5 Best MEGA Alternatives in 2025
Last updated: February 2026 • 17 min read
MEGA is a popular tool for users wanting encrypted cloud storage with large free tier. While it offers a free tier (20 GB free), its paid plans start at €4.99/mo. Whether you're looking for a cheaper option, better features, or an open-source solution, we've compiled the 5 best MEGA alternatives to help you find the right fit.
📋 Quick Summary
- Total alternatives: 5
- Free alternatives: 5 (Dropbox, Google Drive, pCloud)
- Open-source options: Nextcloud
- Best overall: Dropbox
- Best free: Dropbox
Why Look for MEGA Alternatives?
People commonly look for MEGA alternatives for several reasons:
- Cost: While MEGA has a free tier, its paid plans starting at €4.99/mo can add up quickly for growing teams.
- Feature gaps: Transfer limits and bandwidth quotas are common complaints.
- Simplicity: Some users find MEGA overly complex for their needs and prefer simpler solutions.
- Data ownership: Organizations wanting data sovereignty prefer open-source, self-hosted alternatives.
- Better fit: Different tools excel at different use cases — you may find a tool that's specifically built for your workflow.
📊 Quick Comparison Table
| Tool | Free Tier | Starting Price | Rating | Open Source | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MEGA | ✓ 20 GB free | €4.99/mo | ⭐ 4.1 | No | Users wanting encrypted cloud storage with large free tier |
| Dropbox | ✓ 2 GB storage | $11.99/mo | ⭐ 4.2 | No | Individuals and teams needing reliable file sync |
| Google Drive | ✓ 15 GB free | $1.99/mo (100 GB) | ⭐ 4.4 | No | Google Workspace users |
| pCloud | ✓ Up to 10 GB | $49.99/yr | ⭐ 4.3 | No | Privacy-conscious users wanting lifetime storage |
| Sync.com | ✓ 5 GB free | $8/mo (2 TB) | ⭐ 4.2 | No | Privacy-focused individuals and businesses |
| Nextcloud | ✓ Free (self-hosted) | Free | ⭐ 4.2 | ✓ Yes | Organizations wanting self-hosted cloud storage |
Detailed Reviews of Each Alternative
Dropbox
Cloud storage and file synchronization service.
Dropbox is one of the original cloud storage services, offering file syncing, sharing, and collaboration features. While it pioneered the cloud storage category, Dropbox has evolved into a broader collaboration platform with features like Paper, Transfer, and Replay.
Pros
- ✓ Reliable sync
- ✓ Great desktop app
- ✓ Widely used
- ✓ Good sharing features
Cons
- ✗ Expensive for storage
- ✗ Small free tier
- ✗ Privacy concerns
- ✗ Limited editing tools
Google Drive
Cloud storage service integrated with Google Workspace.
Google Drive is a cloud storage service that's part of the Google Workspace ecosystem. It offers 15 GB of free storage shared across Gmail, Drive, and Photos. With tight integration with Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, it's the default storage solution for the Google ecosystem.
Pros
- ✓ 15 GB free
- ✓ Google ecosystem integration
- ✓ Real-time collaboration
- ✓ Powerful search
Cons
- ✗ Privacy concerns
- ✗ Confusing organization
- ✗ Limited offline
- ✗ Google ecosystem lock-in
pCloud
Secure cloud storage with lifetime plan option.
pCloud is a Swiss-based cloud storage service known for its security features and unique lifetime subscription option. Based in Switzerland with servers in the EU and US, pCloud offers strong privacy protections and a one-time payment option that makes it cost-effective long-term.
Pros
- ✓ Lifetime plan available
- ✓ Swiss privacy
- ✓ Good free tier
- ✓ Client-side encryption option
Cons
- ✗ Encryption costs extra
- ✗ Smaller ecosystem
- ✗ No real-time collaboration
- ✗ Limited integrations
Sync.com
Encrypted cloud storage focused on privacy and compliance.
Sync.com is a Canadian cloud storage provider that offers zero-knowledge encryption by default. All files are encrypted end-to-end, meaning not even Sync can access your data. It's HIPAA, GDPR, and PIPEDA compliant, making it suitable for businesses with strict privacy requirements.
Pros
- ✓ Zero-knowledge encryption
- ✓ HIPAA compliant
- ✓ Good value
- ✓ Canadian privacy laws
Cons
- ✗ Slower sync
- ✗ Limited features
- ✗ No collaboration tools
- ✗ Basic interface
Nextcloud
Open-source, self-hosted cloud storage and collaboration platform.
Nextcloud is the most popular open-source, self-hosted cloud storage solution. It provides file sharing, calendar, contacts, email, and collaboration features that you host on your own server. Nextcloud offers complete data sovereignty and can be extended with hundreds of apps.
Pros
- ✓ Open source
- ✓ Self-hosted
- ✓ Feature rich
- ✓ Data sovereignty
- ✓ Active community
Cons
- ✗ Requires hosting
- ✗ Setup complexity
- ✗ Performance varies
- ✗ Maintenance needed
🏆 Our Recommendations
❓ FAQ
What is the best free alternative to MEGA?
The best free alternative to MEGA is Dropbox, which offers 2 GB storage.
Is there an open-source alternative to MEGA?
Yes! Nextcloud is open-source alternative to MEGA that you can self-host for free.
What is the cheapest alternative to MEGA?
The cheapest alternatives are the free options: Dropbox, Google Drive, pCloud. For paid alternatives, prices start from as low as $1.991/mo.
💰 Stop Overpaying for SaaS
Join smart professionals who receive our weekly roundup of the best SaaS deals, free alternatives, and money-saving tips.
Free forever. Unsubscribe anytime. No spam.