Best Cloud Storage for Canada 2020: Wanna Keep Your Data Safe, Eh?

If you live in North America, chances are you’d like to store your files somewhere U.S. agencies can’t get to them. Canada is a prime candidate for that, as it doesn’t have laws, such as the USA Patriot Act, CLOUD or PRISM, that allow the government to look at your data. In this article, we’ve selected the best cloud storage for Canada, with Sync.com taking the top spot.

Canada’s government is scrambling to update its laws to match EU’s General Data Protection Regulation and keep the right to free data transfer. That’s great news for people who are concerned about their privacy.

In addition, storing data in the cloud will remove clutter from your hard drive, allow you to share and collaborate with others and protect your data from hard drive crashes.

Before we start with our picks, let’s go through the criteria we used to choose the best cloud storage for Canada from our best cloud storage solutions list. If you’re here looking for backup, read our best online backup for Canada guide. To get a better idea about what’s backup and what’s storage, read up on the difference.

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Best Cloud Storage for Canada 2020

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What Makes the Best Cloud Storage for Canada

Even though your privacy is handled well, the security of your files is still in question. Hackers won’t hesitate to target your data. We’ll look at what kind of encryption secures your data in transit and at rest. Private encryption is the best way to ensure only you can read your data, but the service should have two-factor authentication to protect your credentials, too.

A stable and fast connection will help you upload and download your files quickly. That also depends on how close you are to the service and your internet service provider, though. Some services allow you to improve your connection by changing transfer settings and many use a block-level transfer algorithm.

We don’t want you to empty your bank account to pay for cloud storage, so we’ll make sure you get the most out of it for cheap. The more plans available on the service, the better your options are. If you’re looking for a bargain, read our best deals in cloud storage.

A straightforward user experience is better than one that’s clunky and complex. It’s best if you don’t need to be a tech genius to use a cloud storage service. We’ll look at which operating systems the services support, as well as how enjoyable and attractive their interfaces are.

1. Best Cloud Storage for Canada Sync.com

Sync.com was founded in Toronto in 2011 and has gained a reputation for strong security and user privacy, which helped it top our list.

Its strong security lies in its use of AES 256-bit encryption and the TLS protocol, which protects data during transfers to data centers from man-in-the-middle attacks. Sync.com uses private encryption to protect your files and won’t be able to retrieve your password if you lose it. It’s our top pick for the best zero-knowledge services, as well.

Two-factor authentication is available to help you against hackers who’d like to steal your password, but it’s a good idea to make a strong one in the first place (read our how to set up a strong password guide).

Initial speeds are average for a cloud storage service and there’s no block-level copying to boost speeds afterward. If the sync process uses too much of your system resources, there’s an option to throttle it. Sync.com enables you to set monthly upload and download limits, though, which is good for those using a limited data plan.

Other Reasons We Like Sync.com

Sync Starter provides 5GB of free storage. That’s not much, but it’s enough to test Sync.com to see if it works for you.

Personal users can choose between two competitive plans: Personal Pro with 500GB and Personal Pro with 2TB of space. The former costs $49 a year, while the latter costs $96 a year, making it one of the best deals in cloud storage.

Business plans start with the Business Solo plan which provides 2TB for $96 a year. It also allows business users to request files from clients and ensures HIPAA compliance, in addition to the usual features.

For multiple users — there’s a minimum of two — Business Pro is the best choice and costs $60 to $180 a year, depending on the number of users and the amount of storage space. It provides administrative control and centralized billing.

Using Sync.com’s desktop client is easy and requires you to use its sync folder and taskbar icon. It’s available on Windows and macOS, but not on Linux (refer to our best cloud storage for Linux). You’ll get the same features using the web client, as well, plus others that enhance the overall experience.

There’s a smartphone app for Android and iOS, too. You can use it to get to your files while offline and automatically upload photos and videos to the cloud.

