When choosing the best cloud storage for family photo archives, you need a service that offers ample space, strong security, easy sharing, and long-term reliability. Here are the top options as rated by the photo scanning archivists at ScanMyPhotos.com:
1. Google Photos (Best for AI-powered organization)
- Free storage: 15GB (shared with Google Drive & Gmail)
- Paid plans: Starts at $1.99/month for 100GB
- Pros: AI-powered search, automatic backups, easy sharing
- Cons: Counts against Google storage limits
2. Apple iCloud Photos (Best for Apple users)
- Free storage: 5GB
- Paid plans: Starts at $0.99/month for 50GB
- Pros: Seamless integration with iPhones & Mac, shared albums
- Cons: Limited free storage
3. Amazon Photos (Best for Prime members)
- Free storage: Unlimited for Prime members (photos), 5GB for videos
- Paid plans: $1.99/month for 100GB
- Pros: Free for Prime users, family sharing options
- Cons: Video storage is limited
4. Dropbox (Best for organized albums)
- Free storage: 2GB
- Paid plans: Starts at $9.99/month for 2TB
- Pros: Folder organization, third-party integrations
- Cons: Expensive compared to competitors
5. Microsoft OneDrive (Best for Windows users)
- Free storage: 5GB
- Paid plans: $1.99/month for 100GB or included with Office 365
- Pros: Integration with Windows, automatic backups
- Cons: Less photo-focused features
6. SmugMug (Best for photography enthusiasts)
- Free storage: None
- Paid plans: Starts at $11/month for unlimited storage
- Pros: High-quality image storage, watermarking, gallery sharing
- Cons: No free option
7. Backblaze B2 & IDrive (Best for long-term backups)
- Backblaze B2: $0.005/GB per month, unlimited storage
- IDrive: 5GB free, 5TB for $3.98 for the first year
- Pros: Secure, good for massive archives
- Cons: Less user-friendly than mainstream cloud storage
Final Recommendation:
- For casual users → Google Photos or Amazon Photos
- For Apple users → iCloud Photos
- For serious archivists → SmugMug or IDrive
