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Apple iCloud

Apple iCloud

Overview

What is Apple iCloud?

Apple iCloud is a document management software offering from Apple. It includes features such as access to music, photos, calendars, contacts, and documents, and it is built into every new iOS device.

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Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

Apple iCloud is relied upon by users to securely store and backup their photos, videos, and other media files. This provides peace of mind …
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Apple iCloud Review

10 out of 10
July 29, 2021
Incentivized
I use Apple iCloud and have used it for a long time now. I use it to back up everything across multiple platforms. It has my contacts, …
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Awards

Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards

Popular Features

View all 13 features
  • Reliability (74)
    9.6
    96%
  • Performance (74)
    9.6
    96%
  • Device sync (73)
    9.4
    94%
  • Video files (70)
    9.2
    92%
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Pricing

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50GB

$0.99

Cloud
per month

200GB

$2.99

Cloud
per month

2TB

$9.99

Cloud
per month

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services
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Features

File Sharing & Management

Features that allow collaborators to view, work on, and organize files.

9.1
Avg 8.4

Cloud Storage Security & Administration

Features related to security and administration for cloud storage platforms

8.7
Avg 8.6

Cloud Storage Platform

Features around the functionality of the cloud storage platform.

9.4
Avg 8.5
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Product Details

What is Apple iCloud?

Apple iCloud Technical Details

Deployment TypesSoftware as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based
Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationNo

Frequently Asked Questions

Apple iCloud is a document management software offering from Apple. It includes features such as access to music, photos, calendars, contacts, and documents, and it is built into every new iOS device.

Reviewers rate File search highest, with a score of 9.7.

The most common users of Apple iCloud are from Small Businesses (1-50 employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(577)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

Apple iCloud is relied upon by users to securely store and backup their photos, videos, and other media files. This provides peace of mind for nomadic travelers and ensures data security for business endeavors. Business teams find value in iCloud as it serves as an additional data repository, automatically backing up media files like photos, mobile settings, calendars, and contacts. This ensures accessibility from any device and promotes collaboration within the team. The standout feature of iCloud is the ability to access documents, photos, music, and videos from any device, making it convenient for presentations and effective teamwork. It is particularly popular among all-Mac shops due to its seamless syncing and compatibility with various Mac and iOS apps. Additionally, iCloud facilitates the syncing of videos, photos, and documents across different Apple devices, allowing for easy editing and sharing. Organizations utilize iCloud for storage and synchronization of documents and applications on Apple devices, especially in fieldwork scenarios and BYOD environments. Individual users appreciate iCloud for its quick on-the-go backup of mobile files and the convenience of accessing files from any Apple device. In educational settings, iCloud enhances learning experiences by creating cloud backups of Apple applications, enabling students to access their documents from different devices.

Users have provided several recommendations for using Apple iCloud. The most common recommendations are as follows: Start with the small storage option to test compatibility, be fully invested in the Apple system for optimal use, consider pricing and multi-platform access when choosing a storage plan. Additionally, it is recommended to consistently back up devices, check compatibility with current device ecosystem, configure settings for automated backups, and be cautious with settings to avoid unintended consequences. Users emphasize that Apple iCloud is a reliable tool for keeping data safe and accessible but caution that iCloud Drive may not be suitable for non-Apple users.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(51-73 of 73)
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September 07, 2016

iCloud review

Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Currently using iCloud as storage for the number of iDevices we have deployed in the organization. We use it to store documents and to backup the devices. The backup feature has been helpful as we have had a couple of devices that failed and we were able to restore the user's data to the new device. It is also very helpful when doing a hardware refresh for our users where we can restore via iCloud during the setup.
  • Backup and restore features work very well
  • Ability to access documents and files across multiple devices
  • Ability to sync contacts and user preferences, makes it easy to replace devices
  • iCloud could use some improvement integrating better with businesses. Each user needs their own Apple ID which can be cumbersome the more users you have. Would be nice to have some type of management tool for iCloud for businesses that can be setup and handled by a company administrator. Would also like to see the ability for users to collaborate on shared documents.
Backing up devices and having access to data on other devices for a single user is ideal. Sharing documents or needing a solution where multiple access is needed is less ideal. Also larger companies with multiple users would not find iCloud ideal.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Apple iCloud does data backup seamlessly. I'm already using an iPhone, iPad, AppleTV and a MacBook. Apple iCloud keeps them all synchronized. I can access my photos, contacts, calendar, notes, etc., on all my devices with the confidence that they're all updated. Simply put, once I selected to do iCloud, I don't think about synching things up anymore. It's just done behind the scenes.
  • Synchronized Calendar
  • Synchronized Contacts
  • Synchronized Photos
  • Would like the ability to have a folder on the desktop to auto upload to iCloud Drive
  • Would be nice to be able to share links with people like Dropbox for file sharing within iCloud Drive
  • Unclear how to not synch select photos
If you're locked into the Apple product universe as I am, Apple iCloud is dead simple to use. It's just a matter of logging into your various devices, go to settings and turn on Apple iCloud. That's it. The system just does everything else for you. It's well suited for photos, calendar, notes, memos, Safari settings, etc. Use iCloud if you're planning to upgrade your iPhone or Laptop. Having iCloud is a huge timesaver when upgrading devices.
July 18, 2016