Sync.com is good value, easy to use, has strong security and protects your privacy. Such credentials make it fit to be at the top of our list. If you want to learn more about it, read our Sync.com review.

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2. OneDrive for Business

Microsoft is one of the biggest names in technology, and has increased its production of business apps in recent years. OneDrive for Business is its enterprise file sync and share service. It has two servers in Canada: one in Toronto and one in Quebec City.

Microsoft is not open about its security measures, but we know it uses AES 256-bit encryption at rest. The TLS protocol protects your files during transfer and RSA 248-bit scrambles your encryption key. You can’t set your password requirements and the service defaults to eight characters long. If you’re the admin, you can request two-factor authentication, though.

Initial file upload and download speeds match those of other services, but it can lag when uploading changes made to files because it lacks block-level sync. The algorithm is available for Office files, though, and you can block sync certain types of files.

Other Reasons We Like OneDrive for Business

OneDrive for Business has a lot of plan flexibility. You have to pay for at least one year in advance for all users, but, in general, it’s cheaper than the competition and users don’t have to share storage space like they would with other services. That’s a huge advantage for OneDrive.

OneDrive for Business 1 costs $60 per user per year and gives each 1TB of data. OneDrive for Business 2 costs twice as much, but offers unlimited storage. It starts with 1TB, but additional space can be requested.

The desktop client is available for macOS or Windows and follows the common sync folder approach. You can also use the intuitive and attractive web interface to access your files.

The mobile experience is as fluid as the web one and the apps are more straightforward to use. By default, files don’t take space on your mobile, but you can tag and store them for offline access. Document scanning and automatic uploads for photo and video are available, as well.

While it’s a great choice, OneDrive for Business is still second to Sync.com because it lacks private encryption and has weak password requirements. If you want an in-depth look into its features, read our OneDrive for Business review.

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3. Box

Box is one of the best EFSS platforms, with both small businesses and Fortune 500 companies among its clients. It uses a technology called “Box zones,” which allows Business Plus or Enterprise subscribers to choose a region, including Toronto, in which to store their files.

The service uses the TLS protocol to protect your data during transfer and AES 256-bit encryption protects it on the server. Box also wraps your key in the same level of encryption. It’s not private encryption, but you can set that up with Boxcryptor.

There’s two-factor authentication to help protect your password, as well as custom password requirements for your users. Single-sign-on is available, too, which allows employees to log in to multiple business apps at the same time.

You can limit how many devices each employee can sync with device pinning and there’s an option to check how many devices can access your cloud storage. You can also unpin a device to cut its device, but you can’t wipe the content that’s already on it.

Initial uploads to cloud storage compare well to other services, but subsequent ones do not because Box doesn’t have block-level sync.

Other Reasons We Like Box

Box Starter is the cheapest of the business plans and requires a minimum of three users. It costs $5 per user per month and offers 100GB of space, which is not enough for most businesses. The maximum file size is 2GB.

The Business plan provides you with unlimited storage for $15 and enables you to upload 5GB files.

Business Plus costs $25 and provides SSO integration, unlimited external collaborators and access to Box Key Safe. The Enterprise plan gives you user groups, workflow automation and other features. Both let you choose which server you want to use to store your data.

The web interface is attractive, straightforward and won’t leave you confused. It allows you to customize your workspace’s URL and add your logo, too.

There’s a desktop client, as well. After installing it, you’ll see the sync folder on your hard drive. The client is available for Windows or macOS. If you need to access your files on the go, you can use the mobile app for Android or iOS. To see what the interface looks like and learn more about the service, read our Box review.

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4. pCloud

pCloud is a relatively new service that ranks near the top of our best cloud storage list. It’s based in the U.S., but its security can compensate for that.

pCloud relies on the TLS protocol to protect data in transit and AES 256-bit to encrypt your files. When your data reaches pCloud’s data center, it’s replicated across at least five servers.

