I Like to Be Friends With Megadrol Again
MEGA is a cloud storage service focused on security that offers users excellent end-to-end encryption and a great free program with tons of storage. Notwithstanding, its history has been marked by controversy and its null-cognition-encryption makes collaboration hard. Observe out more about MEGA, both the good and the bad, in this total MEGA review.
Key Takeaways:
- MEGA offers one of the best free plans on the market place: 20GB gratuitous splendid free plan.
- User information and files are secure through its aught-knowledge encryption service.
- Robust security means fewer options for effective collaboration.
Founded in 2013 as a successor to the infamous Megaupload — which yous tin read more than about in our guide to what Megaupload is — MEGA cloud storage was created by the notorious Kim Dotcom. Following the takedown of Megaupload'southward servers in Hong Kong, MEGA was incorporated in New Zealand as a cloud service dedicated to the security and privacy of its users' data.
In spite of all its controversy, MEGA is withal a very secure cloud service, and it'due south one of the best choices for anyone looking for lots of free storage space. A free account will get you lot a whopping 20GB of cloud storage. Considering of this, MEGA makes our list of the best free cloud storage services.
Although MEGA has a generous free plan, its paid plans are rather pricey and it doesn't really offering enough cloud storage to brand up for the toll. There are certainly better alternatives that offering much more storage for a lower cost. You tin cheque out our review of Sync.com if you're looking for a bargain that offers peak-notch security for a great price.
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07/02/2021
Nosotros have updated our speed tests to reverberate MEGA's comeback in upload and download speeds besides as pricing details across all plans.
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Despite its controversial past, MEGA is as trustworthy every bit any other leading cloud storage provider. It'southward transparent about your privacy and fifty-fifty extends GDPR protection to users worldwide.
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MEGA is not an illegal service and complies with all regulations that employ to a service of its blazon. Information technology also has a dedicated support team to aid take down any files that may be an infringement of copyright police.
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MEGA does non give viruses through its software beyond all its platforms. Notwithstanding, like with whatsoever other cloud service, users should only download files sent to them from trusted sources to avoid viruses and malicious malware.
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MEGA certainly outperforms Google Drive in relation to privacy and security. Still, Google is a far amend option for those looking for a cloud service that offers robust tools for collaboration.
MEGA Review: Alternatives
MEGA Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros:
- Zero-knowledge encryption
- Encrypted sharing links
- Enough of free storage
- Previews for media & documents
Cons:
- High prices for paid plans
- Not good for collaboration
- Poor customer support
- User feel could exist ameliorate
Features
MEGA'south outstanding feature is its end-to-cease encryption. All files that are uploaded to MEGA's servers are encrypted on the side of the client, meaning the user is the only 1 who tin decrypt their own data. Forth with ii-factor authentication, this makes for a very secure deject storage service.
Autonomously from the excellent security, MEGA has enough of features — some necessary, others non so much. It has several sharing features plus some nice extras, like the chat client. However, information technology lacks integration with tertiary-party apps, so information technology's not the best for collaboration, leaving some users turning to the likes of Google Drive and OneDrive (read our Microsoft OneDrive review).
MEGA provides a detailed overview to help you manage your storage.
What Is MEGA Used For?
MEGA is a secure deject service that offers robust sharing features. It's extremely useful for sharing sensitive data, with several layers of protection for your shared links. Everything uploaded to MEGA is encrypted with an individual encryption cardinal, which can be sent separately. Nonetheless, just paid users can set expiration dates and passwords for the links.
Paid users can set unique passwords and death dates when sharing files.
You can too share folders with anyone with a MEGA account. Sharing folders this way lets you lot gear up permissions for the folder, allowing you lot to choose who tin can upload to the shared folder, or modify any data inside it.
MEGA's interface tin can be a petty cluttered at times, and there'south a lot of overlap betwixt its many features, especially when it comes to file sharing. In comparison, Tresorit is a secure cloud storage service that makes file sharing much easier and less confusing for the user. Y'all can read more about Tresorit and its first-class sharing features in our Tresorit review, and besides read our MEGA vs Tresorit comparison.
MEGA for Productivity and Collaboration
MEGA also offers a slew of apps, ranging from the standard desktop and mobile apps to alive chat to dedicated apps for sharing large files.
Users can communicate via the live chat feature direct inside the MEGA web app.
The live chat functionality can exist useful for collaboration, as it is as well secured by MEGA'south encryption protocol. However, keep in heed that metadata, such as the email accost of your contact, remains unencrypted. Chat is bachelor both through the MEGA website and via the mobile app.
