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File Storage · head to head

IDrive vs pCloud

IDrive logo

IDrive

File Storage

Affordable online backup with multiple device support

From
$2.5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
pCloud logo

pCloud

File Storage

Prices are final. No setup fees or other hidden charges

From
$199/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: IDrive the advertised annual rates are first year introductory prices, with standard pricing applying from the second year onward; pCloud ultra plan has 10TB storage but only 2TB transfer traffic, creating asymmetry
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IDrive and pCloud actually diverge.

Attributes where IDrive and pCloud differ
AttributeIDrivepCloud
Starting price$2.5/month$199/one-time
Pricing modelsubscriptionone-time
PlatformsWindows, Mac, Linux, WebWeb
Founded1995Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (File Storage).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in IDrive

  • Multiple device backup
  • True archiving
  • Continuous protection
  • IDrive Express
  • Snapshots
  • File sharing
  • iOS
  • Android

Only in pCloud

Nothing recorded that IDrive does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

IDrive

  • Online backup for computers, servers and mobile devicesnot pCloud
  • Backing up multiple machines under one accountnot pCloud

pCloud

  • Long-term cloud storage with no monthly feesnot IDrive
  • File archival and backupnot IDrive
  • Secure file sharing with encryptionnot IDrive

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

IDrive

  • The advertised annual rates are first year introductory prices, with standard pricing applying from the second year onward
  • The two year offer discounts only the first year, so the second year reverts to the full rate
  • Team plans tie user and computer counts to the storage tier, so 10 TB means exactly 10 computers
  • Business storage costs far more per terabyte than Personal, at $719.88 a year for 1.25 TB against $143.88 for 5 TB

pCloud

  • Ultra plan has 10TB storage but only 2TB transfer traffic, creating asymmetry
  • Download traffic limited to plan tier; no unlimited transfer option

Pricing, plan by plan

IDrive

$2.5/month
  • IDrive Personal$2.5/month
    • Promotional pricing: $2.50/month (billed annually)
    • Regular pricing: $6.99/month
    • 50% savings with annual billing
  • IDrive Team$null/month
    • Cloud backup service for small business
  • IDrive Business$null/month
    • Backup for computers and servers
  • IDrive 360 Enterprise Backup$null/month
    • Endpoint, servers, and SaaS cloud backup
    • For MSPs and IT teams

pCloud

$199/one-time
  • Premium 500GB$199/one-time
    • 500GB storage
    • 500GB transfer traffic
    • unlimited file uploads
  • Premium Plus 2TB$399/one-time
    • 2TB storage
    • 2TB transfer traffic
    • unlimited file uploads
  • Ultra 10TB$1190/one-time
    • 10TB storage
    • 2TB transfer traffic
    • unlimited file uploads

Which should you pick?

Choose IDrive if

  • You need multiple device backup.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web.
  • You also want true archiving.
IDrive review

Choose pCloud if

Nothing in the data separates pCloud from IDrive on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

pCloud review

Questions people ask

Is IDrive or pCloud better?
Neither clearly leads. IDrive starts at $2.5/month and pCloud at $199/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IDrive or pCloud?
IDrive starts at $2.5/month and pCloud at $199/one-time.
Does IDrive or pCloud run on more platforms?
IDrive runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web. pCloud runs on Web.
What is IDrive best used for?
IDrive is most often used for online backup for computers, servers and mobile devices, backing up multiple machines under one account. Of those, online backup for computers, servers and mobile devices and backing up multiple machines under one account are not what pCloud is typically brought in for.
What can IDrive do that pCloud cannot?
IDrive covers Multiple device backup, True archiving, Continuous protection, IDrive Express.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

IDrive: How much does IDrive Personal cost?

IDrive Personal starts at $2.50/month when billed annually, representing a 50% discount from the regular price of $6.99/month. A 7-day free trial is available without requiring a credit card.

Source
pCloud: Can I recover deleted files?

Yes, you can restore previous versions and recover data from up to 30 days ago.

Source
IDrive: What is the price for IDrive Cloud Applications Backup?

IDrive Cloud Applications Backup costs $20 per seat per year with unlimited storage. This covers backups for Microsoft 365, Microsoft Entra ID, Google Workspace, Salesforce, Dropbox, and Box.

Source
pCloud: What is the difference between lifetime and monthly pricing?

Lifetime plans are one-time purchases ($199-$1,190). Monthly options are also available but exact monthly prices are not specified on the pricing page.

Source
IDrive: How much does IDrive e2 cloud object storage cost?

IDrive e2 starts at $29.75 per year for 1 TB (first-year promotional pricing; regular price $59.50/year). IDrive markets this as 90% cheaper than AWS pricing for equivalent storage.

Source
pCloud: Is there a money-back guarantee?

Yes, pCloud offers a 14-day money-back guarantee with 256-bit SSL encryption protecting payments.

Source
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