Cloud Storage Basics: Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and More Compared

Thanks to a big selection of cloud storage options, you not need to journey round with a handful of USB sticks or a clunky exterior drive. Cloud storage means that you can backup your information and entry your information from almost any gadget so long as you could have web entry. Most large companies characteristic free tiers, letting you get a full style of what is potential by way of the cloud with out having to spend a penny.

However, with so many companies on the market, it may be overwhelming to decide about which one to subscribe to. While the free tiers aid you attempt each out, we have compiled a brief information on the most important and finest cloud storage options on the market to nail on the fundamentals.

TL;DR

But for many who want a TL;DR we have crafted a helpful chart…

Google Drive

Google Drive is a part of each Google account together with 15GB of free cupboard space. Drive is accessible by way of an online browser at drive.google.com, or with a devoted app for Android and iOS. The companion desktop apps for Windows and Mac can even sync along with your native drives.

Google Drive consists of some helpful options like the power to backup smartphones messages, or the power to transform PDF and photograph information into textual content by way of an built-in OCR perform.

Now, that house is shared along with your Gmail account and Google Photos, so it could actually replenish surprisingly fast. Google Drive additionally integrates with a collection of Google’s workplace internet apps, together with Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. However, some customers could also be involved about Google’s privateness and safety, main them to seek out safer, however lesser recognized options. For instance, one of many largest disadvantages to Google Drive is that you would be able to’t password shield a shared merchandise or folder.

If you need more room, you will need to subscribe to Google One, which options the next pricing:

• $2 a month / $20 a 12 months for 100GB
• $3 a month / $30 a 12 months for 200GB
• $10 a month / $100 a 12 months for 2TB
• $100 a month for 10TB
• $200 a month for 20TB
• $300 a month for 30TB

Google Drive Pros:

• Decent quantity of free storage
• Available on all kinds of platforms on desktop and cell
• Suite of productiveness apps, free real-time collaboration

Google Drive Cons:

• Limited safety and privateness choices
• Tied into Google ecosystem
• Lots of included apps, all sharing the identical storage capability

Microsoft OneDrive

Users of the newest variations of Windows ought to be conversant in OneDrive, which is built-in into the File Explorer (for higher or for worse). But OneDrive is not unique to Windows as there are shoppers that cowl Apple Mac, iOS and Android.

OneDrive comes with just a few good options that will let you higher arrange your information, or routinely tag your photographs. The devoted desktop apps may even sync your information and folders along with your native storage.

OneDrive is extra helpful in the event you’re a Microsoft Office person, because the cloud service means that you can share paperwork with others in your workgroup, present notifications about edited information, safe information with passwords, and extra. The cell app may even scan bodily paperwork utilizing your telephone’s digital camera, permitting you to signal and e-mail them. Those involved about safety ought to be completely satisfied to know that the service additionally features a Personal Vault characteristic, which requires id verification with a purpose to entry them.

OneDrive comes with 5 GB of free storage, and affords just a few paid plans:

• $2 a month for 100 GB of storage
• Microsoft 365 Personal: $7 a month / $70 a 12 months, for 1TB of storage and consists of Office Apps
• Microsoft 365 Family: $10 a month / $100 a 12 months for 6TB of storage

Users can even swap to a OneDrive for Business Plan

• $5 a month per person with 1TB for every person
• $10 a month per person for limitless storage
• $6 a month per person for Microsoft 356 Business Basic with 1TB per person
• $12.50 a month per person for Microsoft 365 Business Standard with 1TB per person

Microsoft OneDrive Pros:

• Integrates totally into Windows and Office
• Easy to share information and collaborate
• Security options
• Cool options like cell doc scanning and auto tagging photographs

Microsoft OneDrive Cons:

• Not a number of free storage
• Security is not as sturdy as different choices

Dropbox

With a seamless and easy-to-use interface together with loads of options, Dropbox has grown to turn into a favourite on this planet of cloud storage and syncing information. Along with Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android shoppers, the service additionally helps Linux.

Like different companies together with Box, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox options file restoration, which lets you restore something you have deleted over the previous 30 days, however there’s additionally a model historical past characteristic that permits customers to revert edited gadgets to their unique type.

Dropbox gives 256-bit AES encryption in your information in addition to two-step authentication to assist preserve information safe. Users who worth Dropbox’s privateness and safety features can decide to make use of this service in different ecosystems like Slack, Adobe, Microsoft Office, Autodesk, Canva and extra. Dropbox has additionally been increasing. It not too long ago acquired HeySign, permitting paid Dropbox customers to signal and request signatures on paperwork. Dropbox affords a password supervisor, too.

