iCloud+
Also known as: iCloud plus, paid iCloud, iCloud storage plans
iCloud+ is Apple’s paid subscription that expands iCloud storage beyond the free 5 GB and adds privacy features like Private Relay, Hide My Email, and HomeKit Secure Video. It increases your cloud quota only — it does not add physical storage to your iPhone.
- Paid expansion of iCloud’s free 5 GB
- Adds Private Relay and Hide My Email
- Grows cloud storage, not device storage
What you get
Every Apple ID includes 5 GB of free iCloud storage. iCloud+ raises that to a larger paid tier and unlocks extras: iCloud Private Relay, Hide My Email, custom email domains, and expanded HomeKit Secure Video. Plans can be shared with family through Family Sharing.
You upgrade or change tiers in Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Account Storage > Change Storage Plan (or "Upgrade to iCloud+").
More cloud, not more device storage
iCloud+ only enlarges your online storage for backups, iCloud Photos, iCloud Drive, and Messages in iCloud. The physical capacity of your iPhone is fixed at purchase, so buying iCloud+ does not free space on the device — though it lets features like Optimize iPhone Storage keep originals safely in the cloud.