With the passage of time, Photo storage has become an arduous task. Before cloud storage, photographers depended on SD cards and hard disks, both of which had their fair share of possible data loss. I, too, had once suffered the brunt of a hard disk crash that wiped out my years of work. Moreover, the recovery cost six years ago was close to $200! However, there was no guarantee that the technician could recover the images. The promising announcement today is that this apprehension is well behind us.
The lead image is a screenshot from Apple’s iCloud website, taken for representation purposes.
Photo storage has become less cumbersome with the introduction of smart facilities such as cloud storage. Every photographer opts for this, as it makes access to your files and its transfer buttery smooth. But choosing the finest could be a task. To help you out in your endeavor of storing photographs, we have collected a list of some of the best cloud storage websites below.
500px
The website is not only for sharing pictures but also for storing them. If you are a serious photographer or an avid enthusiast, this one should do the work. One can store 2,000 photographs for free on its clean and engaging interface. However, if you need more space, there are two subscription plans: Awesome will be $4.99 monthly, while Pro comes at $9.99. If you are joining for the first time, you will get a discount for the initial year, where the former will be $3.99, and the latter will be $7.99 monthly. You get unlimited access and a few other benefits in both scenarios.
Flickr
At this point, users can store about 1,000 photos on free accounts. But if they upgrade to a Pro account, which is $72 per year, they will get unlimited storage space, as well as the option to see pictures at up to 6K, no ads, and will get $35 off a $70 order at Blurb’s photo-book service. Subscribers will get a 50% discount on their SmugMug subscription in their first year, too.
iDrive
While it is not explicitly targeted at photographers, iDrive is an excellent option. It offers 10GB of free storage but no option to tag or edit the images. However, a more structured plan provides 100GB at $2.95 per year to $99.50 annually for 5TB storage.
Google Photos
While the system was initially designed for mobile photographers, Google Photos has evolved dramatically. It offers a clean interface, and its AI helps segregate images. I have used this for about seven years and have never been happier. If you don’t have a subscription, your pictures will be uploaded at 16MP. The Google Drive subscript for Photos begins at $1.99 monthly for 100GB.
Internxt
This one is an excellent option if you are looking for airtight security. The free accounts get up to 10GB of space, but there is a catch. Your account begins at a 2GB allowance, and once you finish the tasks they assign, such as downloading the mobile app and giving referrals, you get the opportunity to get 10GB. Again, since this isn’t a photography focus, you do not get pristine features, as seen on other websites. The monthly plan of 200GB begins at $1.10, while 2TB is for $2.19.
Amazon Photos
While there is no free upload option for this, Amazon Photos can be handy if you want to access your photographs across various devices, including your TV. All you need is a Prime subscription (which now costs about $139 yearly). The benefit includes ordering photo prints, cards, calendars, or more, with free shipping. Subscribers can invite five individuals to acquire unlimited storage.
Apple iCloud
This one is a no-brainer for iPhone and Mac users. Free uploads are limited to 5GB, but the company offers three options if you need more space: 50GB for 99 cents monthly, 200GB for $2.99/month, and 2TB for $9.99 a month. A new feature enables users to transfer their images from iCloud to Google Photos.
ImageShack
A free subscription is complex, especially when every company tries to get the best from its users. ImageShack subscription, in this regard, can be deemed generous. Users get a $3.99 monthly subscription for limited access and features such as a watermark, embedding images, and the ability to share. The Pro and Premium editions, $29.99 and $99.99 monthly, offer additional value, such as downloading the pictures, image resizing, and API access. However, there was a catch: the size of the photographs has been limited to 25MB, irrespective of the plan.
Dropbox
Dropbox’s Android and iOS apps allow users to store photographs directly. On the laptop, you can easily access these files via folders. You are in luck if you want a free subscription, as Dropbox offers a 2GB free plan. However, if you need more storage, 2TB is available for $11.99 monthly, while the Pro Plan costs $19.99/month for 3TB.
When it comes to choosing, it all boils down to your needs and the subscription fee. So, prioritize the features you want while storing photographs, and decide which websites tick all your checkboxes.