There are several aspects to take into account when deciding how much cloud storage space to buy. Some questions to consider:
- How much storage space are you currently using?
- How much new data do you usually produce?
- What type of data is it?
- What are your future plans?
Current use
This is the best indicator to say how much information you’ll need to keep on the cloud. You can determine this by looking at your computer’s hard disk — how much of it is full? How many gigabytes is it? If you want to back up only some folders, their size can be seen in folder settings.
A good rule of thumb is to take the size of all of your current files and multiply it by at least two — that’s how much cloud storage you need.
Remember: if you’re planning to keep your files online and are trying to determine how much space to buy, this is a good time to clean up your files (more about this in our previous article). An organized folder system will not only give you a better indicator of what’s in there and make your life more enjoyable but also reduce the costs associated with storage space because you’ll delete a ton of unnecessary files and their copies.
Production speed
While a bit more difficult to determine, an important indicator for your storage space needs is how much new data you usually produce. If you want to back up your phone, look at how many photos and videos you’ve taken in the last month. This will show you how much you’ll need in the future. Similarly, you can look at your most recent files on your computer.
Here are some examples to help you determine your use (these are only approximate indicators, as file sizes can vary significantly depending on their content, quality, type and so on):
The number of files you store: How much storage space they take up annually
- 3 smartphone photos a day + 1 video a week: 11 GB — you can get by with basic account
- 1 downloaded DVD movie a week: 208 GB — we would suggest PRO account
- 1 new song every day: 1.2 GB — sign up with the basic account and keep your library all in one place
- 1 new Word document every day: 0.15 GB — usually so important that you should back them up immediately
- 400 high quality photographs every week: 700 GB — if you’re a professional, the best deal is a business client account
- 1080p HD movie every three days: 1200 GB — first, why would you? second, our 1 TB lifetime account sounds best suited for your needs
As you can see, the space necessary for your needs depends heavily on the type of files you use, your online activities and produced content. To make it simpler, keep in mind these three important aspects:
- You’ll usually have all types of files saved on your account, so you should take these examples only as approximate indicators. Or you can follow the idea of buying twice as much storage space as you’ve currently filled.
- Files.fm, similar to most other storage space providers, allows you to upgrade at any point. This means that you don’t have to decide just yet. Try our basic account, and if that’s not enough for your needs, upgrade to a larger storage space.
- The larger the storage space you buy, the less you spend for each gigabyte. If you want to make sure you’ll have enough for all your needs, make a payment once and don’t worry for file storage deficit for the rest of your life with our 1 TB lifetime account.