year (single user / multiple devices)
    • iDrive Personal (10TB) – $99.50 / year (single user / multiple devices)
    • iDrive Personal (20TB) – $199.50 / year (single user / multiple devices)
    • iDrive Personal (50TB) – $499.50 / year (single user / multiple devices)
    • iDrive Team (5TB) – $99.50 / year (5x users / 5x devices)
    • iDrive Team (10TB) – $199.50 / year (10x users / 10x devices)
    • iDrive Team (25TB) – $499.50 / year (25x users / 25x devices)
    • iDrive Team (30TB) – $599.50 / year (30x users / 30x devices)
    • iDrive Team (35TB) – $699.50 / year (35x users / 35x devices)
    • iDrive Business (250GB) – $99.50 / year (unlimited users & devices (includes servers))
    • iDrive Business (500GB) – $199.50 / year (unlimited users & devices (includes servers))
    • iDrive Business (1.25TB) – $499.50 / year (unlimited users & devices (includes servers))
    • iDrive Business (2.5TB) – $799.50 / year (unlimited users & devices (includes servers))
    • iDrive Business (5TB) – $1499.50 / year (unlimited users & devices (includes servers))
    • iDrive Business (250GB) – $99.50 / year (unlimited users & devices (includes servers))

    In addition to the wide variety of pricing options seen above, iDrive also offer a 10GB free account to all new users to the service, click here to visit the official iDrive website in order to take advantage of this very generous free account offering.

    iDrive FAQs

    iDrive is a comprehensive cloud storage service combining both cloud backup and cloud storage functionality alongside many other useful features such as secure file sharing and automatic device synchronisation. Further enhancing the iDrive offering is dedicated desktop software for both Windows PCs and MacOS devices alongside dedicated smartphone apps for both iOS and Android smartphones.

    iDrive offer their users the ability to take advantage of very secure, zero-knowledge AES 256-bit encryption. Alternately, AES 256-bit encryption can still be applied across the entire iDrive account with iDrive themselves managing the encryption keys (for additional convenience) should this option be preferred.

    No, as of time of writing, iDrive do not provide support for either WebDAV or FTP access to their cloud storage service.

    Yes, whilst making use of the iDrive web interface, users of the service are limited to a maximum of 10GB in downloads per day and a maximum upload limit of 2GB per file also applies. The iDrive desktop software and smartphone apps are not affected by these limitations.

    During my time testing iDrive, I noticed no meaningful difference in the overall performance of my device. Having said this, the uploading and downloading of large amounts of data to and from iDrive (or any other cloud storage service) might have a noticeable impact on the speed of your internet connection, especially so for those with slower internet speeds to begin with.

    iDrive Alternatives

    In this section I will be looking at some good alternatives to the iDrive cloud storage service. This includes similar cloud-based services sharing many of the same key features including strong AES 256-bit encryption, secure file synchronisation and sharing plus support for highly usable desktop software and smartphone apps amongst other features.

    Remember, any ratings and opinions given below reflect my own personal views and should be treated only as a guide! When purchasing any form of cloud storage service, always be sure to carefully check the details of the offering out for yourself first and try and to make use of any free trials or free accounts, whenever possible, to help ensure the solution is right before committing to a purchase.

    1) pCloud

    Since its founding initial back in 2013, pCloud has grown into what is undoubtedly a leading cloud storage offering. In much the same way as iDrive, pCloud also offers much more than just standard cloud storage by providing many great additional features including cloud backup and secure file sharing alongside great value pricing for larger storage quotas.

    idrive review - pcloud alternative cloud storage

    Backing up the core cloud storage offering at pCloud are many great features including desktop apps for Windows, MacOS and Linux devices, automatic file synchronisation and device backup functionality, secure file sharing and public file sharing pages plus built in media playback tools amongst many others.

    Also, of special note within pCloud is the built-in backup utility which comes integrated as a part of the desktop application which is linked to the service. Not only does this provide a great tool for backing up multiple personal devices to the cloud, but by providing 30-days of historic file versioning across all backups by default (15-days for free accounts), this helps to make pCloud a solid cloud backup product in its own right.

