A handy flash drive that directly connects to your phone, tablet, and PC

The era of unlimited cloud storage for major providers has recently ended, or will be ending soon. Cloud storage has its benefits, such as files being synced and updated across devices — as long as you have an internet connection. Up until very recently the free unlimited storage offered was enough to keep most users hooked, and seemed a boon to those not bothered about the 'cloudiness' of privacy issues. However, changing to a subscription service means concerns like security, control, or possible data leakages by third-party providers are all much more in focus.

So what are the options if you're not keen to add yet another subscription fee on top of the many you already have? The alternative to cloud storage seems simple enough: an external hard drive. But not an external hard drive as we know it. Nope, SanDisk has made a viable alternative to cloud storage that emphasizes privacy options as well as accessibility — with a whole lot of capacity, too. Welcome back to the heady days of the one-off payment for that piece of tech.

The SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Luxe is an ideal alternative to cloud storage subscriptions. It has two connection types allowing for hassle-free file transfers between devices. You can instantly transfer files between any smartphone, tablet, or computer with a USB Type-C or Lightning connection. No more emailing files to yourself between devices. It's an ideal way to set your phone to back up automatically, freeing up that space for more games, videos, and apps. Plus, it features password protection to help keep your content secure. But what about capacity?

Many free cloud storage options limit how much space is available to you without a subscription. If you ever owned a smartphone with a 16GB storage capacity, you'll remember how quickly it can fill up with high-resolution photos and videos. For a one-time purchase, a SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Luxe comes with a choice of 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB* capacities — though other SanDisk storage devices offer up to 4TB* if you need even more space. Is that enough storage? A quick approximation shows that 64GB can store up to 16,000 photos (at about 4MB each). In comparison, 1 hour of video footage shot in 1080p equals about 1.5GB. You can store or backup your photos and videos on the drive, or transfer them to your PC or laptop.

Unless you're a professional photographer who needs the massive capacity for RAW files, one of these SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Luxe drives gives you a way to store and access your personal content that also features security and privacy options, like password protection. On your keychain or in your hand, the drive offers a worry-free storage solution for everyone, allowing you to access it anytime, anywhere — without needing an internet connection.

SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Luxe

$45 at Western Digital

The 64 GB SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive can store or back up thousands of photos or nearly two straight days of video, and if that's not enough, it also comes in 128 GB or 256 GB.

*1GB = 1 billion bytes and 1TB = 1 trillion bytes. Actual user storage less.