view upload speed backup and sync google stack exchange
pCloud is one of the best deject storage providers available right now. It offers a range of affordable storage plans and gives away a decent amount of free deject storage. pCloud also gives its users full control over their privacy, something we'll cover in greater particular during this pCloud review.
Primal Takeaways:
- pCloud is a fast, secure deject service and is reasonably priced.
- It'due south based in Switzerland and has to adhere to strict Swiss privacy laws, meaning more protection for your files.
- Customer back up is less than stellar, and is the principal area where the service lets itself down.
- This cloud storage service is a fantastic option for most personal and business users.
pCloud is a cloud storage service that ticks several boxes: it'south adequately priced, has a dedicated media player and offers added encryption for your files. It can't rival Google Bulldoze and OneDrive in terms of document cosmos and collaboration, just it beats them hands down when it comes to privacy.
One affair that sets pCloud autonomously from some of the big-name players in the game is zero-cognition encryption. Having total command over who can access your files is a must in this solar day and age. All the same, with pCloud, there's a catch: you need to pay actress to admission what it calls "pCloud Crypto."
If you're looking for a cloud storage service that includes zero-knowledge encryption for all of your files without an additional fee, then you should consider a service such as Sync.com (read our Sync.com review).
Withal, if you'd prefer the power to choose which files are protected with null-knowledge encryption, pCloud is an excellent option. Allow's take a closer look at what it has to offer in this pCloud review.
We also take a video review if you prefer your information bite-sized. Larn more about pCloud and its CEO, Tunio Zafer, in our pCloud edition of "talk with the boss."
pCloud Video Review
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x/xvi/2021 Facts checked
Performed a fresh review of pCloud, including new upload and download speeds and images.
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Considering pCloud is located in Switzerland and has to adhere to strict privacy laws, the service is extremely trustworthy. It also states that it doesn't sell user data to tertiary parties, making it a meliorate option for those concerned about their privacy.
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For security and privacy, yes. Withal, Google Drive provides ameliorate collaboration tools and has quality native app integrations through Google Workspace.
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pCloud is extremely rubber. Not only does it use industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption, but you can as well use pCloud Crypto to ensure that simply yous tin can access your files.
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pCloud was founded in 2013 by Tunio Zafar. The visitor is registered and based in Switzerland, making it one of few cloud storage providers that must adhere to strict Swiss privacy laws.
Alternatives for pCloud
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- Groovy value
- Zip-knowledge encryption
- Fast syncing
- Accepts bitcoin payments
- Sync whatsoever binder
- Integrated media actor
- Lifetime plan options
Weaknesses
- Encryption costs extra
- No certificate integration
Features
The most essential feature of whatever cloud storage service is its file syncing, which pCloud does incredibly well, peculiarly compared to a bare-basic service similar MediaFire. pCloud too comes with a number of additional features that add to your experience; admittedly, some of these features are ameliorate than others.
pCloud Cloud Storage Rewind
The pCloud "rewind" characteristic allows y'all to recover files from a previous date if, for some reason, yous delete your files or they become corrupted (ransomware, look out).
You can use rewind to admission old files for upwards to fifteen days with a free account. However, the Premium and Premium Plus plans allow you lot to rewind your account for up to thirty days. This allows you to come across a snapshot of how your files and folders looked at a specific date and time.
In comparison to other cloud storage providers, Dropbox allows users to rewind up to 180 days, and Icedrive allows yous to rewind indefinitely (check our full Icedrive review), and then pCloud'southward xxx days isn't all that much.
The rewind feature allows yous to restore any of your previous files and folders from that date. Rather than simply reverting your account to match how it looked then, pCloud will give you the option to either download the files and folders y'all want to recover or restore them individually.
pCloud allows paid users to restore files for up to thirty days.
You can extend the rewind feature for up to a twelvemonth, but it will cost you $39. This also applies to file versioning, which is a like feature for restoring private files to a previous state. In fact, pCloud makes information technology onto our list of the best cloud storage for versioning.
pCloud Salve
pCloud also interfaces with your browser via pCloud "save," an extension for Opera, Firefox and Chrome. This extension allows y'all to relieve images directly to your a special "pCloud save" binder by just correct-clicking on them.
