# Which Irish cloud provider is best? 5 providers compared If you’re looking for a reliable cloud solution, the Irish market offers a range of established providers specialising in cloud storage, backup, managed cloud services and infrastructure. Our comparison covers five Irish cloud providers suited to different business requirements. ## What are the benefits of cloud storage services? Cloud storage allows organisations to store data on remote servers and access it over the internet instead of relying solely on local computers, servers or external drives. The services available vary considerably: Cloudlink focuses on cloud storage and services for small businesses, ServeCentric provides Dublin-based cloud infrastructure and backup, Blacknight combines hosting and cloud backup, Ekco offers managed cloud and business continuity services, and CloudCIX provides public and private cloud infrastructure. One of the main benefits of using a [cloud](https://www.ionos.com/en-ie/digitalguide/server/know-how/what-is-the-cloud/) is that authorised users can access data and applications from different locations. Depending on the provider, organisations may be able to expand their storage and computing capacity, manage cloud-based workloads or protect business data without purchasing and maintaining all the required infrastructure themselves. Cloud services can also support data protection and business continuity. ServeCentric offers integrated cloud backup through its Dublin-based platform, while Blacknight provides automated backup services for websites and other online data. Ekco specialises in managed backup, disaster recovery and business continuity, helping organisations restore data following accidental deletion, corruption, cyberattacks or other disruptions. However, cloud storage and file synchronisation should not be treated as complete substitutes for a properly configured backup strategy. To improve cloud security, organisations should use strong authentication, carefully manage access permissions and check which encryption, monitoring and recovery features are included. Cloudlink provides cloud storage and related services for small businesses, while CloudCIX offers flexible compute, storage, networking and security resources for public and private cloud environments. Security, privacy and data-handling arrangements differ between Irish cloud providers. Organisations that value greater data sovereignty should therefore check where their data and backup copies are stored and processed, which laws and contractual terms apply and what control they retain over access, deletion and international transfers. A provider’s Irish headquarters do not necessarily mean that every product automatically stores all customer data in Ireland. ## Overview of Irish cloud providers
Provider Advantages
Cloudlink Cloud storage, automated backup and secure file sharing for small businesses File synchronisation across computers, servers and NAS devices Complete system imaging and disaster-recovery options Fully managed and monitored by an Ireland-based support team
ServeCentric Public cloud infrastructure hosted in a Tier III data centre in Dublin Flexible virtual servers, storage and computing resources Integrated automated and manual cloud backup options Local and remote backup services for physical, virtual and cloud environments
Blacknight Irish cloud hosting, servers and backup services for businesses Data centres located in Dublin and Carlow ISO/IEC 27001:2022-certified information security management Encrypted cloud backup and disaster-recovery options
Ekco Managed cloud, backup and disaster-recovery services Protection for Microsoft 365 data, including OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams and Exchange Immutable backup options designed to protect against ransomware Irish-owned provider with headquarters in Dublin
CloudCIX Irish-developed public and private cloud infrastructure platform Flexible compute, storage, networking and security resources Support for multi-tenant and multi-region cloud environments Suitable for enterprises, managed service providers and technical workloads
Information correct as of August 2026. ## Cloudlink [Cloudlink](https://cloudlink.ie/ "Cloudlink website") is an Irish cloud provider based in Westport, County Mayo. It offers cloud-based products and IT services primarily for small businesses, including cloud storage, online backup, secure file sharing, hosting and technical support. Cloudlink is one of the options in this comparison that comes closest to a conventional business storage service. Its cloud storage solution is designed to protect files automatically while making it easier for organisations to retrieve and share business data. Its main features include: - Automatic online backup tailored to business requirements - One-click file restoration - Secure file sharing - Background data protection - Disaster recovery options - Cloud storage that does not require extensive technical knowledge - Support for small businesses in Ireland and the UK - Ireland-based customer and technical support **Costs:** Cloudlink provides tailored solutions based on each organisation’s storage, backup and support