We are well familiar with the needs for cloud storage today. And everyone pays for at least one subscription to have extra GB for backups, files, photos and videos. What do we pick? Typically, the most obvious cloud storage that's either baked into our operating system, or the platform we are currently using.

We barely give it a thought: are there other options out there?

Sure there are! But when you try to look for reliable ones -- say, ones that have 12 years of experience and customer satisfaction behind them, then the list shortens.

Cloud storage provider pCloud has been providing more than just gigabytes to store your precious memories for more than a decade now. Their apps and platforms aren't just upload boxes -- they have integrated document viewers and media players, so you can view your photos and videos and arrange your music in playlists, share easily, and have all your stuff in one place.

Now that pCloud is celebrating 12 years of service, you are invited to the birthday party! Your invite consists of 20 GB of storage for free, for a lifetime. New accounts -- hop on that before September is up!

pCloud is a Switzerland-based cloud service that's been around since 2013, and it has carved out a solid reputation for being secure, straightforward, and easy to integrate with multiple platforms. It currently has data centers in Europe and the US (you can pick where your files are stored), with network accelerators at key locations across the globe, so you always have quick access to your files.

To ensure privacy and security, your transfers are always 256-bit AES encrypted, and pCloud's servers adhere to the Swiss data privacy standards.

Your connection with pCloud is encrypted, yes. And the files in the servers are secure, yes.

But then, pCloud takes it up a notch with pCloud Crypto. It's essentially a secure folder within your local pCloud app or virtual drive. Once you copy files in there, they get encrypted on-device before ever being beamed to the servers.

Then, if you wish to access those files on a different device that's on your account -- you need your passphrase. Passphrases are handled with RSA 4096 keys, files are encrypted with AES-256. That's a lot of numbers, so here's the simplified version -- really tough to break, military-grade digital protection.

It's also a very efficient and quick method of encrypting files, so there aren't many downsides to speak of.

For group projects and files that you intend to share often -- it's good to stick with "regular" pCloud, which is still plenty secure. For anything that is your-eyes-only, pCloud Crypto has that covered.

When we say pCloud integrates with your device of choice, we are not kidding. If you choose to install the app on a Mac or Windows, you will get a new "pCloud" volume on your system. It literally acts as a removable hard disk, thus an expansion of your laptop's storage -- so long as you are connected to the Internet.

And the files you find on that virtual volume are the very same files you are syncing from your phone. This means that if you are not all-in with a particular ecosystem, be it Android or iOS, pCloud can be that bridge between your iPhone and Windows PC, or your Android and Mac, always keeping your files accessible across the multiple platforms.

Right now, if you sign up fresh, pCloud is giving you 20 GB of storage for free. That's not a trial that vanishes in 30 days -- that's yours to keep. Perfect for:

And yes, 20 GB might sound like a drop compared to paid terabytes, but for free? That's quite a lot of room to just "test" the service out -- it can be your memorabilia storage forever.