iCloud+ review

For an all-Apple household, iCloud+ is the least effort option because it is already part of every iPhone, iPad and Mac. iCloud Photos keeps full-resolution photos and videos in the cloud while devices hold smaller versions, and device backups happen without another app. Apple's US prices start at $0.99 a month for 50 GB and run through 200 GB, 2 TB, 6 TB and 12 TB, and any plan can be shared with up to five family members at no extra cost. Paid plans add iCloud Private Relay for Safari, Hide My Email forwarding addresses and HomeKit Secure Video, and Apple offers Advanced Data Protection for people who want end-to-end encryption across more categories. The limits are clear: the free tier is only 5 GB, which fills quickly with a single phone backup, and the service makes much less sense for Android users or people who work mainly on Windows.

Who it is for

Households where everyone uses an iPhone, iPad or Mac.

Price

50 GB $0.99, 200 GB $2.99, 2 TB $9.99, 6 TB $29.99 and 12 TB $59.99 per month in the US; 5 GB free.

United States 4 (USD) $0.99 $2.99 $9.99 $29.99 $59.99
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 9, 2026.

Key features

• iCloud Photos stores full-resolution photos and videos with space-saving versions on devices
• Any iCloud+ plan can be shared with up to five other family members
• iCloud Private Relay for browsing in Safari
• Hide My Email random forwarding addresses
• Advanced Data Protection option for end-to-end encryption of more data

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Built into Apple devices with no extra app to set up
• Strength: Five storage tiers from 50 GB to 12 TB
• Strength: Plan sharing with up to five family members at no extra cost
• Weakness: Only 5 GB free, the smallest free tier among the platforms here
• Weakness: Little reason to choose it if anyone in the family uses Android
• Weakness: The 12 TB tier costs $59.99 a month, so very large libraries get expensive

Key facts

• Free storage: 5 GB
• Paid tiers: 50 GB, 200 GB, 2 TB, 6 TB, 12 TB
• Family sharing: Up to five other people
• Extras: Private Relay, Hide My Email, HomeKit Secure Video

Where it ranks

iCloud+ is No. 3 in our Best Cloud Storage Services verdict.