Sync.com vs pCloud: the two leading zero-knowledge storage providers
Both encrypt so they cannot read your files. One has longer version history, the other sells lifetime plans.
Sync.com tops our comparison at 75 and pCloud sits third at 71. Both are zero-knowledge, which is the column that separates the top five from Dropbox and Google. Here is how they differ.
2 TB, the usual size
| Sync.com Solo Basic | pCloud Premium Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $8 a month, annual | $8.33 a month, annual |
| Version history | 180 days | 30 days |
| Password-protected links | Yes | Yes |
| Lifetime option | No | Yes |
Where Sync.com wins
Version history, 180 days against 30, the longest on the site and the feature that saves you from ransomware or a bad sync. The 10 TB team plan at $15 a month annual is the cheapest large plan on the site. Canadian company, Canadian data residency.
Where pCloud wins
Lifetime plans. Premium Plus 2 TB is a one-time purchase, which our table shows as a $399 monthly price because it has nowhere else to put it. Treat that as about four years of the annual plan, after which the storage is free. pCloud also sells a 10 TB lifetime. Swiss company, with a choice of EU or US data centres.
Note that pCloud's zero-knowledge encryption, called Crypto, is a paid add-on on some plans rather than the default for every file. Sync.com encrypts everything by default.
Both
Desktop and mobile apps, sharing links with passwords and expiry, web access. Neither has the third-party app ecosystem of Dropbox, which is the usual price of zero-knowledge.
Verdict
You want files encrypted by default and long rollback: Sync.com. You are willing to pay four years up front to stop paying forever: pCloud lifetime. Either is a sound replacement for Dropbox if privacy is the reason you are leaving. The head-to-head marks each row's winner.
Every figure on this site is read from the vendor's own pricing page and dated next to the value. Prices change; check the date before you buy.
More guides
- MEGA vs Icedrive: more space or more history?MEGA and Icedrive both encrypt with zero knowledge. One sells more space at the top end, the other keeps 90 days of file history.
- What changed this week: MEGA adds space, Icedrive adds tiers, Sync.com offers 25% offMEGA raised storage on its Pro plans, Icedrive listed four new tiers, Dropbox monthly prices landed and Sync.com posted a 25% deal.
- Dropbox and Google One: why the biggest names rank last on our tableBoth score in the bottom tiers because of one column. Here is what you get for giving up zero-knowledge encryption.