pCloud vs SugarSync (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, pCloud grades higher than SugarSync: 2.6 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
pCloud grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
pCloud
Swiss cloud storage sold by subscription or one-time payment
SugarSync
Folder sync and cloud storage with personal and team plans
Which one is for you
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
Pick SugarSync if
- Fits if you want chosen folders synced instead of moving everything into one
- Works for a small team on the 3-user 1 TB business plan
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free plan, as the only free route is a 30-day trial
- Tight if you need lots of space: personal plans stop at 500 GB
- Pricey if you want 500 GB, at $18.95 a month
- Watch out: extra business users are not priced on the page, and a discount sticker has no percentage
How we grade them
| 2.6GPApCloudGood | 2.2GPASugarSyncFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | C$7.49 a month for 100 GB, $9.99 for 250 GB and $18.95 for 500 GB, around the middle of file storage, which is $7. No yearly price is shown. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | D30-day trial that takes a card; cancel before it ends to avoid the charge. No free plan. |
| Features | 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. | CSyncs any folder, shares files, remote wipe and encryption. The plans are small against what cloud storage now offers. |
| Ease of use | 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. | BNo store rating on record. It installs on a computer and syncs the folders you pick. |
| Platforms and 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. | BWeb, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android. No API or integrations are listed. |
| Best for | paying once for cloud storage, not every month | syncing any folder across computers and phones |
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: pCloud and SugarSync. How we grade
Price against what you get
pCloud starts at $4.17 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. SugarSync starts at $7.49 a month and scores 2.7.
pCloud scores higher and starts $3.32 a month lower. Of the other file storage and sync services on the chart, 5 score higher than pCloud for less, and 11 score higher than SugarSync 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.
- SugarSync also covers file management.
At a glance
| pCloud | SugarSync | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $4.99 per month, or $49.99 billed yearly | $7.49 per month (100 GB) |
| Free plan | Free account with up to 10 GB of storage. | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial of pCloud Business; other paid plans carry a 14-day money-back guarantee | 30-day free trial with all features; cancel before it ends and the card is not charged |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | pCloud International AG | IPVanish, Inc. |
| Price read from | pcloud.com | www1.sugarsync.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
SugarSync
- Pricing is monthly in the figures shown; the page gives no yearly price for personal plans.
- The business plan starts at 3 users and 1 TB; extra users are not priced on the page.
- A limited-time discount sticker appears on the pricing page without a stated percentage.
Key features
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.
SugarSync
- Sync any folder
- Right-click any folder to add it to SugarSync and changes apply across all your devices.
- Sharing
- Share links to files and folders, including view-only files, and manage shared content.
- Remote wipe
- Remove synced files from a lost or stolen PC or Mac while the data stays in the cloud.
- Mobile apps
- iOS and Android apps for access, sharing and automatic video uploads.
- Encryption
- The vendor says files are protected with AES-256.
Plans
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.
SugarSync
100 GB$7.49
per month
Personal plan with 100 GB of storage; the pricing page shows a limited-time discount sticker.
250 GB$9.99
per month
Personal plan with 250 GB of storage, marked Most Popular.
500 GB$18.95
per month
Personal plan with 500 GB of storage.
Business 1 TB$55
per month for the base plan of 3 users, or $550 per year
Base team plan with 3 users, 1 TB of storage, admin control and premium support.
Ways to pay less
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.
SugarSync
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, pCloud or SugarSync?
As of Nov 13, 2026, pCloud is cheaper to start with: $4.17 a month when paid by the year, against $7.49 a month for SugarSync. pCloud starts at $4.99 per month, or $49.99 billed yearly, and SugarSync starts at $7.49 per month (100 GB).
Which has a free plan, pCloud or SugarSync?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only pCloud has a free plan. SugarSync does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do pCloud and SugarSync run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only pCloud lists a Linux app and a browser extension. Both list a web app and macOS, Windows, 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.