Imagine having to transfer whole music albums or folders brimming with 4K videos and photos. For such an endeavor, you’ll need the fastest cloud storage you can currently get. We love fast online storage for its smoothness and the ability to transfer bulk files quickly.
However, the speed will be influenced by many factors, such as your internet and the cloud storage provider’s quality. The former is your worry – the latter is ours. Not every service is fast, despite claiming otherwise. We understand you don’t want to bother with heavy lifting.
For this reason, our experts will rank the speediest cloud storage providers in 2024. Don’t worry – we tested them all and will discuss our speed test results as we go. Some of these are the best online storage options overall, while others excel only in this aspect.
Fastest Cloud Storage: A Quick Speed Comparison
Below is a table that showcases upload and download times for the 3 GB RAR file we used in our speed tests. It’s a summary of the quickest online storage providers tested using their web apps on Windows 11, with 340/20 Mbps download/upload speeds:
| Cloud Storage Provider | Upload Time for 3 GB File | Download Time for 3 GB File |
| pCloud | 20 minutes | 1.5 minutes |
| Internxt | 23 minutes | 2.3 minutes |
| NordLocker | 25 minutes | 3 minutes |
| Dropbox | 20 minutes | 1.5 minutes |
| Sync.com | 53 minutes | 4 minutes |
The Fastest Cloud Storage Providers: Our Top 5 Picks
Let’s delve deeper into the subject right away. For those too lazy to read or in a hurry, we listed our five choices from best to worst – pay attention:
- pCloud – it offers the best speeds and security
- Internxt – surprisingly hasty, with lots of flexible storage
- NordLocker – end-to-end encrypted, with solid transfer speeds
- Dropbox – top-notch performance and productivity tools
- Sync.com – moderate price with just enough speed
If your curiosity got the best of you, keep reading for more valuable information about each.
1. pCloud
pCloud is an untamed beast that excels in all categories. It’s fast, offers ample storage, and comes with top-of-the-line security features. In our numerous tests, pCloud was the fastest online storage with impressive download and upload speeds on all devices.
Speed Test Results
Our team has evaluated pCloud multiple times. We performed all speed tests on our Windows 11 computer using the web version of the app. The download speed of our connection was 340 Mbps, while the upload speed was roughly 20 Mbps.
pCloud managed to upload a 3 GB RAR file in 20 minutes and download it in only 1.5 minutes. If we do the math, we can see we enjoyed the unthrottled speed, as pCloud took full advantage of our network, leaving nothing on the table.
Try the Fastest Cloud Storage: pCloud
Features of pCloud
This wasn’t strange considering pCloud’s fast data centers in Europe and the USA. On top of that, the service uses redundancy and uploads your files on multiple servers to have them readily available if one server malfunctions. Apart from speed, you’ll get tight security.
This fastest cloud storage relies on AES-256-bit encryption for transfer and files on the cloud. An optional add-on is a zero-knowledge encryption which makes it impossible even for pCloud to access your files. We appreciate its small conveniences throughout the apps.
For example, upload file sizes are unrestricted, which goes in hand with the fast online storage speeds. Then, pCloud can be your music player, letting you create custom playlists and enjoy music anywhere. It’s also a great online storage for videos and multimedia!
You can reproduce them directly on the cloud or share them securely with password protection. pCloud offers a 30-day file history with full file versioning, which lets you access older versions of your file. Price-wise, it’s far from the most affordable but still offers impressive deals through our site.
We recommend its Premium Plus 2 TB plan which costs a tad over $410 for a lifetime.
An absolute banger is the Ultra 10 TB plan at over $1,200 for a lifetime, with more than enough storage to keep you satisfied for years. Don’t be afraid to check its Business and Family plans either – they’re ideal for multi-user purposes.
2. Internxt
Internxt isn’t as popular as pCloud but that means nothing in this regard. As you’ll see in a second, it’s a cloud storage provider with fast speeds for both uploads and downloads. This is paired with lots of storage space to stow away even the largest files safely and securely.
Speed Test Results
Internxt is a tad slower than pCloud but far from a slouch. Our speed tests done the same way as before, with a 3 GB RAR file showed that Internext upload time of 23 minutes. On the other hand, the file was downloaded in 2.3 minutes, which is still more than fast.
Features of Internxt
Internxt is kind of a basic online storage but that’s great for many. It uses zero-knowledge encryption by default, which adds to security tremendously. Moreover, this is a great option for privacy because it doesn’t keep logs. Internxt has one of the best interfaces.
It’s clean, intuitive, and ready to “swallow” your files once you drag and drop them. We were impressed by its open-source nature in our Internxt review. Its apps have been audited for added safety and prevention of unauthorized access. So, why is it basic?
Well, it has very few multimedia features and even lacks file versioning. This is coupled with the lack of productivity tools found in Dropbox and Sync.com. Perhaps the biggest “wow” is the price. You can get a Lifetime 10 TB plan for just $830, with a 30-day refund policy.
Internxt offers many other plans, such as the 5 TB Lifetime plan at $500 or the 10 TB annual plan at $83 yearly. With the selection of Business plans, you can get up to 2 TB of storage per user and enjoy enterprise-level features for as low as $87 per year per user.
3. NordLocker
Moving on with the ranking of the fastest cloud storage, NordLocker comfortably sits at the third spot. While it remains a fast online storage option, its performance is slightly below that of pCloud and Internxt. However, it relies on unbreakable encryption and ease of access we like.
Speed Test Results
Let’s first discuss our speed test results. NordLocker managed to upload our 3 GB file in 25 minutes and download it in 3 minutes. This is still a great result, meaning you’ll be able to transfer large files quickly. As you’ll see soon, it’s still much faster than Sync.com.
