iCloud+ Pricing Plans (2026) and the Best Private Alternatives

You're paying Apple $0.99 to $59.99 a month for iCloud+ storage. Maybe you're about to. Either way, you're probably wondering if the pricing is fair, what you actually get at each tier, and whether there's a better option.

The pricing is fine. The encryption? Not so much. Apple holds the keys to most of your files by default, which means they can access them if a government asks or if their servers get breached. There's a setting buried in your phone that fixes this, but most people don't even know it exists.

We'll walk through every iCloud+ plan, what you're really paying for, regional pricing if you're outside the US, and how iCloud+ stacks up against Internxt Drive, Google Drive, and Dropbox on privacy, pricing, and features.

What is iCloud storage?

iCloud is an official cloud computing solution launched by Apple Computer way back in 2011.

iCloud is an official cloud computing solution launched by Apple Computer way back in 2011. The service provides cloud storage for phones, tablets, and computers. With Apple iCloud storage you can store images, videos, music, and data and sync them with other iOS-enabled devices.

You can access your data and files from Mac, Windows PC, and mobile iOS devices and keep the files secure and updated across every device. Apple iCloud also allows you to create new folders and files through iCloud empowered apps. These files will sync across all of the devices.

To use the service, visit iCloud.com. There, you create, save, and share documents in Apple Pages. iCloud has recently been updating and introducing Dropbox-like features. It now allows users to share and see a folder in real time.

To understand it from the technical side, iCloud is a hybrid cloud solution that has been created by combining software-enabled devices to store data. iCloud works automatically and it uploads photos and videos taken from a phone directly to cloud storage.

iCloud+ pricing at a glance

All iCloud+ plans are billed monthly. No annual discount. Apple doesn't do that.

Source: Apple Support — iCloud+ plans and pricing

Every paid plan includes the full set of iCloud+ privacy features. The only differences between tiers are storage space and how many HomeKit cameras you can use. Simple enough.

What does each iCloud+ plan actually include?

iCloud+ features worth knowing about
You're not just paying for storage. Every iCloud+ plan from the $0.99 tier up includes these:

iCloud Private Relay routes your Safari traffic through two separate relays so nobody (including Apple) can see both who you are and what sites you visit. Only works in Safari, though. Chrome, Firefox, other browsers? Unprotected.

Hide My Email generates random email addresses that forward to your real inbox. Handy for sign-ups, newsletters, anything where you don't want to hand over your actual email. You can create as many as you want and delete them whenever.

Custom Email Domain lets you use your own domain with iCloud Mail. Up to five domains per account. Nice if you have a personal domain collecting dust.

HomeKit Secure Video stores security camera footage in iCloud with end-to-end encryption. The footage doesn't count against your storage quota, which is a genuinely good deal. The 50GB plan supports one camera, 200GB supports five, and 2TB and above support unlimited cameras.

Family Sharing lets you share your plan with up to five other people. Everyone gets their own private space — nobody can see anyone else's files, photos, or backups. You share the storage quota, not the content.

Which plan fits your situation

50GB ($0.99/month) — You have one iPhone, don't take many photos, and just want your device backed up. This fills up fast if you shoot video.

200GB ($2.99/month) — The sweet spot for most people. Handles a solid photo library and multiple device backups. If you have a family, this is probably where you start. At $2.99 split across a household, it's hard to beat.

2TB ($9.99/month) — You shoot a lot of 4K video, have years of photos, or back up multiple devices. Power users and small families with heavy storage needs.

6TB ($29.99/month) — Creative professionals working with large files. If 2TB isn't cutting it anymore, this is the next step. Most people don't need this.

12TB ($59.99/month) — Apple's biggest tier. Video production workflows, massive archives, or you just never want to think about storage again. At $720/year, it's not cheap.

Apple One bundles: worth it or not?

If you already pay for Apple Music, Apple TV+, or Apple Arcade, bundling with Apple One can save you money. If you don't, skip this section.

Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade include Family Sharing even on the Individual plan.

The math

Individual ($19.95/month): Buying iCloud+ 50GB, Apple Music, Apple TV+, and Apple Arcade separately costs $31.96. You save $12/month.

Family ($25.95/month): Same services with family plans costs $39.96 separately. You save $14/month.

Premier ($37.95/month): All six services cost $69.94 separately. You save $32/month — a 43% discount.

If you only need iCloud+ storage and don't care about Apple's entertainment services, just buy iCloud+ directly. Apple One only makes sense if you're already using (or planning to use) at least two or three of those services.

iCloud+ pricing by region

Apple sets iCloud+ prices in local currencies where they can, and in USD everywhere else. Taxes are included in most countries. Prices are monthly.

iCloud+ pricing — United States (USD)

iCloud+ pricing — Eurozone (EUR)

iCloud+ pricing — United Kingdom (GBP)

iCloud+ pricing — Switzerland (CHF)

iCloud+ pricing — Sweden (SEK)

iCloud+ pricing — Norway (NOK)

iCloud+ pricing — Denmark (DKK)

iCloud+ pricing — Poland (PLN)

iCloud+ pricing — Czechia (CZK)

iCloud+ pricing — Hungary (HUF)

iCloud+ pricing — Romania (RON)

iCloud+ pricing — Canada (CAD)

iCloud+ pricing — Australia (AUD)

iCloud+ pricing— Japan (JPY)

For every other country, check Apple's official iCloud+ pricing page.