You tin share files inside the conversation, either directly from your reckoner or from your MEGA deject drive. There are no file previews when sharing within the chat, then you lot'll need to think the file name. It'southward a tiny bugbear, merely something MEGA could certainly improve on.
MEGA also retains previous versions of whatever file you have uploaded, and so it'due south safety from any accidental changes saved to the deject. Versioning is enabled by default, and files with previous versions are marked with a picayune clock icon side by side to them.
Unfortunately, MEGA's potent focus on privacy and security doesn't go out much room for collaboration options, so integration with third-political party apps like Google Docs is incommunicable. If you demand to collaborate on cloud-based files, Google Bulldoze is one of the all-time options for that.
MEGA allows users to preview hullo-res images within the web application.
MEGA's file management system is adequately comprehensive, with dissever tabs for recent and deleted files, incoming and outgoing shares, every bit well as a storage direction tab where you can view statistics about your cloud storage use. Yous can also preview images, music and video files and PDF documents.
There'south too a feature chosen MEGAcmd that allows you lot to use a command-line interface for advanced management of your personal cloud. Using MEGAcmd and MEGA's WebDAV integration, you lot tin can fix up things like scheduled uploads or automatic backups.
MEGA Features Overview
| Visit MEGA | |
|---|---|
| Sync | |
| Sync Folder | |
| Block-Level Sync | |
| Selective Sync | |
| Bandwidth direction | |
| Sync Whatever Binder | |
| File Sharing | |
| File Link Sharing | |
| Link Passwords | |
| Link Death Dates | |
| Folder Sharing | |
| Folder Permissions | |
| Link Download Limits | |
| Upload Links | |
| Productivity | |
| File Previews | |
| Edit Files | |
| In-App Collaboration | |
| Office Online | |
| Google Docs | |
| Notes App | |
| Media Playback | |
| Mobile Apps | |
| Deleted File Memory | |
| Versioning | |
| WebDAV | |
| Security | |
| At-Rest Encryption | |
| In-Transit Encryption | |
| Encryption Protocol | |
| Zero Knowledge | |
| 2-Factor Authentication | |
| Server Location | EU |
| Back up | |
| 24/7 Back up | |
| Live Chat Support | |
| Telephone Support | |
| E-mail Support | |
| User Forum | |
| Knowledgebase | |
| Misc | |
| Free Plan |
Pricing
The main draw of MEGA is its excellent free plan that comes with 20GB of storage and a generous transfer quota. Additionally, MEGA has four paid plans and a split concern plan. Even so, these plans are pretty costly and don't offer whatsoever crucial features, and so unless you demand the larger amounts of storage they offer, there's not much incentive to upgrade.
Pro Lite
- : File transfer: (monthly program) 12TB (yearly plan)
- : 400 GB
Pro I
- : File transfer: 2TB (Monthly program) 24TB (yearly programme)
- : 2000 GB
Pro II
- : File transfer: (monthly plan) 96TB (yearly programme)
- : 8000 GB
Pro III
- : File transfer: 16TB (monthly program) 192TB (yearly plan)
- : 16000 GB
Business
- : Upwards to 10PB
- : 10485760 GB
The prices to a higher place are in U.S. dollars, conversions from MEGA'due south pricing in euros.
Free Account Features
The free program offers most of MEGA's functionality, with exceptions such as time limits and passwords for links, longer retention periods for deleted files and the ability to grant your monthly transfer quota to other accounts.
It comes with 20GB of permanent storage, which is already among the most generous gratuitous plans. On top of that, there are several ways of expanding your storage.
Installing MEGAsync, MEGA's desktop app, will become you lot 5GB of bonus storage. You can get an boosted 5GB for installing the mobile app and 5GB for verifying your telephone number. These bonuses, totaling 15GB, concluding for 365 days.
You can too nab an boosted 5GB of bonus storage for each friend yous invite to MEGA. Each confirmed referral gets you a bonus that lasts for a whole twelvemonth, so you tin can easily expand your storage when you need it, at no cost to you.
Do not worry if you don't encounter your bonus storage appear immediately. MEGA will send an electronic mail notification that your bonus storage is available, but may accept a few days to appear on your account.
Information technology'southward worth noting that complimentary accounts are subject to transfer limits, but the exact amount is non-specific and commonly resets every 24 hours. Information technology's also determined by your IP accost, so in the worst-case scenario you lot tin just connect to MEGA through a VPN.
