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5 Best Business Plan Software For Mac of 2024

Starting a new business is an exciting venture but a well designed business plan is essential to give you the best possible chance of making it a success.

A business plan not only helps you clarify exactly how your business is going to launch (or how its going) but it’s also essential to attract investors, banking finance and attract talent on board.

In this article, we’ve looked at the best business planning software that you can use on your Mac to help you get off the ground.

In our research, we found that there’s actually not a single business planning software that offers a Mac desktop app. In fact, there are very few that even offer Windows desktop apps as almost all of them are web based.

However, the good news is we found some excellent Cloud based ones that work in any browser on a Mac and in some cases, integrate with desktop accounting software on your Mac too.

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Do You Really Need Business Plan Software?

1. liveplan, 4. planguru, 5. upmetrics, comparison table.

If you’re really on a shoestring budget, you can draw-up a business plan with word processing software or spreadsheet tools such as Excel and Numbers for Mac.

You can also use mind mapping software to help you brainstorm ideas and come up with a basic business plan.

However, using business planning software gives you a more detailed, structured approach and helps highlight your all important Unique Selling Points (USPs) better than a document or spreadsheet.

A business planner will help make it clearer what your strengths and weaknesses are and ultimately help you sell your idea more effectively.

If you’re not good with numbers, business planning software will also assist you in making financial forecasts which is something that word processing tools definitely can’t do.

However, a business planner is only as good as the data and figures you feed it. It can’t make an nonviable business idea sound viable and the effectiveness of it will of course depend on the financial estimates you give it being realistic.

With this in mind, here then are the best business planning tools that you can use on a Mac whether you’re a budding entrepreneur, seeking finance for an existing business or restructuring.

LivePlan has been around over 15 years and is one of the most widely used business planning tools available with around 1 million users.

LivePlan uses a series of over 500 templates to help you quickly get a plan started based on your industry or market.

Most recently it introduced an AI powered Live-Plan Assistant that can set the tone of your proposal such as by giving it an Academic or Professional Tone.

If you use Xero or QuickBooks, LivePlan is also integrated with them so that you can cut down on accounting admin if your business launches.

The software also features its own financials that can help you forecast and estimate profit and losses if you’re struggling to come up with figures.

Many professional business consultants use LivePlan to create business plans and the software gives you the best possible chance to sell your business idea.

You can try a live virtual tour of LivePlan to see how to works although unfortunately, there’s no free trial.

• Lender ready statements
• Over 500 templates
• AI Assistant
• Easy to follow
• Accounting software integration
• No free version or free trial

Pricing: Standard $15/m , Premium $30/m

The big attraction of Enloop for small startups is that you can use it free for seven days without any credit card. The free trial is definitely worth trying to see what it can do for you before deciding whether it’s actually worth paying for.

Enloop isn’t as glossy and slick as some of the other business planning software we’ve seen but it has got some powerful touches and even generates a lot of the proposal text for you.

Enloop can generate your financials with up to 36 month forecasts and compare your industry performance against up to 16 ratios.

The platform is easy to use and one of the few business planners that allows you to start for free before you decide whether it’s worth subscribing to a plan.

Enloop Plans start at $19.95 which is definitely reasonable compared to most other tools and allows you to share your plan with colleagues, investors and accountants.

• Free for 7 days without a credit card
• Financial forecasts up to 36 months
• Automatically generates proposal outlines
• Basic interface
• No sharing plans in the free trial version

Pricing: Free Trial / Plans start at $19.95 per month

If you want to put your business plan right out there in front of investors, then the big selling point of Bizplan is that it’s made by Startups.com. Bizplan claims to have helped raise over $500 million for startups it has helped draw-up business plans with.

Not only can you get advice from other entrepreneurs and investors but you may also be able to attract investment by putting it out through Funadable.com which connects you with investors.

The Business Plan Creator itself guides you through the planning process and has a web design style WYSIWYG style interface that’s easy to use.

There are also financial tools that give you forecasts, salary estimates, revenue projections and more.

The platform is also full of masterclass videos and tutorials giving you advice on how to make an effective business plan.

• Partnered with startups.com to help you get investment
• Slick, WYSIWYG business plan editor
• Lot of templates to choose from

Pricing: Plans start at $29/month

PlanGuru is a powerful business planning software aimed at businesses, non profits and advisors that need focus on financials and rolling forecasts.

PlanGuru can run “What If?” scenarios and forecast 3 different financial statements including income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement.

You can build an unlimited number of analysis per company, value a business and even setup a payroll.

There’s also integration with QuickBooks, QuickBooks Online, Xero and Excel accounting software.

If you’re struggling to put together a business plan, there’s also PlanGuru Launch which is a personalized service with business planning experts charged by the hour.

As you’d expect with a business planning platform on this level, pricing isn’t cheap starting at $83 per month going up to $250 per month for multi-department enterprises.

• Extremely powerful financial tools
• Suitable for multi department enterprises
• Integration with accounting software
• Free trial available
• Complex to use

Pricing: Starts at $83 per month

UpMetrics is an AI driven business planning platform with over 400 business plan templates that aims to help you formulate a business plan as quickly as possible.

UpMetrics uses AI more than any other business planning platform we’ve seen and is great for those that don’t have much confidence in their writing abilities but need a professional plan quickly.

You can choose from “Professional, Academic and Persuasive” tones so that your plan hits the right note for how you want it to sound.

The Business Plan builder guides you through putting a proposal together including clear Financial Forecasts by Month, Quarter and Year.

There’s also a Pitch Deck tool to help you sell your idea via a presentation and more effective visualizations of your plan.

The business plans created by UpMetrics are glossy and professional with minimal effort compared to some of the other tools we’ve seen. You can also invite colleagues or potential partners into the app to view and refine the finished product.

• Automates a lot of the planning with AI
• Lots of business templates
• Slick interface
• No free version or trial

Pricing: Starts at $7/month

Below is a pricing comparison of each option side-by-side to see how they differ in price.

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5 Best Business Plan Software in 2022

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When you’re starting a business, developing a strong business plan will be one of the first steps you take. Your business plan will cover everything from a detailed explanation of your products or services and pricing model to at least three years of financial projections—plus much more. Therefore, whether you’re not sure how to get started or you’re just looking to make the process easier, you may want to turn to business plan software for help.

In this guide, we'll break down five of the best business plan software options—discussing their pros, cons, features, pricing, and more—so you have all the information you need to decide which solution is right for your small business.

Looking for tools to help grow your business?

Tell us where you're at in your business journey, and we'll direct you to the experience that fits.

on NerdWallet's secure site

The 5 best business plan software options

The right business plan software will make the process of writing your business plan much simpler. Like many business software solutions, however, there are a number of different business plan software options out there—each of which has a unique set of features, user experience, and price.

This being said, if you're looking for a place to start your search for the best business plan software, you can explore the five top options below:

How much do you need?

with Fundera by NerdWallet

We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

1. LivePlan

Best overall business plan software.

If you want template-rich, modern-feeling business plan software, then LivePlan may be the right pick for you. LivePlan excels with their user interface, which feels updated and slick, and also offers intuitive, easy-to-use features and options.

Their step-by-step instruction will help you kick things off from the beginning, and you can take advantage of their online learning center to continue to gain business skills.

Affordable plans, including pay-as-you-go option

No long-term contracts or cancellation fee; 60-day money-back guarantee

Modern, intuitive interface; cloud-based, can be used on Mac, PC, as well as tablets

Ability to create unlimited plans in one account; over 500 customizable templates

Variety of business resources including video tutorials, step-by-step instruction, and general customer support

Limited integration options

Challenging to enter your own financial modeling projections

Can be difficult to learn

Ability to create an unlimited number of business plans on one account

More than 500 business plan templates spanning various industries

Integration with Xero and QuickBooks Online

Real-time tracking of financial data with accounting integrations

Ability to export your business plan to Word or PDF

Expert advice and step-by-step instruction included

Performance dashboards for tracking against budgets and sales goals

Ability to create and export a one-page pitch executive summary

Annual plan: $15 per month, billed every 12 months

Six-month plan: $18 per month, billed every six months

Pay-as-you-go plan: $20 per month, billed once every month

2. GoSmallBiz

Best for multiple business management tools in one platform.

Next on our list of the best business plan software options is GoSmallBiz, which is much more than just a business plan software. With GoSmallBiz, you have access to business continuity planning software with features that cover creating a roadmap, working through business and legal forms, building a website, and more.

In this way, GoSmallBiz is great for startups or newer businesses looking to access multiple business management tools through one platform.

Unlimited business consultation and extensive library of online resources

Multiple business tools in one software

Website consultation analysis and business assessment

Industry-specific business plan templates with emphasis on financial projections and statements

Expensive monthly cost compared to alternatives

Limited business plan features

Entire business plan can only be exported to Microsoft Word

Outdated interface

Industry-specific business plan templates with step-by-step building wizard

Ability to create financial statements and projections

Free website hosting and website builder

Customer relationship manager with integration with MailChimp

Digital marketing dashboard with social media and Google Analytics integrations

HR document builder

Corporate minutes writer

Business documents library

Business courses library

Unlimited business consultation

$39 per month, no contracts, free cancellation

Best for simple, fast business plan creation.

If you're looking for free business plan software, Enloop will be one of your closest options—they offer an all-inclusive seven-day free trial, no credit card required. Additionally, unlike some of the other options on our list, Enloop is strictly dedicated to business plan creation, including automated text writing, financial forecast comparisons, and a real-time performance score that tracks your progress.

This being said, if you'd prefer the most straightforward, fast, and simple way to write your business plan, Enloop will be a platform worth considering.

Simple and straightforward software, solely dedicated to business plan creation

Seven-day free trial

Automatic text generation available to streamline the writing process

Affordable plans with annual discount option

Limited additional educational resources

Only one template option

No integration options

Ability to create three business plans with customizable text, images, tables, charts, and over 100 currency symbols and formats

Includes automatic text generation for each plan section that you can then customize

Automatically generated financial statements

Includes financial performance comparison analysis (using three ratios with Detailed plan and 16 with Performance plan)

Real-time performance score to track your progress

Ability to invite users to edit (two with Detailed plan, five with Performance plan)

Pass/fail report and certificate to help you identify issues with your plan

Free plan: Seven-day free trial with no credit card required

Detailed plan: $19.95 per month or $11 per month, paid annually

Performance plan: $39.95 per month, or $24 per month, paid annually

Best for startups looking to acquire funding or find investors.

Part of the Startups.com suite, Bizplan gets top marks for their user interface—it’s intuitive, easy to use, and modern. You’ll work with a step-by-step business plan builder to get exactly what you’d like from your business plan. It may remind you of a modern website builder, since it has drag-and-drop tools to build templates.

Moreover, for one subscription fee, you have access to all of the tools in the Startups.com network, including self-guided courses, how-to guides, masterclass videos, and more. All in all, with a direct connection to Fundable, Bizplan is a top business plan software option for startups looking to acquire funding and find investors.

Subscription gives you access to all Startups.com tools

Lifetime access subscription option

User-friendly drag-and-drop business plan builder

Excellent educational resources

Connection to Fundable great for businesses looking for capital

No free trial

No templates based on industry

No mobile access

Drag-and-drop templates for business plan building

Financial command center to track all business financials in one place

Unlimited account collaborators

Ability to share business plan online with investors

Online resources including self-guided courses, masterclass videos, how-to guides, mentorship access

Unlimited software use for Fundable, Launchrock, and Startups.com

Monthly plan: $29 per month

Annual plan: $20.75 per month, billed at $249 per year

Lifetime access: $349 one-time fee

5. PlanGuru

Best for financial planning and budgeting.

Finally, for some of the strongest financial features among business plan software options, including budgeting and forecasting, you might check out PlanGuru. Whereas the other solutions we've reviewed were first and foremost focused on writing a business plan, PlanGuru is dedicated to business financial planning —providing the tools you need to create budgets, financial forecasts, reports, and more.

Therefore, if you need a software solution that can streamline the financial piece of your business planning processes, PlanGuru will certainly have the most to offer.

Extensive financial tools and detailed forecasting, budgeting, and reporting capabilities

Substantial library of resources

Cloud-based and desktop options

14-day free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee

Expensive, especially for additional users

Only focuses on the financial aspect of business planning; no templates or tools for basic business plan writing

Difficult to use without prior financial knowledge

Cloud-based version of software, as well as locally installed Windows version (desktop version has a few more features)

Works with QuickBooks Online, Xero, and Excel

Budgeting and forecasting for up to 10 years

Over 20 standard forecasting methods

Formula builder to create custom methods

Ratios and KPIs

Dashboard and reporting tools

Help guides, video tutorials, knowledgebase, and live U.S.-based customer support

14-day free trial

$99 per month (additional users $29 per month)

$899 per year (additional users $299 per year)

What to look for in business plan software

Ultimately, it's up to you to decide, which, if any, of the best business plan software solutions on our list is right for your business.

So, if you're trying to figure out how to choose between the various options out there, it might be helpful to compare your top choices based on the following criteria:

Features: As we've seen different business plan software solutions offer different features. You'll want to look carefully at the feature list of any software and determine what features are most important for your business needs. Do you need an extensive library of templates with detailed customization? Would you prefer software that includes an online learning center for business skills? Are you looking for a solution that combines business plan writing with other tasks? It may be useful to list out your ideal feature set, so you can compare individual software plans to that list.

Price: Although you might be able to find some free business plan software options (or at the very least, free trials), in most cases, you'll need to pay a subscription fee to access the platform you choose. Therefore, you'll want to think about what your budget is for this business tool and what type of software is most cost-effective for your needs.

User experience: User experience can vary widely among different business plan software options. You’ll find some programs that are newer or have been recently updated. Others might have the kind of interfaces that felt new years ago but are now pretty out of date—and, subsequently, make them a little harder to use. The right user experience for your needs is genuinely a matter of opinion and comfort—nevertheless, it's worth testing thoroughly testing out a platform to ensure that it can truly work for you before investing in a monthly or annual subscription.

The bottom line

There's no doubt that properly crafting your business plan is important for the future growth and success of your small business. Luckily, the right business plan software should make the process much simpler.

