pCloud vs TeraBox (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, pCloud and TeraBox share a 2.6 GPA, both have a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on whether you care more about platforms, where pCloud grades higher, or the free plan, where TeraBox does.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
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
TeraBox
Cloud storage with 1 TB free and built-in AI tools
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 TeraBox if
- Fits if you want a large free space for photos and videos
- Works for someone who only needs phone and web access
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a clear Premium price: the listing shows $2.99 to $4.99 with no periods
- Skip it if you want a desktop app, as other platforms weren't confirmed
- Watch out: the vendor's own site showed no prices in text
- Watch out: the listing doesn't say what Premium adds over the free plan
How we grade them
| 2.6GPApCloudGood | 2.6GPATeraBoxGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CThe only price on record is App Store Premium from $2.99 to $4.99 with no billing period, so it can't be compared fairly. |
| 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. | A1,024 GB of free storage on sign-up, with backup, link sharing and sync across devices. |
| 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. | CStorage, backup, sharing and AI tools, but the listing doesn't say what Premium adds over free. |
| 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, but it is an app you install and start uploading with. |
| 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. | CWeb and iPhone are listed, with other platforms not confirmed and no integrations. |
| Best for | paying once for cloud storage, not every month | free cloud storage on your phone |
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 TeraBox. How we grade
Where they differ
- pCloud can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- TeraBox also covers transcription.
At a glance
| pCloud | TeraBox | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $4.99 per month, or $49.99 billed yearly | $2.99 (App Store Premium, billing period not shown) |
| Free plan | Free account with up to 10 GB of storage. | 1024 GB of free cloud storage on sign-up, with photo and video backup, file sharing by link and multi-device sync. |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial of pCloud Business; other paid plans carry a 14-day money-back guarantee | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | pCloud International AG | FLEXTECH INC. |
| Price read from | pcloud.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 12, 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.
TeraBox
- Premium prices come from the App Store listing, which shows ten purchases at $2.99 to $4.99 without periods.
- The vendor's own site did not show prices in text, so annual or web prices are not recorded.
- The App Store listing covers iPhone, iPad and Mac; other platform support was not confirmed.
- The listing does not state what Premium adds over the free plan.
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.
TeraBox
- Free 1 TB storage
- The App Store listing says a new registration gets 1024 GB of free cloud storage.
- Automatic backup
- Photos, videos, documents and folders can be backed up automatically and synced to other phones and computers.
- Large file sharing
- The listing describes uploading and sharing files up to 128 GB through a secure link.
- AI tools
- Includes an AI agent, AI Study notes and quizzes, AI search, image creation and editing, video generation and AI scanning.
- Transcription and subtitles
- Voice and uploaded audio or video are converted to text with key points, and the video player generates AI subtitles.
- Intelligent albums
- Photos are automatically sorted into categories so they can be browsed quickly.
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.
TeraBox
Free$0
1024 GB of cloud storage, automatic backup and sharing by secure link.
Premium$2.99
App Store: $2.99 to $4.99; period not shown
Paid Premium and Premium+ in-app purchases; the listing names no plan limits. Several monthly variants are listed.
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.
TeraBox
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, pCloud or TeraBox?
As of Nov 12, 2026, pCloud starts at $4.99 per month, or $49.99 billed yearly, and TeraBox starts at $2.99 (App Store Premium, billing period not shown).
Which has a free plan, pCloud or TeraBox?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both pCloud and TeraBox have a free plan.
Which platforms do pCloud and TeraBox run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only pCloud lists macOS, Windows, Linux and Android apps and a browser extension. Both list a web app and an iOS app. 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.