Top 10 Encrypted Cloud Storage Platforms for Enterprises in 2021

Encrypted cloud storage is defined as a technology that encrypts the data stored on the cloud using encryption algorithms so that it is undecipherable until it is decrypted using the relevant key. This article explains the key features you need in an enterprise-grade encrypted cloud storage solution and shortlists the top ten contenders in this space. 

Table of Contents

• 5 Key Features of an Encrypted Cloud Storage Platform
• Top 10 Encrypted Cloud Storage Platforms for Enterprises in 2021

5 Key Features of an Encrypted Cloud Storage Platform

Encrypted cloud storage is a technology that encrypts the data stored on the cloud using encryption algorithms so that it is undecipherable until it is decrypted using the relevant key. Encrypted cloud storage solutions for enterprises typically include various capabilities to address 360-degree enterprise needs. These include secure collaboration, data governance on the cloud, secure hybrid cloud storage management, etc. 

When assessing encrypted cloud storage solutions for your organization, you must look for a few key features. 

1. Stringent security: This is the no.1 criteria that should determine your decision. Data needs to be encrypted in motion as well as at rest. You might also look for ancillary security mechanisms like multi-factor authentication or data loss prevention, as applicable for your use case. 
2. Compliance with regulatory requirements: The solution must comply with the regulatory requirements relevant to your enterprise. For example, financial service firms might require compliance with PCI DSS, while healthcare providers will need a solution compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). 
3. Scalability for large teams: An important feature differentiating encrypted cloud storage from consumer-facing solutions is scalability. Ideally, you should be able to onboard an unlimited number of users and devices as the organization grows. 
4. Sufficient storage capacity: Like user numbers, you need flexibility in terms of storage capacity as well. The solution should provide unlimited built-in storage, or it must integrate with your enterprise-owned infrastructure to support scalability. 
5. Multi-device compatibility: The solution should be able to connect with and work across all the devices and ecosystems currently utilized by your company. You might want to look for a mobile app to support remote management of encrypted storage. 

Also Read: What Is Multi-Factor Authentication? Definition, Key Components, and Best Practices

Top 10 Encrypted Cloud Storage Platforms for Enterprises in 2021

Enterprise-grade solutions in this category must meet and exceed the five criteria we discussed, adding a unique value proposition that directly addresses your organization’s needs. The top ten platforms listed here cover a diverse range of feature sets and application use cases, factoring in multiple enterprise scenarios. 

Disclaimer: These listings are based on publicly available information and include vendor websites that sell to mid-to-large enterprises. Readers are advised to conduct their own final research to ensure the best fit for their unique organizational needs.

1. Baffle Cloud Data Protection Platform

Overview: Founded in 2015, Baffle uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to manage secure data movements in the cloud. Companies like ServiceNow have invested in Baffle over the years, helping strengthen its value proposition. Last year, Baffle launched a secure data sharing product for privacy-preserving analytics and announced key-based data protection for Snowflake in 2021. 

Key features: The key features of Baffle include: 

• Stringent security: Encryption at the field level or record level, tokenization and format-preserving encryption (FPE), and data masking.
• Compliance with regulatory requirements: Compliant with all major industry regulations like General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), etc.; ready for use by financial service and healthcare providers.
• Scalability for large teams: Scalable storage for any cloud environment, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Azure, Google Cloud, Docker, and other containerized deployments.
• Sufficient storage capacity: No storage limitations and office coverage as per your underlying cloud infrastructure.
• Multi-device compatibility: Device agnostic —  can be leveraged on any device via the cloud. 

USP: Baffle is among the most sophisticated cloud storage encryption tools in the market, offering numerous encryption modes. It also follows a no-code encryption model, allowing you to enforce even the most complex security policies from a GUI interface. 

Pricing: Baffle is custom-priced depending on your underlying infrastructure 

Editorial comments: Baffle is the perfect cloud storage encryption solution for enterprises using AWS. It supports a variety of AWS solutions and services, including but not limited to AWS S3, AWS CloudHSM, AWS Lambda, AWS Elastic Load Balancer, and AWS Auto Scaling. 

2. Box

Overview: Publicly traded on the NYSE, Box is among the world’s foremost secure storage solution providers. It specializes in collaborative documents management and caters to over 87,000 businesses around the world. Healthcare companies like AstraZeneca requiring highly secure encrypted storage rely on Box as a trusted partner. 

