Easy and free unlimited file hosting service
Do you have a lot of files and documents online? Perhaps you have a business website or blog, some photos that need to be stored on the web in case they're needed later, or maybe you just want to put everything under one roof. These are all good reasons, but unfortunately most people use their home computer for file storage and it's not always reliable. Fortunately, there is an easy way that won't break the bank: choosing a free web hosting service as your main location. Here are 7 great options available today so you don't have to spend hours trying to figure out which cheap plan will work for you.
1. Mozy.com
Mozy is a great option for those with a lot of files and photos that need to be kept safe and secure. Their plans offer unlimited storage and come in three tiers: Basic, Plus and Premium (with varying prices). All three allow you to sync data across multiple computers as well as have secure online backup on the Mozy servers. This can be easily set up by dragging files into the "My Stuff" tab on the Mozy website. You can also use their app to keep your computer organized while automatically uploading files to your personal account with Mozy (which is a great feature if you don't want to do it manually). Mozy has been around for a while, but is just now reaching mainstream popularity. We expect to see them continue to grow in popularity as long as their prices remain fair.
2. Box.net
Box.net is another great option for modern storage needs because it offers unlimited storage that is faster than the other cloud options on this list (with much better encryption too). Unlike most web hosting services, Box also allows you to store your files on their servers as opposed to paying for more space from other companies like Dropbox (formerly known as "DropboxDrive"). It's not free, but the .99 a month plan isn't too bad if you have a lot of photos and documents that need to be safe and secure. Box even offers a free 30-day trial if you want to try it out before committing.
3. Weebly
Weebly is a completely free web hosting service that can be used for just about anything. If you have a website or blog and need to store photos, then Weebly is the perfect place to do it. It even has great tools for online shopping and managing your online stores (in case you have one). You will still need some other form of web hosting to actually publish this material, but Weebly has their own dedicated server which is extremely fast compared to most shared plans (it's still shared though). This means that even though you don't pay for the space, it will still be very reliable. In fact, Weebly is one of the fastest web hosts around.
4. Google Docs
Google Docs may seem like an unlikely free web hosting service, but it's true and it works excellently well. It has all of the features you would expect from Microsoft Word including spell check, word count and templates. It also has a new feature called "recent" which allows you to bring up files that were recently worked on by you or your colleagues without having to search through shared folders or email chains (which is quite useful). You can also create a "template" so that all new documents start looking like the last one you created, although you will have to pay $20 a month for this.
5. Amazon Cloud Drive
Amazon Cloud Drive is just like Dropbox and offers a similar set of features (you can upload photos and other files to the service as well). It's also not that expensive if you need the space, but it is restricted to Amazon Prime members. This plan allows you to store up to 5GB of data across all three platforms: Android, iOS and Fire OS.
6. CloudMe
CloudMe is a service that's similar to Dropbox, but it's free and unlimited across all four platforms (PC, Mac, Linux and mobile). It has a great user interface that looks very simple and easy to use. If you already have Dropbox installed on your computer then adding CloudMe gives you an additional 5GB of space (once you reach 5GB it will prompt you to upgrade). The only problem with this web hosting service is that as soon as you stop paying for it, the files will be decommissioned and wiped forever. But if you're looking for a completely free cloud storage solution then this is the way to go.
7. Moosend
Moosend is another free web host running on your personal computer. The service allows you to create unlimited public or private archives and offers an attractive free plan (which is perfect for small businesses). It also provides secure backups and includes a great interface for managing the archives (allowing you to create new folders, delete files and rename files with a single click). Best of all, it's completely private. There are no ads or other clutter that can distract from your documents, so it's just an enjoyable way to store your files.
Do you have any other suggestions? Please share them in the comment section below. And be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Google+ to stay up-to-date as we provide even more free tech tips that can help you get the most out of your computer, phone and tablet.
This post was originally published here on the "Geeky Gadgets" blog. If you enjoyed this post, please consider checking out the streams over at GeekyGadgets.org, as well as following Geeky Gadgets on Facebook or Twitter (@GeekyGadgets). Thanks!
Editor's Note: This post was originally published in May 2008 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness in December 2014.
This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for more details.
(Image courtesy of Flickr user Mike Baird under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.)
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Conclusion (Wrapping it all up)Now you know about some of the best free web hosting services out there. This list will be continually updated as new and better options become available so be sure to check back if you would like to see what else is out there. There are a lot of decent hosts out there that charge a small monthly fee, but your best bet is always going to be a completely free web host (unless you want to pay for extra storage space or other features that they offer). You might also want to check out our list of the best web servers for more information on how to host your own websites and blogs.
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