iCloud+ and Family Members

Hi. My family is on the mid-tier iCloud+ plan (I am the organizer), and we are approaching the 200 GB limit on iCloud Drive. I could go for the next tier, but 2 TB is more storage than we would need for awhile (I think). Anyway, I was wondering if the storage amount pooled if different members of the family had iCloud+ (e.g. if two members had the mid-tier plan for 200GB would the family have 400GB) Or if my partner had her own plan they then use their own icloud+ space and only then draw upon the family space. Any real world accounts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I don’t think you can do that, you’re either in the family or you’re not.

Right. My partner and I are both in the same “Apple family”. If my partner were to get iCloud+ at say the mid-tier, 200 GB and I had it at the mid-tier 200 GB the family storage they were using would now be on their own account. Or are you saying that if someone is in a family with icloud+ they can’t buy it individually?

As far as I know you can use different AppleID for different areas, but you can only use one ID with iCloud.

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I don’t think that the 2 x 200gb are. Culmulative.

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My understanding is that you can have your own storage and be in a family, but you either use your own storage or the family’s.

For example, right now some of my family members have their own storage. They can still use the family’s TV+, Arcade, News, channel subscriptions, and the like without also having to use the family’s storage.

I can’t access their storage, though. And if they decided to use the shared storage, they’d have to give up what they currently have (see this PC Mag article).

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Going at this in the opposite direction, I had a plan before I signed up for the Apple+ Family plan. I didn’t understand while I was still being billed for my personal plan since I was in the Family. Called Apple and it turns out that with my personal plan I wasn’t sharing the Family storage at all! Had to go through some gyrations to drop my plan and get on the family.

Anyway, that makes the answer to the original question “No”.

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agreed with all comments that the iCloud + storage is for all family members and not individual. There is a big gap between 200gb and 2T. This is strategically designed by Apple (also by Google) to ‘force’ people to go to the higher tier. I managed to keep within 200gb but dropping off Apple Photos but it is a painful process, especially for the non-tech family members

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Thanks all. That makes sense.

The only other thing you might look into is to buy Apple One (200GB storage) and keep your 200GB iCloud+ on top of that for 400GB total. Obviously this only makes sense if you currently use music and 1-2 of the other services in Apple One.

This is the same on the Family Plan. I can’t see what others in the family are storing on iCloud.

You don’t know this to be true. While it is possible, I suspect that the tiers are to keep things simple. 3 tiers is far simpler that being able to step up in 200GB chunks or charge by the GB.

I should’ve been clearer: I meant “I can’t access their storage” in the sense of “I can’t make use of it.” :smile:

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It is simple marketing:
2TB for 9,99 is “much cheaper” than 200GB for 2,99.
While a lot of user needs more than 200GB, but far less than 2TB, they can sell the higher tier on this way much easier, than with small intermediate steps, so they can keep 2,99 as the lower minimum, while not loosing the “magical” 9,99 on the upper end.

I thought it is only sensible to create a 1TB tier between 200GB and 2TB

it is true only if we can use up the 2TB. Unlike other cloud services, we have a much restricted use of iCloud service

I can use the whole 2TB, if I like. I can’t see any restrictions on that.
And BTW, the relevant point with my quote is not, that you can, or really want to, use the whole 2TB. It is just about the possibility!
You pay for the possibility to use the 2TB, and therefore, in the average Mind, 2TB for 9,99 seems to be much cheaper, than only 200GB for 2,99.
Apple is for sure, as all other companies with similar offers, calculating that the average user is, in reality, using a way lower amount of data on the cloud.

It is not a linear function. So Apple, and the other companies, would make way less money, if they put a intermediate step in.

That’s not necessarily true. A 1TB tier at say £4.99 may attract people to upgrade earlier due to the smaller differential in price. There are some who spend a lot of time fighting to stay under 200GB because of the much larger gap in pricing

And those people do have a much higher chance to use the whole 1TB!
On the way it is working right now, they also use the 1TB (which means the Provider don’t have to have the other 1TB really available!), but paying 9,99 for it.

Thanks all for your feedback. It is much appreciated!