Key features: The key features of Box include: 

• Stringent security: Encryption of data in transit using high-strength transport layer security (TLS) 1.2; encryption of data at rest using 256-bit AES encryption, support for RC4 cryptography encryption.
• Compliance with regulatory requirements: Compliant with global regulations such as System and Organization Controls (SOC) including SOC1 and SOC2, International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 27001, Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX), and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC); includes a dedicated Box Governance module. 
• Scalability for large teams: Highly scalable from 10 to unlimited users; leverages multiple cloud platforms and Box Zones. 
• Sufficient storage capacity: Unlimited storage with the enterprise version.
• Multi-device compatibility: Compatible with multiple devices and ecosystems; offers Device Spinning to restrict multi-device access for security. 

USP: Box platform combines security with functionality. Powerful developer tools make it extensible across IBM, SAP, Salesforce, and other technology ecosystems – ideal for large enterprises. 

Pricing: Box follows a localized pricing model, with the unlimited enterprise edition available for approximately $36.62 per user per month. 

Editorial comments: For very large, global enterprises looking for secure cloud-based content storage and management platformsOpens a new window , Box is a no-brainer, given that it is trusted by the likes of Morgan Stanley, Eli Lilly, and several others. 

3. Dropbox

Overview: Founded in 2007, Dropbox has steadily grown to become one of the world’s leading secure storage providers. The company is publicly traded on the NASDAQ and boasts eminent investors like JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and the Bank of America. Dropbox provides an end-to-end solution for secure storage and backup, cross-device synchronization, secure collaboration, and productivity. 

Key features: The key features of Dropbox include: 

• Stringent security: Encryption in transit and at rest; splitting files into individually encrypted blocks; secure sockets layer (SSL) and TLS for data transfer. 
• Compliance with regulatory requirements: Certified for ISO standards, HIPAA, and SOC 1,2, and 3 compliance; audited by an independent third-party (EY CertifyPoint).
• Scalability for large teams: Unlimited users, ready for implementation by large companies. 
• Sufficient storage capacity: Unlimited storage per user (minimum 5 TB capacity). 
• Multi-device compatibility: Available as dedicated applications and web apps for every device with automated synchronization. 

USP: Dropbox has a host of useful features for secure cloud storage and secure document sharing. With e-signatures, privacy controls, password-protected documents, device approvals, and more, you can protect your entire collaboration landscape. 

Pricing: Dropbox will cost $20 per user per month for the unlimited user and storage version. 

Editorial comments: Dropbox perfectly combines collaboration features with enterprise-grade encryption and backend developer tools. This helps build a robust cloud storage landscape that generates value while staying secure. 

4. ESET

Overview: Founded in 1992, ESET is a cybersecurity veteran. The company provides security solutions to over 100 million users worldwide, across 180+ countries. While ESET has solutions for consumer and enterprise segments, its encryption and data protection products are its flagship offering. It also offers solutions for cloud security, specifically addressing the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. 

Key features: The key features of ESET include: 

• Stringent security: Endpoint, full disk, and server encryption controlled by the ESET remote management console; one-click deployment across on-premises and cloud storage. 
• Compliance with regulatory requirements: Fully compliant with regulatory standards such as GDPR, CCPA, LGPD, or POPI.
• Scalability for large teams: Turnkey solutions for small teams, mid-sized businesses, and large enterprises to deliver a scalability-ready security mechanism.
• Sufficient storage capacity: Works as an overlay on top of your existing storage systems, virtually removing any storage limits dependent on your encryption capabilities.
• Multi-device compatibility: Focused on multi-device coverage and access; compatible with drive encryption on macOS; mobile dashboard available for security and encryption administration.

USP: ESET’s biggest USP is its keen focus on the private cloud, suitable for encrypting virtual disks and file servers at scale. It’s also very easy to set up, integrates with cloud services for authentication, and uses sophisticated encryption keys for added security. 

Pricing: ESET is available in several editions with ESET Protect Complete, ideal for cloud encryption use cases – you’d have to contact the company for a custom quote. 

Editorial comments: Large enterprises with a sprawling IT landscape and a sizeable remote workforce need a versatile solution to encrypt storage and authenticate access. ESET could be the perfect solution to address this challenge. 

Also Read: What Is Cloud Encryption? Definition, Importance, Methods and Best Practices

5. FileCloud

Overview: FileCloud (operated by CodeLathe Inc.) is a relatively new entrant in the cloud security marketplace but has grown rapidly in the last few years. Founded in 2016, it already has 3000+ enterprise customers and a network of 100+ resellers worldwide. FileCloud is a secure cloud storage solution that uses encryption, audit trails, digital rights management, and several other mechanisms to protect your data on the cloud while facilitating collaboration. 

