Forum Discussion

Nomad

Feb 06, 2016

How do companies that offer FREE cloud storage make money???

I know that there is probably not "real true" answer to this question. While trying to find a place to store for FREE files on the cloud I was surprise at the number of companies that offer free cloud storage.

Windows 10 and MS Office are designed (?) to store most (?) of your information on the cloud. Have you noticed the advertisement that MS is running that says how fast they can now decode the human DNA because all the information is on the cloud. I know that hard drives are getting cheap, but a cloud storage facility has got to cost $$$$$$.

What is the catch? . . :h . . What is their business plan to make money? Is the data safe or are they mining the data for information to sell to advertisers? . . , :h

22 Replies

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Feb 06, 2016
Most all the "Free Cloud Storage" Sites have one of 3 hidden or not so hidden features.

1: Corporate sponsorship. Because you bought a Byte Burner 2000 you get 1 Gig of FREE CLOUD STORAGE.. Why? Byte burner computers pays for it.

2: "Upgrade now for only 14.95/month.

3: On The following date we will be discontinuing our free service, Pay up or kiss your files goodby. (That happened with my Byte Burner (not a real computer company name of course) by the way.. Thankfully I had not actually used that account so all that went away was an ICON on the start menu.
Sam_Spade
Explorer
Feb 06, 2016
rk911 wrote:
most of the freebie cloud storage is very small. the hope is that you will purchase additional storage space.

And that you will read and respond to the marketing ads that will eventually come along with your freebie.

Or that at some point in time it will cease to be free anymore.
gbopp
Explorer
Feb 06, 2016
Maybe they write it of as advertising expenses?
And yes, usually you can upgrade to larger storage, for a price.
rk911
Explorer
Feb 06, 2016
most of the freebie cloud storage is very small. the hope is that you will purchase additional storage space.