This being said, whether you opt for one of the best business plan software options listed here, or another platform entirely, you'll want to take the time to compare multiple solutions and ensure you choose the one that's right for your business.

As we mentioned, it can be helpful to think about the features you're looking for, your budget, and your user-experience preferences ahead of time—that way, you'll have a set of criteria in mind as you explore different solutions.

Ultimately, perhaps the best thing you can do to find the right software is to actually test out the platforms themselves—either by using a free trial or a money-back guarantee.

This article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

On a similar note...

• What is the Best Business Plan Software for Mac?

• Startup Culture
• Business Skills

Last Updated: July 25, 2023 By TRUiC Team

Truth is, not all business plan software tools out there are Mac-friendly, it just so happens that our absolute favorite here at Startup Savant is 100% compatible with Mac, iPhone, or pretty much any other device - LivePlan ! In terms of value, features and pricing - they're heard to beat.

That said, let's dive a little deeper into the 5 reasons Mac users adore LivePlan. Come on, it'll be fun, adventurous, and this article might just be the catalyst you've been searching for. Enjoy!

Recommended: You can also check out our review of the  best business planning software.

Exclusive Bonus : If you'd like to try LivePlan yourself, here's an exclusive 50% off LivePlan promo code  offered to our readers. You'll have 60 days of risk free planning with their 100% money back guarantee. Enjoy!

#1) Presentation-Ready Business Plans

Whether you're out to organize ideas better, show them to potential partners, or to have a chance at funding from credit unions, investors and lenders, LivePlan guides you to presentation-ready plans. Clean. Concise. Beautiful. Well-formatted and fully customizable.

#2) User-Friendly and Modern Interface

It's hard not to love their software's interface, especially if you're nowhere near a number cruncher. No savvy required to look pretty. All you need is the data, or information, and LivePlan will take care of the rest.

#3) A Scoreboard to Monitor Progress

The LivePlan Scoreboard is a dashboard where you can view and keep tabs on your brand's evolution. It highlights important info that's easy to digest and discern. Stay aware and generate progress reports with a couple clicks.

#4) 500+ Templates

Nearly all of the business plan software provides give you templates to customize. However, LivePlan is unique because you get 500+ that've been tried and tested by real startups and entrepreneurs like you. LivePlan's been collecting them through the generous contributions of their users. This way you'll never have to start from scratch.

#5) Create Powerful Market Data

Along with your pitch, core objectives, and financials...no one does market data presentation quite like LivePlan. The screenshot below doesn't do them justice by any means. If you love seeing raw data transform into beautiful graphs and charts that make everything easier to grasp and act on, then LivePlan will definitely tickle your fancy.

What Your Business Plan Could Look Like

Below is the example they provide on their site. It's minimalist and more of an executive summary. Our business plan is 20 pages long but just as lovely, although we went with a more dramatic template with dark red.

LivePlan Pricing Structure

LivePlan offers a single straightforward plan and you can go monthly or invest once a year. Regular price for the monthly subscription is $19.95, but with our 50% off discount (in the big link at the end of this article), you’ll pay only $9.95 for the first month.

Do keep in mind though that the annual subscription saves you 40% and drops the price per month to a mere $11 and change. Oh, and don't forget their 100% money back guarantee.

Ready To Make Your Move?

So at the end of the day, since you're very interested in planning software for your Mac, there's no reason not to head on over to LivePlan , sign up, take the leap, make your move, and see what's in store. I myself am one of the over 350,000 entrepreneurs who've used LivePlan and I can honestly say it's solid software (cloud-based too). Thanks so much for stopping by and reading. Here's to the big wonderfully successful and transformative years ahead of you.

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The Best 7 Business Plan Software for Mac – Streamline Your Business Strategy!

• June 4, 2023

Table of Contents

In the world of business, having a well-drafted plan is critical. Business plan software helps users streamline their business strategy and create professional-grade plans that showcase their vision for their company. Business plan software is a powerful tool that can help entrepreneurs develop their ideas, pitch to investors, and track their progress. The right software can help simplify the business planning process, save time, and increase productivity.

However, with so many options available in the market, choosing the best business plan software for Mac can be a daunting task. In this post, we will introduce and compare the top 7 business plan software for Mac to help you make the right choice.

Video Tutorial:

What is business plan software.

Business plan software is an application that helps entrepreneurs create or improve their business plans. These plans typically detail a company’s overall strategy, goals, target market, competition, financial analysis, and more. Business plan software can help create professional-grade plans that showcase a company’s vision, mission, and goals. This software can help entrepreneurs get started with their business planning and provide guidance throughout the process.

Best 7 Business Plan Software for Mac Recommendation 2023

1. liveplan.

LivePlan is an award-winning business planning software that offers a step-by-step wizard to guide you through the entire process. It features easy-to-use templates, interactive forecasting tools, and a wide variety of customizable charts and graphs. You can also integrate your financial data with accounting software such as QuickBooks. LivePlan offers a 60-day money-back guarantee, making it a risk-free option for entrepreneurs.

Download Link

– Easy to use templates – Interactive forecasting tools – Compatible with QuickBooks – Live technical support available

– No free trial – Relatively expensive compared to other options – Limited customization options

Enloop is another popular business plan software that uses machine learning to assess the viability of your business plan. It offers easy-to-use templates, financial forecasting tools, and automated text writing tools. It also provides industry-specific data, such as market trends and competitor analysis. Enloop offers a free version with limited features, and paid plans with higher-end features.

– Uses machine learning to improve business plans – Offers industry-specific data – Free version available – Automated text writing tools

– Limited customization options – Limited financial forecasting tools in the free version – No technical support available in the free version

Bizplan offers a variety of business planning tools, including financial forecasting, team collaboration, and custom branding options. It also offers funding advice, with a network of investors and VC firms available to interact with. Bizplan offers a free trial period with access to all features, and paid plans are available with additional features and support.

– Custom branding options – Funding advice and investor network – Free trial available – Live chat and phone support available

– Relatively expensive compared to other options – No free version available – Limited customization options on lower-tier plans

4. StratPad

StratPad is a cloud-based business plan software that uses a step-by-step process to guide you through the planning process. It offers financial forecasting tools, team collaboration, and customized reports. StratPad also provides access to a community forum, where you can interact with other entrepreneurs and receive feedback on your plan. StratPad offers a free trial period, and paid plans are available with additional features.

– Community forum for feedback and collaboration – Customized reports – Free trial period available – Ability to export data to PDF or Excel

– Limited customization options – No 24/7 support available – No mobile app available

5. Business Plan Pro

Business Plan Pro offers a step-by-step wizard to guide users through the planning process. It provides industry-specific data, financial forecasting tools, and customizable reports. Business Plan Pro offers phone and email support, as well as a community forum for feedback and collaboration. A free trial is not available, but users can purchase the software with a 60-day money-back guarantee.

– Step-by-step planning process – Industry-specific data – Customizable reports – 60-day money-back guarantee

– No free trial available – Limited customization options – No mobile app available

6. PlanGuru

PlanGuru is a comprehensive financial forecasting tool that offers the ability to create detailed business plans. It also features a customizable dashboard that allows users to view data in real time and monitor their business performance. PlanGuru integrates with accounting software such as QuickBooks and provides a free trial for users to test out the software’s features.

– Comprehensive financial forecasting tools – Customizable dashboard – Integrates with QuickBooks – Free trial available

– Limited business planning features – Limited customization options – Does not offer support for non-financial metrics

7. GoSmallBiz

GoSmallBiz is a cloud-based tool that offers business planning features, along with numerous other tools targeted towards small business owners. It features a step-by-step planning process, financial forecasting tools, and customizable reports. GoSmallBiz also provides access to a customer support team for help with any issues or questions. GoSmallBiz offers a 30-day free trial, and paid plans are available with additional features.

– Step-by-step planning process – Numerous other tools for small business owners – Customizable reports – 30-day free trial

– Limited customization options – Relatively expensive compared to other options – No mobile app available

Comprehensive Comparison of Each Software

The table below provides a comprehensive comparison of each business plan software based on several evaluation criteria, including free trial, price, ease of use, and value for money.

Our Thoughts on Business Plan Software for Mac

Choosing the right business plan software depends on several factors, such as price, ease of use, and customization options. If you value simplicity and ease of use, LivePlan and Enloop may be good choices for you. If you’re looking for more advanced features and customization options, StratPad and PlanGuru may be better options. Finally, if you want access to a variety of other tools targeted towards small business owners, GoSmallBiz may be the right fit.

Overall, we recommend LivePlan for its user-friendly approach, interactive forecasting tools, and integration with QuickBooks. Additionally, LivePlan offers a money-back guarantee, making it a low-risk option for entrepreneurs.

FAQs About Business Plan Software

Q1: what should i include in my business plan.

A: A business plan typically includes an executive summary, company description, market analysis, competitive analysis, management and organization overview, product or service description, marketing and sales strategies, financial analysis, and funding request information.

Q2: How long does it take to create a business plan?

A: The length of time it takes to create a business plan varies depending on several factors, such as the complexity of the business, the amount of research required, and the availability of information. However, it typically takes several weeks to several months to complete a comprehensive business plan.

Q3: Can I use business plan software for a non-profit organization?

A: Yes, many business plan software options can be used for non-profit organizations, with some offering specific tools and templates tailored towards non-profits.

Q4: How much should a business plan cost?

A: The cost of a business plan can vary widely, with some plans costing as little as $10 and others costing several hundred dollars or more. The cost typically depends on the features and customization options offered by the software.

Q5: Can business plan software help me secure funding?

A: Yes, business plan software can help you create a comprehensive plan that showcases your business idea and financial projections to potential investors or lenders. However, securing funding is not guaranteed and ultimately depends on the viability and potential of your business idea.

In Conclusion

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Best business plan software of 2024

For planning your business finance

Best overall

Best budget, best established, best for speed.

• How we test

The best business plan software makes it simple and easy to plan your business finances in order to present them to a bank or investors.

1. Best overall 2. Best budget 3. Best basic 4. Best established 5. Best for speed 6. FAQs 7. How we test

The whole point of a business plan is that it allows you to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, not least via your Unique Selling Point (USP) ,and make product or service comparisons with competitors.

Of course, even the best business plan relies on estimates and guesstimates, as it's impossible to predict market changes, developments, and future performance under such conditions. 

Ultimately, though, a business plan will demonstratively prove why your business is a solid enough investment to risk putting money into, and shows that you have properly and thoroughly researched your market, and details the real potential of a new business opportunities.

Here then are the best business plan software providers currently available.

You may also be interested in our featured business guides on best business laptops , best business computers and best business smartphones .

The best business plan software of 2024 in fill:

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Reasons to buy

Reasons to avoid.

Bizplan is the online business planning tool that claims usage of 30,000 startup founders from the Startups.co platform. They use a guided creator that can break the big project down into the component pieces that get tracked with a Progress Tracker, and expert guidance each step of the way including templates that can be dropped in, and completed, along with simple integration of visuals along the way.

Additional resources are also provided via the Bizplan Academy, with lessons on relevant topics, for example, “Building a Brand: How to Tell a Powerful Brand Story,” and “Critical Path Your Way to Higher Revenues,” among the many offerings. Those that need even more assistance also can take advantage of an expert consultation from a financial expert.

• ^ Back to the top

2. PlanGuru

PlanGuru is a comprehensive, and powerful software package in the business planning space. Education is provided via a series of case studies at their PlanGuru University and a whole slew of video tutorials.

The feature set includes flexible budgeting that can handle a simple small business, or a larger multi-department operating budget, and financial forecasting that uses multiple methods, including intelligent and turn-key methods - twenty methods in total. Historical results can also be imported with the general ledger import utility which can then applied to produce a rolling forecast. They also offer PlanGuru Launch, a service to bring in expertise and is charged per hour of assistance.

A significant downside is Planguru charges a higher cost than other software options. The cheapest option is around $75 per month for one business entity when billed annually. While there is no free trial, PlanGuru does offer a 30 day money back guarantee. 

Our expert review:

Enloop is a great choice for business planning software for the cash strapped business as it is the rare offering that has a free tier. Step up up to the next tier, and this is no barebones product, as it has over 100 currency symbols, can automatically generate bank-ready financial reports, and even has automated text writing that can sync with financial data to turn it into text. There is also a real time performance score assigned, that dynamically changes as the business plan is strengthened.  

The plans start with the Free tier, which is limited to a single business plan with simple text, no images, and does not offer any advanced features. The next plan up is the Detailed plan, that supports three business plans, and offers a significant 55% discount when paid annually, making it even better value. This plan costs around $20 per month. For a more comprehensive package you can buy the Performance plan costing around $40 per month.

Read our full Enloop business plan software review .

4. LivePlan

LivePlan is business planning software that offers a simple pricing scheme as there is only a single plan to choose from. As they have a 15+ year track record, they offer a clean and simple interface, that can create business plans that look like they were done by an expert consultant, and the software includes a live dashboard that can track day-to-day performance. Those with writer’s block will benefit from the over 500 included sample plans that can be turned to for inspiration.  

Rather than complicate things with too many tiers to choose from, LivePlan only has a single plan which can be paid for monthly or annually.

5. Business Sorter

Business Sorter promises to simplify and speed up business planning and claims to be able to flesh out a plan in an hour or two, via a novel 273 card sort system that covers many common situations.

The ability to reword cards is included, or also to add cards to the already expansive deck, so no worries if there is not a pre-made card for your situation. Unlike some sites that have videos, the educational resources here are provided as PDFs and Word files, which can be quicker to access, but harder to follow for some learners. 

The lowest tier plan, Basic is fully featured, and includes up to three team leaders. 

Read our full Business Sorter review .

Other business plan software to consider

We've only covered some of the most popular business plan software platforms out there, but there are a number of other notables worth mentioning, plus a wide variety of providers of business plan templates. Below we'll briefly cover a range of some of the additional options out there that are worth considering to get your business plan right.

Go Business Plans is more of a consultancy than a software solution, but is worth mentioning for the simple fact that it's one of America's biggest business plan companies. While software might be able to do the job for you, if you're looking for significant funding, it's probably useful to get some professional advice, not least in terms of strategic planning, feasibility studies, and financial projections to ensure you have a solid base for your business plan.

