Whenever you share files or folders using public links, any downloads or streaming performed by others consume download link traffic. Each pCloud plan includes a monthly traffic allowance, which helps ensure stable performance and fair usage for all users.
What is Shared Link Traffic?
Shared link traffic is the bandwidth used when someone accesses your content through a shared link. This includes:
- Direct downloads of files from your links
- Streaming of media content (videos, audio) from shared links
- Any data transfer that occurs when someone accesses your shared content
Important: Link traffic is separate from your storage quota. Even if you have storage space available, you may reach your traffic limit if many people download or stream your shared files.
Traffic Limits by Plan Type
Every pCloud plan includes a specified amount of shared link traffic that resets on a monthly basis (regardless of whether you have a monthly, annual, or Lifetime subscription):
- pCloud Basic (Free): 50 GB per month
- pCloud Premium (500 GB): 500 GB per month
- pCloud Premium Plus (2 TB): 2 TB per month
Checking Your Available Traffic
To monitor your available shared link traffic and usage statistics:
From my.pCloud (Web)
- Log into your pCloud account at my.pCloud.com
- Select Shared > Links
- Click on the Statistics tab in the upper right corner of the page
- View your current traffic usage and remaining quota
Viewing Statistics for Individual Links
- Go to Shared > Links
- Find the shared file or folder in the list
You can view basic statistics directly in the table:
- Traffic - bandwidth used
- Downloads - number of downloads
- Views - number of times the link was opened
For more details:
- Hover over the link and click the gear icon
- Select Link Stats
You will see detailed statistics for that link, including:
- Traffic usage
- Total downloads
- Total traffic used
- Link creation date
You can also:
- Click Get Traffic to purchase additional traffic if needed
From pCloud Mobile
- Open the pCloud app
- Tap the More menu (three dots)
- Select Shared links
- Find the shared file or folder
- Tap the More menu
- Choose View Statistics
You will see:
- Views
- Downloads
- Traffic used
- Link creation date
From this screen, you can also tap Get More Traffic to purchase additional traffic if needed.
For Link Owners
When you exceed your monthly traffic limit:
- Shared links remain active and accessible
- Only paid pCloud users can access and download from your links
- Free users attempting to access your links will see a message indicating the traffic limit has been exceeded
- You can continue to access your own files normally
For Link Recipients
If you're trying to access a shared link that has exceeded its traffic limit:
- The link owner needs to purchase additional traffic or upgrade their plan
- If you have a Premium account, you can still access the link even if the owner has exceeded their limit
- Free users cannot access links that have exceeded the owner's traffic limit
Purchasing Additional Link Traffic
There are several ways to increase your available shared link traffic:
Buy Extra Traffic
- Open the Pricing page
- Click Get additional traffic for your shared links
- Choose:
- Monthly or Annual option
- The amount of additional
4. Click Continue and complete the payment
Upgrade Your Plan
- Go to the Plans and Pricing page on the pCloud website
- Choose a plan with higher traffic limits:
- Upgrade from Basic (50 GB) to Premium (500 GB)
- Upgrade from Premium (500 GB) to Premium Plus (2 TB)
3. Complete the upgrade process
4. Your new traffic limit will be available immediately
Best Practices for Managing Link Traffic
- Monitor regularly: Check your traffic statistics frequently, especially if you share large files or media
- Use link expiration: Set expiration dates on shared links to automatically disable them after a certain period
- Limit downloads: Use password protection or access restrictions to control who can download your files
- Plan ahead: If you expect high traffic (e.g., sharing promotional videos), consider purchasing extra traffic in advance
- Alternative sharing: For one-time large file transfers, consider using pCloud Transfer (free up to 5 GB per file)
Link Traffic vs. Remote Upload Traffic
It's important to distinguish between different types of traffic:
- Shared Link Traffic: Used when people download or stream from your shared links
- Remote Upload Traffic: Used when you upload files to pCloud from remote URLs using the Remote Upload or pCloud Save features
Important: If you exceed your Remote Upload traffic, you won't be able to use Remote Upload or pCloud Save features until you upgrade to a Premium plan. This is separate from your shared link traffic limit.