Apple iCloud

Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I use iCloud for personal devices as well as support our employees that use iCloud. It is not used by any particular department, but I support it on an individual basis for employees using Apple devices.
  • Excellent for notes keeping and accessing.
  • Great for backing up items and also syncing items that have been added.
  • Sharing Keynotes.
  • Good for tracking devices.
  • When a user is new to iCloud it is a bit difficult for them to get the hang of how it works. Could be less confusing.
  • The web access needs to be more robust.
  • Better support for other environments. Needs to "play better" with Windows.
  • Storage is pricey.
If you have an Apple device it is recommended. Backup and restoring of devices is its biggest asset. If you want to use it with other vendors' products (Microsoft, etc.) there are shortcomings. I know Microsoft and Google are competitors, but they need to learn to play well with others since many companies are based around Microsoft, Google, and Linux environments.
Adam Lauer | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I use it for my own personal use. I use every app that they provide on icloud.com except for Keynote. It is a great way to back up all your data and have it available on any apple device. The website is an OK substitute for when you are on a windows machine.
  • Basic documentation needs for spreadsheets and text editing
  • A great notes and calender app
  • Back up and syncing of photos and documents
  • Locked into the Apple Ecosystem. Does not port very well to Windows, Linux, or Chrome
  • Storage tiers are expensive
  • Sharing is possible, but not completely flushed out for things such as reminders, notes, calendars, documents, and photos
Best for Apple devices in backing up and syncing data across multiple devices. Absolutely excels at restoring devices or setting up new devices to be exactly how your old device was. Not as great if you want to use Google or Microsoft products or services. In these cases iCloud will do nothing other than a primitive document and photo storage solution if you are willing to manually use it.
July 02, 2016