Wise Business Plans provides a very wide range of templates to work from in constructing a business plan. These are particularly designed with funding in mind, no matter what kind of business you run. What is especially helpful is that Wise doesn’t simply deal with business plan templates for a diverse range of business types, the company also provides plan templates for franchises and non-profits.

Plan Writers  is another bespoke service that essentially listens to what you want and then puts the plan together for you. Again, this technically falls outside of business plan "software", but the chances are you'll use a software package as a platform to build from, and Plan Writers can then help you build up from that base.

Bplans is another provider of business plan templates, but goes beyond that with additional pitch and SWOT analysis templates. There are also business plan guides, industry reports, and a free course on writing a business plan. Bplans also publishes a lot of free-to-use articles on business planning, financials, and tax reporting, to help ensure you can keep your figures and projections accurate and compliant.

We've also listed the best free software for small business .

A business plan is essentially your roadmap to profitability from an initial investment. Whether it's your own money, or a loan from a bank, it's still a good idea to set up a business plan for yourself.

Main things to look to are a SWOT analysis to provide an idea of your business idea's strengths and weaknesses, as well as identify a unique selling point (USP) that will give your business an edge.

While business plans inevitably demand the use of figures, and while these can be impossible to be accurate with, at least by making intelligent guesses you can set yourself targets to work towards.

That's another common feature of a plan, so that specific periods you can review your business progress and make adjustments to your plan as required. This allows you to use real figures for your projections, allowing you to better plan ahead.

Which business plan software is best for you?

When deciding which business plan software to use, first consider what your actual needs are, as sometimes free platforms may only provide basic options, so if you need to use advanced tools you may find a paid platform is much more worthwhile. Additionally, free and budget software options can sometimes prove limited when it comes to the variety of tools available, while higher-end software can really cater for every need, so do ensure you have a good idea of which features you think you may require.

How we tested the best business plan software

To test for the best business plan software we first set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a download or as an online service. We then tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations. The aim was to push each business plan software platform to see how useful its basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools.

Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar .

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Home > Business > Business Startup

• 5 Best Business Plan Software and Tools in 2023 for Your Small Business

Data as of 3 /13/23 . Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

We are committed to sharing unbiased reviews. Some of the links on our site are from our partners who compensate us. Read our editorial guidelines and advertising disclosure .

A business plan can do a lot for your business. It can help you secure investors or other funding. It can give your company direction. It can keep your finances healthy. But, if we’re being honest, it can also be a pain to write.

Luckily, you don’t have to start from scratch or go it alone. Business plan software and services can help you craft a professional business plan, like our top choice LivePlan , which provides templates, guidance, and more.

You’ve got quite a few choices for business plan help, so we’re here to help you narrow things down. Let’s talk about the best business plan tools out there.

• LivePlan : Best overall
• BizPlanBuilder : Most user-friendly
• Wise Business Plans : Best professional service
• Business Sorter : Best for internal plans
• GoSmallBiz.com : Most extra features
• Honorable mentions

Business plan software 101

The takeaway, business plan software faq, compare the best business plan software.

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LivePlan: Best overall business plan software

Data as of 3 /13/23 . Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. *With annual billing

LivePlan has been our favorite business plan software for a while now, despite the stiff competition.

There’s a lot to like about LivePlan. It has pretty much all the features you could want from your business plan software. LivePlan gives you step-by-step instructions for writing your plan, helps you create financial reports, lets you compare your business’s actual financials to your plan’s goals, and much more. And if you ever need inspiration, it includes hundreds of sample business plans that can guide your writing.

LivePlan software pricing

But the best part? You get all that (and more) at a very competitive price. (You can choose from annual, six-month, or monthly billing.) While LivePlan isn’t quite the cheapest business plan builder out there, it’s not too far off either. And if comes with a 60-day money back guarantee. So there’s no risk in trying LivePlan out for yourself.

With a great balance of features and cost, LivePlan offers the best business plan solution for most businesses.

BizPlanBuilder: Most user-friendly

Need something easy to use? BizPlanBuilder fits the bill.

BizPlanBuilder doesn’t have a flashy, modern user interface―but it does have a very clear, intuitive one. You’ll be able to see your plan’s overall structure at a glance, so you can quickly navigate from your title page to your market trend section to that paragraph on your core values. And as you write, you’ll use a text editor that looks a whole lot like the word processing programs you’re already familiar with.

BizPlanBuilder software pricing

Data effective 3/13/23. At publishing time, amounts, rates, and requirements are current but are subject to change. Offers may not be available in all areas.

BizPlanBuilder also offers lots of helpful guidance for actually writing your plan. It gives you pre-written text, in which you just have to fill in relevant details. It offers explanations for what information you need to include in each section of your plan and way. It even gives you helpful tips from experts, so you’ll have all the information you need to plan like a pro.

So if you want planning software with almost no learning curve, you’ll like BizPlanBuilder.

Wise Business Plans: Best professional service

• Custom quote

Unlike all the other companies on this list, Wise Business Plans doesn’t offer software. Instead, it offers professional business plan writing services―meaning someone does all the hard work for you.

Now, you might think that sounds expensive―and you’re probably right (you have to request a custom quote for your plan). But there’s a lot to be said for expertise, and Wise Business Plans has plenty of that. Your business plan will get written by an experienced writer (with an MBA, no less). They’ll get information from you, do their own research, and then write your plan. You get one free revision, and you can always pay for more.  

Wise Business Plans service pricing

Your end result will be a polished, entirely original business plan. (You can even get printed copies.) And best of all, you won’t have to spend your precious time working on the plan yourself. Wise Business Plans takes care of all the hard parts, and makes your business look good while doing it. Sounds like a service worth paying for, right?

Put simply, if you want the most professional business plan possible, we recommend using Wise Business Plans’s writing service.

Business Sorter: Best for internal plans

Many businesses need plans to show to people outside the company (to get financing, for example). But what if you just need a plan for internal use? In that case, we suggest Business Sorter.

Business Sorter uses a unique card-based method to help you craft the perfect business plan. (You can watch a demo video to see how it works.) You’ll plan some of the usual things, like finances and marketing. But Business Sorter also lets you make plans for specific teams and team members. It also emphasizes more internal matters, like operations, that might get overlooked in a business plan for outsiders.

Business Sorter software pricing

After you’ve made your business plan, Business Sorter also helps you stay accountable to it. You can create tasks, give them deadlines, and assign them to team members―giving you basic project management tools to make sure your business plans become business actions. (Oh, and did we mention that Business Sorter has the lowest starting prices of any software on this list?)

It all adds up to a business plan software that works great for internal planning.

GoSmallBiz: Most extra features

Want to get way more than just business planning software? Then you probably want GoSmallBiz.

See, GoSmallBiz offers business plan software as part of its service―but it’s just one part of a much bigger whole. You also get everything from discounts on legal services to a website builder to a CRM (customer relationship manager) to business document templates. And more. In other words, you get just about everything you need to get your startup off the ground.

GoSmallBiz software pricing

Don’t worry though―you still get all the business planning help you need. GoSmallBiz gives you business plan templates, step-by-step instructions, and the ability to create financial projections. And if you get stuck, GoSmallBiz will put you in touch with experts who can offer advice.

If you want business planning and much, much more, give GoSmallBiz a try.

• PlanGuru : Best financial forecasting
• EnLoop : Cheapest tool for startups

We recommend the software above for most business planning needs. Some businesses, though, might be interested in these more specialized planning software.

Honorable mention software pricing

Planguru: best financial forecasting features.

PlanGuru is pretty pricey compared to our other picks, but you might find its forecasting features worth paying for. It has more forecasting methods than other software (over 20) plus it lets you forecast up to 10 years.

EnLoop: Cheapest tool for startups

EnLoop doesn’t have our favorite features or interface, but it does have really, really low pricing plus a seven-day free trial. It's the most affordable software for startup business planning and still provides all the essential features like financial analysis, team collaboration, charting, and more.

Data as of 3 /13/23 . Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. * With annual billing

Several of our previous favorite planning software, including BusinessPlanPro and StratPad, seem to have gone out of business.

A business plan is a written, living document that tells the story of your business and what you plan to do with it. It serves as the source of truth for you—the business owner—as well as potential partners, employees, and investors, but it also serves as a roadmap of what you want your business to be.

Why you need a business plan

While some small-business owners don’t see the point of creating a formal business plan, it can have some concrete benefits for your business. For example, one 2016 study found that business owners with written plans are more successful than those that don’t. 1

Still too vague? Then let’s get specific.

If you ever seek business funding (from, say, banks, angel investors , or venture capitalists ), you’ll have to prove that your business deserves the money you want. A formal business plan―complete with financial data and projections―gives you a professional document you can use to make your case. (In fact, most potential investors will expect you to have a business plan ready.)

Even if you’re not seeking funding right now, a business plan can help your business. A formal plan can guide your business’s direction and decision making. It can keep your business accountable (by, for example, seeing if your business meets the financial projections you included). And a formal plan offers a great way to make sure your team stays on the same page.

What to include in your business plan

Not all business plans are created equal. To make a really useful business plan, you’ll want to include a number of elements:

• Basic information about your business
• Your products/services
• Market and industry analysis
• What makes your business competitive
• Strategies and upcoming plans
• Your team (and your team’s background)
• Current financial status
• Financial and market projections
• Executive summary

Of course, you can include more or fewer elements―whatever makes sense for your business. Just make sure your business plan is comprehensive (but not overwhelming).

How business plan software can help

With so many elements to include, business plan creation can take a while. Business plan software tries to speed things up.

Most business plan software will include prompts for each section. In some cases, you can just fill in your business’s specific information, and the software will write the text for you. In other cases, the software will give you specific guidance and examples, helping you write the text yourself.

Plus, business plan software can help you stay organized. You’ll usually get intuitive menus that let you quickly flip through sections. So rather than endlessly scrolling through a long document in a word processor, you can quickly find your way around your plan. Some software even lets you drag and drop sections to reorganize your plan.

Sounds way easier than just staring at a blank page and trying to start from scratch, right?

Choosing business plan software

To find the right business plan builder for your business, you’ll want to compare features. For example, would you rather write your own text, getting prompts and advice from your software? Or would you rather go with a fill-in-the-blank method?

Likewise, think about the elements you need. If your plan will have a heavy focus on finances, you’ll want to choose business plan software with robust financial projection features. If you care more about market and competitor analysis, look for software that can help with that research.

You may also want to find business plan software that integrates with your business accounting software . Some plan builders will import data from Xero, QuickBooks, etc. to quickly generate your financial data and projections.

And of course, you’ll want to compare prices. After all, you always want to end up with software that fits your business budget.

The right business plan software can make your life easier. With LivePlan ’s wide breadth of features and online learning tools, you can’t go wrong. Plus, BizPlanBuilder 's one-time pricing makes it easy to invest while Business Sorter has a low starting cost. And if you're business is looking to grow, GoSmallBiz and Wise Business Plans will scale with you.

But of course, different companies have different needs. So shop around until you find the software that’s best for you and your business.

Now that you've got a business plan, take a look at our checklist for starting a small business.  It can help you make sure you have everything else you need to get your startup off to a good start!

Related content

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• Best Project Management Software and Tools in 2023
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Creating a business plan can take anywhere from a couple hours to several weeks. Your timeline will depend on things like the elements you choose to include, whether you use software or hire a writing service, and how much research goes into your plan.

That said, much of the business plan software out there brags that it can help you create a fairly detailed plan in a few hours. So if you’re going the software route, that can help you set your expectations.

If you want to get the most out of your business plan, you should update it on a regular basis―at least annually. That way, you can continually refer to it to inform your company’s strategies and direction.  

At the very least, you should update your business plan before you start looking for a new round of funding (whether that’s with investors or lenders).

Thanks to business plan software, you can easily write your own business plan rather than pay someone to do it for you. And in most cases, software will cost you less than a professional business plan service.

There are some times you might want to go with a service though. If time is tight, you might find that it’s worth the cost of a service. Or if you’ve got big investor meetings on the horizon, you might want the expertise and polish that a professional service can offer.

Ultimately, you’ll have to decide for yourself whether business plan software or a business plan service will work better for your company.

Methodology

We ranked business plan software and tools based on features, pricing and plans, and connections to project management and other services. The value of each plan and service, along with what it offers, was a big consideration in our rankings, and we looked to see if what was offered was useful to small businesses or just extra. The final thing we looked at was the ease of use of the software to see if it's too complex for small businesses.

At Business.org, our research is meant to offer general product and service recommendations. We don't guarantee that our suggestions will work best for each individual or business, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services.

Sources 1. Harvard Business Review, “ Research: Writing a Business Plan Makes Your Startup More Likely to Succeed .” Accessed March 13, 2023.

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Get inspired by 550+ sample business plans

Browse hundreds of sample business plans that cover every industry imaginable. This helps you visualize what your completed plan should look like.

Organize & pitch your ideas

Clarify and vet your ideas in 30 minutes by creating a One-Page Pitch. Then use it to easily explain your business opportunity to investors.

Create financials without clunky spreadsheets

No more complicated formulas. LivePlan guides you through a simple process for building financial forecasts and reports for your business plan.

LivePlan has helped over 1 million business owners build better businesses

It’s proven, companies that plan and track against their plan grow 30% faster than those that don’t. No matter your industry, location, or size — LivePlan helps you get your business off the ground and grow

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Joanna Stanford

Founder, Trots Dogs

“That’s what it does for your business; [using LivePlan] has got us all talking and much more engaged about what we are and what we’re trying to do.”

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“Before LivePlan, I was making decisions that were poorly informed. Now I test everything through my business first, before I take it to my clients.”

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Free Mac Excel Project Management and Accounting Templates

By Kate Eby | April 16, 2019

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In this article, you’ll find the top Excel templates for a variety of use cases – from project management to budgeting — compatible with all Mac operating systems. Manage your projects, track budgets and deadlines, and plan schedules effectively with these helpful, preformatted templates in Microsoft Excel.

Included on this page, you'll find a variety of templates for many use cases, such as a Gantt Chart template , a project planning template , a business budget template , and more.

