With the democratization of 4G offers and the disappearance of the microSD card slot, the number of people using an online storage service from an Android mobile has been constantly increasing. The cloud is now the best solution for storing all your photos, music, documents or films without breaking the bank. But not all cloud services are created equal. Let's see what are the best cloud apps for Android..
Online storage: the best free offers
Photos, applications, files, music, we do not count the number of Android smartphones whose internal memory is full. The need for storage is increasing day by day. However, manufacturers continue to offer devices with 16 or 32 GB of memory. The 128 GB is not yet a standard. And when we see the prices charged by certain manufacturers, we can say that they are not ready to become so.
You will therefore have to find solutions to save storage space. Among the most widely used external storage technologies is the cloud. With the advent of 4G and fiber optics, this online storage service has a number of advantages. You still have to choose the cloud application that best suits your needs..
As we will see, it is not always very easy to assess the performance of a cloud service. Availability, transfer speed, security, online editing tools, there are a large number of criteria to take into account before subscribing to a cloud offer. Not easy under these conditions to choose the best provider.
Google Drive
Difficult to start a ranking of the best cloud applications without talking about Google Drive. As you may know, the online storage service from the American search giant is one of the most widely used cloud applications in the world..
With Google Drive, you will not only be able to easily store all your files but also create different access levels in order to easily share your documents with your friends. No more chore of the attachment that we add to a message. 
Google Drive also has various editing tools, for example to modify, save or view Office documents.
The basic version of Google Drive offers 15 GB of free storage space. For example, 1 GB can store more than 300 photos in high resolution. If this size of storage space seems a bit tight, Google offers different paid offers to increase this quota. The 1TB package is offered at 9.99 euros per month.
DropBox
The American company DropBox based in San Francisco understood before everyone else the importance of online storage (official launch in 2008). The file sharing and storage platform works with virtually all computer systems.
DropBox has applications and software compatible with Windows, Linux, Mac OS, BlackBerry, Android, Windows Phone. The cloud storage service is also accessible from a simple web browser. 
Like its competitors DropBox provides a whole bunch of tools to store and consult its files anytime and anywhere.
But where DropBox stands out is on synchronization and automatic file backup. The application takes care of everything without any human intervention. Only downside, the free version only offers 2 GB of data storage. It is however possible to extend this storage capacity without paying a single penny via a sponsorship system.
The French cloud
The issue of the confidentiality of data hosted in the cloud remains for many people a major problem. It must be said that the various cases revealed in recent months have nothing to reassure cloud users. And that the French host OVH understood this.
Its cloud offering, called hubiC, emphasizes privacy and the protection of personal data. Like its competitors, OVH secures thanks to the SSL protocol, file transfers between your smartphone and its servers. 
Each stored file is replicated to 3 different storage sites based in Europe.
The basic offer offers 25 GB of free storage and a 100% French interface. The only flaw, the very sleek design of the Android application deserves a little dusting. That said, this does not detract from the ergonomics of the OVH backup tool.
Internet service providers
We rarely think about it and yet the internet service providers present on the French market offer in their offers a personal space allowing the storage and the sharing of files. Please note that this type of service is sometimes reserved for the most expensive packages.
To find out if you benefit from the cloud, you will need to contact the customer service of your mobile operator or check the pricing conditions of your plan. Very important detail, the mobile internet traffic necessary for the synchronization of files on cloud servers is not always deducted from your data plan.
The pros and cons of the cloud
The adoption of cloud computing by individuals continues at a sustained pace. It relieves the memory of your smartphone without having to invest in a microSD card. However, this solution is not without posing some problems. You must also take into account certain aspects such as the security and confidentiality of your data.
The storage service must protect your data
The servers used for file storage are owned and operated by an outside company. If the latter is based abroad, the laws of their country of residence may be different with regard to data protection.
In the USA, several computer companies are subject to the Patriot Act. This anti-terrorist law put in place after the events of September 11 allows American companies to access computer data from companies and individuals. If you don't want people to be able to legally put your nose in your files, nothing prevents you from creating a private cloud on your computer.
Similarly, these companies are very often the object of remote attack by hackers. These attacks aim to recover a large amount of information, including banking data. It is therefore advisable to check the security barriers put in place by your cloud provider (256-bit AES encryption, secure data transfer by TLS protocol). Prefer services using an end-to-end encryption system. Here is a tutorial to learn how to encrypt your documents before sending them to the cloud.
Online storage can be a great online tool. However, before choosing your cloud application, you should ask yourself the right questions. And do not forget that in the event of a malfunction of the internet network, you will no longer be able to access your data.