MediaFire vs pCloud (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, pCloud grades higher than MediaFire: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
MediaFire grades higher on value for money. pCloud grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
MediaFire
Cloud storage and link sharing with a free 10 GB ad-supported tier
pCloud
Swiss cloud storage sold by subscription or one-time payment
Which one is for you
Pick MediaFire if
- Fits if you share the odd file by link and don't mind ads
- Works for someone who wants 10 GB free and a cheap 100 GB step up
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you download in bulk: free downloads are one file at a time and need a paid plan to batch
- Skip it if you dislike ads, because the free plan is ad-supported
- Watch out: the upgrade page says 5 GB a file free, the home page says 4 GB
- Watch out: Business plan prices load by script, so we couldn't read them
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
| 2.4GPAMediaFireFair | 2.6GPApCloudGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BUltra is $3.99 a month, inside the category's cheaper quarter, but it is only 100 GB, and only 50 GB of that is fast ad-free. | 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 | CBasic is 10 GB free with ads, files up to 5 GB and single-file downloads only. | 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 | CStorage and link sharing, but bulk downloads need a paid plan, and Ultra's fast transfers cover 50 GB. | 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 you sign up and upload 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 | CWeb, iPhone and Android only, with no desktop app and no integrations listed. | 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 | free link sharing with 10 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: MediaFire and pCloud. How we grade
Price against what you get
MediaFire starts at $3.99 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. pCloud starts at $4.17 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0.
pCloud scores higher, and starts $0.18 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other file storage and sync services on the chart, 12 score higher than MediaFire for less, and 5 score higher than pCloud for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- pCloud can be bought with a one-time purchase.
At a glance
| MediaFire | pCloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $3.99 per month (Ultra, 100 GB) | $4.99 per month, or $49.99 billed yearly |
| Free plan | Basic: 10 GB of storage, ad-supported downloads, files up to 5 GB, and single-file downloads only. | 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 | MediaFire | pCloud International AG |
| Price read from | mediafire.com | pcloud.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Worth knowing
MediaFire
- Free downloads are ad-supported and limited to one file at a time; bulk downloads need a paid plan.
- The free per-file limit is 5 GB on the upgrade page, while the home page says up to 4 GB.
- Ultra's storage is 100 GB with only 50 GB of fast ad-free transfers.
- Business plan prices load by script and were not readable, so they are not listed here.
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
MediaFire
- Link and email sharing
- Files and folders can be shared by email, link or social network right after upload. Recipients do not need an account to download.
- FileDrop requests
- Paid plans include FileDrop file requests, so other people can send files to your account through a link.
- Protected links
- Ultra and Pro add password-protected files and one-time links, plus direct links to files and bulk downloads of several files.
- Ad-free transfers
- Basic downloads show ads. Ultra includes 50 GB of ad-free CDN-speed transfers and Pro includes 1 TB of ad-free standard-speed transfers.
- Mobile apps
- iOS and Android apps manage folders and files and upload photos and videos. Automatic photo and video syncing is listed for Android.
- Business accounts
- A separate Business tier offers 2 TB and up with 100 user accounts, custom branding and a detailed security log.
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
MediaFire
Basic$0
10 GB storage, ad-supported downloads, 5 GB per file and single-file downloads only.
Ultra$3.99
per month, monthly or yearly billing
100 GB storage, 50 GB of ad-free fast transfers, 50 GB per file, bulk downloads and direct links.
Pro$5.83
per month, billed annually ($6.99 billed monthly)
1 TB storage, ad-free standard transfers, 50 GB per file. Page shows 30% off $8.33 and $9.99.
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
MediaFire
- Annual discount
Cheaper Pro with annual billing
The upgrade page shows Pro at $5.83 a month billed annually against $6.99 a month billed monthly, both after a 30% discount.
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, MediaFire or pCloud?
As of Nov 12, 2026, MediaFire is cheaper to start with: $3.99 a month, against $4.17 a month when paid by the year for pCloud. MediaFire starts at $3.99 per month (Ultra, 100 GB), and pCloud starts at $4.99 per month, or $49.99 billed yearly.
Which has a free plan, MediaFire or pCloud?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both MediaFire and pCloud have a free plan.
Which platforms do MediaFire and pCloud run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only pCloud lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps and a browser extension. Both list a web app and 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.