Is lifetime cloud storage worth it?
Last checked: 2026-11-06
Lifetime cloud storage is worth it only if you keep it past the break-even year and the provider survives that long. At the prices we read on 2026-11-06, that was year 2 to 3 for Internxt's sale prices and year 5 for pCloud and Icedrive. The word "lifetime" does not mean forever in any of the terms we read.
Is it a scam?
We have no evidence for calling these plans scams, and we have not tested them. But a lifetime plan is a bet, and the terms set its limits. You pay now for a service that must keep running for years.
What each provider's terms say
| Provider | How long it lasts | Inactivity | If the company stops |
|---|---|---|---|
| pCloud | "the lifetime of the account owner or 99 years, whichever is shorter" | The 12-month inactivity rule we found names free accounts. | Terms say your account will be terminated. |
| Internxt | "until the account holder reaches the age of ninety-nine (99) years" | After 12 months with no activity, you may have 30 days to confirm use. If you do not, Internxt may close the account with no refund. | We did not find this addressed in the part of the terms we read. |
| Icedrive | We found no stated length. | Inactive for 24 months: may be treated as abandoned, with an attempt to notify you first. | Terms say it may discontinue the services at any time. |
Internxt and Icedrive also say fair use rules apply to lifetime plans. Icedrive allows only one lifetime account per person or organisation.
Break-even at today's prices
Each row compares a provider's lifetime price with its own recurring price, in the currency we saw. Do not compare rows across currencies.
| Plan | Lifetime | Recurring cost per year | Break-even |
|---|---|---|---|
| pCloud 2 TB | USD 499 | USD 99.99 | Year 5 |
| Icedrive 2 TB | $499 | $75.52 in year 1, then $107.88 (our assumption) | Year 5 |
| Internxt 1 TB | EUR 323 | EUR 119.88 (12 times EUR 9.99) | Year 3 |
| Internxt 2 TB | EUR 493 | EUR 239.88 (12 times EUR 19.99) | Year 3 |
| Internxt 5 TB | EUR 663 | EUR 359.88 (12 times EUR 29.99) | Year 2 |
Internxt's lifetime prices are Black Friday prices that end on December 3, 2026. They are 83% below its struck-through prices. At the struck-through EUR 2,900, the 2 TB plan would break even in year 13. Icedrive's $499 is the listed sale price. Its new-customer price of $449.10 also breaks even in year 5.
Four questions to ask first
- Will you still want this in 5 years? If you are unsure, pay yearly.
- Could you lose the whole price and be fine? A yearly customer risks one year at most.
- Is the size right? A lifetime plan does not grow. Check what you use now with the cost calculator.
- Do you have another copy? Keep your own backup of anything you cannot replace.
Run your own numbers in the lifetime calculator, or read is pCloud lifetime worth it and Internxt lifetime pricing.