Over the past 30 days, I dove deep into using pCloud as my daily cloud storage solution — handling backups, large media uploads, client collaboration, and securing sensitive files with their Crypto feature. No marketing fluff, just hands-on testing and real-life use cases.
📋 Table of Contents
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🔬 Test Setup — How I Tested pCloud
My testing spanned across desktop (Windows), laptop (Mac), and mobile (Android) to cover all typical use scenarios. Here's what I focused on:
📁 Large File Uploads
Uploading 2GB and 5GB videos through desktop app and web uploader
🎬 Media Streaming
Streaming video and audio directly from pCloud without local downloads
📱 Phone Backup
Auto-backup of phone camera over Wi-Fi for a week
🔒 Encryption Testing
Encrypting sensitive folders using pCloud Crypto and testing multi-device access
👥 Collaboration
Sharing large folders and testing version history/conflict handling
Testing Methodology Overview
Note: Your experience may vary based on your internet speed and physical distance from pCloud servers. This was a real-world test, not a lab benchmark.
⚡ Upload & Download Speed — Real Results
Test Method: Uploaded 2GB and 5GB videos using (a) pCloud desktop app (via WebDAV-mount) and (b) web uploader in Chrome.
| Method | Upload Speed | Download Speed | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desktop App (WebDAV) | 8–10 MB/s average | Fast & stable streaming | Auto-resumes after network hiccups |
| Web Uploader (Chrome) | 2–5 MB/s average | Smooth for small files | May time out on flaky Wi-Fi |
Speed Test Results Summary
Practical takeaway: Use the desktop client or WebDAV for heavy uploads and web uploader for quick small files.
💾 Backup Reliability & Phone Backup
For phone backups, I enabled pCloud mobile auto-backup over Wi-Fi for seven days, backing up 1,200 photos and 12 videos.
✅ Backup Test Results
- Auto-backup was reliable with Wi-Fi-only setting — no duplicate uploads
- Deleted local photos freed up storage without affecting backups stored on pCloud
- Restoring photos to a fresh device was simple via sign-in and enable restore
Pro tip: Enable duplicate detection monthly to keep your backup library clean from similar files.
🔄 Sync Behaviour & Conflict Handling
Simultaneous editing tests on the same document across two devices showed:
✅ Version History
pCloud keeps version history and creates clear "conflicted copies"
💡 WebDAV Performance
WebDAV-mounted drive feels local but large file editing is faster locally
👥 Collaboration Tip
Edit files locally before upload or use shared comment/review links
🔒 pCloud Crypto — Practical Security Test
Testing the Crypto folder by moving sensitive contracts, IDs, and password files:
🔐 Crypto Test Results
- Files were inaccessible without the Crypto password/key on all devices
- Decryption was instant and seamless on the device with the key
- Zero-knowledge encryption means pCloud cannot access your files
⚠️ Important Warning
Losing your Crypto key makes data permanently unrecoverable. This is the tradeoff for strong zero-knowledge encryption.
Security takeaway: Store your Crypto key securely in a password manager or offline backup like a USB drive.
📱 Mobile App Experience
Using the pCloud mobile app felt fluid and reliable:
📸 Camera Backup
Auto-backup settings are intuitive; Wi-Fi-only mode works flawlessly
🎬 Media Streaming
Browsing and streaming large photo/video libraries was fast
⚙️ Advanced Settings
WebDAV credentials easier to configure from desktop
🚫 Limits, Gotchas & When Not to Use pCloud
Things to keep in mind:
⚠️ Limitations to Consider
- Not ideal for real-time multi-person editing — better to use specialized collaborative editors
- Editing large video project files works best by downloading locally for editing then reuploading
- Crypto key responsibility: Losing it leads to permanent data loss — treat it like a bank vault key
🏆 Final Verdict & Recommendation
30-Day Test Conclusion
After a full month of daily use, pCloud is a reliable, fast, and practical cloud storage solution—especially notable for lifetime plans, strong encrypted Crypto storage, and smooth media streaming.
Overall Rating: 4.8/5
Who should use pCloud?
Need reliable cloud archive and streaming
Want mountable cloud drive with simple sharing
Looking for one-time payment and strong encryption
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