Gantt Chart Template for Mac

Organize, track, and manage your projects and timelines with this easy-to-use Gantt chart template. Input project tasks, start and end dates, and durations to create a high-level overview of your timelines and ensure that you meet all of your deadlines and are able to appropriately allocate resources.

Download Gantt Chart Template for Mac

Excel  | Smartsheet

For more information on creating a Gantt chart in Excel on a Mac, visit this article for step-by-step instructions and an instructional video. For more general information on Gantt charts, like specific use cases, the features of a Gantt chart, and the benefits in implementing one in your next project, visit this article .

Agile Project With Gantt Chart Template for Mac

Track your project details, group specific tasks into sprints, and view project progress with this Agile project plan template. Gain a high-level overview of your project with the included Gantt chart, which allows you to view task start and end dates, durations, and people assigned to each phase of the project.

Download Agile Project with Gantt Chart Template for Mac

Project Planning Template for Mac

Document all your project details, from tasks to durations to percentage of tasks completed, with this comprehensive project planning template for Mac. Manage and track projects, both large and small, and ensure that all stakeholders and team members are kept up to date on project progress. House all necessary project information within this project plan to keep details in context and to keep projects moving.

Download Project Planning Template for Mac

Project Timeline Template for Mac

Easily track projects of all sizes with a timeline that displays tasks and milestones for each project phase. Use this template to create a weekly, monthly, and annual timeline in order to quickly identify dependencies and get an overview of the entire project. You can also use this template as a tool for project planning, scheduling, and tracking.

Download Project Timeline Template for Mac

Inventory Tracker Template for Mac

Leverage this template in your next project to view inventory by item name, description, or ID number, track the total quantity and value of your current inventory, set reorder dates, and identify discontinued items. Customize the columns based on how you want to track your inventory, and the totals will automatically calculate.

Download Inventory Tracker Template for Mac

Sign-Up Sheet Template for Mac

Use this generic sign-up sheet for a variety of uses, from classes and meetings to social events and club get-togethers. Record attendance by participant name, signature, email address, and more to log attendance and times in and out. Edit the template as needed to capture all necessary information for your event.

‌ Download Sign-Up Sheet Template for Mac — Excel

Timesheet Template for Mac

Manage employee hours and ensure you are awarding them with the appropriate pay rates with this timesheet template for Mac. With space to document daily and weekly hours, income earned, vacation days and rates, and overtime hours, you can accurately track each employees’ pay rates. Simply insert the data into the correct cells, and your totals will automatically calculate.

Download Timesheet Template for Mac

To-Do List Template for Mac

This basic to-do list template can be customized to be a daily, weekly, or monthly to-do list based on your desired time frame. Write out your individual tasks for the allotted time period, update the status of each task, set priority levels, assign due dates and owners, and add notes to manage additional details.

Download To-Do List Template for Mac

Monthly Calendar Template for Mac

Use this calendar template to schedule, plan, and track important dates or tasks on a monthly cadence. Easily plan for events of all types and sizes, track against deadlines, and view both previous and upcoming months for even easier planning efforts. This is a classic calendar-style template in a landscape format.

Download Monthly Calendar Template for Mac for 2024 - Excel

Weekly Calendar Template for Mac

This weekly calendar template makes it easy to plan for events, tasks, and deadlines for the upcoming week. Visualize your schedule and plan accordingly by noting all events directly on the calendar. With space to add additional notes or comments, you’ll also be able to effectively plan for the week ahead. This calendar also includes all U.S holidays.

‌ Download Weekly Calendar Template for Mac — Excel

Daily Planner Template for Mac

Use this daily planner template to track appointments, important events, and upcoming deadlines to keep yourself on schedule. With sections for prioritized tasks and notes, this daily planner template can help you stay organized throughout a busy day. This free, printable template allows you to create your own planner and customize it to match your needs.

Download Daily Planner Template for Mac

Timeline Template for Mac

Use this timeline template to assist your strategic planning process by highlighting goals and tasks over a set time period. You can use the template to facilitate discussions around key points or to create a summary timeline of a larger strategic plan. Simply edit the task section to meet the needs of your business or organization.

‌ Download Timeline Template for Mac — Excel

Business Budget Template for Mac

Track monthly income against expenses to ensure you remain within your budget with this simple business budget template. Choose either a services- or goods-based business and manage expenses as they come in. This template can help you gain a closer look at where company funds are both made and spent via categories that identify where the most money is going or coming from.

Download Business Budget Template for Mac

Personal Budget Tracker Template for Mac

List personal income, expenses, and savings goals in this detailed budget tracker template, which allows you to plan for the future and set overall budgeting goals. With space to detail all of your expenses, from rent to car payments, you can view how they stack up against the money you’re bringing in every month.

Download Personal Budget Tracker Template for Mac

Balance Sheet Template for Mac

Gain a quick snapshot of your company’s financial position at any given moment with this comprehensive balance sheet template. Use the template to summarize the company’s assets, liabilities, and equity, and give investors an idea of the health of the company.

Download Balance Sheet Template for Mac

Monthly Budget Calculator Template for Mac

Divide your monthly expenses into separate categories, like housing and transportation, and compare it to your average income to see how much you can save and spend on a monthly basis. The calculator will do all the work for you: Simply add in your payments and income, and the total will automtically calculate to give you an overview of how well you’re sticking to your budget.

‌ Download Monthly Budget Calculator Template for Mac — Excel

Invoice Template for Mac

Use this template to document service descriptions and calculate totals to accurately bill a client or customer. This detailed template includes space to add a service description, quantity of hours, pay rates, and sales tax, so the heavy lifting is done for you. Simply input your data and send the invoice to the designated recipient.

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Expense Report Template for Mac

Efficiently document your expenses with this detailed expense report template, which allows you to track the data, type, and total amount for each expense. Categorize your expenses with customizable columns, and watch the total reimbursement amount calculate for you with preformatted formulas.

Download Expense Report Template for Mac

Receipt Tracker Template for Mac

Stay on top of your expenses with this complete receipt tracker template. Simply fill in the details from your receipt, including a description, the category of expense, the total amount, and any additional sales tax. Use this template to keep all your receipt details organized and tracked, so you’re never surprised by expenses again.

‌ Download Receipt Tracker Template for Mac — Excel

Income Statement Template for Mac

Gain insight into the financial performance of your company over a defined period of time with this income statement template. Sometimes referred to as a profit and loss statement , an income statement provides a comprehensive summary of revenue, expenses, and net income, so you can stay on top of your business’s financial health.

Download Income Statement Template for Mac

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Quicken Classic Business & Personal for Mac

All your finances. together, but separate..

Built by Mac users for Mac users

Get everything you need to take control of your business, rental & personal finances. Connected when you want it, separate when you need it.

See all your budgets and cash flows with a dedicated business dashboard. Get a bird’s-eye view of your business for your most important items.

Maximize tax deductions across both business & personal finances. Save time with built-in reports for tax Schedules A through F. Plan your taxes with a quarterly tax calendar and export your data to TurboTax for tax season.

Enjoy unlimited reports for your business & personal finances, and even build your own. Explore profitability, cash flow, income statement, investments, debt, asset accounts, and more.

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Business & Personal for Mac includes every tool and feature from our entire Classic for Mac line , and more — adding features for small business & rentals: 

Manage your business & personal finances together, with perfect separation

Get Schedule C, E & F tax reports, profitability, income statement, cash flow, and more

Store business documents and receipts where you need them

Track business & personal mileage for tax deductions

Are my business finances separated from my personal finances in the software?

You can use report filters to see your business and personal finances however you want—one business, all businesses, or business & personal together or separately, even if income or expenses are from the same account.

How can Business & Personal help me pay down debt?

You can manage all your debt in one place — from your personal mortgage to your business loans. “What-if” tools let you compare options to see your best plan, whether that’s paying off small balances first or attacking high-interest loans.

Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now available for small and medium-sized businesses.

Find the best Microsoft 365 plan for your business

Choose between plans with and without microsoft teams., microsoft 365 business basic.

Originally starting from $6.00 now starting from $6.00

$6.00 $6.00

(Annual subscription–auto renews) 1

Apps and services to kick-start your business, including:

Identity, access, and user management for up to 300 employees

Custom business email ([email protected])

Web and mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook

Chat, call, and video conference with Microsoft Teams

1 TB of cloud storage per employee

• 10+ additional apps for your business needs (Microsoft Bookings, Planner, Forms, and others)

Automatic spam and malware filtering

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 Copilot for Microsoft 365, available as an add-on 3

Microsoft 365 Business Standard

Originally starting from $12.50 now starting from $12.50

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Desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook

Webinars with attendee registration and reporting

Collaborative workspaces to co-create using Microsoft Loop

Video editing and design tools with Microsoft Clipchamp

Copilot for Microsoft 365 available as an add-on 3

Microsoft 365 Business Premium

Originally starting from $22.00 now starting from $22.00

$22.00 $22.00

Everything in Business Standard, plus:

Advanced identity and access management

Enhanced cyberthreat protection against viruses and phishing attacks

Enterprise-grade device and endpoint protection

Discover, classify, and protect sensitive information

Microsoft 365 Apps for business

Originally starting from $8.25 now starting from $8.25

$8.25 $8.25

Desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook:

 Desktop versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook

1 TB of cloud storage per user

Add Copilot to your Microsoft plan 3  

Sign in to add Copilot to your existing Microsoft 365 business plan.

If you’re not an existing customer, buy a Microsoft 365 plan to get started.

Explore Microsoft 365

Help me choose the right Microsoft 365 plan

Learn more about microsoft 365 for business, learn more about microsoft 365 for enterprise, get just the microsoft 365 desktop apps, frequently asked questions, what is microsoft 365.

Microsoft 365 is the productivity cloud designed to help everyone achieve what matters, in their work and life, with best-in-class Microsoft 365 apps, intelligent cloud services, and advanced security.

On how many devices can I install Microsoft 365 apps if I have a Microsoft 365 business plan?

Install Microsoft 365 apps on up to five PCs or Macs, five tablets, and five mobile devices. Hybrid Windows devices, such as the Microsoft Surface Pro, count as either a PC or a tablet.

What forms of payment can I use?

All major credit cards are accepted. When paying with a credit card, your subscription amount will appear on your credit card statement. Existing customers may be eligible to pay by invoice and can contact support to check their eligibility for this payment method.  Learn more about paying by invoice . For Microsoft 365 business plans, depending on your choice of service, you'll be billed monthly or annually.

What's the difference between monthly, annual, and annual commitment payments?

To provide you with the greatest amount of flexibility, different payment options are available.

Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Microsoft 365 Apps for business, Microsoft 365 Business Standard, and Microsoft 365 Business Premium plans are available for monthly commitment payment or annual commitment payment.

• Monthly commitment payment:  Pay month by month and cancel at any time.
• Annual commitment payment:  Sign up for a one-year subscription and benefit from a discount for using this payment option. By default, your billing plan will be set to monthly billing. After your purchase, you can change your billing plan to annual billing within the Microsoft 365 admin center.  
• Annual commitment payment:  Sign up for a one-year subscription and choose to pay monthly or for the entire year at the time you sign up.

Can I convert my trial to a paid subscription and retain all my settings and files?

Yes. If you purchase Microsoft 365 licenses for the accounts you create during your free trial, the information and configuration for these users' accounts will remain intact. Once your free trial expires, you’ll have an additional 30 days to purchase Microsoft 365 before your account information is erased. Once your trial account information has been erased, it can’t be retrieved.

Does Microsoft 365 work when I'm not connected to the internet?

The Microsoft 365 apps that you install on your PC or Mac—such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook—are available to you when you’re not online. 

With OneDrive in Microsoft 365, get file storage that you can access when you’re offline. When you make changes while offline, they’ll be synced to OneDrive and across the rest of your devices when you reconnect.

With Outlook, read emails already delivered to your inbox, or draft new emails and meeting requests. Your inbox and outbox will sync across the rest of your devices when you reconnect.

What happens to my data if I cancel my subscription?

Your data is yours. If you decide to cancel your Microsoft 365 subscription, download your data—for example, your email and documents on team sites—and save it to another location. You should save your data before you cancel. After you cancel your subscription, data associated with your Microsoft 365 account will be available to your administrator(s) in a limited function account for 90 days.

Where can I find more answers to frequently asked questions?

Find more answers to frequently asked questions on the  Microsoft 365 for business FAQ page .

What is Microsoft Defender for Business?

Microsoft Defender for Business is an endpoint security solution designed to help businesses with up to 300 employees. It helps protect against cybersecurity threats, including malware and ransomware, in an easy-to-use, cost-effective package. Microsoft Defender for Business is included with Microsoft 365 Business Premium and is available as a standalone product.  Learn more .

How many users can I host for online meetings and video calls using Microsoft Teams?

With Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Microsoft 365 Business Standard, and Microsoft 365 Business Premium subscriptions that have a Microsoft Teams license, you can host online meetings and video calls for up to 300 people.

With Microsoft 365 E3 and E5, Microsoft 365 A3 and A5, and Microsoft 365 Government G3 and G5 subscriptions that have a Microsoft Teams license, this limit increases up to 1,000 people. Learn more . 

For IT providers, what are the options to manage more than one customer at a time?

Managed Service Providers (MSPs) who are part of Microsoft’s Cloud Solution Provider program can use Microsoft 365 Lighthouse as one central place to secure, manage, and grow their customers using Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium, Defender for Business, and Microsoft 365 for enterprise and education products.  Learn more .

Copilot for Microsoft 365 frequently asked questions

Find more answers to frequently asked questions. Learn more .

• [1] Once your paid subscription begins, cancellation policies vary based on your status as a new customer and your product and domain selections on Microsoft. Learn more . Cancel your Microsoft 365 subscription any time by going to the Microsoft 365 admin center. When a subscription is canceled, all associated data will be deleted. Learn more about data retention, deletion, and destruction in Microsoft 365 .
• [2] After your one-month free trial ends, your subscription will automatically convert into a 12-month paid subscription and you will be charged the applicable subscription fee. Cancel anytime during your free trial to stop future charges. Credit card required to sign-up. Learn more .
• [3] Copilot for Microsoft 365 may not be available for all markets and languages. To purchase, customers must have a qualifying plan for enterprise or business .
• [4] Availability of mobile apps varies by country/region.

