The short answer (checked 19 October 2026): a pCloud lifetime plan buys storage that pCloud can read unless you also buy pCloud Encryption, which covers one folder. For 5 TB, pCloud lifetime costs €1,499 (its 10 TB plan), or €1,649 with Encryption (pricing, Encryption). The ShieldFive Founding Lifetime is 5 TB for €199 once, with every file encrypted on your device by default. €199 until 31 October 2026, then €249. pCloud's apps and track record are well ahead of ours; both are covered below.
What you get for the money
| pCloud lifetime | ShieldFive Founding Lifetime | |
|---|---|---|
| Sizes and prices | 500 GB €219, 2 TB €499, 10 TB €1,499 (shown down from €279, €709, €2,799) | 5 TB for €199 |
| Files the provider cannot read | Only inside the Crypto folder, with pCloud Encryption: €150 once (shown down from €229) | Every file and file name, by default |
| Cost for 5 TB with everything you upload private | €1,649 (10 TB + Encryption), and only files you put in the Crypto folder are covered | €199 |
| Refund | 14-day money-back guarantee | 30-day full refund |
| What "lifetime" means | Lifetime of the account owner or 99 years, whichever is shorter | 99 years or until ShieldFive stops operating the service |
| If the company stops | Account terminated, no refund | Notice and a full export; open file format |
| Downloads and sharing | Shared-link traffic listed per plan (4 TB on 2 TB) | 200 GB of downloads every 30 days |
| Apps | Web, desktop sync and virtual drive, iOS, Android | Web and Android (in Google Play testing); no desktop sync client, no iOS app |
| Extras | pCloud Photos, pCloud Docs editors, family plans | Encrypted previews of PDFs, images, spreadsheets and Word files; share links with password, expiry and download caps |
pCloud figures from its pricing page, Encryption page and terms on 19 October 2026. ShieldFive figures from the Lifetime page and Terms §5.3 and §5.4.
The encryption catch, in practice
pCloud encrypts files on its servers with keys it holds. That protects against a stolen disk; it does not stop pCloud, a breach of pCloud or a legal demand from reaching the files. Client-side encryption, where pCloud never sees the key, applies only to files you move into the Crypto folder after buying Encryption. Camera uploads, synced folders and anything you forget to move stay outside it.
With ShieldFive there is no folder to remember: every file and file name is encrypted in your browser before upload, and we store only ciphertext and never hold your keys. You give up pCloud's mature sync apps to get that by default.
Watch for pCloud promotions
pCloud runs time-limited offers on its own landing pages, and they can change the comparison. Until 16 October 2026, landing.pcloud.com/Germany2026 sold 2 TB lifetime with Encryption included for €379; on 19 October 2026 that address redirected to the regular pricing page. If you see a live pCloud offer, compare that price, and check whether Encryption is included.
Where pCloud is better
- Track record. pCloud has sold lifetime plans since 2013. ShieldFive's Lifetime plan is new, and no external security audit of ShieldFive has been completed.
- Apps. Desktop sync, a virtual drive and an iOS app today. If you want a folder on your laptop that syncs on its own, pCloud does it and we don't yet.
- Bigger sizes. 10 TB in one plan, and family plans.
- Media and documents. pCloud Photos and built-in document editors. ShieldFive previews files; it does not edit them.
Who should pick which
Pick pCloud if you want polished apps for photos and sync, need more than 5 TB, and only a subset of your files needs to be private from the provider. Budget for Encryption if any of it does.
Pick ShieldFive if you want the whole library private by default, 5 TB covers you, and the web or Android is enough for how you work. It costs €1,450 less than the smallest pCloud plan that holds 5 TB with Encryption, and the refund window is 30 days rather than 14. Read the security model first.
Already bought pCloud lifetime?
Keep it. The 14-day refund window will usually have passed, and pCloud remains a good place for files that don't need to be private from pCloud. A common setup is pCloud for photos and sync, and an encrypted vault for scans of passports, tax records and contracts. The free plan is 10 GB with no card if you want to try that split first.
pCloud figures were read on pCloud's own pages on 19 October 2026. For a deeper look at pCloud's plan alone, see is pCloud lifetime worth it?; for every provider still selling lifetime plans, see lifetime cloud storage.