iCloud storage cost, and what the 200 GB → 2 TB jump means
iCloud+ costs about $0.99 a month for 50 GB, $2.99 for 200 GB, and $9.99 for 2 TB in the US (as of July 2026). The catch isn't any single price — it's the gap: there is nothing between 200 GB and 2 TB, so the moment your photo library passes 200 GB, your bill roughly triples for space most people never fill.
Every iCloud+ plan
| iCloud+ plan | Price / month | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| 50 GB | about $0.99 | 2.0¢/GB |
| 200 GB | about $2.99 | 1.5¢/GB |
| 2 TB | about $9.99 | 0.5¢/GB |
| 6 TB | about $29.99 | 0.5¢/GB |
| 12 TB | about $59.99 | 0.5¢/GB |
What you'd pay for the storage you actually need
Because of the gap, the iCloud price for a mid-size library is really the 2 TB price. Here's the smallest iCloud+ plan that covers each need, next to the StorageBites tier that matches it:
| You need | Smallest iCloud+ plan that fits | StorageBites | You'd save |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 GB | 200 GB · about $2.99/mo | 100 GB · $1/mo | ~$24/yr |
| 200 GB | 200 GB · about $2.99/mo | 250 GB · $2/mo | ~$12/yr |
| 400 GB | 2 TB · about $9.99/mo | 400 GB · $3/mo | ~$84/yr |
| 500 GB | 2 TB · about $9.99/mo | 550 GB · $4/mo | ~$72/yr |
| 700 GB | 2 TB · about $9.99/mo | 700 GB · $5/mo | ~$60/yr |
| 1 TB | 2 TB · about $9.99/mo | 1 TB · $7/mo | ~$36/yr |
Where iCloud is genuinely better
Fair is fair: iCloud's deep iOS integration is unmatched. Automatic background backup, Optimize iPhone Storage, and native Photos integration are things Apple doesn't let third parties replicate, and no web app — ours included — can match that hands-off experience. If automation is why you pay, stay. If you're paying $9.99 for space because 200 GB stopped being enough, that's the overpay this page is about.
Common questions
How much does iCloud storage cost per month?
As of July 2026, iCloud+ costs about $0.99 a month for 50 GB, $2.99 for 200 GB, and $9.99 for 2 TB in the US, with 6 TB and 12 TB family tiers above that. Every iPhone also includes 5 GB free, which is why the upgrade prompts appear so quickly.
Does iCloud have a 500 GB or 1 TB plan?
No. iCloud+ jumps straight from 200 GB to 2 TB — there is no 400 GB, 500 GB, or 1 TB plan. If your library is in that range, you pay about $9.99 a month for 2 TB you mostly won't use. That middle range is exactly what StorageBites sells: 400 GB for $3, 550 GB for $4, or 1 TB for $7 a month.
When is iCloud worth the price anyway?
If you want fully hands-off iPhone backup, iCloud is genuinely the best option — its Optimize iPhone Storage feature offloads full-resolution photos automatically in a way no third-party app is allowed to match. StorageBites uploads are something you do, not something that happens invisibly. Pay for iCloud for the automation; switch if what you mostly want is space at a fair price.
Can I use StorageBites and keep a small iCloud plan?
Yes, and it's a sensible split: keep iCloud's free 5 GB or the $0.99 50 GB plan for device backup, and put the bulk of your photos and files in a cheaper archive. A 400 GB StorageBites tier plus iCloud's 50 GB costs about $4 a month, versus about $9.99 for iCloud's 2 TB.