    Security and privacy are also two aspects of cloud storage in which pCloud are clearly very committed to. Not only is the service itself operated from privacy friendly Switzerland and fully GDPR compliant, but the special pCloud Vault service also provides zero-knowledge, end-to-end encryption for those requiring such a service!

    pCloud is available from just $49.99 / year for 500GB of cloud storage with 2TB plans priced from just $99.99 / year. Also available are lifetime plans which offer a lifetime of cloud storage for a single payment, business and team orientated plans as well as the generous 10GB free account. More information on all pCloud offerings can be found via the official pCloud website.

    2) MEGA.IO

    MEGA is a well-known cloud storage provider, thanks not only due to their solid commitment to providing highly secure and privacy-focused cloud storage, but, like iDrive, for the high degree of functionality and usability which is on offer.

    idrive review - mega alternative cloud storage

    Alongside the core cloud storage offering, MEGA also feature many great additions to the service including desktop apps for Windows, MacOS and Linux devices, Secure web-chat and video facilities, smartphone apps for iOS and Android (with auto photo uploads), command line access and secure file sharing services amongst many others which are bundled into all MEGA plans.

    Again, like iDrive, MEGA also offer a dedicated device backup utility which is to be found within their accompanying desktop software. Not only is this desktop software and the subsequent backup utility very easy to configure and use, but with up to 365-days of historic file versioning (or 30-days on the free account) it acts as a serious backup utility within its own right as well.

    Privacy and security are also two key considerations in which it is clear MEGA are taking very seriously, so much that MEGA provide secure zero-knowledge encryption for all aspects of the MEGA service from day one (across both free and premium accounts alike). This means any data uploaded to the MEGA cloud is automatically encrypted locally and kept in its encrypted state until retrieved again by the original owner.

    MEGA is priced form just €49.99 / year for the Pro Lite plan featuring 400GB of cloud storage with other plans ranging up to 16TB (at €299.99 / year) also available. Business and team focused plans are also on offer form MEGA as is a very generous 20GB free account, more information on all of which can be found via the official MEGA website.

    3) Internxt

    Internxt is a highly functional cloud storage service and a great alternative to iDrive. It is a service which, amongst many other things, provides very secure cloud storage with some great pricing available on some very generous storage quotas alongside many other great features.

    idrive review - internxt alternative cloud storage

    Some of the many useful features included within Internxt include desktop software for Windows, MacOS and Linux devices, smartphone apps for iOS and Android, file synchronisation and backup utilities built into the desktop software plus secure file sharing capabilities amongst many other features.

    Internxt is also a highly security focused cloud service given that it will automatically apply zero-knowledge AES 256-bit encryption to all data stored upon the service by default. Internxt as an organisation are also fully GDPR compliant and operate out of the privacy friendly EU making for a highly private and secure cloud service overall.

    Internxt offer very generous premium plans which see 2TB of cloud storage available for just $8.99 / month alongside lifetime pricing options which require only a single payment for a lifetime of usage. Also available from Internxt are business orientated cloud plans as well as a very generous 10GB free account, more information on which can be found via the official Internxt website.

    iDrive Review Summary

    iDrive is without doubt one of my favourite cloud storage choices, not only is it a well-functioning cloud storage service in its own right, but one with many useful additions including cloud backup, secure file synchronisation and sharing, disk image backups plus the ability to apply strong zero-knowledge encryption amongst various other features.

    The backup capabilities which are built-in to the desktop software also go above and beyond what many other cloud storage providers typically offer as well. This sees iDrive supporting backup for multiple devices both locally and to the cloud, support for backing up external drives and NAS devices plus the option to use full disk image and disk cloning tools for more advanced backup strategies when required (something very rarely bundled in with cloud storage services).

    Overall, iDrive offers plenty of features, plenty of storage and is very reasonably priced given the huge amounts of storage on offer and the fact it can be shared between multiple personal devices for those owning more than one. iDrive is therefore a great choice for anyone seeking a single solution for most (if not all) of their cloud storage and cloud backup requirements in a single subscription – great work iDrive!

    Looking for Cloud Storage?

    Are you looking for practical help and advice in choosing cloud storage? If so, then be sure to check out our various guides including our Top 10 Free Cloud Storage guide, our guide to the Best Free Cloud Storage Services plus our guide to the Best Cloud Storage for Photographers amongst several others!

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