Are The Mega Transfer Limits Causing My Uploads To Freeze?
MEGA is a deject storage service focused on security that offers users excellent end-to-terminate encryption and a smashing complimentary plan with tons of storage. However, its history has been marked by controversy and its zero-cognition-encryption makes collaboration difficult. Find out more almost MEGA, both the good and the bad, in this full MEGA review.
Cardinal Takeaways:
- MEGA offers one of the best free plans on the market: 20GB free excellent free plan.
- User data and files are secure through its zero-knowledge encryption service.
- Robust security means fewer options for constructive collaboration.
Founded in 2013 as a successor to the infamous Megaupload — which yous can read more about in our guide to what Megaupload is — MEGA cloud storage was created by the notorious Kim Dotcom. Following the takedown of Megaupload's servers in Hong Kong, MEGA was incorporated in New Zealand as a cloud service dedicated to the security and privacy of its users' information.
In spite of all its controversy, MEGA is still a very secure cloud service, and it'south i of the best choices for anyone looking for lots of gratis storage space. A complimentary account volition go you a whopping 20GB of cloud storage. Because of this, MEGA makes our listing of the best free cloud storage services.
Although MEGA has a generous costless plan, its paid plans are rather pricey and information technology doesn't actually offering plenty cloud storage to make up for the price. There are certainly better alternatives that offer much more storage for a lower price. You tin bank check out our review of Sync.com if you're looking for a deal that offers height-notch security for a great toll.
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07/02/2021
Nosotros accept updated our speed tests to reflect MEGA's improvement in upload and download speeds likewise every bit pricing details across all plans.
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Despite its controversial past, MEGA is as trustworthy as any other leading cloud storage provider. Information technology's 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 apply to a service of its blazon. It also has a dedicated back up team to assist take down whatever files that may be an infringement of copyright law.
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MEGA does not requite viruses through its software across all its platforms. Withal, like with whatever other deject service, users should only download files sent to them from trusted sources to avert viruses and malicious malware.
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MEGA certainly outperforms Google Drive in relation to privacy and security. However, Google is a far ameliorate option for those looking for a cloud service that offers robust tools for collaboration.
MEGA Review: Alternatives
MEGA Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros:
- Goose egg-knowledge encryption
- Encrypted sharing links
- Plenty of gratis storage
- Previews for media & documents
Cons:
- High prices for paid plans
- Not good for collaboration
- Poor customer support
- User feel could exist amend
Features
MEGA'southward outstanding feature is its end-to-end encryption. All files that are uploaded to MEGA's servers are encrypted on the side of the client, meaning the user is the only one who can decrypt their own data. Along with two-gene hallmark, this makes for a very secure cloud storage service.
Apart from the excellent security, MEGA has plenty of features — some necessary, others not and then much. It has several sharing features plus some dainty extras, like the chat client. Withal, it lacks integration with tertiary-political party apps, so information technology'southward 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 cloud service that offers robust sharing features. Information technology's extremely useful for sharing sensitive information, with several layers of protection for your shared links. Everything uploaded to MEGA is encrypted with an individual encryption primal, which can exist sent separately. Still, only paid users tin can prepare expiration dates and passwords for the links.
Paid users can fix unique passwords and expiry dates when sharing files.
You can too share folders with anyone with a MEGA account. Sharing folders this mode lets you set permissions for the folder, allowing you lot to choose who tin upload to the shared folder, or alter any data inside it.
MEGA's interface can exist a trivial chaotic at times, and in that location'due south a lot of overlap between its many features, peculiarly when it comes to file sharing. In comparison, Tresorit is a secure deject storage service that makes file sharing much easier and less confusing for the user. You can read more about Tresorit and its excellent sharing features in our Tresorit review, and also read our MEGA vs Tresorit comparison.
MEGA for Productivity and Collaboration
MEGA besides offers a slew of apps, ranging from the standard desktop and mobile apps to live conversation to dedicated apps for sharing big files.
Users can communicate via the live conversation feature direct inside the MEGA web app.
The alive conversation functionality tin be useful for collaboration, equally it is as well secured by MEGA's encryption protocol. However, keep in mind that metadata, such equally the email address of your contact, remains unencrypted. Chat is available both through the MEGA website and via the mobile app.