Key features:

• Stringent security: Site-specific encryption keys, site sandboxing for every customer, and specialized services for AWS GovCloud deployments. 
• Compliance with regulatory requirements: Designed keeping in mind the requirements of regulated industries like healthcare and the public sector; compliant with the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS); has added compliance features like GDPR pattern search.
• Scalability for large teams: High availability infrastructure; enables scaling through AWS S3, OpenStack Swift, or private cloud resources. 
• Sufficient storage capacity: Unlimited cloud storage.
• Multi-device compatibility: Cross-platform synchronization across desktops (Windows, Mac, Linux); dedicated mobile apps for iOS, Android, and even Windows Phone.

USP: One of the key USPs emphasized by FileCloud is the affordability factor. Compared to Dropbox or Box, FileCloud can be as much as 50% more affordable for the same number of users and similar storage capacity. 

Pricing: FileCloud starts at $10 per user per month for at least five users with 1TB of storage. 

Editorial comments: For companies eager to explore encrypted cloud storage, FileCloud is a great starting point, with powerful encryption capabilities, collaboration features, and multi-ecosystem compatibility. 

6. IBM Spectrum Protect Plus

Overview: IBM Spectrum has been around for several years, offering enterprise-grade storage solutions to companies around the world. It can help you manage over 300 different storage devices from a centralized dashboard, and IBM is constantly upgrading this capability. Recently, in 2021, it launched a dedicated solution for hybrid cloud with plans for secure containerization and hyper-converged infrastructure in the works. 

Key features: The key features of IBM Spectrum Protect Plus include: 

• Stringent security: Encryption of data at rest using AES 256-bit encryption on a vSnap Backup Storage server; option to create backups via an encrypted virtual machine; SSL-encrypted data in transit. 
• Compliance with regulatory requirements: Compliant with all major industry protocols; allows you to monitor compliance via policy enforcement checks and regular reports. 
• Scalability for large teams: can scale across all hybrid cloud environments, including virtual machines, file systems, databases, application workloads, containers, and SaaS. 
• Sufficient storage capacity: Starts at 100 TB of managed backup data; can be scaled to unlimited storage with additional licenses.
• Multi-device compatibility: Compatible with workloads across all devices and cloud ecosystems, including IBM Cloud, AWS, and Microsoft Azure.

USP: IBM is among the few solutions that can offer end-to-end security and encryption for complex, hybrid storage environments, with the option to bring your own license (BYOL) for storage capacity. 

Pricing: Pricing starts at $60 per 10 managed virtual machines or per TB per month. You can also get a perpetual license starting at $2000. 

Editorial comments: As an industry leader, IBM is the perfect cloud storage encryption partner for large enterprises with a complex technology landscape. 

7. MEGA Business

Overview: Founded in 2013, MEGA offers security and privacy-focused solutions for enterprise storage and collaboration. It uses powerful user-generated encryption technology to restrict access to storage. MEGA is leveraged by over 200 million users around the world, including individual consumers and businesses. 

Key features: The key features of MEGA include: 

• Stringent security: End-to-end encryption of data, chat conversations, and calls through user-controlled encryption keys.
• Compliance with regulatory requirements: Compliant with all major industry regulations, with heavy investments in compliance efforts, including a periodic transparency report, takedown guidance policies for user privacy, and more. 
• Scalability for large teams: Draws from the scalable architecture of Megaupload (formerly a global file-sharing website created by MEGA’s founders); unlimited users with affordable pricing for easier scalability.
• Sufficient storage capacity: 15TB of storage (or more) per user.
• Multi-device compatibility: Compatible with all major platforms and devices across desktops, smartphones, and tablets.

USP: The primary USP of MEGA is the transparency that it offers in the form of an openly published source code, which is reviewed by expert security researchers. Also, all data is housed in European data centers or locations approved by the European Commission. 

Pricing: MEGA Business is priced at €5.00 (approximately $5.83) per user per month. 

Editorial comments: Enterprises looking primarily at encrypted storage and communication with user-generated keys should consider MEGA, particularly its secure link sharing and password-controlled security walls. 

8. OneDrive

Overview: In the world of secure storage, OneDrive needs no introduction. Hosted on Microsoft Azure Cloud, OneDrive offers secure storage, sharing, and collaboration for teams of every size. It is natively integrated with the Microsoft 365 productivity ecosystem while also following industry standards for data encryption. 

