21 Oct Cloud Storage Comparison: Dropbox, iCloud, Flickr, and OneDrive
Photos are some of the most important files that you will ever create. Over 900 Billion photos will be uploaded to the web this year – 900 Billion! And billions more live on our camera rolls, waiting to be backed up.
Which is why value is increasing in dedicated photo services. Because auto-uploading features are now standard, users can be confident that all there photos will be automatically saved to the cloud.
So, with all the services available – which one would you pick?
Amazon Cloud Drive
Amazon is relatively new to the scene, having introduced free, unlimited picture storage as part of Amazon Prime in November. (The service is an extension of Amazon Cloud Drive, which offers a la carte phot-storage service to non-Prime members for $12 a year.) Although it is not as intuitive as some of the others, it’s included in the existing Prime subscription package.
Apple iCloud
Apple offers two main photo services: iCloud Photo Stream, where you can store 1,000 photos (or 30 days’ worth of photos) in the cloud for free; and the iCloud Photo Library, which syncs with any existing iOS devices. Despite offering a reasonably cheap buck-a-month for 20 GB of storage, Apple’s Cloud does not allow for easy imports from social networks.
Dropbox
Dropbox’s photo storage program is known as Carousel, an app for backing up your photos automatically and displaying in a timeline that you can scroll with your thumb. Although Carousel has only gotten 5 million downloads on Android, it’s still a great tool, especially if you already use Dropbox.
Flickr
Yahoo’s Flickr, the sad cousin of Instagram, has become rather dysfunctional. Although newly redesigned, it still features black bars on the periphery of each photo.
Google +
Google’s social network offers unlimited free uploads at a size of 2048 pixels, and it applies interesting effects to your photos: turning pictures onto looping GIFs, and automatically creating cook vacation albums whenever you skip town for a couple of days.
OneDrive
Microsoft’s total storage now offers 30 GB of free storage, provided that you enable auto-upload on the mobile app. OneDrive’s approach to photos is fairly basic, however it has a ‘machine vision’ to group your photos automatically in a wide variety of categories. However, Microsoft’s OneDrive seems mediocre at best.
Picturelife
Picturelife is refreshing in that it is independent from the likes of internet giants such as Apple or Google. Unlike its larger competitors, it can sync with Flickr, Foursquare, Google, Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter; among other networks, creating a convenient depository for all of your pictures.
SmugMug
SmugMug takes a refreshing turn from the norm in the photo storage industry. With amenities such as unlimited photo storage, and more options for customization, SmugMug differentiates itself from the more basic options. However, after the two-week trial, users will have to pay for a package ($60/year for the basic package)