However, choosing the right iCloud+ storage tier can get tricky. So, we'll compare the plans and help you decide.
50GB Plan: Great for Light Users
This is the lowest-tier paid iCloud+ plan available. For $0.99 per month, you get access to 50GB of storage on your iCloud account.
What's great about this plan is that it offers enough space for casual users. You'll have adequate storage to create a few backups of your iPhone while still having room to use some of the best iCloud features, like being able to instantly see your photos across all your devices.
Of course, there's a downside to limited storage. Eventually, you'll need to manage your space if you're not careful. Since many apps and services use iCloud, you could eventually fill up your storage without realizing it. Also, if you have multiple Apple devices that create backups on iCloud, you'll run out of space pretty quickly.
Even if this is the cheapest plan, you get all the Cloud+ features, such as Hide My Email and iCloud Private Relay. However, if you're heavily invested in Apple's HomeKit ecosystem, note that you'll be limited to just one HomeKit-enabled security camera.
200GB Plan: Best for Small Families
The 200GB storage plan for $2.99 per month is a better choice for families or if you own multiple Apple devices. You'll have a generous amount of space for a few dollars per month, which is still a great deal for cloud storage.
Another major benefit of all the iCloud+ plans is that they support Apple's Family Sharing feature. With the 200GB plan, you can share your storage with up to five other family members. Each family member's storage is private, though, meaning you won't be able to see other people's files or photos, and they can't see yours either.
If you have several Apple devices and use many apps that require an iCloud account to work across all your devices, 200GB will worth the money. Also, if you're a parent or part of a family, being able to share 200GB of space is convenient and better than everyone paying $0.99/month for 50GB individually. This plan also supports up to five HomeKit-enabled cameras.
2TB Plan: Perfect for Heavy Users
For $9.99 per month, you can get the 2TB plan, which is suitable if you are a heavy user and are fully invested in the Apple ecosystem. 2TB of storage will last quite a long time. You'll have more than enough to back up all your Apple devices, plus lots of extra room to upload all kinds of files, pictures, and videos.
The 2TB Plan also works with Family Sharing, meaning you can share it with five other family members, just like the 200GB plan. However, this plan isn't ideal for regular users. Light users just don't need this much storage space on the cloud.
That said, if you juggle several Apple devices or you're a professional who stores large files in the cloud and backs up hundreds of gigabytes worth of files, the 2TB plan will be a good fit. If you opt for this plan or higher, you'll also receive support for unlimited HomeKit-enabled cameras.
6TB Plan: For Cloud Storage Fanatics
If you are someone who religiously makes backups of everything and are thinking of moving from local storage to cloud storage, the 6TB plan is right for you.
Priced at $29.99 per month, it's not necessarily the most cost-effective plan, so you should go for this only if you are sure that you will fully utilize the 6 terabytes of storage and make full use of all the other features included with iCloud+.
If you and your family also shoot videos frequently and have newer iPhones that can record in ProRes, you should consider this plan since 4K videos can take up a significant amount of storage space.
12TB Plan: Ideal for Content Creators
The 12TB plan is the highest iCloud+ tier that Apple offers. If you're a content creator, you've likely encountered a single project consuming nearly half of your internal drive or sometimes even more.
While the $59.99/month price may seem steep, it could be your best option and is certainly a worthwhile investment if you make use of all that space. Backing up all your important projects to a local drive is a smart move, but having a secondary backup on the cloud is always safer in case you lose or damage the drive.
If you primarily use an iPad with Apple's pro apps like Final Cut Pro for iPad or Logic Pro for iPad, investing in iCloud+ is highly recommended. External drive support on iPadOS can be limited and cumbersome, making iCloud+ a convenient alternative.
However, before committing to this plan, you should ensure that you truly need the extra storage and have a fast and reliable Wi-Fi connection capable of uploading large files to the cloud efficiently.
iCloud+ Is Included With Apple One
If you're already subscribed to Apple's entertainment services like Apple Music or Apple TV, you should consider getting an Apple One subscription instead. It bundles iCloud+, Apple TV+, Apple Music, and Apple Arcade for a fair price.
You can choose from one of the three Apple One plans:
- Individual: This plan includes 50GB of iCloud+ storage for $19.95 per month.
- Family: This is a step up from the Individual plan and comes with 200GB of iCloud+ storage for $25.95 per month
- Premier: The highest Apple One tier offers 2TB of iCloud+ storage for $37.95 per month. It also includes Apple News+ and Apple Fitness+ services.
Remember that the Premier plan is only available in some regions, such as the US, UK, Australia, and Canada. However, Apple One might not be your best bet if you're primarily looking to buy iCloud storage. It's only worth your money if you also use Apple's entertainment services.
Before committing to an iCloud+ subscription, carefully assess how much storage you'll need. Although 50GB should be enough for most individuals, you should opt for a higher tier if you are planning on storing a lot of photos and videos.
Source: MUO