Free Dropbox accounts include 2GB of storage and a 100 MB dimension restrict per switch, whereas paid plans go from $12 month for 2TB and the best tier consists of a limiteless storage possibility:

• Dropbox Plus: $12 a month / $120 a 12 months for 2TB
• Dropbox Professional: $20 a month / $200 a 12 months for 3TB
• Standard Team Plan: $15 a month / $150 a 12 months for 5TB
• Advanced staff Plan: $25 a month / $240 a 12 months for limitless cupboard space

Dropbox Pros:

• Strong integration with varied apps and companies
• Available on a number of platforms and working programs
• File versioning

Dropbox Cons:

• Limited options, storage capability with free tier
• Can be a bit easy to energy customers

Box

Box has confirmed to be in style with enterprise customers due to good options that promote collaboration and make working with different customers elsewhere simpler. For instance, you should use Box to assign duties, go away feedback on information, change privateness controls, or set expiry dates on shared gadgets.

One of the most important benefits to Box is safety: not solely does it provide AES 256-bit encryption, but it surely affords full end-to-end encryption (not even Box can get at your information) in addition to two-factor authentication.

Box additionally options integration with the Box Notes collaboration app, Box Relay workflow app, and Box Sign e-documents app. However, compared to different companies on this listing, Box would not characteristic the strongest doc modifying options.

The free tier of Box comes with 10GB of storage, however a 250MB file add restrict. There are a number of methods to improve your Box storage restrict:

• Personal Pro Account: $10 a month for 100 GB with 5GB file uploads
• Starter Business Plan begins at $5 a month per person and consists of 100GB
• Standard Business Plan is $15 a month per person and consists of limitless storage

Box Pros:

• Generous Space for Free Accounts
• Strong collaboration emphasis
• Security choices

Box Cons:

• Low add restrict without spending a dime accounts
• Paid accounts appear costly compared to others

Amazon Cloud Drive

Not to be outdone by their rivals at Microsoft, Google, and Apple, tech big Amazon affords its personal cloud storage resolution as effectively. But it’s best to know, Amazon is phasing it out, so we do not advocate utilizing it now however somewhat transferring over one of many different platforms in the event you at present use it in your information.

Every Amazon account comes with 5GB of free storage on Amazon Cloud Drive, which can be shared with the Amazon Photos service (which is proscribed to picture codecs, and can live on). However, Amazon Prime customers get limitless Amazon Photo storage, which is helpful for these looking for an answer only for their albums.

Amazon’s Cloud Service was strictly designed to be targeted on paperwork, photographs and movies, so it was by no means a real cloud storage resolution like others on this listing. Furthermore, it lacked two-way syncing, file versioning or backup options.

Amazon Cloud Drive Pros:

• Unlimited photograph storage for Prime customers

Amazon Cloud Drive Cons:

• It’s shutting down in 2023
• Limited file help
• Poor safety choices
• Limited house with free tier

SugarSync

SugarSync focuses on safe file sharing, collaboration, and syncing and even incorporates a distant wipe characteristic in case of loss, theft, or injury. Along with just some different choices on this listing, SugarSync affords file versioning, although it is restricted to only 5 earlier variations of a file. There are just a few considerations with the online app, because it solely permits for uploads of information as much as 300 MB.

SugarSync lacks a free tier, providing a 30-day free trial earlier than asking you to subscribe to one of many following plans:

• $7.50 a month for 100 GB
• $10 a month for 250GB
• $18.95 a month for 500GB
• $55 a month or $550 a 12 months for 1 TB of storage for a enterprise account which comes with extra admin controls and help for extra customers

SugarSync Pros:

• Remote wipe characteristic
• File versioning

SugarSync Cons:

• No free tier and expensive paid choices
• Poor internet app

iDrive

For these looking for an answer tailor-made to backing up information, think about iDrive, which works with PC, Mac, iOS, and Android units, in addition to help for connecting and imaging exterior exhausting drives. Like different companies, there may be additionally file versioning help, which saves 30 completely different variations of the identical file. The service additionally affords end-to-end encryption, although this is not obtainable with shared information.

iDrive comes with 5GB of free storage and affords each private, staff, enterprise, and enterprise plans. Here’s what you might want to find out about how a lot you will have to funds:

• $80 a 12 months for 5TB
• $100 a 12 months for 10TB

iDrive Pros:

• Disk imaging help
• File versioning
• End-to-end encryption

iDrive Cons:

• Limited collaboration and sharing options
• No limitless storage tier

Apple iCloud

Specific to these on Apple’s ecosystem, iCloud syncs seamlessly with iOS and Mac units, and even permits some entry on different platforms by way of an online browser. It affords deep integration with Apple units just like how Microsoft has built-in OneDrive into Windows, iCloud permits customers to optimize their on-device storage as wanted to liberate house.

iCloud is rather less annoying in your MacEbook, however very pushy on iPhone and iPad the place it affords to backup all of your photographs and information seamlessly, however that comfort comes at a worth. iCloud incorporates a polished and straightforward to make use of interface, although energy customers could also be pissed off with the dearth of choices and superior options.

It consists of 5GB of free storage, however Apple affords a number of plans beginning at:

• $1 a month for 50GB
• $3 a month for 200GB
• $10 a month for 2TB

Apple iCloud Pros:

• Strong integration with Mac and iOS units
• Nice, simple to make use of interface

Apple iCloud Cons:

• Limited superior options for energy customers
• No help for Android units