Frustation

Ricardo G Lopes | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 1 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
It is used primarily as a pilot, and we have now no plans to expand its usage. Our goal is to have a cloud storage that would work well with Windows and Office products, and iCloud, does not work well with them.
  • I could not see anything that works well with iCloud, but speed of uploading is OK.
  • The nasty messages in iPhone where your attention is grabbed for any possibility to use iCloud. Too much, quite frankly, and the messages to the user are too complex and lengthy.
  • Integration with Microsoft Office products is below average. It looks like the iCloud team does not have this item as a priority.
  • Convoluted integration with iPhone and iPad. One never knows when you are seeing iOS functions/message or iCloud functions/messages.
  • That feature about syncing pictures was a disaster. All of a sudden, I got messages saying that my iCloud was full, and I did not uploaded a thing yet.
iCloud is a product thought to be for an iPhone/iPad only, and I see no space in the corporate arena as of now.
Bonn Chavez | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Apple iCloud is being used to store data such as documents, photos, notes, music on remote servers for download to other devices or operating systems like iOS, Apple or Windows. It is also being used to share and send data to other users and to manage Apple devices if stolen or lost in terms of recovery. It also provides a way to back up wirelessly and directly to the cloud.
  • Backup via wireless to the cloud through iTunes without suffering processing on the device.
  • Manages storage, and backup of the applications on the device. Run manual or automatic backups.
  • Data syncing center for email, contacts, calendars, bookmarks, note, reminders, documents, photos and other data.
  • iCloud contains other features like Find My Phone, Find My Friends.
  • Better iCloud Music Library, the iCloud music library should handle your whole music collection letting you listen to anything whenever, whether its part of your library or Apple music.
  • A more simple Apple Music navigation. This is a very unpleasant experience, ineffective menus and interface.
  • iCloud Voicemail.
  • iCloud Encryption. I'd like to see a more robust way of maintaining our data securely.
Overall iCloud does the job for data sync and managing. When you know your data is available anytime and anywhere there's that sense of relief, you know it's not getting lost.
Joaquín Galé | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use iCloud in order to share documents such as keynote presentations for investor pitches and also for having a backup of our iPhones. It has saved us when we have had any trouble with our computers or phones because we have everything in the cloud. We also use it in order to send large documents through email and for having a shared photo album.
  • Save photos, you can have all your photos in the cloud
  • Sharing notes or reminders, you can also connect your different calendars
  • Have backups of your docs and iPhone/iPad OS
  • iCloud drive is not as user friendly as other solutions
  • The Pages, Numbers and Keynote app in the cloud is quite slow
iCloud is well suited for having a back up of your contacts and photos and for sharing calendars, reminders and notes.
Jowita Nowicka | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
In my organization, we have flexibility to work from different locations. We have many employees working from home. Employees have their individual accounts. They have their own storage where they can keep documents for their projects.
  • Made it easier to work from home
  • Modest price
  • Being able to access documents and contacts across any device
  • Can be be slow
  • No purely business version created
  • For Apple Users (not the best tool for Windows Users)
It works great if you are an Apple devices user. In our company, developers who are working on Macs, are finding it really useful. When it comes to Windows users, probably, there are better cloud storages.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
In our organization we use iCloud every day. Everyone has one or more than one Apple product so it's really useful for us. For example, We have a family sharing plan between us. It is cheaper and we can have all of our documents achieved in one place where each member of the organisation can see and edit. The Whole organisation use it, we are 4 in our team.
The most obvious problem, you need an Apple device to work with iCloud, which is really expensive. Luckily iCloud has a free web app where you can edit and manage your documents and data even if you are on Windows platforms (desktop application for windows).
  • Easy to use. It's simple, like almost everything from Apple. It simply works.
  • The interface it's really friendly user. Since the first time you start to using it you can work, you don't need any learning curve to maximize your productivity with iCloud
  • It's fast, when I take a photo or upload a document the other devices can show that item almost instantly.
  • The price it's quite fair for what you obtain, with our family plan we can save some money and we have enough storage for our needs .
  • Sometimes you don't know exactly where are the original file is or when it comes from. It would be great to have a register that shows who created the file and who has modified it.
  • If there's something that you don't want share, for example photos, it is not posible to decide and choose what I want to share and with who.
  • If I think in music for example, I have to pay two times. First I have to buy it trough Itunes Store and after that I have to pay again If I have more than 5GB of music for keeping this excess. I think it's not fair.
Probably it is better for personal and use rather than work environments.