If you think a free account with MEGA is not for y'all, yous can check out Icedrive, another privacy-minded cloud service with an splendid free program that includes 10GB of storage.
Users tin bag additional gratuitous storage spaces by downloading MEGA'south apps and referring friends.
Paid MEGA Plans
The cheapest upgrade to your MEGA deject storage account is the Pro Low-cal programme. It comes with 400GB of cloud storage and 1TB of transfer for a monthly price of $5.85 (4.99 euros). You can also choose to pay a yearly fee, which will bring your tally up to $58.59 (49.99 euros).
Next up is the Pro I plan, which costs $xi.71 (9.99 euros) per month or $117.xix (99.99 euros) yearly. Information technology offers 2TB of cloud storage and a 2TB transfer quota.
The Pro II plan comes in at $23.43 (nineteen.99 euros) per month or $234.39 (199.99 euros) per year. This gets you 8TB of cloud storage and a monthly transfer quota of 8TB.
The virtually expensive plan is the Pro Iii program, which costs $35.fifteen per calendar month (29.99 euros), and it comes with 16TB of transfer and storage space. If y'all opt for a business business relationship, yous get unlimited deject storage and transfer for the monthly price of $5.86 (5 euros) per user, with a minimum of iii users.
These plans aren't the cheapest around. pCloud is more affordable, and information technology'due south an excellent deject storage service overall. You tin read our full pCloud review for more information.
Ease of Utilise
MEGA's interface design seems a picayune dated by today's standards, with its assuming reds and dark contrasting grays. This does assistance a lot with legibility, though, making everything piece of cake to notice and read. MEGA added a nighttime mode in 2021, which makes information technology a piffling easier on the eyes at night.
You can use MEGA in dark mode for meliorate viewing in low-light situations.
MEGA offers several apps that let users access the service in different ways. There are the ii desktop apps nosotros mentioned, equally well as mobile apps for Android and iOS. The browser experience is handled either through the MEGA.io (formerly MEGA.nz) website or the dedicated addition for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. MEGAcmd further expands MEGA's characteristic set.
Users can sync folders and drag and drib files to their MEGA cloud storage directly from their desktop.
MEGA in the Browser
The browser interface is the primary style of using MEGA, and it's where y'all'll find all the necessary tools. There are several tabs to the left for like shooting fish in a barrel navigation, but y'all'll be spending nearly of your time using the "cloud drive" tab. This tab has a navigator on the left side that shows your cloud drive's binder structure, and your files are displayed on the right side of the screen.
From here you have access to all your files. You tin can right-click any file or folder to manage sharing links or to move, re-create or delete them, plus you lot can download or preview them. You tin use the "file upload" or "folder upload" buttons to upload data to your MEGA cloud storage, but yous can besides just elevate and drop them into the browser window to upload.
MEGA creates a sync folder for files uploaded from your desktop.
MEGA Desktop and Mobile Apps
The desktop experience is mainly handled through the MEGAsync app. Installing the app creates a MEGA folder on your computer where all your data is synced. While installing the app, y'all tin cull whether to sync all folders or just select folders.
The MEGAsync app appears equally a taskbar icon on Windows. The app functions mainly as a transfer director that allows you to upload and download files and folders, as well every bit manage your synced folders. It also lets you stream files while your computer is online, operation similar a peer-to-peer service.
MEGA has an easy-to-use mobile app; however, it'due south lacking some basic functionality.
One small issue with the app is that there is no "dorsum" button, meaning that whenever you open up a menu, you have to click away and and then reopen the app from the taskbar. That can get annoying really fast if you have a lot of piece of work to exercise in the app.
The mobile app functions just similar whatever other mobile deject service app. You tin can upload and download files, transport links and move files effectually. Turning on "media upload" will automatically upload your photos and videos to MEGA, and MEGA's chat feature is also accessible through the mobile app.
Usability Issues
Since its launch, MEGA has added a ton of features, but neither the interface nor existing features have been updated accordingly. This has created some overlap betwixt features that can get out users dislocated about which app to install or which sharing feature to use.
You lot tin't create upload links for folders, but you can turn them into MEGAdrop folders, which lets anyone with the link upload to it. However, y'all tin't share download links for MEGAdrop folders without them reverting to regular folders. This could accept been resolved by simply allowing the user to create upload links.
All the clutter is especially visible when comparing the service to Dropbox, which has one of the near polished user experiences for a cloud storage service. You lot tin discover out more nigh it in our Dropbox review. It's one of the easiest deject services to employ and is a deviation from MEGA's cluttered interface.
