Apple has increased the prices of its iCloud+ cloud storage subscriptions in eight countries, including Egypt, Turkey, Nigeria, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and New Zealand. The price hikes range from 11% to 55%, depending on the market and storage plan.

In Egypt, the basic plan has become 25% more expensive, while the remaining tiers have increased by around 20%.

The move adds to the costs for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users who rely on iCloud+ for storing photos, files, and device backups, with annual subscription costs rising by hundreds—or even thousands—of Egyptian pounds for larger storage plans.

Apple has not provided market-specific reasons for the changes, although such adjustments are typically linked to fluctuations in local currencies against the U.S. dollar and periodic reviews of digital service pricing across different regions.

Notably, the United States and most other major markets were unaffected by the latest price revision, while Nigeria recorded the largest increase, with some plans rising by as much as 55%.

New iCloud+ Prices in Egypt

Apple has increased the monthly price of its 50GB iCloud+ plan from EGP 39.99 to EGP 49.99, an increase of EGP 10 or approximately 25%. The annual cost now rises from about EGP 480 to EGP 600.

The 200GB plan now costs EGP 179.99 per month, up from EGP 149.99, representing a 20% increase. The annual subscription increases from roughly EGP 1,800 to EGP 2,160, adding EGP 360 per year.

Meanwhile, the 2TB plan has increased from EGP 499.99 to EGP 599.99 per month. Annual costs now total around EGP 7,200, compared with EGP 6,000 previously, an increase of EGP 1,200 per year.

The 2TB tier is designed for users with extensive photo, video, and file libraries and supports Apple's Family Sharing feature.

Higher-Capacity Plans Also Become More Expensive

Apple has also raised prices for its larger storage tiers.

The 6TB plan increased from EGP 1,499.99 to EGP 1,799.99 per month, raising its annual cost from approximately EGP 18,000 to EGP 21,600, an increase of EGP 3,600 annually.

The 12TB plan now costs EGP 3,599.99 per month instead of EGP 2,999.99, increasing annual expenses from EGP 36,000 to approximately EGP 43,200, or EGP 7,200 more per year.

WhatsApp Tests a Free Alternative to iCloud Backups

In a move that could help users offset the higher iCloud+ costs, Meta is testing a new feature that allows WhatsApp users on iPhone to back up chats directly to WhatsApp's own cloud servers instead of Apple's iCloud.

According to WABetaInfo, the feature is available in the latest beta version of WhatsApp for iOS (26.28.10.16) and enables users to store encrypted backups on Meta's servers free of charge.

How the New WhatsApp Backup Option Could Help

The upcoming feature offers several potential benefits:

Free up Apple's 5GB of complimentary iCloud storage by moving WhatsApp backups off iCloud.
Receive up to 2GB of free cloud storage dedicated to WhatsApp backups, with optional paid plans starting at 50GB for $0.99 once the free allocation is exceeded.
Switch easily between WhatsApp Cloud and iCloud through the app's settings at any time.

Enhanced Security and Cross-Platform Benefits

Unlike iCloud, which requires users to manually enable advanced encryption, WhatsApp's new backup service will enforce end-to-end encryption by default using Passkeys or 64-digit encryption keys, preventing both Meta and Apple from accessing users' conversations.

The independent cloud infrastructure could also pave the way for seamless backup transfers between iPhone and Android, eliminating one of the biggest challenges users face when switching mobile platforms.

The feature remains in closed beta testing throughout 2026 and is expected to roll out to all users as an optional backup method in the coming months.