It is true that Apple has been always very close minded with their whole ecosystem, so if your entire digital life does not belong to Apple products you probably can use iCloud at it's best. The best options that iCloud can offer you are related with merge all the platforms in just one, but you have to have an iPad, iPhone and Mac to experience this.
However, you can use iCloud as your main cloud tool having just one Apple device, with a Pc computer it's quite well integrated and completely usable.
Jamie Dear | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Our organization allows the use of Apple iCloud for the purpose of synchronizing personal data on work machines to other personal devices. It is an integral part of our BYOD environment and allowing users to be most efficient. It also greatly helps in keeping company data separate from personal data. It addresses the problem of users wanting to integrate their personal lives with their work lives.
  • Apple iCloud works incredibly well with Apple Devices. It is an integral part of the setup and use of nearly every Apple Device
  • Apple iCloud is arguably the best way to automatically back up iOS devices and personal data
  • Through Apple's Volume Purchase Program, we can use Apple iCloud accounts to delegate software licenses
  • Apple iCloud has a Find My iPhone feature which is incredibly useful for users to locate their personal or work devices
  • Apple iCloud does have a functional Windows integration, but it is lacking in ease of use and support
  • Apple iCloud can be difficult to manage if there are multiple other accounts synchronizing with a particular device
  • Apple iCloud must be purchased on a monthly basis, there are not options for yearly subscriptions
Apple iCloud is well suited for personal use and management of multiple Apple devices. It could also be used for small business environments, but it is not well suited for medium to large businesses due to it's lack of customization and integration with custom domains. The free storage offered and automatic iCloud backups of iOS devices are the best features.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I don't use Apple iCloud in a professional setting, but rather, I use it for personal reasons. It's a great way to back up my contacts, notes, and even important files that I have on Apple software like Keynote and Pages. If you use the same Apple ID and sync all your Apple products, these infographics all become very easily accessible across all of your devices, which is very convenient.
  • When you have information and files stored in Apple iCloud, you won't have to worry about losing the data in a physical device because now the data is available in a virtual space.
  • iCloud mail is very convenient and easy to use. For example, if you need to send out an image quickly from your iphone, you can just tap on the image and send it directly from iCloud.
  • Using iCloud allows you to gain access to information across different devices at any place anytime as long as you have your login information. This can definitely be super useful.
  • This is not a flaw of the software itself, but Apple iCloud gives you limited storage space for free.
  • I have yet to find a way to pick and choose the data I want to backup and leave the rest out so I can conserve storage space.
I think apps like Dropbox are more useful in a professional setting than Apple iCloud. I've only used Apple iCloud for personal reasons and I would recommend my colleagues to use it for personal data backup, but I'm not qualified to recommend it for work because I've never used it for work.
Rachel Monh | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Currently, we use Apple iCloud on our business cell phones. It stores any documents/notes we need on hand without having to pull up our laptops or print hard copies. Very convenient!
  • It is fast!
  • Automatically stores info on its own - if you program it to!
  • Easily accessible.
  • Increase storage space without having to charge so much for it!
I wouldn't use it often as I would use Egnyte to store my documents.
Mohammed Alshehri | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I'm using iCloud personally and I have been using Apple iCloud for over 4 years now and it has been awesome and amazing. It allows me to synchronize all my Apple devices and Macs. This is a great solution as a backup for all my devices.
  • Great back up solution
  • Gives you free storage and then you can pay for more storage at affordable prices
  • You will never lose your iPhone with Find my iPhone
  • Keep emails, contact, calendar and notes up to date with iCloud
  • A little bit confusing at the beginning
  • Photos are not accessible through the web
Of course it's useful if you have any Apple devices and would work perfectly if you have more than one device.
Marcos Sola | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
It is being used across the whole organization. iCloud makes sure our Mac and iOS devices are always up to date, and it lets us easily share calendars, photos, videos, and other important information on the go.
  • One of the best examples is that it provides its users with means to store data such as documents, photos, and music on remote servers for download to iOS, Macintosh or Windows devices, to share and send data to other users.
  • It acts as a data syncing center for email, contacts, calendars, bookmarks, notes, reminders (to-do lists), iWork documents, photos and other data.
  • Instead of being reliant on manual backups to a computer, iCloud provides the means to wirelessly back up iOS devices directly to iCloud.
  • A plus is that one can manage their Apple devices if lost or stolen.
  • One of the functionalities that I criticize are "bugs". These "bugs" make some features unusable under earlier versions of iOS and Mac OS X.
  • Privacy is always a rising issue and something that one would always need to keep up with.
  • Moving a set of files from an iCloud Drive if they have not been synchronized yet will result in them being lost.
Apple iCloud is well suited for users that want to store music, photos, applications, documents, bookmarks, reminders, backups, notes, iBooks, and contacts all under one roof.
March 03, 2016

