RaiDrive

Overview

RaiDrive mounts cloud and network storage as drives on Windows and Linux, letting desktop applications work with online files. It suits people who want direct access to several storage services or want to stream cloud videos. Its strongest case is access without a full local download; it is a poor fit for anyone who needs folder synchronisation.

Key features

RaiDrive connects to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, MEGA, pCloud, SharePoint, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, WebDAV, SFTP and FTP. Mounting those services as drives gives users a route to open, edit and save files from their computer rather than managing everything in a browser. The free Standard plan, however, names only Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, WebDAV, SFTP and FTP as writable services. Users who need to write to other connected services should consider a paid plan.

Video streaming plays files from cloud storage without first downloading the whole file and lets users jump to a point in the timeline. That can save local storage and waiting time, but does not replace synchronisation: RaiDrive does not offer folder synchronisation or a continuously updated local copy.

File Lock can restrict other users from editing a file while it is in use. Its stated compatibility spans Microsoft 365, Hancom Office, Adobe InDesign, AutoCAD, LibreOffice and Apache OpenOffice, making it useful for teams sharing supported work files. Local Disk's Public and Private attributes let users control whether a drive is accessible to other accounts or PCs on the network.

RaiDrive says data travels over TLS/SSL, that it communicates directly with cloud services rather than through third parties, and that it supports encryption for temporary local cache files. It also says data from certain Google OAuth sensitive and restricted scopes stays on the user's computer and is not stored in external services, including RaiDrive's web service. Its privacy policy says personal information and usage data may be collected, with data encrypted at rest and in transit.

Pricing

The free Standard plan costs nothing and includes 8 Drives, advertisements, forum support and limited writable storage services. It is a reasonable way to try drive-based access, but the drive cap, ads and write restrictions make it less suitable for regular use across many services.

Education 2024 is free, billed Annual Update, for accredited educational institutions. It includes 8 Drives, advertisements and forum support. Nonprofit 2024 costs $4.35 a year and is for nonprofit organizations; it includes unlimited Drives, license sharing, a 14 Days Trial and email support. Academic 2024 costs $14.50 a year for accredited educational institutions, with unlimited Drives, license sharing, a 14 Days Trial and email support. These organization-specific plans trade the Standard plan's drive cap for broader use and email support.

Starter costs $1.84 a month, Essential $2.17 a month, and Individual $2.84 a month; each is billed per month on a 3-year commitment. All three include unlimited Drives, license sharing, no advertisements and email support. Their listed inclusions are the same, so the commitment is the important qualification when weighing them against the free plan.

Team costs $4.84 a month, also billed per month on a 3-year commitment. It adds File Lock and Local Disk to unlimited Drives, license sharing and email support, making it the relevant tier for shared work files or network access controls. Paid plans list further features including network drive, fast copy, move and delete, bandwidth control, and process access monitoring.

A free trial is offered, and the pricing terms say the subscription fee is charged automatically when the trial ends. Cancel before then to avoid billing.

Platforms

RaiDrive supports Windows and Linux. It mounts drives but does not synchronise folders, a distinction that matters to users who need files kept locally as well as accessible online.

Who it's for

Choose RaiDrive if you want cloud or network storage to appear as drives on a Windows or Linux computer, especially if you work across several listed services or stream large videos. The free plan can suit light use within eight drives and its writable-service limits. Look elsewhere if you need folder synchronisation, or if the free tier's ads and caps undermine your workflow.

Pros and cons

• Broad service range: connects major cloud providers as well as WebDAV, SFTP and FTP, covering varied storage setups.
• Useful on-demand video: streams from cloud storage and supports timeline seeking without requiring a full-file download first.
• Free tier has meaningful constraints: Standard caps users at 8 Drives, shows advertisements and limits writable services.
• No folder synchronisation: unsuitable for workflows that depend on maintaining an up-to-date local copy.
• Long commitment on monthly tiers: the listed Starter, Essential, Individual and Team monthly prices require a 3-year commitment.

Alternatives

Virtual Drive Software and WebDAV Client Software are broader directories for comparing tools in those categories.

Choose Arsenal Image Mounter instead if you need disk-image mounting, temporary write support or BitLocker tools; its free mode includes those capabilities.

ExpanDrive is another cloud-service and protocol access option, with a forever-free personal plan covering up to 10 users or devices per year and all 15 services and protocols.

libguestfs is a free open-source library and tools option for readers looking for that category of software.

Alcohol 52%, CDEmu, DAEMON Tools Lite, gBurner Virtual Drive and ImgDrive are other options to compare.

Verdict

RaiDrive is a strong choice for Windows and Linux users who want mounted access to a wide range of cloud and network storage, with streaming as a useful extra. Choose it for direct file access, not local synchronisation. The free plan is constrained, and the low monthly paid prices come with a 3-year commitment, so users needing a local synced copy or flexibility on subscription terms should look elsewhere.