Free cloud storage is handy, because you can access it everywhere and have your files in a safe place. The Dutch company TransIP has a cloud service called Stack, where you can store no less than 1000 GB of files completely free of charge.
At the end of last year, Dutch web host TransIP introduced its cloud storage service Stack. Stack is a cloud service with a smaller name than competitors like iCloud and Dropbox, but with a huge advantage over the others. With Stack, you get 1000 GB of storage space right from the start. Also read: The 9 best free cloud services under the microscope.
Safety guarantee
This without having to link to your Facebook account, make friends a member or do any of the other tricks that other cloud services use. In addition, at Stack the emphasis is mainly on how secure the service is. TransIP wants to give its users the guarantee that everything that is on their servers is really completely safe.
Stack has been running for a while now and in the early days was really only intended for customers of one of TransIP's paid services. This is no longer the case, but if you want to get started with Stack as a non-customer, you must first request an invite code. You will not receive this immediately, you will have to wait for it before you can fill your 1000GB storage space. Don't feel like waiting? Then take a paid service, which gives you 2000 GB or 10000 GB at your disposal.
The amount of GBs sounds good, but how well does Stack itself actually work? High time for a further investigation!
Dutch cloud storage
Stack is the first large cloud storage service whose servers are located in the Netherlands. As a result, the servers fall under Dutch law. However, TransIP does not intend to offer the service only in the Netherlands with Stack. It is assumed that more than enough people from outside the Netherlands will also be interested in a cloud storage service that offers a TB for free.
That's quite a bit when you compare it to the 2GB you get for free with Dropbox, or the 15GB of Google Drive. With these two services you can choose to take out a paid subscription. For just under ten euros you get a TB at both companies. At Stack you also have the option to take more space for a fee. For a penny less than ten euros, you can double your storage space on Stack, and you can get started with 10 TB for 50 euros per month. You have to take a lot of pictures to get it all full.
It is brave of TransIP to start up a competitor of the giants in the cloud field. TransIP assumes that there must be enough people who want to use a free service with such a large storage space. For the time being, that seems to work, because the invitecodes cannot be dragged.
invites
However, using a service like Stack is not without problems for users either. If TransIP cannot achieve its ambitions, or if it becomes too ambitious, there is a chance that the entire service will be closed and that you will have to move all your files elsewhere. TransIP is simply not a Google or Apple with virtually unlimited financial resources.
On the other hand, it is true that TransIP works with a system of invites and that the number of subscribers will not just explode explosively. Whether TransIP plans to do a rollout at a later date that does not work with invites is currently unknown. Incidentally, requesting an invite does not take that long. It used to take a few days, but nowadays you receive the invite within a day.
Download and Install Stack
When you finally get your hands on an invite, you can get started. But how exactly does Stack work? After you have registered (and passed on all your name and address details) you can get started with Stack. You can then choose to install the desktop application, but you can also choose to work online transferring your files. After activating, you will see a screen from which you can quickly download the software, read a manual or immediately start uploading files.
You can then choose, for example, to create new folders and start uploading here, but you can also first choose your own web address to link your Stack to. This way you can not only easily access your files yourself, it also makes it easier to share files with others. This is a handy option from Stack, where it is also possible to give others a piece of your Stack. This also makes it easier to work on a project with others, because you can all put the files for this in the same place.
Stack's interface is very basic, but works fine. For example, let's say you want to add some photos to your Stack. Then select the folder where your photos should be placed. Here you click on the Upload button and select the files you want to add to the folder. Uploading is lightning fast, much faster than we are used to from Dropbox, for example. Stack also knows how to handle larger files. The great thing about this is that there is no limit to how large a file can be. All those large files that you don't have room for anywhere else can be stored here.
And with the app for iOS and Android, you can also easily share your files from your phone or tablet. You can set this to put photos or videos in your Stack immediately after you take them. Very useful if you want to be sure that your memories immediately have a safe place on the net.
Convenience serves people
Stack works very simply and then it doesn't really matter that everything looks pretty bare. This service does exactly what it advertises without too much hassle. The fact that you have 1000 GB at your disposal here is of course fantastic. The average user who just wants an online backup of his files will not get this in his lifetime. Chances are, of course, that people are a bit hesitant to just put all their personal files and photos on a cloud service. The leak of spicy photos of celebrities through a hack on iCloud will be fresh in the minds of many people. TransIP is committed to ensuring that their cloud service is better protected against attacks from voyeuristic hackers.
They do this using a 256-bit AES key, which makes it impossible for others to access your files. TransIP also promises that the company will not analyze your data, which other cloud services do. By this type of analysis we mean that Dropbox, for example, finds it most interesting to know which part of your files consists of, for example, music or photos, without actually looking at specific files. It is also possible to secure the app on your phone or tablet with a pin code, so that others cannot access it if they have gotten their hands on your device for whatever reason.
Is Stack Worth It?
Our first impressions of Stack are very positive. The service works smoothly, it is easy to share files with others and the huge amount of free space you get is a very nice bonus. Even if you do choose to buy extra space, you will still be cheaper than with the major competitors. The only question is, of course, whether a relatively small company in the Netherlands can compete with big boys like Dropbox and iCloud. In any case, we are happy to use Stack for the time being.