What iCloud+ actually encrypts (and what it doesn't)

This is the part most people skip. It matters more than which storage tier you pick.

Standard protection vs Advanced Data Protection

By default, Apple encrypts your iCloud data at rest using AES-128 and AES-256 encryption. Sounds secure. The catch? Apple holds the encryption keys for most data categories. iCloud Drive files, Photos, Notes, Backups — Apple can decrypt all of it.

Apple says they only access your data when legally required. That's probably true. But "we choose not to" and "we can't" are very different things.
Some data is end-to-end encrypted by default, no matter what: iCloud Keychain, Health data, Apple Card transactions, Maps data, and Wi-Fi passwords. For everything else, Apple holds the keys.

The opt-in problem

Apple added Advanced Data Protection (ADP) in late 2022. It extends end-to-end encryption to most iCloud categories — Drive, Photos, Notes, Backups, Voice Memos, the works. With ADP on, Apple no longer holds the keys. They can't access your files even if compelled by a court order.

Good feature. One problem: it's off by default. You have to go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Advanced Data Protection and manually turn it on. Most people never do. And if you lose your recovery key, Apple can't help you get your data back. That's the trade-off.

Also, even with ADP enabled, three categories stay accessible to Apple: iCloud Mail, Contacts, and Calendar. These need to work with global email and calendar standards, so they can't be end-to-end encrypted without breaking compatibility.

Not covered by ADP due to interoperability requirements.

Bottom line: iCloud+ with ADP enabled is solid. iCloud+ without ADP (which is most users) means Apple can access the majority of your data. Whether that matters depends on what you store and how much you trust Apple's policies.

Best iCloud+ alternatives for privacy and value

iCloud+ works great inside Apple's ecosystem. The integration is seamless, the pricing is fair, and with ADP turned on, the privacy is decent. But there are real reasons to look elsewhere.

Maybe you use both Apple and Android devices and need something cross-platform. Maybe you don't trust opt-in encryption and want privacy by default. Maybe you need compliance certifications for work. Or maybe you've done the math and realized you can get more storage for less money.

Internxt Drive: zero-knowledge encryption by default

If the encryption section above made you uncomfortable, Internxt Drive is the fix.

Files are encrypted on your device before they leave it, using AES-256 encryption. Internxt never has your keys. Not temporarily, not in a cache, not anywhere. They mathematically cannot access your files — even if hacked, subpoenaed, or acquired by another company. That's zero-knowledge encryption, and it's on by default for every user. No buried settings menu required.

This isn't just marketing talk. Internxt passed an independent security audit by Securitum, a European pentesting firm that also audits Proton. The code is open-source on GitHub, so anyone can verify the encryption implementation. Internxt holds ISO 27001:2022 certification and is HIPAA compliant — which matters if you handle healthcare, legal, or financial data. iCloud+ doesn't offer HIPAA compliance at all.

The Internxt product suite includes Internxt Drive, Antivirus, VPN and Send. On top of this, Internxt offers free tools to help secure your privacy online, such as a password generator, a byte converter to help you manage your cloud storage and more.

Signing up for an Internxt account is quick and simple - all you need is your email and password and you can upgrade to an annual or lifetime plan, if you want a one time payment cloud storage plan.

Once you have signed up, you can start enjoying Internxt cloud storage and get Internxt cloud storage 1GB for free, forever.

Annual plans
Essential, €18/annually
Includes:

• 1TB zero-knowledge encrypted storage
• Ultra-fast unlimited VPN for 1 location
• Antivirus
• Backups
• Premium

Premium, €36/annually
Includes:

• 3TB zero-knowledge encrypted storage
• Ultra-fast unlimited VPN for 3 locations
• Antivirus
• Backups

Ultimate, €54/annually
Includes:

• 5TB zero-knowledge encrypted storage
• Ultra-fast unlimited VPN for 5 locations
• Antivirus
• Backups

Lifetime plans:

• 1TB: €285
• 3TB: €435
• 5TB: €585

If you want an open-source alternative to Apple and a zero-knowledge approach to your privacy, then make the switch to Internxt.

Google One

15GB free — three times what Apple gives you. If you live in Google's ecosystem (Gmail, Google Photos, Google Docs), Google One is the obvious choice. Real-time editing with up to 100 simultaneous users is still the best in the industry, and nothing else comes close for team collaboration.
Google One pricing starts at $1.99/month for 100GB and goes up to $9.99/month for 2TB. Comparable to iCloud+ on price, way ahead on free storage and collaboration features.

The downside: Google holds your encryption keys. They can access your files. And Google's business model runs on data — your files aren't being scanned for ads (Google says), but the company's relationship with user data is... complicated. No zero-knowledge option exists.

