kDrive vs pCloud (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, kDrive grades higher than pCloud: 2.8 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
kDrive grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
kDrive
Swiss-hosted cloud storage and file sharing from Infomaniak
pCloud
Swiss cloud storage sold by subscription or one-time payment
Which one is for you
Pick kDrive if
- Fits if you want data kept in Switzerland and a free 15 GB to start
- Works for one person who wants 3 TB at a flat rate
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need US dollar prices: only Swiss francs excluding VAT are shown
- Tight if you're sharing: Solo is limited to one user and its 3 TB can't be increased
- Watch out: Team covers 6 users at most, and Pro needs at least 3 users
- Watch out: the 1-year term is cheaper, and the 1-month term is CHF 5.54 for Solo
Pick pCloud if
- Fits if you'd rather pay once than every month, and plan to stay for years
- Works for Linux users, who get the same desktop drive as Windows and Mac
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want files only you can unlock as standard, since that's a $49.99-a-year add-on for one folder
- Tight if you're staying free, because you start with 2 GB and earn your way to 10
- Skip it if you'd park photos on a free account and forget it, as idle ones are deleted after 12 months
- Skip it if you share folders across the Atlantic, as both accounts must be in the same region, and moving costs $19.99
- Watch out: lifetime prices are shown as promotions, refunds end after 14 days, and Family plans are lifetime only
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAkDriveGood | 2.6GPApCloudGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CSolo is CHF 4.99 a month excluding VAT, a little above the category's $3.99 cheaper-quarter line, though it comes with 3 TB. | C500 GB is $4.99 a month, which is exactly this category's middle price, and 2 TB is $9.99, where its dearest tenth starts. The lifetime plans are a long bet: $499 for 2 TB is five years of the subscription up front. And the Crypto folder is another $49.99 a year. |
| Free plan and trial | Bmy kSuite gives 15 GB of kDrive storage free, expandable, plus 20 GB of email and OnlyOffice editing. | CUp to 10 GB with no card, but read that "up to": you start on 2 GB and earn the rest with a tutorial and invites. pCloud's terms also say a free account left idle for 12 months is deleted, files and all. |
| Features | CSync, sharing and online editing, but Solo is one user, Team stops at 6 users and extra storage costs CHF 36 a month per 5 TB. | CThe basics: a drive that uses no laptop space, phone photo backup, imports from other clouds, 30 days of old versions, a media player and pCloud Docs. Encryption only you can unlock is a separate $49.99 add-on, and it covers one folder. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but the apps install and sync with nothing to set up. | B4.67 from about 8,200 App Store ratings, a shade under the 4.7 the top of this category manages. On a computer it turns up as an extra drive, so you drag files in like any folder, and on a phone one switch backs up your photos. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWeb, Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android apps, and 6 integrations. | AWeb, Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android, plus a browser add-on. It pulls files in from Dropbox, Google Drive, Google Photos, OneDrive and Facebook, and there's a documented API for developers. |
| Best for | Swiss-hosted storage with a free 15 GB | paying once for cloud storage, not every month |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: kDrive and pCloud. How we grade
Where they differ
- pCloud can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- kDrive also covers AI search.
At a glance
| kDrive | pCloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | CHF 4.99 per month, excl. VAT (kDrive Solo, 3 TB) | $4.99 per month, or $49.99 billed yearly |
| Free plan | My kSuite: 15 GB of free kDrive storage (expandable to 6 TB), 20 GB of email storage and OnlyOffice document editing. | Free account with up to 10 GB of storage. |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day free trial of pCloud Business; other paid plans carry a 14-day money-back guarantee |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Infomaniak | pCloud International AG |
| Price read from | infomaniak.com | pcloud.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Worth knowing
kDrive
- Prices are in Swiss francs and exclude VAT; no US dollar prices are shown.
- Solo is limited to one user and its 3 TB cannot be increased.
- Team includes at most 6 users, and Pro needs a minimum of 3 users.
- Extra storage is sold in 5 TB steps, from CHF 36.00 a month.
pCloud
- Client-side, zero-knowledge encryption is a paid add-on and is not part of the standard storage plans.
- The free account is limited to up to 10 GB.
- Family plans, for up to 5 users, are offered only as lifetime purchases, and Business pricing is shown from 3 users.
- Lifetime prices are shown as promotions against a higher list price, so the amount charged can change.