Head in the iClouds

Shawn Rubin | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 5 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I do not use it at my organization. I only use it personally. It solves the problem of quick on the fly back up of mobile files when you do not have access to your personal computer. However I wish the settings were more robust. I would prefer a more manual process, rather than automatic backup as the storage gets filled rapidly.
  • It is automatic, no user action required.
  • It means you do not have to be connected to your PC.
  • The interface is visually appealing.
  • Storage space gets filled quickly.
  • When full, notifications will appear abundantly, which can be annoying.
  • No settings for manual configuration.
It is well suited for a city photographer or urban writer quickly jotting down information and backing it up. No worry of losing your precious vacation photos by accidental damage as long as you are connected to internet. Connecting the phone to a PC can be cumbersome as iTunes has spotty performance on Windows based devices. iCloud eliminates the need to connect your phone as often to a computer.
February 29, 2016

iCloud is Cloudy at best

Score 2 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I use Apple iCloud personally to back up my devices, which I use as a teacher.
  • It backs up your data in the background so that you do not have to worry about manually backing up data.
  • The data plans are inexpensive.
  • iCloud is easy to access from multiple platforms.
  • I have no idea how this data storage and backing up system works. I'm unsure how to access it, and it doesn't seem to hold much data.
  • I'm not sure where my information is backed up to.
  • I cannot quite figure out how to get into the backup system and create personalized back up.
I think it may be better suited for someone who is more versed with data storage and back up. I prefer the old days when you just plugged your device into your computer and backed it up to iTunes!
Timothy Watkins, GWAPT | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We do not use Apple iCloud across the organization, but many employees use it for data management and backups of their devices and documents. The typical use cases are keeping a cloud backup of their iPhones as well as easily sharing documents between their mobile devices and laptops.
  • Instant-Access mobile backups.
  • Accessing documents between devices and your Apple computer.
  • Quickly sending mobile links from your phone browser to your laptop for later-viewing.
  • The subscription model is cheap.
  • Transferring data to devices not on the same account is doable but not obvious.
  • Transferring data from a laptop to a phone is also doable, but restricted in types of content.
  • Some apps do not back up their settings to iCloud.
Apple iCloud is best suited for individual user's data management, backup management, and document transferring. It does not seem to be designed for collaboration, but it could be used to compliment another service to provide an extra layer of backups and redundancy. For personal users, the photo streaming provides an excellent method of backing up or accessing your mobile photos from your laptop.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We currently use iCloud to manage our phones and iPads in our office. It allows us to keep track of devices or lock them down if lost to protect sensitive information.
  • Sharing photos
  • Tracking devices
  • Sharing keynotes
  • Stopping the log in error where it asks you to continuously log in
  • Family Sharing of notes
  • Web portal needs some love it's pretty useless
In apple heavy environments it works perfect. It is still working out problems on PCs.
Mindy Wilson | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I personally use iCloud because I am the benefits administrator and a number of my vendors have apps that can be accessed via a smart phone. I also check my work email and have documents on my phone. A number of office positions in our company are in the same situation. I feel like it provides an extra layer of security.
  • iCloud is an excellent service that provides automatic backups of iOS devices and also syncing for photos, music, calendar, contacts, and documents.
  • iCloud syncs images across your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Windows PC.
  • iCloud works with Macs, Windows PCs, and iOS devices and it automatically backups data for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
  • With iCloud there is no web interface for photos or music.
  • iCloud features for different functions such as photos can be confusing to set up.
  • You can't just upload any and all files. You need other storage solutions to work in conjunction with the iCloud.
I think it is a great product for people who mainly use Apple devices and for personal use. In a work setting, it needs to work along with other storage solutions.
November 20, 2015

Less detail is more...

Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I use it for personal use.
  • Syncs Calendars
  • Syncs Contacts
  • Allows you to access informaiton with ease all in one place all over the world.
  • I would love to have one page where I can view boxes of all of my information at once - Calendar, Contacts, E-mails and Photos and possibly social media.
N/A
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I use iCloud in my app, sLockBox for iOS and Mac for allowing users to store their files on iCloud.
  • Well it wasn't easy at first and I had to really dig to get good documentation on the implementation of iCloud.
  • Then they added iCloud drive and now they have CloudKit which I have not used yet.
  • I can't really say to much good about it at this point in time.
  • I haven't looked at CloudKit yet but hopefully they make getting the iCloud files automatic. Currently you have to query for the file you want to be pulled down from iCloud and then perform some API's to get it to be pulled down.
  • One other thing is the API has a file modification date but you can't rely on that as being the most recent date on iCloud when you make the query. It would be nice to be able to use that date to know you're up to date and not have to do a comparison to what you have on iCloud to what you have stored locally.
Well I like iCloud for all my movies, music, and TV-Shows from iTunes which works perfectly and doesn't cost anything if you purchased from iTunes.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I've used Apple iCloud primarily for personal use - photos, calendars, and notes. It's been very effective at getting new mobile devices up to speed. The Find iPhone/Mac is also a lifesaver - devices sync their location with iCloud, so you can see its last broadcast location if the device is lost. Apple is aggressive about promoting their iCloud services, and while it's easy to run over quota, it's a fair value if you enjoy the convenience of having your data accessible anywhere, anytime. I'll likely continue to use at least one Apple product, so iCloud continues to provide value on a daily basis.
  • Syncs frequently accessed types of information
  • Intuitive out-of-the-box configuration
  • Find my device feature tying GPS data into the mix
  • Turning off the feature / customization is difficult to find
  • More visibility into iCloud syncing process
Apple iCould is useful. The standard settings cover most use cases. It helps with device migration, accessing critical information on the fly, or finding a misplaced device. It is not meant for team collaboration or to share with others, so there are limitations in those functionality trees. Additional space is available for purchase - great that Apple offers a free tier to customers.
November 12, 2015

The best among the rest

Karwkai Sarunyapon | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
I am using Apple iCloud for both my media files and sports app data. For me this is efficient because I can have my files everywhere I go. I can access them anytime I want to.
  • Reliable Service
  • Needs and internet connection
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