requirements. Businesses can request a consultation and tailored quote. [![Image: Cloudlink cloud storage](https://www.ionos.com/en-ie/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/5/0/csm_cloudlink-website-screenshot_4f3480df83.webp "Cloudlink cloud storage")](https://www.ionos.com/en-ie/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2026/cloudlink-website-screenshot.jpg) Cloudlink provides cloud storage, automatic online backup, secure file sharing and disaster recovery services for small businesses; source: https://cloudlink.ie/services/cloud-storage ## ServeCentric [ServeCentric](https://servecentric.com/ "ServeCentric website") is a Dublin-based data centre and cloud services provider. It offers public cloud infrastructure, colocation, backup and data protection services for organisations that need scalable computing resources hosted in Ireland. Rather than functioning as a personal cloud drive, ServeCentric provides an Irish cloud platform for business applications and technical workloads. Its public cloud service allows organisations to deploy virtual servers and storage without purchasing and maintaining all the underlying physical infrastructure. Its key features include: - Public cloud infrastructure hosted in Dublin - Flexible virtual machines, storage and computing resources - Automated and manual self-service backup options - Backup services for physical, virtual and cloud environments - Cloud resources that can be adjusted as requirements change - Colocation in a Tier III Dublin data centre - Support for business continuity and disaster recovery - Irish-based technical support and data centre operations **Costs:** ServeCentric provides cloud and data centre services according to each organisation’s infrastructure, storage and backup requirements. Costs depend on the resources, support and protection services selected. ## Blacknight [Blacknight](https://blacknight.com/ "Blacknight website") is an Irish-owned hosting and cloud infrastructure provider based in Carlow. It provides hosting, virtual and dedicated servers, colocation and backup services, with data centre infrastructure in Carlow and Dublin. Blacknight is particularly suitable for organisations that need Irish hosting, server infrastructure or backup rather than a general-purpose file-synchronisation platform. Its cloud and data protection services can support websites, email, servers and other business workloads. Its main features include: - Virtual cloud servers and dedicated server options - Colocation and storage services in Irish data centres - Automated backup for websites and online data - Hybrid local and cloud backup options - File and system recovery following data loss - Scalable server and storage infrastructure - ISO/IEC 27001-certified information security management - Data centre locations in Carlow and Dublin **Costs:** Blacknight offers a range of standard and customised services. Costs depend on the type of hosting, server resources, backup capacity and level of support required. [![Image: Blacknight Irish cloud and hosting services](https://www.ionos.com/en-ie/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/7/0/csm_blacknight-website-screenshot_a7911c06bd.webp "Blacknight Irish cloud and hosting services")](https://www.ionos.com/en-ie/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2026/blacknight-website-screenshot.jpg) Blacknight provides Irish hosting, server infrastructure, colocation and cloud backup services through data centres in Carlow and Dublin; source: https://blacknight.com/ ## Ekco [Ekco](https://www.ek.co/ "Ekco website") is a security-focused managed service provider with its headquarters and security operations centre in Dublin. It offers managed cloud platforms, cybersecurity, backup, disaster recovery and business continuity services for organisations across Ireland and Europe. Ekco is not a conventional cloud storage service for individual users. It is aimed at businesses that want specialists to manage their cloud environments, data protection and recovery processes. Its services can cover public, private and hybrid cloud infrastructure as well as applications such as Microsoft 365. Key features include: - Managed public, private and hybrid cloud services - Cloud consultancy and migration support - Fully managed Backup as a Service - Disaster recovery and business continuity planning - Backup for Microsoft 365 services, including OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams and Exchange Online - Off-site recovery copies for restoring lost, stolen or corrupted data - Managed infrastructure, monitoring and technical support - Cybersecurity and incident-response services **Costs:** Ekco provides tailored managed services based on an organisation’s cloud environment, data volumes, recovery requirements and support needs. [![Image: Ekco managed Irish cloud services](https://www.ionos.com/en-ie/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/2/0/csm_ekco-website-screenshot_756fa23fd9.webp "Ekco managed Irish cloud services")](https://www.ionos.com/en-ie/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2026/ekco-website-screenshot.jpg) Ekco provides managed cloud, backup, disaster