It's important to note, even so, that enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) — something we will look at later — renders pCloud save unusable.
If y'all already use Dropbox, Google Bulldoze or Microsoft OneDrive, but are thinking about trying out pCloud, you can support all your data from these services straight into pCloud.
- Go to pCloud'south "backup" section
- Choose the provider you want to back up from
- Sign in to link your account and pCloud will re-create all of your files and folders into a new binder chosen "backups"
You can also back upwardly your photos from social media, like Instagram and Facebook, in the same way (we besides accept a separate guide on how to back up social media). Currently, this service doesn't piece of work if y'all're trying to support Dropbox Business or OneDrive Business accounts.
pCloud salvage allows y'all to relieve photos direct from your browser.
If you're interested in collaborating with other pCloud account holders, you may desire to give pCloud's "fair share" feature a attempt. If you share a folder, the recipient tin add as much every bit they want to the shared binder without using up any of their storage space allocation. The shared folder volition have up infinite only on the business relationship of the person who originally shared it.
There's no integration with either Microsoft Office or Google Docs, unfortunately, so pCloud doesn't arrive onto our list of the all-time cloud storage for collaboration.
Public Folder
In that location's also the option to fix a public folder. This tin can be used for a number of purposes, such as hosting static HTML web pages, creating directly links to files or for embedding images equally an alternative to image hosting sites, such as Imgur. While this feature isn't bachelor on a gratis account, you lot exercise get a seven-day trial when signing up for the service.
pCloud Crypto Characteristic
One of the all-time features, though, is pCloud Crypto, which allows you lot to protect some of your files and folders with end-to-end encryption. We'll have a look at this in more detail in the "security" department of this pCloud review.
pCloud Backup
pCloud recently introduced what information technology calls "pCloud backup." Through your desktop, y'all can select which folders you want to back up automatically to the cloud. For case, if yous dorsum up a folder of images, each time a new image is saved to the folder, pCloud backup volition automatically sync information technology to the cloud.
While it'due south a useful feature to go along your files regularly updated, we plant it to be a piddling inconsistent. We saved 10 new images to our folder, and not all of them were reflected in the cloud. During our testing nosotros were unable to make up one's mind why this happened.
Media Actor: Music & Video
pCloud has some useful media features, making it our number one choice for the best cloud storage for music.
pCloud has a music role player that comes with plenty of useful features.
pCloud's integrated music player is available on the web and smartphone app. In addition to being able to play your music files, y'all can search for songs and artists and create playlists. Yous can too shuffle songs and loop albums or playlists, making pCloud's audio histrion one of the all-time.
You can also download music to your phone if you want to listen offline. If videos are your thing, yous can play videos through the web interface or in the pCloud mobile apps.
If you're storing your media collection with pCloud, you might be interested in its integration with Kodi, the popular media histrion. An unofficial add-on for Kodi allows you to stream directly from your pCloud collection, making it i of the best cloud storage for Kodi streamers.
Yous can also download your converted files and export them using the "download converted" choice, which — along with no file-size limits that trounce the 50GB Dropbox (2TB on Dropbox for desktop) max file size — helps to make pCloud the best cloud storage for video.
pCloud'due south integrated video player converts file types, assuasive yous to view them through your browser.
pCloud Features Overview
| Visit pCloud | |
|---|---|
| Sync | |
| Sync Binder | |
| Block-Level Sync | |
| Selective Sync | |
| Bandwidth direction | |
| Sync Whatever Folder | |
| File Sharing | |
| File Link Sharing | |
| Link Passwords | |
| Link Expiry Dates | |
| Folder Sharing | |
| Folder Permissions | |
| Link Download Limits | |
| Upload Links | |
| Productivity | |
| File Previews | |
| Edit Files | |
| In-App Collaboration | |
| Office Online | |
| Google Docs | |
| Notes App | |
| Media Playback | |
| Mobile Apps | |
| Deleted File Retentivity | |
| Versioning | |
| WebDAV | |
| Security | |
| At-Remainder Encryption | |
| In-Transit Encryption | |
| Encryption Protocol | AES 256-fleck |
| Null Noesis | |
| Two-Gene Hallmark | |
| Server Location | US |
| Support | |
| 24/7 Support | |
| Alive Chat Support | |
| Phone Support | |
| Email Back up | |
| User Forum | |
| Knowledgebase | |
| Misc | |
| Gratis Plan |
Pricing
pCloud is reasonably priced and a skillful value for the money, with only Sync.com beating information technology in the boxing of the best deals for cloud storage. You can acquire more virtually Sync.com in our Sync.com vs pCloud comparison, but as you'll come across, pCloud competes very well on pricing.
