Right now, a lot of people are using cloud services to store their data. Which two or three options do you think are the most convenient for personal files: 1) real-time sync with automatic backups, 2) hybrid solutions with local access, or 3) fully encrypted offline storage without sync? Please share why your choice works best for everyday use and what advantages you see in your preferred approach.
What type of cloud storage do you prefer for personal files?
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For personal files, I prefer real-time sync with automatic backups—it's convenient to have the latest versions across all my devices without worrying about losing anything. But how do you handle access to encrypted files when you completely disable sync?
For personal files, I usually go with a combination of the first and second options—sync storage with automatic backups (Google Drive/OneDrive) and a hybrid solution with local access (Synology Drive). The sync service eliminates the need to manually copy files: all changes are immediately pushed to the cloud, ensuring a backup even if the computer crashes. At the same time, I connect them to my NAS via WebDAV, which allows me to quickly open large media files or archives without fully downloading them from the cloud, as well as store large volumes of data without extra cloud storage costs. This hybrid approach combines the convenience of automatic sync with control over local copies, which is especially valuable in daily use. If maximum privacy is needed, I sometimes store highly sensitive documents in fully encrypted containers (Cryptomator) without syncing, but for most tasks, this dual setup already covers all my needs.
For me, the hybrid approach turned out to be the best option—option 2, a hybrid solution with local access. I use Google Drive for automatic cloud backups of important documents, while at home, I run my own Nextcloud server, which I access via LAN. This mix offers several advantages: automatic cloud backups protect against accidental file loss, while the local server ensures instant access to large media files without delays or the need to upload them to the cloud. Additionally, Nextcloud supports server-side encryption, so sensitive data remains securely protected even if synchronization is disabled.
If a fully offline option without synchronization is needed, I find it useful only for highly sensitive materials—like personal financial reports. In that case, it's better to store files in encrypted archives (7-Zip/Veracrypt) on an external SSD and periodically back them up to a separate USB drive. However, for everyday use, the hybrid setup remains the most balanced in terms of speed, reliability, and convenience.