If y'all've had trouble using MEGA'southward service, you can read our guide for a detailed look at how to employ MEGA.
You can access the settings bill of fare through the system tray (Windows) or the bill of fare bar (macOS).
File Sharing & Syncing
MEGA offers a total file-sharing feature ready, with only some minor things missing. In that location are many ways to share files and folders and even some interesting and unique features that the competition doesn't offering.
The chief manner of sharing files is past sending links, which yous can create with the "get link" option. Each link is encrypted, and the encryption keys can be sent separately. Plus, you can set passwords and expiration dates for links to make them more secure.
Y'all tin can too use the "sharing" option to share files, but this is more useful for folders because it lets yous fix permissions for different users. You can set an individual recipient's permissions to "read only," "read and write" or "full access." Even so, you can merely share things with someone who has a MEGA account.
To let someone without a MEGA cloud storage account upload to your binder, you can turn that folder into a MEGAdrop folder. This volition let anyone with the MEGAdrop binder'southward link upload to it.
The only things missing from MEGA'due south sharing functionality are setting download limits for links and restricting individual users from accessing linked files, though the encryption keys and password protection should take intendance of the last role well enough.
Users can share folders with both internal and external users, and set user permissions.
MEGA Sync
The MEGAsync app creates a sync folder on your hard drive, and this is where all your files are synced. You can cull which folders to sync, and y'all can even sync existing folders to your MEGA deject storage account.
MEGAdrop allows external users to add to and download files from a shared folder.
Syncing folders is easy and it'due south done via the desktop app'southward organisation tray icon. You lot tin select which folder to sync by clicking the "sync" option in the app's dot carte, then selecting "add sync." You can then choose a folder from your hard drive to sync to the deject, and choose which folder on your MEGA deject account to sync to, or y'all can create a new cloud folder for information technology.
MEGA doesn't offer block-level sync though, which means that an altered file volition have to be reuploaded in its entirety, instead of merely the parts that inverse. This makes syncing information slightly slower than some competitors.
Speed
In previous versions, MEGA had disappointing upload and download speeds. Thankfully, things take improved with the latest versions of the application. As with all our cloud storage tests, nosotros uploaded a 5GB folder of mixed files using a 100 Mbps connexion for both uploads and downloads.
In previous tests, it took 24 minutes to upload a 1GB folder. It's refreshing to see MEGA has profoundly improved on those functioning times for uploads, especially now that we're uploading a much larger folder. Download speeds are non necessarily annihilation to write home about, but they are passable.
| Beginning attempt: | Second try: | Average: | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upload | 0:08:38 | 0:08:fifty | 0:08:44 |
| Download | 0:08:10 | 0:07:14 | 0:07:42 |
Is MEGA super quick? No. But its improved performance ways that we can now recommend it to those who put speed toward the top of their listing of cloud storage needs. However, if yous're looking for an all-round speed demon, yous should consider Dropbox, which offers some of the best performance in the space (check out our full Dropbox review).
MEGA has improved its functioning in terms of speed, making it a more attractive pick.
Security
Security is what MEGA prides itself on, and it's ane of its best features. MEGA is one of merely a handful of cloud storage services that provide end-to-end, cypher-knowledge encryption. The best part is that it offers its encryption services at no cost at all, dissimilar most other storage services.
MEGA encrypts all of your data client-side, so you are the only one belongings the encryption keys. This means that neither MEGA nor whatsoever malicious actor has a style to access your information without your consent.
The encryption protocol that MEGA uses is the standard 128-bit AES encryption for your at-residual files, and information technology encrypts your data in transit using the TLS protocol, also with 128-bit AES. This means that your files are secure on the MEGA servers and while being uploaded or downloaded, then your data is safe from homo-in-the-middle attacks.
MEGA uses two-factor authentication to add an actress layer of security for your login. This ways that even someone with your business relationship data will not be able to log in to your account and compromise your private data.
MEGA should be a safe place to store all of your private information because the client-side, terminate-to-finish encryption ensures the privacy of your files, even if someone gains access to your data. All of this makes the MEGA cloud service very secure.
With this level of security, MEGA is unable to reset your countersign should yous forget what information technology is. However, you lot can recover your account by downloading a recovery key. We recommend you do this and keep it condom, and then you lot can access your account if yous forget your password.
It'southward important to download your recovery key for access to your account if you lose your password.
