Sync Cloud Storage – Secure and Canadian

Posted by Marie

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You can’t afford to lose your data! You should use Sync cloud storage to ensure your files are always available. Regardless of the device!

Sync cloud storage explanation:

So what exactly is cloud storage? Digital data is stored remotely across multiple physical servers and, potentially, multiple locations. The cloud storage provider manages the servers and provides the platform for you to access your data.

Cloud storage means you don’t need your own expensive hardware for storage. Using your own physical hard drives is expensive. Plus, the devices will eventually fail you.

Cloud storage options:

You might be wondering why we’ve even written this article. You’ve probably already heard of a lot of other cloud storage options. And they are readily available:

Microsoft OneDrive, onedrive.live.com – 5 GB free with a Microsoft account
Google Drive, www.google.com/drive – 15 GB free with a Google account
Dropbox, www.dropbox.com – 2 GB free
Apple iCloud, www.icloud.com – 5 GB free with an Apple ID account

And there are many others. So why are we reviewing Sync.com cloud storage?

Around the world, many governments collect and access data with the goal of protecting national security and as part of police investigations. For example, in the USA. Any data you store in a cloud service owned by a company in a country with these provisions can be accessed by the government. And that’s usually without your consent and often even without your notification.

Sync cloud storage is 100% Canadian. Canadian owned and with all servers physically located in Canada. But you don’t need to live in Canada to take advantage of the service.

Sync provides global data privacy compliance: USA-HIPAA, EU, UK, and CAN-PIPEDA.

Other options

There are a few other options you could consider besides Sync:

Tresorit, tresorit.com – a Swiss company with servers in the Netherlands and Ireland, but they do not give you a free option
Mega, mega.nz – New Zealand-based with additional servers in Luxembourg, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Canada
Jottacloud, www.jottacloud.com – headquarters and servers in Norway, but they are not a zero-knowledge service

NOTE: Zero-knowledge means there is no third-party tracking and even company staff cannot see your files or password. Which means they cannot hand over your data to anyone else. That also means they cannot help you if you forget your password.

Sync cloud storage features

Free version:

Sync cloud storage has a lot to offer you in the free version:

5 GB cloud storage FREE
Automatic backups
End-to-end encryption (2048-bit RSA, SSL/TLS encryption) – Sync is a zero-knowledge service
Data transfer – you don’t have a set limit but excessive data transfer will be limited
Collaboration – file link and folder sharing with password protection (including two-factor authentication). You can even share with non-sync users with secure links.
Synchronisation – across all your devices so you always have access to what you need. And that includes Windows and Apple operating systems plus mobile Android, iPhone, and iPad.
Version history – up to 30 days
File backup – centralised real-time backup for easy recovery

Paid versions:

There are different tiers of paid plans. Depending upon the tier level, there are additional features available:

More storage – you can have from 500 GB up to 10 TB (10,000 GB) per user
Unlimited data transfer
Advanced collaboration and sharing – you have control over expiry dates, download limits, and notifications
Document previews – preview for Microsoft Office documents, PDF, and image formats without downloading first. NOTE: This is available only with the business plans.
Version history – allows you to access unlimited previous file versions, great protection against ransomware
Multi-user admin controls – only available on the higher-level tiers
Live support for the highest tier

Want to read more about the Sync features? Check out the Top 10 features.

Compatibility:

Sync cloud storage is available on the Windows platform and iOS, including iPhone and iPad. It’s also available on Android devices. But not Linux.

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How does it work?

Registering with Sync is very straight forward:

Use our referral link to receive a sign-up bonus of an additional 1 GB of storage (details explained here): www.sync.com
DISCLOSURE: If you sign-up with our referral link then we also receive a bonus at no cost to you.
On the right side of the screen, enter your email address and set a password.
Ensure you’ve selected the checkbox next to “I accept the Terms and Privacy Policy which includes occasional product update emails from Sync (you can unsubscribe any time).” We recommend you also select “Enable email-based forgotten password reset.” Then click “Sign up free.”
Once registered, install the Sync desktop app – this is what ensures your files are synchronised in the cloud and available across devices. More information available at the sync desktop application.
Ensure your “Sync folder” is set up on your computer. Files in your sync folder are automatically backed up to the cloud.
Download the mobile app and set up your other devices

Usability:

Sync has a straight forward interface. The web panel provides a secure means to access both documents and account settings. And this information is also accessible using the desktop app.

Support:

The Sync cloud storage website has an excellent online help centre. They also have a substantial knowledge base and a contact form for specific questions or submissions.

And they even provide a status page for systems operations. It highlights any incidents noted and the status/actions taken: sync.statuspage.io.

Referral

You can earn a sign-up bonus of additional storage by using our referral link when you register: www.sync.com. You’ll receive an additional 1 GB of storage.

DISCLOSURE: If you register with our referral link then we also receive a bonus at no cost to you. Using our referral link helps us maintain this site to continue to bring you ideas for making money and saving money.

Summary:

There are a lot of cloud storage providers available. And quite a number of them offer free storage options. But the biggest factor in choosing your cloud storage provider should be security. Not just site security but the security of keeping your data safe from unnecessary exposure. That means finding zero-knowledge providers.

We have been using Sync for almost two years and we’re pleased with the service. The free storage offered won’t hold all your data – photos alone take up an incredible amount of storage. But it gives you a great option to explore the various features available. Then you can comfortably upgrade to a paid version when the timing is right for you.