Key features: The key features of OneDrive for businesses include: 

• Stringent security: Data encryption at rest and in transit; Personal Vault feature to lock sensitive data away from high-risk device locations; optional BitLocker encryption for Windows 10 PCs; facial recognition and fingerprint verification on select devices.
• Compliance with regulatory requirements: Compliant with all major regulatory mandates; compliance management capabilities to control external sharing, selective synchronization, conditional access, and more. 
• Scalability for large teams: Highly scalable thanks to the Azure cloud infrastructure.
• Sufficient storage capacity: Up to 6TB of storage per user with enterprise editions. 
• Multi-device compatibility: Works with any device and ecosystem with native support for the Microsoft family of devices. 

USP: Given that Azure is one of the world’s most popular cloud environments, OneDrive offers high uptime and reliable storage services. It also includes the Office productivity suite if purchased with a Microsoft 365 Business Standard license. 

Pricing: pricing starts at $5 per user per month, with the $12.50 version offering you Office integration and communication capabilities. 

Editorial comments: Companies with existing Microsoft dependencies should consider OneDrive for their encrypted cloud storage needs to gain from the interoperability with Microsoft 365. 

9. Onehub

Overview: Onehub was founded in 2007 as a cloud-based secure storage solution. It offers business-focused products and services, such as secure data routes, remote work enablement, and Title IX compliant tools for federal agencies. Its offerings for encrypted cloud storage use powerful physical security policies and encryption to enable collaboration and easy document sharing without multiplying your threat vectors. 

Key features: The key features of Onehub include: 

• Stringent security: Automated backup with 256-bit encryption; network security verification by Verisign; audit trails and role-based permissions.
• Compliance with regulatory requirements: Certified for HIPAA; SSAE 16 and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Level 1 certification in partnership with AWS; data transmission via SSL.
• Scalability for large teams: Unlimited users and workspaces with the paid enterprise edition; scalability based on AWS infrastructure.
• Sufficient storage capacity: Unlimited storage with the paid enterprise edition.
• Multi-device compatibility: Automated synchronization across multiple devices and two-factor authentication (2FA) for secure device access.

USP: Onehub claims to offer banking-grade security with full transparency on who is accessing your stored asset. It also has customized agreements that certain user roles must sign before gaining access. 

Pricing: Onehub is priced at $575 per month for the unlimited enterprise edition 

Editorial comments: Onehub can be an affordable and scalable solution for companies with high-volume requirements and sensitive assets.

10. pCloud Business

Overview: pCloud is a Switzerland-based file security company established in 2013. pCloud’s products cover individual, developer, and enterprise use cases, with pCloud Business designed especially for large teams with dynamic storage requirements. The company uses advanced cryptography techniques to encrypt your assets on the cloud, and you can also visually tailor the platform to suit your organization’s branding guidelines. 

Key features: The key features of pCloud Business include: 

• Stringent security: Client-side encryption before uploading to pCloud servers, tested by ethical hackers from Berkeley, Boston, and MIT.
• Compliance with regulatory requirements: Certified for ISO 9001:2015, ISO 27001:2013, and GDPR, with data center regions as per your requirements.
• Scalability for large teams: Support for unlimited users; enables user organization into teams with role-based access.
• Sufficient storage capacity: 1 TB of storage per user, including a subscription to the pCloud Crypto service.
• Multi-device compatibility: Compatible with devices across various ecosystems, including iOS, Android, Windows mobile, Windows desktop, and the web.

USP: pCloud is easy to use and can work as a secure file storage and sharing solution for your company. Apart from encrypted storage through pCloud Crypto, you can also keep track of activity, gain from intelligent search, and share files securely. 

Pricing: pCloud Business starts at $7.99 per user per month for a 1-year commitment. 

Editorial comments: Mid-sized to large enterprises looking for a secure storage solution without complex configurations or unpredictable pricing should consider pCloud. 

Also Read: Top 10 Cloud Data Protection Companies in 2021

Takeaway 

Growing enterprises will have multi-faceted technology environments and need a security solution that can keep up. The ten encrypted cloud storage platforms we discussed are tailored for enterprise-grade requirements – each with its own USP, which makes it ideal for private, public, or hybrid clouds, for varying collaboration needs, and aligned to specific security and compliance parameters. With the cloud encryption market growing at 30.1% every year, as per research by MarketsandMarkets, there are plenty of options available. Conduct your research and let us know which factors helped to determine your selection. 

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