Y'all can share files inside the chat, either direct from your estimator or from your MEGA cloud bulldoze. There are no file previews when sharing inside the chat, so yous'll need to call up the file name. It's a tiny bugbear, but something MEGA could certainly improve on.
MEGA also retains previous versions of whatsoever file you accept uploaded, and so it'south safe from any accidental changes saved to the deject. Versioning is enabled by default, and files with previous versions are marked with a little clock icon next to them.
Unfortunately, MEGA'south potent focus on privacy and security doesn't leave much room for collaboration options, so integration with third-party apps like Google Docs is impossible. If you need to collaborate on cloud-based files, Google Drive is 1 of the best options for that.
MEGA allows users to preview how-do-you-do-res images inside the web application.
MEGA'southward file management system is fairly comprehensive, with dissever tabs for recent and deleted files, incoming and outgoing shares, as well as a storage management tab where y'all can view statistics virtually your cloud storage use. Y'all tin can also preview images, music and video files and PDF documents.
There'southward too a feature called MEGAcmd that allows y'all to use a command-line interface for advanced management of your personal cloud. Using MEGAcmd and MEGA's WebDAV integration, you lot tin can ready up things similar scheduled uploads or automatic backups.
MEGA Features Overview
| Visit MEGA | |
|---|---|
| Sync | |
| Sync Folder | |
| Block-Level Sync | |
| Selective Sync | |
| Bandwidth management | |
| Sync Any Folder | |
| File Sharing | |
| File Link Sharing | |
| Link Passwords | |
| Link Expiry Dates | |
| Folder Sharing | |
| Binder Permissions | |
| Link Download Limits | |
| Upload Links | |
| Productivity | |
| File Previews | |
| Edit Files | |
| In-App Collaboration | |
| Part Online | |
| Google Docs | |
| Notes App | |
| Media Playback | |
| Mobile Apps | |
| Deleted File Retentiveness | |
| Versioning | |
| WebDAV | |
| Security | |
| At-Rest Encryption | |
| In-Transit Encryption | |
| Encryption Protocol | |
| Zero Knowledge | |
| Ii-Factor Authentication | |
| Server Location | EU |
| Support | |
| 24/seven Support | |
| Live Chat Support | |
| Phone Support | |
| Electronic mail Support | |
| User Forum | |
| Knowledgebase | |
| Misc | |
| Gratuitous Program |
Pricing
The main describe of MEGA is its excellent costless programme that comes with 20GB of storage and a generous transfer quota. Additionally, MEGA has four paid plans and a separate business concern plan. However, these plans are pretty plush and don't offer whatsoever crucial features, and then unless you need the larger amounts of storage they offer, there's non much incentive to upgrade.
Pro Lite
- : File transfer: (monthly programme) 12TB (yearly programme)
- : 400 GB
Pro I
- : File transfer: 2TB (Monthly plan) 24TB (yearly plan)
- : 2000 GB
Pro Ii
- : File transfer: (monthly program) 96TB (yearly plan)
- : 8000 GB
Pro III
- : File transfer: 16TB (monthly plan) 192TB (yearly plan)
- : 16000 GB
Business
- : Up to 10PB
- : 10485760 GB
The prices to a higher place are in U.Due south. dollars, conversions from MEGA's pricing in euros.
Complimentary Account Features
The free plan offers most of MEGA's functionality, with exceptions such as fourth dimension 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 free plans. On top of that, at that place are several means of expanding your storage.
Installing MEGAsync, MEGA'due south desktop app, will get you lot 5GB of bonus storage. Y'all can get an boosted 5GB for installing the mobile app and 5GB for verifying your phone number. These bonuses, totaling 15GB, last for 365 days.
Y'all tin can also nab an boosted 5GB of bonus storage for each friend you invite to MEGA. Each confirmed referral gets yous a bonus that lasts for a whole year, so you can easily expand your storage when y'all need it, at no cost to you.
Do non worry if you don't see your bonus storage appear immediately. MEGA will send an e-mail notification that your bonus storage is bachelor, merely may have a few days to announced on your account.