Connect with Microsoft 365 :

• Chat with sales
• Contact sales

Available M-F 6 AM to 6 PM PT.

• Personal Cloud Solutions
• Cloud Storage

Best Cloud Storage Services: Personal & Business Storage Providers in 2024

Cloudwards.net may earn a small commission from some purchases made through our site. However, any earnings do not affect how we review services. Learn more about our editorial integrity and research process .

Choosing the best cloud storage provider is difficult. This guide shows the 10 top cloud storage services for cost, safety and collaboration features, covering personal cloud storage and business file storage solutions.

Last Updated: 03 Apr'24 2024-04-03T08:37:49+00:00

All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.

• Sync.com — Top cloud storage pick for sharing, versioning, large files, iPhone and more
• pCloud — Best online storage pick for Windows, Mac, Linux and music  
• Icedrive — Top cloud drive with excellent speeds
• MEGA — Very secure service with the most free cloud storage (20GB)
• IDrive — Best cloud storage-online backup hybrid
• OneDrive — Best cloud storage service for Office integration
• Google Drive — Top pick for integrated apps and students
• Koofr — Top pick for multiple cloud accounts
• Dropbox — Best pick for cloud collaboration
• Box — Great pick for business cloud storage

• Excellent security
• Competitive pricing
• Unlimited file sizes
• User interface needs work
• Slower sync speeds

Welcome to our updated 2024 guide to the best cloud storage services. Cloudwards.net has been conducting cloud storage reviews for several years now, and in that time much has changed.

Competition between big corporate players like Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive, and the emergence of privacy-oriented providers like Sync.com, pCloud and MEGA, has been a boon for consumers. To save you some time we have a list of what we think are the top players for your money.

Find the best cloud storage provider for your needs:

• 1000 GB / 1TB
• 2000 GB / 2TB
• 3000 GB / 3TB or more
• Basic encryption is fine
• Zero-knowledge encryption
• Sync Folder
• File Link Sharing
• Folder Sharing
• Subscription
• one-time payment

Updated to remove IDrive’s discontinued free plan and add its new 30-day free trial.

Updated to reflect news about MEGA’s encryption.

Updated to reflect an increase in IDrive’s free plan to 10GB of storage.

Cloudwards.net updated the top 10 cloud storage services rankings, including IDrive in the list, removing iCloud and adjusting other providers.

We added new information about Sync.com’s integration with Microsoft Office.

Updated with new video ranking.

Updated to reflect changes in Icedrive’s pricing plans and storage offers

The Best Cloud Storage Comparison

How we chose the best cloud storage.

When we review a service, we run tests for around a week, testing all of its features to see if they work as advertised. We analyze the service’s security, including encryption protocols and secure storage methods. Finally, we run technical tests to see how they perform in terms of speed, RAM and CPU usage.

Security and privacy are Cloudwards’ priority when it comes to cloud storage, so we give zero-knowledge services a much greater score than those that don’t offer it. Our experts take great care to parse through the complex legal implications of the services privacy policies and the privacy laws of countries where they keep their servers.

Cloud Storage Courses

Check out our cloud storage courses and grab a limited-time offer. Registration available now!

We take a number of other factors into consideration as well, but we’ll go into more detail on that after the list. If you’re particularly interested in cloud storage speeds, we have custom data that shows a performance comparison of the top providers below . Our analysis of 12 top cloud services showed that around half of them perform better than you’d expect.

If you are still figuring out how to best pick the right service for you, we have a handy video guide, below.

The Top 10 Cloud Storage Providers for 2024

Without further ado, here are the 10 best cloud storage service providers on the market right now.

1. Sync.com – Best Secure Cloud Storage

More Details About Sync.com:

• Pricing: 5GB free, 2TB for $96 per year ($8 per month)
• Number of devices: 5 on Individual Plans
• Website: Sync.com
• Excellent value
• Secure cloud storage
• Easy to use
• Slower than some rivals

Sync.com is our choice for the best cloud service, hitting the top spot in many of our cloud storage lists. It’s one of the most secure cloud services out there, and it keeps improving its service and adding new features as the service matures and grows. Sync also won our cloud storage pricing comparison .

Security & Collaboration in One Package

To start with, Sync.com comes with zero-knowledge encryption as standard. This means that if there was a security breach or the authorities demanded access to your account, the intruder would only see scrambled data because you’re the only one holding the encryption key.

To add to this, Sync.com offers advanced sharing controls, including passwords, download limits and expiry dates for sharing links. Plus, Sync.com allows you to create and edit Microsoft Office documents (including Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents) in a privacy-friendly collaboration environment, without breaking zero-knowledge encryption.

Sync.com Pricing & Free Storage

Pricing is where Sync.com truly shines. Sync.com comes with 5GB free storage , which isn’t much, but it’s enough to try the service out. However, its paid plans are some of the cheapest around. For just $8 per month (paid annually), you get 2TB of storage space.

For comparison, the same amount of file storage from Dropbox is $9.99 a month. In fact, there is no provider in our top 10 that offers 2TB of storage for a lower price.

The only flaw we can find with Sync.com is that it’s slow. In fact, it was one of the worst performers in our fastest cloud storage list , so if you’re impatient, Sync.com might not be for you.

However, all in all, Sync.com is a great online storage provider at a price you’ll be hard-pressed to beat. It also has a good number of features, as well as support for Windows 10 and Mac users. If you want to learn more, take a look at our Sync.com review .

• Price per user
• Unlimited GB

2. pCloud – Best Multi-Platform Cloud Storage

More Details About pCloud:

• Pricing: 10GB free, 2TB for $95.88 per year ($7.99 per month)
• Number of devices: Unlimited
• Website: pCloud.com
• Choice of encryption levels
• Clever virtual drive
• EU servers available
• Zero-knowledge encryption isn’t free
• No document integration

You’ll often see us praise pCloud in our cloud storage reviews, and it’s not hard to see why. It has a number of unique features wrapped in a sleek and secure package. Plus, it offers great pricing, putting it alongside Sync.com .

Top-Shelf Media & Sharing Capabilities

pCloud is a great option for media lovers . That’s thanks to features offered in the embedded pCloud music player, which automatically crates playlists by artist, album or folder. Its video player is also fairly advanced, even letting you change playback speed and convert video files to other formats.

If you’re running out of media storage space on your device, pCloud’s virtual drive will come in handy. pCloud can mount a virtual drive on your device (similar to Local Disk (C:)) which uses your cloud storage instead of your hard drive’s storage.

If you’re a creator that loves to post on social media, pCloud lets you back up images that you previously uploaded to your socials as part of its backup feature. This feature also lets you back up your entire device to the cloud, or even move all your files from another cloud service to pCloud.

What Is pCloud Crypto?

pCloud doesn’t offer zero-knowledge encryption out of the box, which is a downside. You’d have to pay $3.99 per month for this protection — called pCloud Crypto — although it is included for free with business plans. However, pCloud Crypto is a little different from the kind of encryption you’ll see other providers offer.

With pCloud Crypto, you get a specific folder to store your files that you want to be protected with zero-knowledge encryption. Anything outside of pCloud Crypto can still be read by pCloud’s servers, allowing you to preview files or play content from within the app.

pCloud and Sync.com fight hard to be the top-value services in this list, so take a look at our Sync.com vs pCloud head-to-head article. Also consider that pCloud lets you can save money by signing up for a pCloud Lifetime account , giving you online storage that remains yours — forever. 

• + FREE Encryption
• Price per user (minimum 3)
• Encryption for pCloud Drive

3. Icedrive – Fastest Online Cloud Storage

More Details About Icedrive:

• Pricing: 10GB free, 1TB for $71.88 per year ( $5.99 per month)
• Website: Icedrive.net
• Secure Twofish algorithm
• Preview encrypted files
• Zero knowledge isn’t free
• Limited choice of plans

Icedrive is a new entry on our list, and it’s a provider you may not have heard of before. That’s not surprising, given it has only been in operation since 2019. It’s been making waves, though, with highly competitive pricing and some interesting features that set it apart from some of its more established rivals.

Novel Encryption Methods & Zero-Knowledge Security

One of the biggest differences from the other providers on our list is that Icedrive doesn’t use the industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption. Instead, it uses an algorithm called Twofish.

Twofish was one of the final contenders for the Advanced Encryption Standard contest at the turn of the century. Some consider Twofish to be more secure (if sometimes slower) than the eventual winner, Rijndael (now known simply as AES). Icedrive points out that the current standard is backed by the NSA — make of that what you will, but don’t let it scare you just yet.

Paid accounts include zero-knowledge encryption as standard, so files should be safe from prying eyes. Unlike most other zero-knowledge providers, Icedrive lets you preview certain files by streaming them in encrypted form to your computer, where they are then decrypted on the fly. 

Icedrive also offers two-factor authentication (2FA) and it has a no-nonsense privacy policy that rules out most problematic behaviors. As a UK-based company, Icedrive is governed by stringent GDPR regulations.

Icedrive Online Storage Pricing & Lifetime Plans

One of the biggest selling points of Icedrive is the price, though. If you pay annually, 1TB of storage costs just $5.99 . If you need more space, the next tier up gives you 3TB of cloud file storage for $10.99 per month (for accounts paid annually). That’s quite a big jump, which might be costly for some users, but you can also opt for a lifetime subscription.

That may or may not be a risk, though, especially given how new of a provider Icedrive is. Still, if you’re looking for a highly secure provider and need less than 1TB of storage space, then Icedrive is a great option. Check out our Icedrive review for more details.

• Bandwidth limit: 50GB
• Bandwidth limit: 250GB
• Bandwidth limit: 2TB
• Bandwidth limit: 8TB
• Additional 128GB storage for users who purchased the Lifetime Plan
• Additional 512GB storage for users who purchased the Lifetime Plan
• Additional 2TB storage for users who purchased the Lifetime Plan

4. MEGA – Best Free Cloud Storage

More Details About MEGA:

• Pricing: 20GB free, 2TB for $122 per year (around $10 per month)
• Website: MEGA.io
• No U.S. servers
• Great free storage
• Time-limited rewards
• Ownership concerns

If you’re worried about privacy with other free cloud storage providers, like Google (our number seven pick), you can go for a provider at the other end of the privacy spectrum: MEGA. Although MEGA’s colorful founder Kim Dotcom has had run-ins with the law, he’s no longer part of the company. MEGA’s focus is security, so zero-knowledge encryption is the absolute standard, with nobody but you having access to your files. 

A Truly Secure Cloud Storage Service

In terms of privacy, MEGA has servers in Canada, New Zealand and Europe — it’s one of the best cloud storage for Europe . They’re all locations that have reasonable privacy laws that, as you might have noticed, is exactly why no data is held on American servers. 

Because MEGA uses zero-knowledge encryption, it can’t read any of the files that you store, but it does keep some of your metadata (like IP logins) to monitor access. However, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the recent report that found serious problems with MEGA’s encryption process. Still, we feel confident recommending it as an overall secure and private service.

There is also some controversy about how much of MEGA’s stock is owned by people under the influence of the Chinese government, which could be a concern for some users. You can read more about this in our MEGA review .

Best Cloud Storage: Free 20GB

MEGA is a good option for users who want a free storage cloud account. In 2021, it increased its free file storage space from 15GB to 20GB. Plus, you can extend your free space by completing various tasks — like installing the desktop and mobile apps — but that extra space expires after a year.

Although its paid plans aren’t the cheapest cloud storage options out there, at the end of the day, the base 20GB still blows its free cloud storage rivals away, earning it the fifth spot on our list. The good news is that, even if you don’t pay for a MEGA subscription, free accounts get full access to the privacy and protection that MEGA’s encrypted cloud storage provides.

If lifetime plans is what you’re looking for, pCloud, Internxt and Icedrive has got your back.

• File transfer: 2TB (Monthly plan) 24TB (yearly plan)
• File transfer: (monthly plan) 96TB (yearly plan)
• File transfer: 16TB (monthly plan) 192TB (yearly plan)
• Price per user (minimum 3) 3TB Transfer quota

5. IDrive – Best Value Cloud Storage

More Details About IDrive:

• Pricing: 10GB free, 5TB for $6.22 per month (two-year plan)
• Provider website: idrive.com
• Both backup & cloud storage
• Packed with features
• No monthly plan

IDrive is a unique option, offering a hybrid solution for both cloud storage and online backup — it’s actually our number one pick for online backup, a fact that it owes mostly to its incredibly affordable prices and incredible wealth of features. 

Hybrid Cloud Storage & Backup With IDrive

Besides all the backup features like disk-imaging and courier recovery that we won’t spend too much time on here — check out our IDrive review for that — it also boasts proper file sync and share features that earns it a spot on this list.

You can designate any folder on your device as a sync folder, and you can move them wherever you want. There’s also selective sync, which can save you a lot of time and bandwidth if there are certain large files you want to exclude. In comparison, the file-sharing is a bit bare-bones, though you can set access privileges on the share-links that you create. 

Although IDrive works great as traditional cloud storage, online backup is its bread and butter. That means that unlike other entries on this list, IDrive is an excellent solution for backing up your entire device automatically, since you won’t have to manually move things you want to protect into a sync folder. 

Affordable Cloud Storage Pricing Plans

One of the best aspects of IDrive is just how much storage you get for such a cheap price. IDrive’s personal plans are incredibly generous considering how much storage you get.

For example, the two cheapest plans offer 5TB and 10TB of storage — which is a lot — for just $6.22 per month (two-year plan) and $6.22 per month on the two-year plan respectively. 

The only downside here is that you have to sign up for a full year, but if you’re a first-time user, you can get an even bigger discount by using our IDrive promo code . It also has a free 30-day trial, so you can test it first.

• No credit card required.
• One user, multiple computers. Plans starting from 5TB up to 100TB. Big discount for first-time signup.
• 5 computers, 5 users. Starting at 5TB up to 500TB. Big discount for first-time signup.
• Monthly Plan storage starts at 1.25TB up to 50TB Unlimited users, multiple computers and servers. NAS devices. 250GB storage. Starting at 250GB up to 50TB. Large discount for first-time signup.