pCloud Pricing
Business
- : cost per user (Min. iii users)
- : g GB
Free Version
If yous're looking to give pCloud a try, have a wait at the free account offset. It tops our list of the best free cloud storage and offers up to 10GB of storage space with gratis accounts, although you start with only 2GB — yous'll need to unlock the rest. Sure, that's less than Degoo, with its complimentary 100GB of space (see our Degoo review), only information technology'due south significantly better in most every other way.
To unlock an extra 5GB of free storage, yous need to verify your e-mail, upload a file, download the desktop and smartphone apps, and plow on automatic photograph uploads on your smartphone. It'southward a cumbersome process, but it'south worth information technology for the extra storage space. The terminal 3GB are earned by successfully inviting other people to sign up.
Paid Plans
Personal plans are split between ii options: Premium and Premium Plus. At the time of writing, the Premium plan costs $49.99 per year, which gives you 500GB of storage infinite. The Premium Plus plan costs $99.99 per year for 2TB of storage. Both plans are paid annually.
pCloud Lifetime Subscription
For lifetime access to pCloud storage space, y'all can pay $175 for the Premium plan, and $350 for Premium Plus. If y'all don't plan on switching providers, it'due south certainly a good value in the long run.
pCloud offers bang-up value to those looking for lifetime access to cloud storage infinite.
If you want a deject storage business relationship to share with your family unit, pCloud offers a plan with 2TB of storage that tin can exist shared among up to five people. Previously, pCloud priced this plan at $1,400, which is a lot; still, the plan has been discounted to $500 for quite some time.
If this is the plan for you, we recommend that you sign up equally soon equally possible, since there's no way of knowing how long this disbelieve will last.
pCloud Business relationship for Business
If you lot're a business organization user, pCloud's Concern program offers 1TB of storage for $9.99 per user per month. You tin also pay annually, which brings the price down to $seven.99 per user per month. One huge do good of pCloud Business is that it includes Crypto at no boosted toll.
pCloud also includes additional team tools, such as the ability to set private access levels and comment on shared files and folders. However, these features aren't quite strong enough to see pCloud make it onto our rundown of the best cloud storage for enterprise, where providers like Egnyte dominate.
Ease of Use
With and then many cloud storage options out there, providers like pCloud that lack brand recognition need to boom down one thing if they want Joe Public to subscribe: ease of apply. Thankfully, pCloud doesn't disappoint, although in that location are a few areas for improvement.
Signing up to pCloud is quick and effortless. You tin can also get access to 10GB of free storage.
Signing up to pCloud requires an email address and password, or yous can sign up with your Google, Facebook or Apple account. You're then encouraged to download pCloud Bulldoze to gear up upwards a virtual drive on your system, which is all very straightforward. This turns your documents folder into a sync folder by default, pregnant your documents are automatically synced to pCloud.
Following in the footsteps of Dropbox and others, pCloud uses the tried-and-tested cloud storage model, with a sync folder on your computer and a system tray icon to change your settings.
Some desktop apps permit you to explore your files and folders within the app. Still, the pCloud desktop app is purely for making changes to your business relationship and settings.
pCloud'south desktop client is uncomplicated and piece of cake to utilize.
The menu links across the acme of the desktop app allow you to switch between account information, your sync folders, backup options, shared files and folders, pCloud Crypto, settings, support and information on the app itself.
The desktop app is easy to navigate, just it doesn't take the most highly-seasoned interface nosotros've always seen. The app is available for macOS, Windows and Linux, making it on our best cloud storage for Linux short list.
pCloud Web
If you lot want to access your files when you're abroad from your figurer, you can use the pCloud web interface. Like the pCloud app, at that place are menu links for browsing your files, accessing your public folder, pCloud rewind, backups from other cloud services and your trash folder. Beneath this are links for accessing your Crypto folder, shared folders, your download links and your sound files.
