Google Drive is a popular cloud storage service that works great for the most part.
However, it may not be the most private option out there. So, to take total control of your data, the best way is to spin up a Nextcloud instance and store your essential data while getting access to other collaboration tools.
While that sounds good to hear, not everyone can put the effort to create and maintain their instance. This is where ecloud comes inβbuilt by the same team behind /e/ OS, the de-googled Android operating system.
ecloud pitches itself primarily as a new private alternative to Google Drive and offers a mailbox to replace Gmail.
/e/ cloud: Nextcloud & OnlyOffice With Mailbox
When you create an /e/ account, it gives you a private email address [email protected]
And, along with the email address, you get 1 GB free ecloud storage space and a collaboration platform powered by Nextcloud and OnlyOffice at its core.
So, if you want to utilize Nextcloud and OnlyOffice to replace Google’s suite of tools without setting it up all yourself, /e/ cloud can be a compelling privacy-centric choice.
In addition to the file storage and document support with OnlyOffice, you can also use a calendar, store notes, and add tasks.
Hence, it can also be a decent privacy-focused collaboration platform that you can use for free.
If you want more storage, you can upgrade your subscription to a paid plan where you opt for 20 to 1 TB of storage as required with monthly/yearly billing options. The pricing plans start as low as $3/month.
Undoubtedly, it should be a seamless experience if you are using /e/ OS on your phone or a /e/ smartphone.
But, you can also use it on any device using third-party mail clients and the Nextcloud mobile app.
Wrapping Up
Considering it is relatively new, several features are planned to be added that include end-to-end encryption, migration from Google Drive, and more.
You can sign up for an account and try it out free.
What do you think about a mainstream solution like /e/ cloud that uses Nextcloud at its core to help you manage/store files securely in addition to email and collaboration services?