6. OneDrive – Best Personal Cloud Storage

More Details About OneDrive:

• Pricing: 5GB free, 1TB for $6.99 per month
• Website: microsoft.com/microsoft-365/onedrive
• Excellent collaboration tools
• Great integrated apps
• A large variety of features
• Generous free storage
• No zero-knowledge encryption
• Limited file versioning

There are big names in cloud computing, and then there’s Microsoft. There isn’t a market in computing that Microsoft hasn’t tried to dominate, and it’s not surprising that it has an online storage offering in its OneDrive service, which offers seamless integration with other Microsoft services, such as Office. It’s even integrated into Windows itself.

Collaborate Easily With Microsoft Office & OneDrive

Office integration is the biggest selling point for OneDrive users — or rather, the collaboration benefits that come from a combined Office and OneDrive service. A Microsoft 365 Personal subscription (previously Office 365) includes 1TB of OneDrive storage, but it also comes with full desktop versions of Office apps, with Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint thrown in. 

These Office apps make collaborating on documents simple. You can share any of your documents stored in the cloud, and multiple users can work on them together in real time. Any changes are instantly visible to all other co-authors and automatically saved to the cloud.

You never have to worry about losing that 90-page thesis to a hard drive failure ever again. With a Microsoft Personal subscription, you can install Office on up to five different devices, allowing you to share the service across an entire family or household. You can learn more about these collaboration options in our OneDrive review .

The collaboration features come at a cost, though. OneDrive doesn’t have zero-knowledge encryption, so your information is visible to Microsoft and anyone else who gains access to its servers, legally or not. Of course, we can’t ignore the fact that as a U.S. company, Microsoft servers are based stateside, so your data is subject to intrusive laws, such as the Freedom Act.

OneDrive Family & Business Plans

You can take things a step further with a Microsoft Family 365 subscription, which gives users 1TB of storage for up to six people at just $8.33 a month (paid annually). This can save you a small fortune on storage and productivity apps for the family, making it a good value option.

OneDrive also has some excellent business options that  make it our favorite value product in our list of the top enterprise file sync and share providers (where a business online storage provider like Egnyte reigns). With Office and Windows integration, as well as pretty good pricing, OneDrive is certainly a provider we can recommend with confidence.

• For one person
• Comes with Office 365 Personal
• Comes with Office 365 Home

7. Google Drive – Best File Cloud Storage

More Details About Google Drive:

• Pricing: 15GB free, 2TB for $99.99 per year ($8.33 per year)
• Website: google.com/drive
• Privacy concerns

If you want a similar experience to OneDrive, you may want to try Google Drive. Like Microsoft’s service, Google offers storage that integrates well with its own suite of office applications, which serve to replace the Microsoft Office experience in full — and do so pretty well, too.

An Endless List of App Integrations

You can collaborate in real time using Google Docs, leave comments and roll-back changes, thanks to Google’s built-in versioning features. Only OneDrive and Dropbox can really rival Google Drive for collaboration, and you can check out our Dropbox vs Google Drive vs OneDrive article to see how they compare.

There’s an entire marketplace of other Google Drive apps, so you can integrate other productivity apps, grammar checkers and more. You can also use Google Drive with other apps, including Google Calendar and Google Keep, a simple note-taking app. You can quickly compare how it matches from other basic platforms like Simplenote .

Google Drive Free Storage & Pricing

These kinds of integrations make Google Drive our top choice as the best online cloud provider for integrated apps, but it shines in other areas, too. If you have a Gmail account, you’re already using Google Drive, with 15GB of free storage thrown in, although its pricing is reasonable if you require more.

Google Drive is the best cloud storage for students and free users, for good reasons. Unlike some of the other providers we’ll mention, free users gain almost all of the same features that come with paid subscriptions. Powerful collaboration options in a free product help Google Drive to come out to be one of the best in this list.

If you’re curious about Google Drive pricing, then you can add 100GB of extra storage for a very reasonable $2 a month. There are some downsides, though. As you can read in our Google Drive review , there’s no zero-knowledge encryption, which is particularly concerning given that Google is not renowned for having the greatest policies when it comes to your personal data .

The price you pay for accessing the collaboration tools and app integrations is that Google will scan the contents of anything you upload to Google Drive; it has full access to read, catalogue and use that data. You’ll need to decide for yourself whether you’re willing to give up some privacy to benefit from the useful tools that Google offers.

• *The plan is "hidden." To find the 200GB plan, you need to be subscribed to one of the other plans, upgrade or downgrade to the 200GB through your account's settings.

8. Koofr  – Top Online Provider for Multiple Cloud Accounts

More Details About Koofr:

• Pricing: 10GB free, 1TB for $10.85 per month
• Website: Koofr.eu
• Links to other cloud accounts
• Virtual drive
• Integrates with Microsoft Office 365
• More expensive than some

It’s by no means a household name, but Koofr offers some features that set it apart from the other providers on our list. As a downside, Koofr isn’t the cheapest, as our Koofr review will explain. It has some very cheap plans that offer 100GB of storage or less, as well as a free 10GB plan.

Manage Multiple Cloud Storage Services

One of the most useful is the ability to link it to other cloud storage services. Currently, you can connect accounts from Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive, allowing you to mix and match your services in one place. Still, with other big platforms available, this is only a minor blip in a pretty unique offering from Koofr.

Once you’ve connected your accounts, you can access all your remote files at once, letting you move and copy files between each of your linked accounts, as well as search for files across all platforms. Any files stored in your other cloud accounts won’t count against your Koofr storage quota.

Great Privacy, Lacking Security

Unfortunately, this level of access between services does mean that Koofr lacks the kind of zero-knowledge encryption that privacy-focused providers offer. Still, Koofr’s servers are based in Germany, so your data falls under much stronger EU privacy laws. Koofr does offer 2FA to help keep your data safe in the event that your password is hacked, though.

Koofr integrates with Microsoft Office 365, though this feature has a few limitations. Free accounts can create an Office document but only paid accounts can edit it. Plus, Koofr doesn’t let you set editing permissions for files (only for folders), so you can’t really collaborate with other people on documents.

You’ll pay around $10.85 per month for 1TB of storage (prices are in euros, so conversion rates will fluctuate). This is costly, compared to Sync.com or pCloud, which offer double the storage for a similar cost. If you don’t need a huge amount of space but want to have all your cloud accounts in one place, then it’s worth taking a look at Koofr.

• *Prices in Euro

9. Dropbox – Best Cloud Data Storage

More Details About Dropbox:

• Pricing: 2GB free, 2TB for $203.88 per year ($16.99 per month)
• Number of devices: 3 to unlimited
• Website: Dropbox.com
• Collaboration with both Office & Google
• Not the cheapest

Dropbox may not have been the first cloud storage service, but it was the first to really bring the idea into the mainstream. More than a decade after its launch, it’s still going strong, with only Google Drive having a larger market share. Dropbox also has the name recognition that providers like Sync.com can only dream of at present.

One of the Best Cloud Storage Services for Collaboration

One of the reasons why Dropbox is still so popular is the excellent collaboration it offers, which is why Dropbox Business is one of our top recommendations in our cloud storage for collaboration shortlist. 

You can launch and collaborate on both Microsoft and Google documents with Dropbox, making it a good solution for users who need to use both services. Both formats work seamlessly, allowing you to co-author documents in real time, which are then automatically saved to the cloud.

The excellent collaboration tools come at a cost in two ways. First off, this integration is only possible because Dropbox’s servers can access your files, due to the lack of zero-knowledge encryption. Dropbox has had security breaches in the past, which we discuss in our Dropbox review . This could be a red flag for some users, and for good reason.

Dropbox is also more expensive than some of the other providers in this list, with 2TB of storage costing $9.99 per month if you pay annually. If you’re looking for information on Dropbox’s business storage plans that are paid per user, you can find out more in our Dropbox Business review .

Save Hard Drive Space With Dropbox Smart Sync

To help users save up on space, Dropbox introduced “smart sync”, which allows you to set all of your files and folders to be either stored locally or online-only. The online-only files still show up in your Dropbox folder, but they don’t take up any space. 

For many users looking for the best cloud storage with sync, Dropbox continues to be a good choice. Its pricing and a lack of encryption could put you off, as could historical data breaches, but features like “smart sync” show that Dropbox continues to innovate, and it still remains one of the greatest services for users who are looking to collaborate on documents.

• (Formerly Dropbox One) 1 user Signature requests and eSignature templates
• 3 users minimum

10. Box – Best Online Cloud Storage for Businesses

More Details About Box:

• Pricing: 10GB for free, 100GB for $14 per month or $120 per year
• Website: box.com
• Strong collaboration options
• Google Workspace and Microsoft Office integrations
• Great security
• Primarily business focused
• Private key management costs extra

Although Box is a cloud storage provider that focuses on businesses, it still offers two plans for personal users — one free and one paid. Due to its nature as a business-focused storage option, Box comes packed to the brim with advanced features. Everything from strong collaboration options to two-factor authentication, note-taking and project management is present, which makes for a solid list of features.

The one thing that is missing out of the box (we’ll show ourselves out) is private key management — the main requirement for zero-knowledge privacy. This is a feature that you have to pay extra for with Box, and the company won’t even tell you the price unless you contact them directly.

Collaboration With Box

The clear standout feature of Box is the long list of collaboration options it offers to users. The two most important integrations for this are obviously there, namely Google Workspace and Microsoft Office, but Box goes far beyond these two popular options. 

Instead of forcing you into the apps themselves, Box lets you edit and collaborate on documents directly from its own software, and this even extends to the mobile version. If you ever find yourself needing to edit a text or spreadsheet while on the move, Box is one of the few cloud storage options that let you do this directly from your mobile device.

Pricing That’s Hard to Swallow

By far the biggest drawback to Box is its frankly absurd price. As mentioned, there are only two plans available for personal users. The first is free and gives you access to 10GB of storage and most of Box’s features. However, the paid plan is a terrible value for money if all you want is storage. A mere 100GB will cost you $14 per month or $120 per year, which is outrageously expensive.

If you’re more concerned with collaboration and security than you are with price and storage space, then Box is an excellent cloud storage solution. If that’s not the case, you’re better off with any of the options presented above. For a deeper dive into the service’s pros and cons, check out our Box Review .

• Single user
• Price per user, minimum of three users
• Users: No limit

How Does Cloud Storage Work?

Cloud storage is a way of storing your files and folders on online servers, allowing you to access them from any location and on any device with an internet connection. Your data is stored on servers that belong to your cloud storage provider, which usually offers a web interface, desktop app or mobile app to access your information.

These servers might be located in your own country or on the other side of the world. Most services use a sync folder on your desktop, allowing you to store files easily. Any files you put into this folder are also uploaded to the cloud servers, which will automatically update if you make any changes.

Why We Use Cloud Storage

People use cloud storage for many different reasons, starting with storage. While services like Dropbox and Sync.com might not be great for disaster recovery, they work very well for short-term storage of files that you access often.

In fact, that’s exactly what Drew Houston had in mind when he dreamed up the “sync” folder model commonly used by cloud storage services today back in 2007. He was traveling from New York to Boston on a Chinatown bus and realized that he left his USB drive behind . He decided he wanted a means of storing and accessing files online in a way that required little effort on his part.

Sync folders facilitate device synchronization, which we call “sync” for short. Any file you drag and drop into a sync folder gets automatically sent to the cloud, then sent to any other devices with a sync client installed. That way, you never have to worry about messing with removable storage. Changes to files also get synced across devices, which is what makes cloud storage ideal for getting work done, even remotely.  

Syncing Mobile Apps

Cloud storage tools also generally have mobile apps for Android and iOS that let you access files stored in the cloud. Many let you manually and automatically upload files, as well. That makes them convenient for safeguarding photos taken with your smartphone camera and saving memory at the same time.

Take a look at our roundup of the best cloud storage for Android , or our guide on the best cloud managers for Android if you have multiple cloud storage accounts.

A handful of cloud storage tools don’t sync devices. We can’t think of any tool, though, that doesn’t let you share files. File sharing can be used for both collaboration and socializing.

Most cloud storage tools let you invite specific users to access files based on their email address and generate links to files that can be more broadly used. Many cloud storage tools also let you share folder access, even granting others edit and upload permissions.  

Some cloud storage solutions also integrate with productivity tools like Office Online, Google Docs, Trello, DocuHub and DocuSign. Unfortunately for home users, such integrations are more common with EFSS tools, which are basically cloud storage services for teams and businesses.

Cloud Storage vs Online Backup

Before you start shopping for cloud storage in earnest, it helps to have a good understanding of what “cloud storage” actually means. That way you don’t end up with software that doesn’t really meet your expectations.

The first hurdle to overcome is knowing the difference between cloud storage and online backup. It’s easy to see why one might confuse these terms: both cloud storage and online backup are used to safeguard files in remote data centers. Both let you access the files stored in these data centers from different devices. Online backup is even sometimes confusingly called “cloud backup.”

The difference between the two is that the ultimate goal of online backup is disaster recovery, while cloud storage is generally best suited to quick file access and collaboration. We generally like to think of cloud storage as a productivity tool here at Cloudwards.net, although many people use such solutions for things like streaming music, watching videos and sharing photos, too.

Online backup safeguards hard drives better than cloud storage thanks to backup schedulers, better data recovery options and a few other things that you can read up on in our guide to best online backup.

Aside from storage, there are two features generally common to cloud storage: file sharing and file syncing. On top of that, a handful of cloud storage tools have integrated apps like word processors and task managers that help facilitate productivity.

It’s important to note that there are a handful of cloud solutions that blur the lines between storage and backup. IDrive and SpiderOak ONE are two of the best.

Is Cloud Storage Safe?

Most cloud storage services encrypt your data when it’s being sent to their servers and many store your data in encrypted form. However, no system is completely secure, and cloud storage servers can be hacked.

For instance, Dropbox suffered a major breach in 2012, when 68 million passwords were leaked. Government authorities may also request to access your data for legal reasons. You can help to keep your data more secure by using a service with zero-knowledge encryption, which means that the only person who can decrypt your data is you.

We also recommend setting up two-factor authentication with cloud storage services. This requires you to use an additional code when you log in, which is either sent to your phone as an SMS message or generated by an authenticator app. Even if someone has your password, 2FA means they can’t log in to your account without access to your phone, too.