Dropbox

Dropbox pioneered cloud file syncing and still does it better than anyone. Smart Sync lets you see all your files on your desktop without downloading them until you need them. The integration ecosystem covers 300,000+ apps — more than any competitor.

At $9.99/month for 2TB on the yearly plan (or $11.99/month billed monthly), it's comparable to iCloud+ and Google One on price. But if your workflow depends on third-party app integrations or you need rock-solid desktop syncing across Windows, Mac, and Linux, Dropbox is hard to replace.
Same privacy model as everyone else though. Server-side encryption, Dropbox holds the keys, they can access your files.

Tresorit

Worth mentioning if you're specifically shopping for zero-knowledge encryption in a business context. Tresorit offers end-to-end encryption similar to Internxt, with a focus on enterprise features — admin controls, compliance tools, team management.

Personal plans start at $11.99/month for 1TB (Personal Essential). Business plans start at $19/user/month with a 3-user minimum. That makes it significantly more expensive than Internxt or mainstream options, especially for teams. If your company needs zero-knowledge encryption with enterprise admin features and has the budget, Tresorit is solid. For personal use or budget-conscious teams, Internxt is more cost-effective.

iCloud+ vs alternatives — full comparison

Which cloud storage is right for you?

Choose iCloud+ if:

You're all-in on Apple. iPhones, iPads, Macs — the whole setup. iCloud+ integrates seamlessly with everything Apple makes. Photos sync automatically, backups happen in the background, and you don't need to install anything. If your entire household runs Apple devices, the 200GB Family Sharing plan at $2.99/month is genuinely good value. Turn on Advanced Data Protection and you've got decent privacy too.

Choose Internxt if:

Privacy is non-negotiable. You don't want any company holding the keys to your files — not Apple, not Google, nobody. Internxt Drive encrypts everything on your device before it leaves, and the company can't access your data even if they wanted to. Period.

You need compliance certifications. Healthcare, legal, finance — if your industry requires HIPAA, ISO 27001, or independent security audits, Internxt checks all three boxes. iCloud+ doesn't offer HIPAA at all, and Google and Dropbox only offer it on expensive business tiers.

You want to stop paying monthly forever. Internxt's lifetime plans mean you pay once and you're done. No more monthly charges. After a few years, you've saved hundreds compared to any subscription service.

You use both Apple and Android. Internxt works natively on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, and web. No ecosystem lock-in.

Choose Google Drive or Dropbox if:

Collaboration is your priority. Google Drive's real-time editing with 100 simultaneous users is unmatched. If your team lives in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, nothing else comes close. Dropbox's Smart Sync and 300,000+ app integrations make it the best choice for workflows that depend on third-party tools.

You need server-side features. Web previews without downloading, full-text search across documents, collaborative editing — these features require the provider to read your files, which zero-knowledge services can't do. That's a real trade-off. If you need those features more than you need maximum privacy, mainstream services are the practical choice.

Frequently asked questions

How much does iCloud+ cost per month?

$0.99 for 50GB, $2.99 for 200GB, $9.99 for 2TB, $29.99 for 6TB, $59.99 for 12TB. All US pricing, monthly only — Apple doesn't offer annual iCloud+ billing. In the Eurozone, prices are the same numbers in euros.

What's the difference between iCloud and iCloud+?

iCloud is the free 5GB storage every Apple ID gets. iCloud+ is the paid upgrade — more storage plus privacy features like Private Relay, Hide My Email, Custom Email Domain, and HomeKit Secure Video.

Can Apple access my iCloud files?

By default, yes. Apple holds the encryption keys for most of your iCloud data. You can change this by enabling Advanced Data Protection in Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Advanced Data Protection. With ADP on, Apple can't access most of your files. Without it, they can.

Is the 200GB family plan worth it?

For most families, yes. $2.99/month split across up to six people, everyone gets their own private storage, and nobody can see each other's stuff. It's one of Apple's better deals.

How does iCloud+ compare to Google One pricing?

Almost identical at the 2TB tier ($9.99/month each). Google gives you more free storage (15GB vs 5GB) and is cheaper at lower tiers (100GB for $1.99/month). iCloud+ includes privacy features Google One doesn't. Pick based on your device ecosystem.

Is iCloud+ secure enough for sensitive data?

With Advanced Data Protection turned on? Reasonably secure. Without it? Apple can access your files, which is a problem if you're storing medical records, legal documents, or anything requiring compliance. For regulated industries needing HIPAA compliance or zero-knowledge encryption by default, a service like Internxt Drive is a better fit.

What is zero-knowledge encryption?

Your files get encrypted on your device before upload. Only you hold the encryption keys — not the cloud provider. The provider stores encrypted files but can't decrypt them. Even if they're hacked, breached, or handed a court order, your files stay encrypted because nobody else has your keys.

Does iCloud+ work on Android?

Not really. There's no iCloud app for Android. You can access some iCloud features through iCloud.com in a browser, but the experience is limited. If you use both Apple and Android devices, cross-platform services like Internxt, Google Drive, or Dropbox are better options.

There are loads of cloud storage providers all with different strengths, weaknesses, and features. Make sure to pick one that's convenient but also protects your data. Welcome to the cloud.