Cloud Storage is a convenient method of storing data on remote servers that can be accessed over the internet. This can be better than storing it locally bearing full responsibility for the hardware and software configuration, security, etc. On the other hand, this storage method can become very costly if not planned wisely. In this article we will give you some tips on how to save money on cloud storage.
Start Small & Expand Later
Before signing up for a cloud storage you have to think about how much storage you actually need. If you just want to store pictures or text files, a smaller storage space will be enough on the contrary. If you want to store thousands of hours of 4k video footage, you need a bigger storage space. Also, most providers offer tiered pricing or the possibility to upgrade your storage size later on. So maybe just start with a few hundred gigabytes and if they beginning to fill up, think of upgrading your storage.
With that you can keep costs low while at the same time having the benefits of cloud storage.
Use the free tier
Some companies like Dropbox, Google Drive or Microsoft One Drive offer free tiers. That means that they will give you a certain amount of cloud storage space (mostly ~15 GBs) for free.
Use compression and de-duplication
To get the most out of your cloud storage, it’s important to keep your files as small as possible so you can upload more. One common way to reduce the size of a file is file-compression. If you just want to back up some photos or text files on a cloud storage which you don’t need to access every day, think of putting them together in a .zip file to avoid uploading large files to your cloud storage.
De-duplication is especially interesting when it comes to pictures: Look through your gallery and check for duplicate photos. (You don’t need 10 photos of your cat in the same position