Cloud Storage Speed Tests

Speed is one of the most important aspects of any cloud storage service. Although the time differences for a gigabyte or two may not be all too large, the time spent uploading or downloading terabytes can add up substantially. The upside of faster cloud storage is clear: using a faster service means you can access your files more quickly across your devices. 

If you know where to look, you can find the fastest cloud storage services , too. Our recent analysis of 12 top cloud storage services showed that around half of them only take 25 percent longer to upload and 27 percent longer to download than expected. This is using raw megabytes per second as a baseline, ignoring all other network conditions. 

Note : Testing was performed in Macedonia using 5.9 Mbps upload and 32 Mbps download speeds.

Of the lot, pCloud and IceDrive were the fastest across upload and download, with SugarSync following closely behind. Google Drive and Sync.com trailed the pack with the slowest speeds. For Google Drive, that’s bad news. Sync.com, on the other hand, offers full end-to-end encryption, so the speed loss makes sense. 

Final Thoughts: Best Cloud Storage

This list has our current top 10, but there are other good-quality providers that didn’t make the list. SecureSafe, SugarSync, Jumpshare and others all have their strengths, so be sure to take a look at our full list of cloud storage reviews to learn more about some of the other options out there, with new providers being added as they appear.

We also have determined the best cloud storage options for large files , and have created an online data storage price list , to make sure you’re getting the best value with today’s best cloud storage deals.

Sync.com and pCloud are great, privacy-focused options for most users, but if you’re more interested in document collaboration, you can’t go wrong with bigger players like Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive. However, MEGA offers more free storage, plus excellent security.

While, if you need online backup options in addition to cloud storage, IDrive is the way to go. It’s also the best online back-up for archiving, in case you need to archive data you rarely use to maximize storage space.

Do you use any of the products on our list? Do you think there are some glaring omissions, or do you think we’ve been unfair (or too fair) with any of the providers we’ve mentioned? Leave your own personal cloud storage reviews in the comments below and, as always, thanks for reading.

FAQ: Best Cloud Storage Providers

Sync.com is our favorite cloud storage for personal use , with good pricing plans, strong encryption and innovative features. Other good options are available, though, such as pCloud, Tresorit, MEGA and Google Drive, to name but a few.

For businesses, you can’t go wrong with a Sync.com , pCloud or Tresorit subscription, as our best business cloud storage list shows. If you’re unsure, key features to look out for are zero-knowledge encryption, server locations and document collaboration features.

pCloud is our top choice for free storage, although MEGA and Google Drive both offer a little more space. The beauty of free cloud storage providers is that you can try out a number of providers to find the perfect fit, with a provider like Koofr allowing you to combine multiple free storage providers together.

Our top choice for the best free online storage for photos is pCloud. It offers secure and cheap storage, will automatically upload photos from your phone and computer, and supports photo editing and social media backup.

A number of the best cloud storage providers offer packages with unlimited storage, but the best unlimited cloud storage provider is Sync.com for Teams. Be aware that most providers offering unlimited storage usually have a set limit, and if you go above the cap, you’ll need to request additional storage. Learn more from our guide on the best unlimited cloud storage providers .

Google Drive tops our list as the best cloud storage service for Android, but our number-one choice for iPhone users is Sync.com. However, most providers offer pretty good smartphone apps.

This is a really helpful article. If you could add a list that shows only Cloud Servers that have Zero Knowledge it would be very helpful for Medical and Legal businesses where client file confidentiality is required by law. That way those businesses can concentrate their search on cloud services that are eligible for their type of business.

Could you guys take a look at TeraCLOUD? It would be interesting to see your input on a Japanese company looking to expand its user base globally.

And once again we have a writer that doesn’t understand the difference between cloud syncing and cloud storage. Massive difference.

No shit! Time for some competence….

Excuse me. Here in Thailand, I could not access to bitcasa. So could someone from any other country could access bitcasa? If have, I will try to connect a VPN to that country. Thank you.(Sorry if one/some of my grammar and typing is/are wrong.)

Don’t buy Pcloud lifetime plan. It’s is waste of money.

From my experience, Pcloud is reducing speed if we purchasing lifetime plan. When i tried to upload files with yearly plan, we can upload properly. But when you purchased a lifetime plan uploading speed below 250kbps only even if you have 1GBPS/5G internet plan.

Some Youtubers mentioned that they are able to upload 5gb files within 10minutes. I think they are pcloud staff otherwise they are uploading files from pcloud data center itself.

Those are yours alright! . We at least need to get these people stealing images to start blogging! They probably just did a image search and grabbed them. They look good though!

New(ish) to tech and Cloud storage. I’ve contacted One Drive and ICloud to be told they both do the same thing, the same way. My problem is this, I want to store video files in the cloud so I don’t have to keep them in C drive. One drive and ICloud tech support to me this is not possible. How do I overcome this dilemma? When I stored my video data to an external hard drive eventually both drives crashed, I lost everything.

I don’t mind downloading to C drive then uploading to the cloud. However I don’t want to be hostage to always having to keep everything on C drive to use the cloud. Is there a cloud solution for me?

The pricing for Sync.com is outdated. They don’t offer a 200GB plan anymore. Lowest plan for individual users is 2TB at $8/mo.

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Store up to 1TB’s worth of files, photos, and more on FolderFort, now $80 for life

Cloud storage is a must-have for your small business, personal projects, and day-to-day needs. However, it can be difficult to find a trusted cloud storage provider that offers sufficient space without requiring recurring fees.

FolderFort is the solution to your cloud storage needs, providing users with reliable storage, secure file encryption from BackBlaze, and more . Now, a lifetime 1TB plan is only $79.99 (reg. $251).

With 1TB from FolderFort, you’ll have plenty of space for everything from important personal files to family vacation photos. It has an incredibly user-friendly interface for easy organization and storage and is compatible with PCs, Macs, and other mobile devices.

FolderFort lets users create unlimited workspaces and add however many people you’d like to access your workspaces, files, etc.

You can also easily create shareable links for your files and folders, as well as customize them . Make public links so anyone who has it can view your media. Or, you can restrict viewing access for certain users.

If you ever have issues with FolderFort, you can reach out to customer support on the phone or through email during all hours of the day, seven days a week.

Invest in a reliable cloud storage solution when you grab lifetime access to the FolderFort 1TB Storage Pro Plan, now just $79.99 , the best price on the web.

FolderFort 1TB Storage Pro Plan: Lifetime Subscription

Only $79.99 at Macworld

StackSocial prices subject to change.

How-To Geek

The best vpns for mac of 2024.

Looking for a VPN to use with Mac? We have the best options for you right here.

The best Mac VPNs help you stream geo-blocked content on streaming platforms and secure your connection. In this guide, we help you find the best VPN for Mac based on feature set and performance.

Private Internet Access

What to look for in a vpn for mac.

Choosing a VPN for your Mac can feel daunting if you've never used one. The terminology may sound overly complex, or you may not fully understand how VPNs work. Before we jump into our top picks, let's quickly talk about things to look for in a Mac VPN.

The first thing to look for is device support. Most VPNs have an app for macOS, but you might also consider support for other devices like iOS, Apple TV, and more. If you want a VPN to secure your Mac, look for a strict no-logs policy . Zero logging ensures none of the data transmitted from your device is readable to anyone who intercepts it— this includes your internet service provider (ISP) or even the government. All VPNs in this guide have a zero-logging policy.

On the other hand, security is a factor of the VPN's encryption protocol and cipher. If you don't want to understand these terms, look for VPN protocols like OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard combined with ciphers like AES-256 or ChaCha20.

If you plan to use the VPN to unblock geo-blocked content on streaming websites like Netflix, look for VPNs with a proven track record of successfully unblocking these websites. We tested the VPNs to unblock Netflix , Amazon Prime Video, and other major platforms. If you want to unblock a local streaming platform when traveling abroad, you can always try many of the services below, as they have a free trial available and offer a money-back guarantee.

How-To Geek's product recommendations come from the same team of experts that have helped people fix their gadgets over one billion times. We only recommend the best products based on our research and expertise. We never accept payment to endorse or review a product. Read More »

Best VPN for Mac Overall: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is our top pick because it's fast, secure, easy to use, and offers an extensive feature set. It tops our list of the best VPNs overall, and we've given it our Editor's Choice award in our ExpressVPN review . Setting up ExpressVPN takes just a few minutes. Once you install the app, you can click the one-click connect button, and ExpressVPN connects you to the best server based on your location.

If you want to connect to a specific server location—ExpressVPN has servers in over 100 countries—the VPN server list is accessible via the home screen. For example, if you want to stream content on Netflix U.S. when traveling abroad, connect to a U.S. server.

ExpressVPN can be used on up to eight devices simultaneously, and beyond Mac, the app is compatible with Apple TV, iPhone, Android, and more. It also has a Safari browser extension if you want to encrypt the browser's traffic.

The VPN secures your connection with encryption protocols. The Mac app offers OpenVPN, IKEv2, and Lightway (ExpressVPN's proprietary protocol). These protocols are combined with AES-256 encryption for top-notch security.

Encryption tends to slow down the connection speed, but ExpressVPN manages to keep that reduction in speed to a minimum. The VPN also helps unblock all the popular streaming platforms, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu. This means you can stream your favorite content in 4K without buffering.

ExpressVPN is fast, easy to use, and will let you browse as if you're in the US or the UK.

Best Budget VPN for Mac: Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access (PIA) is a low-cost VPN with a minimalist interface that works on macOS 10.14 and higher. But don't be fooled by its low price tag—PIA packs a wide range of features and offers excellent performance, as we explain in greater detail in our Private Internet Access review .

The app uses AES-128 encryption by default, but you can change it to the recommended AES-256 for maximum security. You can also choose between three VPN protocols: OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IPsec (which is only available on iOS). This VPN service has a no-logs policy, meaning the PIA doesn't store user data.

PIA allows connecting unlimited devices simultaneously, meaning you can use PIA on all supported devices simultaneously. Supported devices include Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux, Android, and smart TVs.

However, the interface is a little different from a typical VPN. The app is clean and intuitive but less aesthetically pleasing than competing VPN apps. The one-click connect button is the first thing you see when you open the app. To access more settings, you need to click the downward arrow at the bottom.

PIA unblocks most streaming services, including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. However, during our tests, it failed to unblock Hulu.

Private Internet Access is a low-cost VPN that offers excellent speeds and keeps latency to a minimum. It's a great choice if you're looking for a secure and reliable service with an affordable price.

Best Free VPN for Mac: Proton VPN

If you're looking for a free Mac VPN, Proton VPN is your best bet. The app is available for macOS 10.12 and higher and other devices running iOS, Windows, Android, and Linux.

Proton VPN offers a generous free plan with unlimited data, bandwidth, and server access in five locations—the U.S., the Netherlands, Japan, Romania, and Poland. Unlimited data and bandwidth are a rare combination on a free VPN plan, so you'll be able to stream your favorite content without worrying about running out of data or experiencing any major buffering.

Most features are available only on the paid plan, but essentials like a kill switch are available to all users. Switching to the paid plan gives you access to more features like Secure Core servers (a fancy name for double VPN ), NetShield (an ad and malware blocker), and port forwarding. However, the paid plans are quite expensive compared to services offering similar performance. So, the VPN deal is only worth it if you're bundling it with other apps, like the popular Proton Mail .

Proton VPN is a VPN famous for being private and secure. Its free plan comes with the same guarantees, though the paid plans are expensive.

Fastest VPN for Mac: NordVPN

According to our tests, NordVPN is the fastest VPN. When connected to a nearby server, we experienced a reduction of roughly 15%. That is excellent performance for a VPN, which can often throttle your speeds.

We were surprised to see that, even on a distant server, the speed didn't plummet. Our tests showed a reduction of just 18% on servers halfway across the world. The latency shot up significantly, but that's a problem only when you need two devices to work in sync, like during a video call or gaming.

Even as the fastest VPN, NordVPN doesn't compromise encryption to boost connection speeds. It offers OpenVPN, IKEv2, and NordLynx (a proprietary protocol inspired by WireGuard) combined with AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption. Moreover, the app has security features, like Threat Protection, which protects against malware, trackers, ads, malicious downloads, and vulnerable apps.

You can install NordVPN on almost any device, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. Once installed, you can use NordVPN to unblock all popular streaming platforms on these devices, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu. Thanks to NordVPN's fast connection speeds, you're unlikely to experience any buffering even when streaming in 4K.

NordVPN offers excellent gaming security with its four types of specialty servers. NordVPN delivers great speeds even when you're using an additional layer of security through one of its specialty servers.

Best VPN for iPhone: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN dominates most VPN roundups for a reason—this is the best VPN for iPhone because it offers excellent performance, an easy-to-use interface, and top-notch security.

As an iOS user, you can try ExpressVPN with its seven-day free trial. Of course, you can extend your risk-free trial by paying for a plan and using the 30-day money-back guarantee in case you're not satisfied with the service.

You can use ExpressVPN to stream content on all popular streaming platforms on your iOS. Since ExpressVPN offers lightning-fast connection speeds, you won't experience any lags when streaming. Of course, the speed doesn't come at the cost of security—ExpressVPN offers OpenVPN, IKEv2, and Lightway protocols on the iOS app and a range of security features like Threat Manager (ExpressVPN's tracker and malware blocker).

What is a VPN?

A VPN (virtual private network) is a software solution that helps you secure your network and access geo-restricted websites. VPNs are also a great tool to bypass government censorship in countries like China.

In rare cases, when the ISP has been throttling your connection speed, VPNs can help improve connection speeds. In a typical scenario, VPNs reduce your connection speed because they transmit your data through a server in another location—the farther the location, the slower the connection speed.

What does VPN stand for?

VPN stands for virtual private network.

How does a VPN work?

A VPN connects your device to a remote server. This creates a point-to-point tunnel that encrypts your internet traffic, assigns another IP address to your device, and helps access geographically restricted websites. Put simply, a VPN creates a secure connection.

When connected to a public network, a VPN protects you against hackers trying to intercept your data through encryption. Since VPNs also mask your real IP address (which is what websites look at to determine your location), you can use it to access websites only available on a specific region.

Does a VPN slow down my internet speed?