Key features
kDrive
- Swiss data hosting
- Files are replicated across three storage devices in two Swiss data centers, and the vendor says it complies with GDPR and the Swiss nFADP.
- Sync apps
- Desktop sync for Windows, Mac and Linux with selective folders, mobile apps for iOS and Android with offline files, and WebDAV support.
- Online editing
- OnlyOffice editing is included with paid plans. Pro adds Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint through Microsoft Office Online.
- Sharing and drop boxes
- Share links can have passwords and expiry dates, and recipients need no Infomaniak account. Drop boxes receive files from others.
- Version history
- Solo and Team keep 60 days or 100 versions; Pro keeps 120 days or 200 versions. Recycle bin retention runs 3 months to 1 year.
- AI content search
- Search looks inside images, work documents and PDFs. The vendor attributes this to its own sovereign AI.
pCloud
- pCloud Drive
- A desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux that makes cloud files available as if they were stored locally, without using hard drive space.
- Backup and file history
- The desktop app backs up folders from a computer, and backups can also be pulled from Dropbox, Google Drive, Google Photos, OneDrive and Facebook.
- Sharing and shared folders
- Files and folders are shared by link or through shared folders with access levels. Business adds branded links carrying a logo, cover and message.
- pCloud Encryption add-on
- Optional client-side, zero-knowledge encryption adds a Crypto folder to the account. It is priced separately at $49.99 billed yearly.
- Choice of data region
- Account holders choose whether their files are stored in a European or a US data center.
- Media player, Photos and Docs
- Includes an audio and video player, a photo timeline with a built-in editor, and pCloud Docs for creating and editing documents.
Plans
kDrive
my kSuiteCHF 0
Free for life: 15 GB kDrive storage, 20 GB email storage and online document editing.
kDrive SoloCHF 4.99
per month, 1-year term (CHF 5.54 on a 1-month term), excl. VAT
1 user, 3 TB of storage that cannot be increased, OnlyOffice editing.
kDrive TeamCHF 10.00
per month, 1-year term (CHF 11.11 on a 1-month term), excl. VAT
6 users included, from 3 TB (up to 18 TB), shared company files and advanced user management.
kDrive ProCHF 6.66
per user / month, 1-year term (CHF 7.40 monthly), excl. VAT
From 3 users, from 6 TB (up to 106 TB), Microsoft Office Online editing and 120-day version history.
pCloud
Free$0
Up to 10 GB of storage on a free account.
Premium 500 GB$4.99
per month, or $49.99 billed yearly
500 GB of storage for one person, with pCloud Photos and pCloud Docs.
Premium Plus 2 TB$9.99
per month, or $99.99 billed yearly
2 TB of storage for one person, with pCloud Photos and pCloud Docs.
Ultra 10 TB$29.99
per month, or $299.99 billed yearly
10 TB of storage for one person, with pCloud Photos and pCloud Docs.
Business$9.99
per user / month, billed monthly
Shown as 3 users with 3 TB for $29.97 a month, with teams, access levels, activity logs and a 30-day free trial.
Business Pro$19.98
per user / month, billed monthly
Shown as 3 users with 6 TB for $59.94 a month. New Business Pro accounts get 25% off, which makes it $14.98 per user.
Ways to pay less
kDrive
- Annual discount
10% off a 1-year term
The prices page shows 10% off for a 1-year term, 15% off for 2 years and 20% off for 3 years against monthly billing.
pCloud
- Lifetime license
Lifetime plans for a one-time payment
The 500 GB, 2 TB and 10 TB lifetime plans are listed at $279, $709 and $2,799. Promotional prices of $219, $499 and $1,499 were shown when checked.
- Lifetime license
Family lifetime plans for up to 5 users
Family 2 TB is listed at $999 and Family 10 TB at $3,499 as one-time payments. Promotional prices of $749 and $1,849 were shown when checked.
- Annual discount
About 17% lower with yearly billing
Yearly billing costs $49.99, $99.99 or $299.99, against $59.88, $119.88 or $359.88 for twelve monthly payments on the same plans.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, kDrive or pCloud?
As of Nov 12, 2026, kDrive starts at CHF 4.99 per month, excl. VAT (kDrive Solo, 3 TB), and pCloud starts at $4.99 per month, or $49.99 billed yearly.
Which has a free plan, kDrive or pCloud?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both kDrive and pCloud have a free plan.
Which platforms do kDrive and pCloud run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only pCloud lists a browser extension. Both list a web app and macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.