Zero-knowledge encryption will protect your privacy, but only if you buy the Crypto add-on for $3.99 a month. Anything you put in your Crypto folder will be accessible only to you because it has a special password that only you know. Before subscribing, you can test it with a 14-day trial.

Unfortunately, there’s no two-factor authentication, so make sure you have a strong password.

Connection speeds can vary, but they’re better than most services and reach higher peaks more often. Our tests showed that sync is reliable and never drops files or mixes them. Users in Canada are closer to the data center so they can expect more reliable speeds that we saw. If transfers take a lot of system resources, there are settings to compensate for it.

Other Reasons We Like pCloud

There are only a couple of plans, but they are great value. The Premium plan provides 500GB for $47.88 a year, while Premium Plus costs $95.88 a year for 2TB. If you decide to use pCloud long-term, a lifetime plan will save you a lot of money.

Before deciding to subscribe, you can use a free plan, which will give you a generous 10GB of storage. For every friend you refer, you get 1GB of additional space up to 20GB. You can get another 4GB of free storage space if you complete five steps after registering your account.

The desktop clients are available for Windows, Mac and Linux. In fact, pCloud is the best cloud storage for Linux. Once you install the client, you’ll see a pCloud drive and system tray icon, which will help you interact with the drive. The interface is dark, but it’s intuitive and easy to use.

If you’re on a different computer, you can use the web interface. It’s easier to navigate, has more features and is more enjoyable overall. You can access all of pCloud’s tools on it, but the interface can’t handle large files.

The mobile app is convenient if you’re on the move. It features automatic uploads for your photos and is available for Android and iOS. If you’d like to learn more about the service, read our pCloud review.

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5. Egnyte Connect

Egnyte Connect has a global network of servers and several are in the U.S., so Canadian users won’t have to connect to a server on another continent. It is one of the best EFSS services.

AES 256-bit encryption scrambles your files before uploading. The service isn’t zero-knowledge, though, because it decrypts your files to read metadata then encrypts them again. You can use Boxcryptor, a private encryption add-on, to avoid that. Note that if you use it, block-level sync will not work.

You can enable two-factor authentication to protect you if someone steals your password and, to protect your login credentials, you can set minimum password requirements.

Even with a global network, Egnyte Connect takes longer than other services for initial file uploads. Uploading a 250MB folder took twice the time its rivals needed. Subsequent uploads were much faster, thanks to its block-level sync algorithm.

Other Reasons We Like Egnyte Connect

The Team plan is suitable for one to three users. It costs $10 per user per month and provides 1TB of storage and many features.

You can choose between three business plans: Office, Business and Enterprise. The Office plan offers 5TB of online storage for $8 per user per month and requires a minimum of five users. For more than 25 users, the Business plan provides 10TB of storage for $15 per user per month.

If you have more than 100 users, the Enterprise plan provides you “up to unlimited” storage space, in addition to administrative control and premium support. You’ll need to call Egnyte to get a price estimate.

The desktop client uses the common sync folder model — a system tray icon and a sync folder on your hard drive. It’s available for Windows or macOS.

The web client is easy to use and quite capable. The same is true for the mobile app. You can use it to open and edit your files in the cloud, including .pdf and Office documents, so you don’t need to buy Microsoft Office 365. The mobile app can also store content from your phone.

To learn more about those features, read our Egnyte Connect review.

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Final Thoughts

We’ve emphasized services that store files on servers in Canada due to its privacy protection laws. We’ve considered other factors, such as speed and security, to rank the services, as well. There aren’t many providers in Canada, though, so we’ve filled the gaps with U.S.-based services that have private encryption to protect your privacy.

Sync.com deserves the top place as it stores your data in Canada, has plans that offer great value and provides strong security. OneDrive for Business and Box are great alternatives, but you need to subscribe to one of the most expensive plans to use Box in Canada. pCloud and Egnyte Connect have data centers in the U.S. but are still good choices.

Do you use another service located in Canada that we missed? What do you think about our choices? Let us know in the comments below. Thank you for reading.

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