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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, 2026โ€ขReviewed 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
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธUS

US data laws

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ญCH

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

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ

Apple

VS
Switching to
pCloud logo

pCloud

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ญ

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

  • โœ“EU-hosted data centers ensure GDPR compliance.
  • โœ“Client-side encryption offers enhanced data security.
  • โœ“Lifetime storage plans eliminate recurring fees.
  • โœ“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.