The short answer (checked 13 October 2026): pCloud lifetime is worth it if you want mature sync apps for many years and your files do not need to be private from pCloud. 2 TB costs €499 once. Lifetime storage is not end-to-end encrypted: that is pCloud Encryption, a separate €150 purchase covering one folder, so 2 TB with encryption is €649. If you want every file encrypted on your device by default, ShieldFive's Lifetime Vault is 2 TB for €199 once, with real limits listed below.
pCloud lifetime facts
| pCloud lifetime | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| 500 GB | €219 once (shown down from €279) | pCloud pricing |
| 2 TB | €499 once (shown down from €709) | pCloud pricing |
| 10 TB | €1,499 once (shown down from €2,799) | pCloud pricing |
| End-to-end encryption | Not included. pCloud Encryption is €150 lifetime, for the Crypto folder only | pCloud Encryption |
| How long "lifetime" lasts | Lifetime of the account owner or 99 years, whichever is shorter | pCloud terms |
| Transferable | No: "User accounts are not transferable" | pCloud terms |
| If pCloud stops | Account terminated, service no longer provided | pCloud terms |
All figures read on each page on 13 October 2026. pCloud's lifetime prices are frequently discounted; check the live price before you compare.
When pCloud lifetime is worth it
- You keep the plan for years. A lifetime plan only pays off after several years of use you would otherwise have paid for monthly.
- You want polished apps now. pCloud has shipped since 2013, with desktop sync, a virtual drive and apps on every platform.
- You need more than 2 TB. The 10 TB plan has no match among the encrypted-by-default lifetime plans we track.
When it isn't
- You assumed "encrypted" meant pCloud can't read your files. By default pCloud encrypts on its servers with keys it holds. Only the Crypto folder is end-to-end, and only if you pay for it.
- You want the whole library private, not one folder. Anything outside the Crypto folder stays readable to pCloud, including photos and documents synced automatically.
- You are betting on the company more than the price. The terms tie the plan to pCloud operating the service; there is no refund if it stops.
The alternative: every file encrypted, 2 TB for €199
ShieldFive encrypts every file and file name on your device before upload, on every plan; we store only ciphertext and never hold your keys. The Lifetime Vault is 2 TB for €199 once, 30-day full refund. It lasts 99 years or until ShieldFive stops operating the service, and is non-transferable — the same kind of tie to the company as pCloud's.
The limits, plainly: no desktop sync client and no iOS app yet (Android is in Google Play testing), no external security audit completed, and the apps are closed source (the crypto core is open, Apache-2.0). We serve the web app's code, so the guarantee holds for the code you are served. pCloud is far more mature.
Related
- pCloud vs Icedrive lifetime, with ShieldFive
- pCloud alternative: the full comparison
- Every provider still selling lifetime storage
Facts checked on each vendor's own page on 13 October 2026 and updated as the plans change.