Enjoy Speed & Encryption With NordLocker
Features of NordLocker
If you need cloud storage with zero-knowledge encryption, look no further. This is the best encrypted online storage, offering end-to-end encryption thanks to its secure vaults. Better yet, there’s local encryption to safeguard your files on the computer or phone.
NordLocker’s apps are beautifully designed. They allow for secure file sharing and password protection. The Sync function lets you sync files across different devices for easier access. NordLocker capitalizes on its privacy by showcasing its no-log policy – not strange.
This provider also uses multiple data centers and encrypts your files even in transit, not allowing snoopers to harm you. Despite being pretty fast online storage with above-average security, NordLocker is affordable, albeit, with the lack of a few basic functions.
It has no file versioning and offers very few multimedia features compared to pCloud or Dropbox. Luckily, it has apps for all devices and offers a discounted 2 TB plan at around $83 a year, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Sounds more than affordable to us!
4. Dropbox
Dropbox offers impressive transfer speeds with a rich set of features. It’s functional and ready for all purposes, including document creation, file sharing, and multimedia reproduction. However, it suffers from privacy issues and higher prices.
Speed Test Results
We’ll start with the good stuff – speed. Dropbox rivals pCloud here, with an upload time of 20 minutes and a download time of 1.5 minutes. The results are identical for our 3 GB RAR file, which puts Dropbox at #2 speed-wise. What about other qualities?
Features of Dropbox
Dropbox won’t disappoint anyone. It’s ideal for storing large files and getting them on the cloud in no time. Its ecosystem has third-party integrations with Office 365 and Google Workspace, allowing for smooth document creation, editing, and secure sharing.
The provider lets you cooperate with other people seamlessly, which you won’t find in Internxt. Moreover, there’s the option to reproduce videos and photos and even convert them into different formats. Dropbox comes with a bespoke e-signature service.
It’s handy for business needs and signing documents. We said that the security of the cloud storage is questionable. That’s because of a few security breaches with catastrophic results in the past. Also, Dropbox isn’t very affordable, so be ready to pay a top dollar.
The Essentials 3 TB plan sits as the best value, yet, it costs $16.58 a month for the annual plan. You’ll get the cheapest price with the Plus 2 TB plan, alas at $9.99 a month nearly $120 annually. Let’s not forget its shallow free plan with a measly 2 GB of basic storage.
5. Sync.com
The last one is Sync.com, a pretty popular option. It’s the only fastest cloud provider with unlimited storage options on this list. Aside from that, it’s great for collaboration, file security, privacy, and ease of use, making it well-suited for beginners.
Speed Test Results
This is by no means the #1 fastest cloud storage. Its performance is undermined by a longer upload time of roughly 53 minutes for our 3 GB RAR file. On the other hand, the 4-minute download time isn’t so bad considering NordLocker’s 3-minute result.
Features of Sync.com
Sync.com has many great qualities, so we can forgive its slower speed. For instance, it sports a full Office 365 integration, handy for working on documents and sharing them in real time. Its “Teams” plans are extremely valuable for collaboration and fast and efficient work too.
Security-wise, Sync.com offers zero-knowledge encryption for more safety. Additionally, there’s 180-day file versioning that allows you to keep tons of file versions over time and go back in time for half a year! Sync.com supports backups and file syncing.
Both are efficient, especially backups of your entire device. When it comes to file sharing, Sync employs features like password protection, expiry dates, and 256-bit encryption for files in transit. Like Internxt, this fast cloud storage is flexible, offering plenty of options.
We love its free cloud storage with 5 GB of space – it’s easy to get into in minutes. Paid plans start with the Solo Basic option at $8/mo for 2 TB of storage. Users can also get the Solo Professional plan at $20/mo and 6 TB of space. Overall, a pretty nice all-around choice.
Are Free Cloud Storage Providers Fast?
When looking for the fastest online storage providers, you’ll likely come across many free options. This begs the question of their speed – so, are they any good? It depends on the provider you pick. All 5 fast cloud storage services here offer free plans for testing.
pCloud offers up to 10 GB, which is plenty for basic needs. After testing it, we noticed that its performance is the same, so you lose nothing speed-wise. The same goes for Internxt and all other providers that preserve their performance even if you don’t pay for them.
Free variants usually differ in other aspects, such as storage size and a few advanced features. We still reluctantly recommend them because of the storage, which is far smaller than the paid one. Compare 10 GB to pCloud’s 2 TB or 10 TB – that’s a big gap.
With a smaller storage, the speed won’t matter too much. You’ll be limited in terms of what you can upload either way, making no sense to prioritize speed.
The Bottom Line
Our ranking of the fastest cloud storage providers is done. We didn’t want to include the speediest options that offer just that. Instead, we opted for the best overall choices that would, with speed, bring additional security, ironclad privacy, and flexible storage.
According to our harsh criteria, pCloud won in all categories. It’s blazing-quick, offers up to 10 TB of secure storage, and is suitable for families and businesses. Internxt is speedy, with large storage but lacks productivity and multimedia features found in some other picks.
Next, we have NordLocker, which specializes in unbreakable encryption. It’s a bit slower than the first two but quite affordable and easy to use. Dropbox is as fast as pCloud but not as safe, despite offering the best collaboration and multimedia functions.
Finally, there’s Sync whose performance is weakest but with powerful encryption, collaboration options, and an unlimited storage plan. We hope this list was helpful enough. If so, take your pick and take advantage of our favorite picks – they’re risk-free.