Users can access pCloud from their web browser to upload, download and manage files.
You can add files and folders directly to pCloud by dragging and dropping them into the spider web interface, but this is a petty clunky.
Instead of allowing yous to drop the files into specific folders by hovering over them, pCloud opens an upload screen that shows your files uploading to the folder that is currently open. If y'all want to upload to a unlike folder, yous'll take to open that folder earlier you first the elevate-and-drop process.
There's also no way to drag a file out of pCloud and drop it on your desktop; you have to select it and cull the download pick. Other online cloud storage services, such as OneDrive, allow you to drop files into individual folders, which is quicker and more efficient. Take a look at our OneDrive review to acquire more.
pCloud allows users to elevate and driblet files into the web browser app, but the pattern and functionality could be improved.
pCloud Mobile App
The mobile app is available for Android and iOS, and it has a menu similar to the web interface, with links to your files, pCloud Crypto and more. Adding files is piece of cake: just hit the plus sign at the elevation of the screen and select the files you want to upload.
The pCloud mobile app lets you lot manage files, utilise Crypto and play music.
The experience of using the app is pretty polish, which is why it's one of our best cloud storage for Android picks. Once y'all've uploaded photos and videos, pCloud will prompt y'all to delete them from your phone to free upwardly some space.
You tin also make files available offline with a couple of taps, which is especially useful if you lot want to listen to music or watch videos on the go.
File Syncing & Sharing
pCloud is one the best file syncing services on the market. You lot can sync any binder on your computer, and the virtual drive allows you to free upwards space on your hard drive. Sharing files and folders is also simple to do and tin be washed in a multifariousness of ways.
We'll start with the virtual bulldoze. One problem with the traditional sync binder model for online storage is redundancy. It keeps files on your drive, and then copies them to cloud servers, making certain that files are mirrored every bit between the two. However, this isn't great if your local storage space is limited.
pCloud Drive
In many cases, if y'all choose not to sync everything to your PC or Mac, you generally can't interact with information technology. pCloud gets around this by creating a virtual bulldoze that takes up none of your disk drive space at all — this is pCloud Drive.
pCloud Bulldoze allows yous to free up space on your hard drive.
Using pCloud Drive, y'all can navigate through all of your cloud files and folders in file explorer every bit if they were on your difficult drive. In essence, this adds upward to 2TB of storage space to your estimator.
Files volition open as if they were stored on your hard drive, and once you shut them, they render to the cloud. Ane downside of this organisation is that you tin can't access the files if you lot're offline, but it's simple enough to remedy by setting up a new sync binder.
Sync folders are additional folders from your difficult drive that you lot can choose to sync to pCloud. Different with some other cloud providers, you lot can cull any folder to be a sync folder and you tin accept as many as you similar. That means you don't take to mess with your folder structure if you desire to add files to your storage — you can leave everything exactly where it is.
You lot can share files with internal and external users, as well equally enable added protection.
Calculation a new sync folder is equally simple as right-clicking on the folder and choosing the "sync to pCloud" option, but you can also set up new sync folders within the desktop app. It'south of import to remember that your sync folder volition mirror what is stored in the deject, and then if y'all delete any files on your desktop, they will disappear from your account likewise.
It'south worth noting that pCloud doesn't preserve custom file permissions on Linux, pregnant that certain file types — such as executables — need to accept their permissions manually restored using the "chmod" command. This is a small issue that only occurs on Linux, only it's something that could crusade headaches for software developers and the like.
Sharing Files
Sharing files is also unproblematic and helps pCloud make information technology onto our best cloud storage for sharing short list, aslope Google Drive and Dropbox. You can share files from your computer or through the desktop app, web interface or mobile app. Similar Google Drive, pCloud allows you lot to share links direct to your shared files or you can invite pCloud users using email.
You can share files through pCloud straight through the desktop awarding.
In that location's the option to grant read-only or read-and-write admission using the shared link, and you can password-protect your file or set up an expiration date. You can too choose to generate a shorter link, although pCloud volition remind y'all that these links are less secure. However, you can't share files stored in pCloud Crypto unless you have a Business business relationship.