Privacy
Privacy is where things get a fiddling tricky with MEGA. Most users volition have nil to fear and their data should exist safe with MEGA. All the same, MEGA'due south sordid past has been mired in controversy from the day it was founded, and its relation to "pirate rex" Kim Dotcom can exist worrying for some.
MEGA'due south servers are located in Canada, New Zealand and several European Spousal relationship countries. This means that MEGA has to comply with the GDPR, a law that protects your data. MEGA further extends GDPR protections to all of its users, even those residing outside of the Eu.
MEGA has spread out its server network like this to prevent a regime of whatever single country issuing a takedown of its servers, every bit a precautionary measure out to avoid something like what happened to its predecessor, Megaupload.
Is MEGA Safe to Use?
MEGA is a safe service to use. All the same, there are some points nigh user data that you should be aware of.
Its privacy policy states the service may hand over user data to advertisers, but the user will remain bearding. That's like to how the likes of Google and Microsoft operate, as well as some other organizations. If yous're non overly concerned nearly your data potentially beingness handed over to third-parties then this won't exist an issue.
MEGA never has full access to your data, owing to its client-side encryption. Plus, even if MEGA was forced by constabulary to hand over your data, information technology is all encrypted past its zero-knowledge service.
However, MEGA does agree onto some metadata near your MEGA usage, including:
- The IP addresses of the devices y'all employ to access MEGA
- Browser types and operating systems of those devices
- File sizes, versioning order and parent-child relationships
- Various timestamps, such equally when files are created or deleted
- The email accost of anyone you have contacted on MEGA, including people you've added as contacts and people yous've shared information with via MEGA'southward sharing part
- The email accost of anyone you've contacted using MEGA's conversation system
- Takedowns and account suspensions
- MEGA'south communications with y'all
- Your account settings, including your avatar
This data doesn't corporeality to much, but it's plenty to discern whether a user is breaking MEGA'southward terms of service or whatsoever copyright laws.
MEGA, Kim Dotcom and Mainland china
MEGA.nz was founded by Kim Dotcom in 2013. Since leaving the company in 2015, he has made claims that MEGA has been taken over by a Chinese investor, William Yan, who is wanted in Prc for fraud. Whether this is accurate has nonetheless to be determined, but it'south something to be aware of, equally some may not wish to use a service that's covered with controversy.
It's also important to notation that a large portion of MEGA'southward shareholders are influenced past or continued to the Chinese government. Red china is notorious for its lack of involvement in protecting people'due south privacy. Again, no wrongdoing has been confirmed, merely it'due south worth having these concerns on your radar.
Luckily, all of your files are encrypted, so not even MEGA tin actually access your sensitive information. This means yous should have no worries near Cathay'due south president looking at your cat pictures.
Customer Support
MEGA is somewhat lacking in the customer service department. It has a help centre for frequently asked questions, simply if you lot can't find an answer in that location, yous can contact client back up via email.
You can use the help center to find answers to most questions, which are neatly categorized into sections virtually the various apps and services and further divided into topics. The help centre is fairly comprehensive, and there are image guides for almost articles there.
MEGA's client support is limited. However, information technology does have an extensive help center that covers most issues.
The only style to actually contact a client service representative is through electronic mail. Though MEGA offers 24/seven e-mail support, response times can vary. It claims to respond inside 24 hours, but a whole day of waiting may exist too much for some users. Nosotros received a response within six hours of sending our examination query.
Also missing from its customer back up service are telephone back up and a forum where users tin can discuss issues among themselves, and live conversation would be a welcome addition. MEGA could learn a thing or two from Google Drive, which has a wealth of client support options available at all times.
The Verdict
Despite all the drama surrounding information technology, MEGA remains a solid cloud storage service. With its strong dedication to privacy and security, it is 1 of the safest cloud services effectually. Plus, all of its security features are available for costless, so you don't have to pay extra for its encryption services.
MEGA's free plan is very generous, with an upgradeable 20GB of storage, making information technology one of the best free deject services. It lacks only some small-scale features, and its ample storage is plenty to satisfy most users' needs.
Even so, if y'all need more storage than the free program offers, MEGA's prices can exist prohibitive. You may exist better off with a service similar Sync.com, which offers much of MEGA'south functionality at a lower price and without the attached controversy.
What are your thoughts on MEGA? Is the drama enough to scare you away, or is all that free encrypted storage but too good to reject? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading our full MEGA review.
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Source: https://www.cloudwards.net/review/mega/
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