USB flash drives, USB pens, or USB sticks – whatever you call them – are slowly but steadily exiting our lives like they never existed. But they did! There was a time not more than just a decade ago when USB flash drives were the go-to devices for data storage and transfer.

We’ve obviously moved on to faster and cheaper solutions, but it could be worth dipping our toes in nostalgia on this slow Friday evening and reflecting on how far we’ve come as a tech-savvy generation.

In this article, we’ll take a look at all the factors responsible for a decline in the popularity of USB flash drives among everyday ‘techies’ like you and us.

Reason #1 – Rise of Cloud Storage Solutions

There’s no arguing that cloud services have revolutionized how we store and manage data. Cloud storage allows us to access our data on the internet without requiring a physical infrastructure (such as a USB flash drive). 

Just think about the usability these services offer: you could be anywhere in the world and only need an internet-enabled device to access your data stored on Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, or iCloud. It’s no wonder the cloud storage industry is expected to reach a whopping $639.40 billion by 2032 at a CAGR of 21.7%.  

Also, cloud storage is cheaper than USB flash drives. A monthly pricing scheme cranks up their appeal, too. For instance, Google Drive costs just $1.99/month (or $20 on an annual subscription) for 100GB, whereas even a budget-friendly 128GB USB stick today will put you back at least $15.

Cloud storage also provides the benefit of scalability. Anytime the existing amount of storage starts running out, you can increase your storage by simply subscribing to a new plan. Compare this with USB flash drives, where if you initially purchased a 128GB stick, you’d have to buy a new one for expanded storage needs.

Reason #2 – External Hard Drives Got Bigger and Cheaper

The second biggest reason behind the declining popularity of USB flash drives is the rising usability of external hard drives, i.e., HDDs and SSDs. 

They offer much more storage (up to 4TB) than your average USB stick, making them ideal for storing large chunks of data, such as 4K videos and games. They’re particularly great for backups, thanks partly to their durability, which USB flash drives lack.

While HDDs still offer the best value proposition for those who are only after the largest storage space possible, SSDs have seen a tremendous rise due to their lightning-fast speeds. 

Finally, for the amount of storage either of these two offers, their costs are still comparable to USB sticks of similar sizes.

Reason #3 – Almost Everyone Has Access to Fast Internet Now

In 2015, the average global internet connection speed was just 5.6 Mbps. As of June 2024, however, the global average internet download speed is 93.93 Mbps. But you don’t need these facts and figures to believe the internet has gotten faster for all of us.

Why is this important? Earlier, when only a select few had access to decent internet speeds, they would become the download hubs (think offline PC games, movies, and songs) for the entire community. And USB flash drives were crucial because that’s what folks used to transfer the downloaded data.

Today, however, almost every single person has access to speedy internet. We don’t need to rely on ‘that friend’ for our download needs anymore. This internet self-sufficiency also resulted in a decrease in the need to transfer data, which consequently impacted the craze for USB flash drives among everyday groups and communities.

Reason #4 – Modern Mobile Phones Are Genuine Storage Solutions

The iPhone 6 launched in 2014 with just 4GB worth of storage in its base model. It didn’t come with expandable storage, either. Cut to 2025, and the iPhones now offer up to 1TB of internal storage. Moreover, even mid-range Android phones offer at least 128GB-256GB storage on their entry-level models.

Also, let’s not forget that 10-15 years back, a lot of people were using dumb phones, which had even less storage.

This is noteworthy because mobile phones have offered a direct replacement for USB flash drives. Want to send 10GB worth of movies from your laptop to your friend’s? Just copy it to your phone and then onto their laptop when you visit them next.

Of course, fast internet speeds mean that you can also just send the files over the internet. The bottom line here is that there’s really no significant advantage of using a, say, 64GB USB stick over your mobile phone. In fact, we’d argue that you’re less likely to forget your phone when you step out of the house.

Final Thoughts

It’s worth noting, though, that USB flash drives are still very relevant today, just not as an everyday solution. The average user now relies on cloud storage and external hard drives.

They’re still popular among businesses and old-school individuals who prefer local, pocketable storage solutions that they know will securely store their data for years to come – no recurring subscriptions, no maintenance, no hassle; just the vigilance to not lose them.