recovery and cybersecurity services for businesses from its Dublin headquarters; source: https://www.ek.co/services/ ## CloudCIX [CloudCIX](https://www.cloudcix.com/ "CloudCIX website") is an Irish-developed cloud orchestration and infrastructure platform created by CloudCIX Limited in Cork. It supports public and private cloud environments and allows organisations to provision computing, storage, networking and security resources. CloudCIX is designed primarily for enterprises, government bodies, managed service providers, researchers and technical teams rather than individual users seeking everyday file storage. The platform can be used to build an Irish cloud environment on standard hardware or to consume supported public cloud services. Its main features include: - Public and private cloud deployment options - Multi-tenant and multi-region cloud architecture - Flexible compute, storage, networking and security resources - Virtual machines and Linux containers - Ceph-based storage support - Infrastructure management through APIs and automation tools - Support for enterprise applications, backup and disaster recovery - Optional professional support and 24/7 monitoring for mission-critical environments **Costs:** CloudCIX is available as open-source software, while paid support and public cloud services are also offered. Costs depend on the selected deployment model, infrastructure resources, storage and support requirements. [![Image: CloudCIX Irish cloud infrastructure platform](https://www.ionos.com/en-ie/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/9/0/csm_cloudcix-website-screenshot_6ef0a0e5b6.webp "CloudCIX Irish cloud infrastructure platform")](https://www.ionos.com/en-ie/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2026/cloudcix-website-screenshot.jpg) CloudCIX provides Irish-developed public and private cloud infrastructure with flexible compute, storage, networking and security resources; source: https://www.cloudcix.com/ ## Bonus solution The providers above are based in Ireland. However, Irish customers are not limited to Irish cloud providers. IONOS HiDrive is included as a bonus option because it is available to customers in Ireland while offering an alternative from a Germany-based company. The service uses ISO 27001-certified data centres and provides encrypted data transfer and optional end-to-end encryption. ### IONOS HiDrive IONOS HiDrive cloud storage offers a privacy-focused solution for cloud storage. Your data is stored in ISO 27001–certified data centres and fully complies with data protection requirements to ensure the highest level of data protection for your cloud. HiDrive cloud storage from IONOS offers a **wide range of features** that make using and protecting your data as convenient as it is secure: - Flexible access from all devices (web browser, desktop clients, mobile apps) - Automatic backups and synchronisation of data - Sharing features for easy collaboration in teams - TLS/SSL-secured transfer (AES-256) - Optional end-to-end encryption for additional security (included in the Pro package) **Costs:** Prices vary depending on the selected package and the storage space included [![Image: HiDrive cloud storage from IONOS](https://www.ionos.com/en-ie/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/4/0/csm_ionos-hidrive-website-screenshot-ir_2a59fe489f.webp "HiDrive cloud storage from IONOS")](https://www.ionos.com/en-ie/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2026/ionos-hidrive-website-screenshot-ir.jpg) HiDrive from IONOS offers German data protection, highly secure data centre, and plenty of cloud storage at a low-cost rate; source: https://www.ionos.com/en-ie/office-solutions/hidrive-cloud-storage ## Cloud storage plus online backups for optimal security Whichever cloud storage service you choose, storing your files in the cloud alone is not enough to provide complete protection. Regular backups are also essential because they allow you to restore data after hardware failures, malware attacks, accidental deletion or other unexpected problems. For greater reliability, your cloud service should include an **automatic backup feature**. This ensures that copies of your data are created regularly without requiring manual action, making recovery easier when something goes wrong. A strong backup strategy should also follow the 3-2-1 backup rule, a widely recognised approach to protecting data: - Keep **3 copies of your data**: the original and two separate backups. - Store them on **2 different types of storage media**, such as a local hard drive and cloud storage, to reduce the risk of a single failure affecting every copy. - Keep **1 copy off-site**, for example in the cloud or at another physical location, so your data remains protected if a local incident occurs. The 3-2-1 rule provides multiple copies across different storage systems and locations, helping protect your data against hardware failures, cyberattacks, accidental loss and natural disasters. This is a markdown version of: [https://www.ionos.com/en-ie/digitalguide/server/tools/irish-cloud-providers/](https://www.ionos.com/en-ie/digitalguide/server/tools/irish-cloud-providers/) for AI/LLM consumption.