Strato offers free online storage

Strato has launched a free version of its HiDrive online storage service.

HiDrive Free will provide up to 5GB of storage space, and files can be accessed from any web-connected device.

The service can be set up as a local drive in Windows, but users can also upload and access files using a smartphone app, with versions available for both Android and Windows Phone 7 devices.

Strato will soon offer HiDrive 100 and HiDrive 500 services, offering 100GB and 500GB of space for monthly fees of €9.90 (£8.70) and €29.90 (£26.35) respectively.

Files are stored in one of Strato's datacentres in Germany, which has some of the strictest data-privacy laws in the world, making it a more secure option than US-based services, Strato claimed.

The company also operates an automated backup that allows customers to roll back and retrieve files that may have been deleted up to six weeks ago.

Customers can sign up for a free HiDrive account with their email address and a username and password.

Strato is the latest cloud storage provider to provide a free version, with Dropbox and Mozy offering 2GB for nothing, while iDrive provides 5GB of free space.