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iCloud vs pCloud: Which Secures Your Files with Encryption?

Discover how US's iCloud and Switzerland's pCloud differ in file encryption. Learn which offers stronger data security to protect your privacy today.

Last updated: February 19, 2026Reviewed by Built in EU Team

Should You Switch to pCloud?

What You Gain

Enhanced privacy, EU data centers, client-side encryption

Privacy advantage
Trade-offs

Loss of Apple ecosystem integration and some features

iCloud has more features
Bottom Line

Switch if privacy is priority; stay if you need Apple integration

At a Glance

Data Location
🇺🇸US

US data laws

🇨🇭CH

GDPR protected

Pricing

iCloud

Contact

pCloud

freemium

Migration
Medium difficulty~2-4 hours

Privacy & Compliance Comparison

Critical data sovereignty factors at a glance

CriteriaiCloudpCloud
Server Location
US (Apple data centers), EU (optional)EU, Switzerland
GDPR Compliance
Partial (SCCs)Full
Open Source
E2E Encryption
OptionalOptional
Data Portability
PartialFull export

CLOUD Act Notice

iCloud is a US company and must comply with CLOUD Act data requests, even for data stored in EU data centers. pCloud is not subject to US jurisdiction.

Switching from
iCloud logo

iCloud

🇺🇸

Apple

VS
Switching to
pCloud logo

pCloud

🇨🇭

US Data Storage

Data subject to US CLOUD Act and may be accessed by US authorities

EU Data Protection

Data protected under GDPR with EU-only data residency

Certifications & Compliance

No certifications listed

EU-hosted
EU-Based
GDPR Compliant
Swiss hosted

Reasons to Switch

  • EU-hosted data centers ensure GDPR compliance.
  • Client-side encryption offers enhanced data security.
  • Lifetime storage plans eliminate recurring fees.
  • Social media backup feature not available in iCloud.

Things to Consider

  • !Migration from iCloud may be time-consuming.
  • !No native integration with Apple ecosystem.
  • !Learning curve for new interface and features.
Migration difficulty:
Medium
~2-4 hours

Migration Overview

Full guide
Difficulty
Medium
Time Estimate
~2-4 hours

Depends on data size and complexity

Quick Steps

1

Create pCloud account and configure settings

2

Export and prepare data from iCloud

3

Import data, test integrations, and migrate users

Other alternatives to iCloud

Ready to make the switch?

Start using pCloud today and take control of your data privacy.