pCloud review — 2026
★★★★★ Overall score: 5/5
Lifetime plans available. Swiss jurisdiction. Best one-time-payment cloud storage.
Monthly: $4.99/mo
Annual (first year): $49.99/year
Annual (renewal): $49.99/year
Money-back: 10 days
Annual (first year): $49.99/year
Annual (renewal): $49.99/year
Money-back: 10 days
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Protection
| Malware detection rate | 0% |
|---|---|
| False-positive rate | n/a |
| AV-TEST score | n/a |
| Real-time protection | ✓ |
| Ransomware protection | ✗ |
| Firewall | ✗ |
Bundled features
| VPN included | ✗ |
|---|---|
| Password manager | ✗ |
| Parental controls | ✗ |
| Dark web monitoring | ✗ |
| Identity theft protection | ✗ |
| Cloud backup | 500 GB |
Compatibility
| Devices covered | Unlimited |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Web |
Our review
pCloud is the right pick for users who want lifetime cloud storage (no recurring fees forever) and Swiss privacy. Best for personal media libraries — built-in player handles audio/video without downloading.
Pros
- Lifetime plans available ($199 for 500GB, $399 for 2TB) — pay once, use forever
- Swiss jurisdiction (strong privacy laws)
- pCloud Crypto add-on for client-side encryption
- Strong media player built-in (best for video/music libraries)
- Up to 10GB free tier
Cons
- Standard plans don't include client-side encryption (Crypto is paid add-on)
- No real-time collaborative editing (vs Google Drive)
- 10-day refund window (vs 30 for most)
- Slower file sync than Dropbox