Information technology's worth noting that gratuitous accounts are subject field to transfer limits, simply the exact amount is non-specific and normally resets every 24 hours. It'south besides determined past your IP address, so in the worst-case scenario yous can simply connect to MEGA through a VPN.
If y'all think a gratis business relationship with MEGA is not for you, you tin can check out Icedrive, another privacy-minded cloud service with an excellent gratuitous plan that includes 10GB of storage.
Users can handbag additional free storage spaces by downloading MEGA's apps and referring friends.
Paid MEGA Plans
The cheapest upgrade to your MEGA cloud storage account is the Pro Lite programme. Information technology comes with 400GB of cloud storage and 1TB of transfer for a monthly price of $v.85 (four.99 euros). You can also cull to pay a yearly fee, which volition bring your tally upwards to $58.59 (49.99 euros).
Adjacent up is the Pro I plan, which costs $11.71 (9.99 euros) per month or $117.19 (99.99 euros) yearly. It offers 2TB of deject storage and a 2TB transfer quota.
The Pro 2 plan comes in at $23.43 (19.99 euros) per month or $234.39 (199.99 euros) per year. This gets y'all 8TB of cloud storage and a monthly transfer quota of 8TB.
The about expensive program is the Pro III program, which costs $35.15 per month (29.99 euros), and information technology comes with 16TB of transfer and storage space. If you opt for a concern account, y'all go unlimited cloud storage and transfer for the monthly price of $5.86 (v euros) per user, with a minimum of three users.
These plans aren't the cheapest around. pCloud is more affordable, and it'south an excellent cloud storage service overall. Yous can read our full pCloud review for more data.
Ease of Use
MEGA'south interface design seems a little dated by today's standards, with its assuming reds and dark contrasting grays. This does help a lot with legibility, though, making everything easy to notice and read. MEGA added a nighttime manner in 2021, which makes it a niggling easier on the eyes at night.
You tin can use MEGA in dark mode for better viewing in low-light situations.
MEGA offers several apps that permit users access the service in different ways. There are the two desktop apps we mentioned, as well equally mobile apps for Android and iOS. The browser feel is handled either through the MEGA.io (formerly MEGA.nz) website or the dedicated add together-on for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. MEGAcmd farther expands MEGA's characteristic set.
Users can sync folders and drag and drop files to their MEGA cloud storage direct from their desktop.
MEGA in the Browser
The browser interface is the main way of using MEGA, and information technology's where you'll notice all the necessary tools. There are several tabs to the left for like shooting fish in a barrel navigation, but you'll be spending most of your fourth dimension using the "cloud bulldoze" tab. This tab has a navigator on the left side that shows your cloud bulldoze'south binder construction, and your files are displayed on the correct side of the screen.
From here you have access to all your files. You tin right-click whatsoever file or folder to manage sharing links or to move, re-create or delete them, plus you can download or preview them. You lot can use the "file upload" or "folder upload" buttons to upload data to your MEGA cloud storage, but y'all can also only drag and drib 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, you can choose whether to sync all folders or only select folders.
The MEGAsync app appears as a taskbar icon on Windows. The app functions mainly equally a transfer manager that allows you lot to upload and download files and folders, as well every bit manage your synced folders. It likewise lets you stream files while your reckoner is online, functioning like a peer-to-peer service.
MEGA has an piece of cake-to-use mobile app; however, information technology's lacking some basic functionality.
One minor issue with the app is that at that place is no "back" push button, meaning that whenever you open a menu, you have to click away and then reopen the app from the taskbar. That can go annoying really fast if you have a lot of work to do in the app.
The mobile app functions just similar any other mobile cloud service app. You can upload and download files, send links and move files around. Turning on "media upload" will automatically upload your photos and videos to MEGA, and MEGA's chat feature is also attainable 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 tin can leave users dislocated virtually which app to install or which sharing feature to use.
You can't create upload links for folders, just you can plow them into MEGAdrop folders, which lets anyone with the link upload to it. Nevertheless, you lot tin't share download links for MEGAdrop folders without them reverting to regular folders. This could have been resolved by but allowing the user to create upload links.
All the clutter is peculiarly visible when comparing the service to Dropbox, which has i of the about polished user experiences for a cloud storage service. Y'all can find out more than about it in our Dropbox review. It'south 1 of the easiest cloud services to use and is a departure from MEGA'southward cluttered interface.
