iCloud Backup vs Permafiles
iCloud Backup
apple.comPermafiles
permafiles.comSide by side
| Figure | iCloud Backup | Permafiles |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | £1.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 9 | 8 |
| Spec score · Photo Storage Services | 9.3 (#5) | 8.9 (#7) |
| Company headquarters | LinkedIn lists Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California. | The listed business address is 3rd Floor, 45 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4JL, United Kingdom. |
| Family sharing | Every iCloud+ tier can be shared with up to five other family members at no extra charge. | Users can create family album folders and control who may view, edit or download shared photos. |
| Licence | Apple's iCloud terms describe the service software as proprietary and owned by Apple or its licensors. | The Nextcloud server repository uses the GNU AGPL-3.0-or-later licence. |
| System requirements | Apple's current recommended PC setup is Windows 11 with iCloud for Windows 15 and Outlook 2021 or later. | The maker lists desktop support for Windows 10+, macOS 13+ for Files, macOS 12+ for Talk, and Linux. |
| What it does | iCloud stores and synchronizes photos, files, documents, contacts, calendars, mail and other data across Apple devices and iCloud.com. | Permafiles provides managed private cloud storage for photos, videos, documents and other files using Nextcloud. |
Plans
iCloud Backup
- iCloud freeFree
- iCloud 5GBPriced on request
- iCloud 5GBPrice not published
- iCloud+ 50GB$0.99 a month
- iCloud+ 200GB$2.99 a month
- iCloud+ 2TB$9.99 a month
- iCloud+ 6TB$29.99 a month
- iCloud+ 12TB$59.99 a month
- iCloud 5GBFree
Permafiles
- Nextcloud FreeFree
- Nextcloud Tiny£1.99 a month
- Nextcloud Small£2.99 a month
- Nextcloud Medium£3.99 a month
- Nextcloud Large£4.99 a month
- Nextcloud 1TB£9.99 a month
- Nextcloud 2TB£18.99 a month
- Nextcloud 3TB£27.99 a month
In their own words
iCloud Backup
iCloud Backup is Apple’s iOS service for backing up and synchronizing files and other data across devices. It supports mobile and video backup, file restoration, original-quality storage, face search, shared albums, family sharing, and a desktop app. The free plan includes 5 GB. Paid iCloud+ storage starts at $0.99 a month for 50GB, with monthly tiers of 2.99 USD for 200GB, 9.99 USD for 2TB, 29.99 USD for 6TB, and 59.99 USD for 12TB. The 50GB tier adds iCloud Private Relay, Hide My Email, Custom Email Domain, and HomeKit Secure Video for one camera. The 200GB tier supports five cameras, and 2TB supports unlimited cameras; higher tiers include the preceding features. Computer and server backup are not supported, and ransomware protection is not included. The service is listed for iOS.
Permafiles
Permafiles is managed cloud storage built on the open-source Nextcloud platform, for files, photos, and folders. Users can share family photos and set permissions controlling who may access, edit, or download them. Shared links can also have passwords and expiration dates. Nextcloud Office supports online editing of documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, while Nextcloud Talk provides calls with up to 10 people. The Nextcloud Mail app can connect to Gmail and other email services through IMAP and SMTP. Sync clients are listed for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, with web access as well. Security measures described include HTTPS/TLS, two-factor authentication, brute-force and antivirus protection, and optional end-to-end encryption for supported folders and use cases. Permafiles says its server infrastructure is hosted in Germany, while customer file data is stored with third-party S3-compatible storage in the United Kingdom. It also says it makes daily offsite backups and can restore a complete server failure within a couple of hours. The free plan includes 5 GB. Paid plans range from £1.99 per month for 64 GB to £27.99 per month for 3 TB.