A useful part of the sharing window is the "stats" folio. This allows you to come across when the link was created, how many times the file has been downloaded and the total download traffic. Because download link traffic has a per-month limit, it'southward useful to be able to track this metric if you program to utilize it a lot. At that place'southward likewise a dainty graph that shows your weekly traffic stats.
pCloud provides a detailed overview of your file-sharing history.
Sharing via the smartphone app is also simple. A quick tap on the sharing icon beneath each folder allows y'all to send invitations to the folder or to generate upload or download links. Y'all can ready permissions to view or edit, although y'all tin't set passwords or expiration dates from within the app.
Speed
To put pCloud's speed performance to the test, nosotros uploaded a 5GB folder full of mixed file types, with a connection speed of 100 Mbps for both uploads and downloads.
The results were impressive and connected the overall positive trend of this pCloud review. Upload and download speeds didn't lucifer those of the speed demon that is Dropbox, but they were marginally meliorate than OneDrive's performance.
| First try: | Second endeavour: | Boilerplate: | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upload | 0:08:55 | 0:07:30 | 0:08:12 |
| Download | 0:06:41 | 0:06:43 | 0:06:42 |
If you want to send large files or if you're moving a lot of files around, you may want to limit your download or upload speeds. pCloud allows you to do this in its settings surface area, but information technology's gear up to unlimited by default.
pCloud as well makes utilise of block-level sync to speed up the process of syncing files that have been edited. In essence, your files are broken up into small pieces, and only the pieces that accept changed are synced. It ways that if you edit a big file, it will sync in a matter of seconds, rather than several minutes. If you edit a lot of large files, this can brand a real difference.
Not all services offer this, so if you're looking for alternatives, you'll need to consider providers like Dropbox or OneDrive instead (check out our pCloud vs Dropbox comparison review for more).
Security
Security is important, especially in an era when data breaches are a daily occurrence. pCloud has some first-class security features that help it discover its way onto our list of the almost secure cloud storage, so we're pretty confident in recommending information technology for those who are worried near their data security.
Some of these features require you to pay extra, though, which is a shame. Providers like Sync.com offer similar features at no extra price, then it'southward something to acquit in mind.
When we consider data security from cloud providers, we're looking for the holy grail: cipher-knowledge encryption. This type of encryption gives you complete control over your encryption keys. This means that only you can decrypt your files — not pCloud, not the law and non a rogue hacker with access to its servers.
This layer of security is of import considering information technology means your files remain completely secure from outside snooping (as long as your encryption keys are kept secure).
pCloud Crypto adds an extra layer of security for your well-nigh sensitive files.
pCloud Crypto
What most call cypher-knowledge encryption, pCloud calls "pCloud Crypto." Information technology's marketed as client-side encryption, pregnant you're the boss and have full control over who has access to your files.
While nosotros capeesh having the ability to better secure our files, information technology'due south disappointing that nosotros accept to pay extra. It costs $4.99 a month extra for pCloud Crypto or around $3.99 a month if you pay upwards front. However, Business pCloud users get it for complimentary.
Every bit we've already mentioned, some providers already offer client-side encryption for gratis, but others don't offer it at all. pCloud Crypto is a centre-ground option, assuasive yous to choose which files you want to meliorate protect. Annihilation in your Crypto binder is impossible for the server to read, then yous tin can't meet whatsoever previews, or play music or videos from within pCloud.
Not being able to preview media files directly in the pCloud platform is a small price to pay, especially when information technology means yous tin be certain that others tin't access them.
For added security, you can opt in for 2-step authentication when logging into your business relationship.
Files that aren't kept in pCloud Crypto are notwithstanding protected by manufacture-standard AES 256-bit encryption, and pCloud uses the TLS protocol to reduce the risk of man-in-the-middle attacks. You can too apply two-factor authentication to help protect your account.
Two-factor authentication requires yous to provide a second class of verification in order to sign in to your account (usually an SMS bulletin or a code generated using an authentication app). If someone gets hold of your password, they shouldn't exist able to log in to your account unless they also have access to your telephone, which adds another layer of security.
Privacy
If you're concerned about the privacy of your data, and so pCloud is a particularly practiced choice, although in that location are some small areas for concern. If yous're using pCloud Crypto, your files volition be secure with zero-knowledge encryption, just everything else could be at take chances unless y'all add together other defenses, similar two-factor authentication.