If you've had trouble using MEGA's service, you tin read our guide for a detailed look at how to use MEGA.
You tin access the settings card through the system tray (Windows) or the menu bar (macOS).
File Sharing & Syncing
MEGA offers a full file-sharing feature ready, with only some minor things missing. At that place are many ways to share files and folders and even some interesting and unique features that the competition doesn't offer.
The principal mode of sharing files is by sending links, which you lot can create with the "get link" option. Each link is encrypted, and the encryption keys can be sent separately. Plus, yous tin fix passwords and expiration dates for links to brand them more secure.
Y'all can also apply the "sharing" option to share files, but this is more useful for folders because it lets you set permissions for different users. Yous tin set an individual recipient's permissions to "read only," "read and write" or "total access." However, you tin can only share things with someone who has a MEGA account.
To let someone without a MEGA cloud storage account upload to your folder, yous tin plow that folder into a MEGAdrop folder. This will allow anyone with the MEGAdrop folder's link upload to information technology.
The simply things missing from MEGA's 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 care of the concluding function 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 difficult drive, and this is where all your files are synced. You can choose which folders to sync, and you lot can fifty-fifty sync existing folders to your MEGA cloud storage account.
MEGAdrop allows external users to add to and download files from a shared folder.
Syncing folders is easy and it'south done via the desktop app's system tray icon. You lot can select which folder to sync by clicking the "sync" option in the app's dot menu, and and then selecting "add together sync." Y'all tin and then choose a folder from your hard drive to sync to the cloud, and choose which binder on your MEGA cloud account to sync to, or you can create a new cloud binder for information technology.
MEGA doesn't offer block-level sync though, which means that an altered file will have to be reuploaded in its entirety, instead of only the parts that inverse. This makes syncing data slightly slower than some competitors.
Speed
In previous versions, MEGA had disappointing upload and download speeds. Thankfully, things accept improved with the latest versions of the application. Every bit with all our cloud storage tests, nosotros uploaded a 5GB folder of mixed files using a 100 Mbps connection for both uploads and downloads.
In previous tests, it took 24 minutes to upload a 1GB folder. It'due south refreshing to see MEGA has greatly improved on those operation times for uploads, especially now that we're uploading a much larger folder. Download speeds are not necessarily anything to write home virtually, but they are passable.
| Start endeavour: | 2nd attempt: | Average: | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upload | 0:08:38 | 0:08:50 | 0:08:44 |
| Download | 0:08:10 | 0:07:14 | 0:07:42 |
Is MEGA super quick? No. Only its improved performance means that we can now recommend it to those who put speed toward the summit of their listing of deject storage needs. Withal, if you're looking for an all-circular speed demon, you should consider Dropbox, which offers some of the best performance in the space (cheque out our total Dropbox review).
MEGA has improved its performance in terms of speed, making it a more attractive option.
Security
Security is what MEGA prides itself on, and information technology's one of its best features. MEGA is 1 of just a scattering of cloud storage services that provide end-to-finish, nil-knowledge encryption. The best part is that it offers its encryption services at no cost at all, unlike most other storage services.
MEGA encrypts all of your information client-side, so you are the but one belongings the encryption keys. This means that neither MEGA nor any malicious actor has a way to access your data without your consent.
The encryption protocol that MEGA uses is the standard 128-fleck AES encryption for your at-residual files, and it encrypts your data in transit using the TLS protocol, also with 128-flake AES. This ways that your files are secure on the MEGA servers and while being uploaded or downloaded, then your data is safe from man-in-the-middle attacks.
MEGA uses two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security for your login. This means that even someone with your business relationship information volition 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, end-to-finish encryption ensures the privacy of your files, fifty-fifty if someone gains admission to your data. All of this makes the MEGA deject service very secure.
With this level of security, MEGA is unable to reset your password should you forget what it is. However, you can recover your account past downloading a recovery key. We recommend you practise this and go along it safe, so you can access your business relationship if you forget your password.
It's important to download your recovery key for access to your account if you lot lose your countersign.