Yes, in most cases, VPNs slow down your internet speed due to encryption. VPNs encrypt your data before transmitting it over the internet. Encryption helps protect your privacy and improves data security, but the addition of a step before transmitting data from your devices requires time and reduces internet speed.

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?

ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.

When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form .

The best web hosting services: Expert tested

If you want to build a website, there are dozens of web hosting providers available. Choosing the right web hosting service for you can be challenging, but you no longer need to be a programmer or pay someone to build advanced features such as e-commerce or forum management to launch a site.

Today many web providers will provide these functions, as well as a content management system and other features like SEO assistance and security checks, in standard subscription packages. Below, you will find our top recommendations for web hosting services, ranging from providers that give you a quick and easy way to build your website all the way up to the big companies that provide full data center infrastructure capabilities as a service.

Also:   The best VPNs

What is the best web hosting service right now?

ZDNET has conducted extensive research and hands-on testing with many of the top web hosting services. Our pick for the best web hosting service overall is Hostinger . Hostinger offers inexpensive plans starting at only $2.99/month suitable for most website owners. Its premium plan has everything you need: a website builder, WordPress integration, templates, emails, SEO, marketing help, and more. Read on for the rest of our picks for the best web hosting services.

Best web hosting services of 2024

Best web hosting service overall.

• Inexpensive
• One-click WordPress install
• Enhanced security limited to more expensive plans
• Prices jump on renewal

Hostinger's premium plan ($2.99/month, three months free) is excellent value for the money if you want to operate multiple websites for personal or business reasons under one account.

The premium plan supports up to 100 websites. It offers users 100GB storage, up to 100 email addresses and forwarders, free SSL website security, and unlimited bandwidth, and a free domain name. 

While there's no dedicated IP address, this won't bother most website owners. Furthermore, you'll be given basic e-commerce capabilities and one-click WordPress installation and migration. The same WordPress installation can be used to support multiple WordPress websites. 

Review:   Hostinger review: Good support, killer entry-level price web hosting

If you need a theme, Hostinger also provides a drag-and-drop website builder and 150 templates. The plan includes Google Analytics integration, SEO tools, and standard DDoS protection. 

Overall, we consider Hostinger's premium plan an excellent option for most website owners and small businesses. Business options begin at $2.99/month with three months added, for free.

A downside, however, is that you can only access more advanced features -- such as daily backups and increased performance -- with more expensive subscriptions. In addition, while many customers applaud Hostinger's customer service, there are reports of bounceback and slow loads by some clients operating multiple websites.

There is a limited, free plan available, with 300MB storage but no free domain or email.

Hostinger features:  cPanel : Yes |  SSL : Some plans |  SSH : Yes |  Backups : Yes |  Money-back guarantee : 30 days |  Support : 24/7, live chat support

Best web hosting service for professionals

• Over three-month money-back guarantee
• Many hosting options
• Email an additional cost

DreamHost's easy-to-use interface, efficiency, and customer support stand out to business owners and new webmasters alike. The hosting provider offers WordPress hosting, shared hosting, virtual private servers, dedicated servers, cloud hosting, and more. 

We particularly like that DreamHost offers G Suite integration, with domain integration and Google Cloud support. The company also provides a great set of resources and guides that can help customers grow their businesses, all in a cost-effective way. A free SSL certificate is available on all plans. 

Review:   DreamHost review: I'm a satisfied 15-year customer

Nick Farnborough, the co-founder of  Clavis Social , told ZDNET that he has "tried almost every host out there over the years and ultimately found DreamHost to be the best overall package, taking into account cost, performance, and ease of use." 

Customers online, too, have applauded the customer support and value for money of this web host, although some also note that reaching customer support teams can be challenging. Prices begin at $2.95 per month for a basic, shared plan, with email available for an additional monthly fee.

DreamHost features :  cPanel : No, proprietary panel |  SSL : Free |  SSH : Yes |  Backups : Yes |  Money-back guarantee : 97 days |  Support : 24/7 chat, ticket, and call-back

Best budget web hosting service

• Affordable plans
• Paid plans can become expensive following promotion time periods

Ionos is one of our top picks for affordable, long-term web hosting. The web hosting provider offers reliable, stable uptime with daily backups included on all plans. Free wildcard SSL certificates, email, a free domain, and 24/7 support are also included. 

Customers report great customer service and uptime, as well as easy setup and web hosting transitions. 

Basic plans supporting one website and with 10 databases, alongside 10GB storage space, are typically $6/month, but with the agreement of a three-year plan, will cost you $4/month. A free domain name for one year is included. 

The top deal at the moment is for Ionos Plus, a website hosting package suitable for larger, scalable projects and WordPress. On a three-year plan, you will only pay $6/month and you can operate unlimited websites with unlimited databases and storage. You will also receive a wildcard SSL certificate.

Ionos f eatures:  cPanel : Yes |  SSL : Yes, wildcard |  SSH : Yes |  Backups : Daily |  Money-back guarantee : 30 days |  Support : 24/7

Best web hosting service for the environmentally-conscious

• Reasonably priced
• Eco-friendly
• On-demand backups limited to premium plans

GreenGeeks is a great web hosting option if you want to sign up for a sustainable, eco-conscious service.

GreenGeeks has developed its marketing around the concept of being environmentally friendly, with three times the power your hosting demands replaced with wind power credits and tree planting. 

It's not just the environmental factor, however -- GreenGeeks prides itself on a speedy, reliable service. Although the company's own website could use some modernization and an overhaul, the important part is the hosting, which includes standard hosting, WordPress installs, commerce, VPS, and dedicated tiers. 

You can expect to pay $2.95/month for basic plans, with options to upscale and grow over time. The basic web hosting plan only covers one website with 50GB storage, but once you move up a level, you can expect support for unlimited websites, managed WordPress installs, unlimited space, a free SSL certificate, and more. 

Customers applaud GreenGeek customer service, although there are reports of "hidden" fees related to specific products.

GreenGeeks f eatures:  cPanel : Yes |  SSL : Free |  SSH : Yes |  Backups : Varies by plan |  Money-back guarantee : 30 days |  Support : Depends on plan

Best web hosting service for GoDaddy domain customers

• Free, unlimited SSL for all websites on the Deluxe plan and up
• Tutorials online to help guide your website-creating process
• Large payment down to start hosting

GoDaddy has made a business of offering as wide an array of services as possible for individuals and small businesses in need of an internet presence. It's widely known, and many customers enjoy the service.

Pricing begins at $5.99/month for one website. With specific plans, you may be eligible for a free domain name and SSL certificate. Regarding security, automatic WordPress updates are applied and malware scanning services are available. Each plan comes with a one-click WordPress installation, a cPanel, and daily backups. 

Review:   GoDaddy: A no muss, no fuss website-building service

Customer service is reasonable, and, although not 24/7, if you need a technical lead to get something accomplished, you can usually find someone with a clue (after jumping through a few hoops, of course). However, the refund policy is restrictive and I would say the host's website is cluttered, making it difficult to find exactly what service you need -- and for what price.

ZDNET author David Gewirtz has decades of experience with GoDaddy, and he has come to respect how this web host provides the key services most customers want. They're definitely not the best at anything, but they do a good job with almost everything. 

"GoDaddy, in my opinion, is the best web host," Gerrid Smith, director of E-commerce of  Joy Organics , told ZDNET. "They promise a minimum of 99.9% availability. To prevent malicious activities and repel DDoS attacks, their security team works around the clock."

GoDaddy f eatures:  cPanel : Some plans |  SSL : Some plans |  SSH : Some plans |  Backups : Some plans |  Money-back guarantee : 30 days for annual plans, 48 hours for monthly plans |  Support : 24/7/365 US-based ticket and phone

Best web hosting service for simple e-commerce

• Lots of templates to choose from for beginner web designers
• Simple interface
• Website apps available with Wix support
• Monthly plans are expensive
• Can't switch templates, must start from scratch

If you've ever watched a YouTube video, you've seen a Wix ad. They are everywhere. With six million premium subscribers, they've got some momentum -- and are certainly capable of grabbing attention.

When selecting a website builder, why would you go with Wix over WordPress? The answer is simplicity. WordPress offers tremendous depth and customization options with plugins and widgets, but Wix quickly gets you up and running with an attractive site. 

There is nothing like the thousands of plugins and themes offered by WordPress in the Wix world, but if you want a well-designed site and you need an e-commerce solution, this is a great option. 

I selected this provider when I assisted someone in setting up a small online business, and the learning curve was easy, with no payment or downtime issues. However, for someone used to CMS backends, the more restrictive website builder can be somewhat frustrating.

Free versions, however, do contain Wix banners. You can start there, and if you like the system, convert to a paid plan and link up your chosen domain name. Plans begin at $17/month with a free domain name thrown in.

Wix f eatures:  cPanel : No |  SSL : Free |  SSH : No |  Backups : Site history |  Money-back guarantee : 14 days |  Support : 24/7 English call-back

What is the best web hosting service overall?

Hostinger is ZDNET's top choice because it offers excellent features at outstanding price points, with a large selection of tools to make the process easy, even for beginner webmasters. Hostinger offers plans starting at only $2.99/month suitable for most website owners. Its premium plan has everything you need: a website builder, WordPress integration, templates, emails, SEO, marketing help, and more. However, our other top picks are also worthy competitors.

Which web hosting service is right for you?

To help make the process of selecting your new web hosting provider simpler, here is a guide to making your decision less of a hassle, based on what is most important to you. 

Factors to consider when choosing a web hosting service

When selecting your new web hosting provider in 2024, there are some crucial factors you should consider:

• Reliability : We always recommend you choose a web hosting provider with a long history of stable, reliable service. After all, your website could end up being the central hub of your business for promotion and customer communication, so constant downtime can harm your reputation.
• Affordability : Your budget must be based on the purpose of your web hosting package. Whether you want a single, small slice of hosting real estate for a personal blog or you want to run a large e-commerce store, it will change how much you should expect to pay. Set a budget that you can easily afford and find the right provider to match you.
• Scalability : You need to consider what the most important functions or uses of your website will be. If you expect to grow your business over time and you expect heavy traffic, you will need to be able to scale the hosting's capabilities over time. Choose a provider with upgrade options. 
• Customer support : We find that customer support can be extremely important when you sign up for a web hosting service. Regardless of whether you are a beginner or you want to run a plethora of websites, you should choose a provider with customer support options.

How did we choose these web hosting services?

When we compiled this list, we began with web hosts ZDNET authors are personally familiar with. ZDNET does extensive testing on and research into web hosting providers, taking into consideration user reviews, competitor analysis, personal usage and experiences, and more.

Some of us have been running production websites for decades, with sites that have served millions of pages. Others have used web hosts for personal blogs, writing projects, and to help individuals launch small businesses. 

We chose these providers because we believe they offer some of the best services in the market. These are the main factors we considered:

• Features offered : Deciding on the best web hosting provider for you requires you to consider what features are a priority. We've included options for CMS implementation, e-commerce, design services, SEO services, cybersecurity functions, and more. 
• Price : Naturally, the price point is a very important factor when we choose our web hosting provider recommendations. We have included options suitable for varying budgets, all the way from personal blogs to small businesses and large enterprise setups that will need to scale.
• Stability : We have included only reputable web hosting providers that provide stable services with minimal downtime. After all, there's no point in having a speedy, responsive website if downtime is a constant problem.
• Customer experiences : If you are going to sign up for a long-term web hosting service, you need to know how the company treats and supports its customers. We have examined customer reviews and feedback.

Which web host is best for beginners?

Wix and Squarespace are the two web hosts we would recommend for beginners. With an abundance of creative templates between the two platforms, users can gain experience in web development with an attractive site. If you have experience with CMS platforms, you could look at WordPress.com.

Can you get web hosting for free?

Yes. There are many sites that allow for free hosting, but to do so, you will have a generic, branded domain. For example, if you were to have a free WordPress website, your domain would be [yourwebsitename].wordpress.com. 

Be careful, though. Many of the free offers end after a period of time and then you're stuck on a service that will likely charge you a considerable additional fee to keep using it. Or, the website host may allow you to have a free website on the condition that you allow adverts to be displayed.

Who is the largest web hosting company?

GoDaddy is one of the most popular web hosting service providers. Then, of course, there are the hosting plans from Amazon and Google, which are larger (in terms of revenue) than some countries.

What are the best WordPress hosting services?

We might as well get WordPress out of the way since if we're talking web hosts, we're going to talk WordPress. About  63% of websites  with content management systems use  the open-source WordPress CMS . 

The WordPress ecosystem is huge, and finding the right WordPress host is a challenge on its own. Beyond WordPress.com, the service offered by the creators of the CMS, there are a large number of managed hosting providers and an even larger number of hosting providers that specialize in providing a WordPress-optimized server for your website. Nearly every hosting provider will allow a WordPress install, considering its popularity.

What are the best Infrastructure-as-a-Service providers?

Our recommendations include IaaS providers you probably know intimately, such as Amazon. They are highly credible vendors who've been providing infrastructure for years.

If you're just starting, you might not want to go all-in with an IaaS provider, although they offer the most flexibility. Some, like Amazon and Digital Ocean, allow you to point-and-click configure virtual WordPress machines or almost any other open-source content management system you may want. It might be overkill for SMBs, though.

What are the best point-and-click website builders?

A website builder is a type of software that lets you craft your business website, generally without programming knowledge or experience. Many allow you to choose from templates and then modify those templates to suit your look and layout.

Nearly all web hosting providers include some kind of website-building software. But for most hosting plans, it's often an afterthought. By contrast, the website builders listed in this section are provided by web hosting services that have made point-and-click website building tools with excellent customer support and solid up-time a core priority in their offering. 

You do sacrifice some control when choosing a website builder solution, but if you've never done any web development and you want a beautiful, usable website quickly, these services are for you. One warning: There are a lot of lock-ins here. You won't be able to transfer the look of your site (and sometimes the content) to another hosting provider easily. So keep that in mind when you choose a website builder. 

Are there alternative web hosting services to consider?

There are countless web hosting providers out there and not all of them can make the list regarding our top recommendations, despite offering excellent service. Below, you will find other hosts to consider that may be more suitable for your requirements:

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