Something to be mindful about are pCloud'southward server locations. It has two: the United States and Luxembourg. The U.S. is part of the V Optics Alliance, an organization made up of five nations, all of which have the power to access user data equally they see fit (read more than about the V Eyes alliance).
If your files are located in the U.S., you can request to have them moved to Luxembourg, simply y'all'll demand to pay $19.99 to exercise so. If you're considering signing up for pCloud, we recommend you choose Luxembourg equally your server location from the start.
Because it's based in Switzerland, pCloud allows users to enjoy some of the best cloud privacy laws in the world — run across our guide to Swiss privacy laws. Information technology'south one of the reasons why companies such every bit ProtonMail, which tops our list of the most secure email providers, cull Switzerland equally their home.
pCloud Tracking?
The pCloud privacy policy does land that the company will collect data from yous, such as your IP address, device information, operating organization and browser type. It will besides employ tracking services to collect data such equally how long you visit, the pages you view and your usage patterns, although this data is anonymous and cannot be linked directly to you.
Your personal data may also be shared with tertiary parties in order to comply with the law, or if pCloud is compelled to practise so by law enforcement or other government officials. If your data is stored in the U.South., information technology ways that pCloud may be required to grant authorities access to your data under legislation such every bit the Patriot Act.
Any data stored in pCloud Crypto remains encrypted, though, and then the authorities would non exist able to access its contents. It'due south of import to note that pCloud states that it has never sold data to third parties and has no plans to practice then in the future. As a Swiss company that offers zero-cognition encryption, pCloud doesn't give u.s. much to worry most on the privacy front.
Customer Service
We've praised pCloud a lot in this review, only one area where the visitor lets downward its users is with client service. Different many of its rivals, pCloud offers no live chat support and, in our experience, response times to queries were hitting or miss.
There is quite an extensive aid folio that covers many of the features the service offers, merely if you can't detect the reply y'all're looking for, things get trickier.
pCloud'south customer service lets information technology down, just in that location'south an extensive FAQ department to help resolve your queries.
If you lot want to contact pCloud directly to conversation with a support agent, your simply option is to call the company. Nonetheless, the number is a Swiss number, and it operates on Swiss business hours, making this tricky for U.S. customers. Switzerland is ix hours ahead of California, then if you lot're based in San Francisco, you lot're going to need to phone call before 8 a.m. Not ideal.
This is one area that could be fixed with a live chat choice just, as nosotros've stated, this isn't something pCloud offers. Other summit-tier providers like Dropbox and Google Drive offer this, as y'all'll see in our Google Drive review.
Without readily accessible chat or telephone support, your adjacent best option is to become in touch via electronic mail or past using the contact course. We sent an electronic mail with a general query and received a response inside 12 hours. The support agent answered our question in detail and we felt confident that they were knowledgeable nigh the production.
The Verdict
Equally this pCloud review has explained, pCloud dominates with an easy-to-employ service for an affordable toll that makes it a go-to option for online storage in almost every state of affairs.
The virtual drive system is a great way to access all your files and folders without filling up your precious difficult drive infinite, while the Crypto folder allows you to make up one's mind which files and folders you want to protect with zero-knowledge encryption. Although this is a paid add together-on, it does give you the security you need for your files.
If you've spent years edifice up a finely curated collection of music files, pCloud's built-in media thespian makes streaming your music like shooting fish in a barrel, whether that's on desktop or on your smartphone. There are some other nice multimedia features as well, which permit you to resize your photos and compress your videos.
pCloud's pricing is good, as well, with plans that offering similar or better storage for lower prices than many of its competitors. While the pCloud lifetime plans remain heavily discounted, now is the best fourth dimension to make the investment, if you tin. The generous free version is a great identify to start, at to the lowest degree one time you've followed the steps to unlock more than free storage.
Overall, there'due south a lot to love about pCloud, which is why it continues to be one of our peak recommendations for cloud storage across multiple categories. Exercise you recall pCloud is ane of the best cloud storage services available? Is there something you think the service could do to amend? Let us know in the comments beneath. Thanks for reading.
Source: https://www.cloudwards.net/review/pcloud/
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