Privacy
Privacy is where things get a little tricky with MEGA. Most users will have nothing to fear and their data should be safe with MEGA. However, MEGA's sordid past has been mired in controversy from the twenty-four hours it was founded, and its relation to "pirate king" Kim Dotcom tin be worrying for some.
MEGA's servers are located in Canada, New Zealand and several European Spousal relationship countries. This ways 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 government of any single country issuing a takedown of its servers, equally a precautionary measure to avoid something like what happened to its predecessor, Megaupload.
Is MEGA Condom to Use?
MEGA is a rubber service to use. However, in that location are some points nearly user data that you should exist aware of.
Its privacy policy states the service may hand over user information to advertisers, but the user will remain bearding. That's similar to how the likes of Google and Microsoft operate, as well equally some other organizations. If you're non overly concerned nigh your data potentially beingness handed over to third-parties and then this won't be an upshot.
MEGA never has full access to your data, owing to its client-side encryption. Plus, fifty-fifty if MEGA was forced by law to hand over your data, information technology is all encrypted by its zero-knowledge service.
Notwithstanding, MEGA does hold onto some metadata about your MEGA usage, including:
- The IP addresses of the devices you use to admission MEGA
- Browser types and operating systems of those devices
- File sizes, versioning lodge and parent-child relationships
- Various timestamps, such equally when files are created or deleted
- The email address of anyone y'all take contacted on MEGA, including people you lot've added as contacts and people you've shared information with via MEGA's sharing office
- The email address of anyone you lot've contacted using MEGA'south chat system
- Takedowns and account suspensions
- MEGA's communications with you
- Your account settings, including your avatar
This information doesn't amount to much, merely it'due south enough to discern whether a user is breaking MEGA's terms of service or any copyright laws.
MEGA, Kim Dotcom and 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 People's republic of china for fraud. Whether this is accurate has yet to exist determined, just it'south something to be aware of, every bit some may non wish to use a service that'south covered with controversy.
It's too important to note that a large portion of MEGA's shareholders are influenced by or continued to the Chinese regime. Mainland china is notorious for its lack of involvement in protecting people'due south privacy. Once again, no wrongdoing has been confirmed, but it'south worth having these concerns on your radar.
Luckily, all of your files are encrypted, so not fifty-fifty MEGA can actually access your sensitive data. This means y'all should have no worries most China's president looking at your cat pictures.
Client Support
MEGA is somewhat defective in the customer service department. It has a assist center for frequently asked questions, but if you tin't find an answer at that place, you tin contact customer support via electronic mail.
You can use the help eye to observe answers to nigh questions, which are neatly categorized into sections almost the various apps and services and further divided into topics. The help center is fairly comprehensive, and there are paradigm guides for about manufactures there.
MEGA's customer support is express. However, it does have an all-encompassing help center that covers most issues.
The but way to actually contact a client service representative is through email. Though MEGA offers 24/7 email support, response times can vary. It claims to respond within 24 hours, but a whole 24-hour interval of waiting may exist as well much for some users. Nosotros received a response within six hours of sending our exam query.
Besides missing from its customer support service are phone support and a forum where users can discuss issues among themselves, and live chat would be a welcome addition. MEGA could acquire a thing or 2 from Google Drive, which has a wealth of customer back up options available at all times.
The Verdict
Despite all the drama surrounding it, MEGA remains a solid cloud storage service. With its strong dedication to privacy and security, it is one of the safest cloud services around. Plus, all of its security features are bachelor for complimentary, then y'all don't take to pay extra for its encryption services.
MEGA's complimentary program is very generous, with an upgradeable 20GB of storage, making it i of the best gratuitous cloud services. It lacks only some small-scale features, and its ample storage is plenty to satisfy near users' needs.
However, if you demand more storage than the free plan offers, MEGA'southward prices tin can be prohibitive. You may be better off with a service like Sync.com, which offers much of MEGA's functionality at a lower price and without the attached controversy.
What are your thoughts on MEGA? Is the drama enough to scare you lot away, or is all that costless encrypted storage just likewise adept to laissez passer up? Let us know in the comments beneath. Thank you lot for reading our full MEGA review.
Source: https://www.cloudwards.net/review/mega/
Posted by: bensonforint.blogspot.com
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