Cloud Backup Basics

Cloud backup is an essential way to protect your important files, photos, and documents from data loss. Services like Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox offer reliable cloud storage solutions, each with its own free and paid plans.

• Microsoft OneDrive:

  
  

  Free Plan: 5 GB of storage.

  
  

  Paid Plans: Starting at $1.99/month for 100 GB. Microsoft 365 plans also offer 1 TB of storage, along with access to Office apps like Word and Excel for $69.99/year for personal and .

  
  

• Google Drive:

  
  

  Free Plan: 15 GB of storage shared across Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos.

  
  

  Paid Plans: Starting at $1.99/month for 100 GB, with higher tiers available for more space (up to 2 TB for $9.99/month).

  
  

• Dropbox:

  
  

  Free Plan: 2 GB of storage.

  
  

  Paid Plans: Starting at $9.99/month for 2 TB of storage. Dropbox also offers a Family plan with 2 TB of space for up to 6 users.

Pro Tip: It's a good idea to regularly back up critical data to cloud services or even combine with an external hard drive (non-sensitive data) for added redundancy. Pick a service based on your space needs and budget—remember, the free plans can get you started, but upgrading gives you more flexibility and storage.