8 Best Alternatives to Google Drive in 2022
Looking for an alternative to Google Drive? Look no further: In this post we introduce eight awesome cloud storage platforms to boost your productivity at work.
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For many of us, Google Drive is the default cloud storage solution… not least because of its integration with Gmail.
According to Javier Soltero (Google VP) Google Workspace reached 2 billion users in 2019. And that number will only have grown as remote work has become more prevalent. 🤯
There’s no doubt that Google Drive is a best-in-class cloud storage solution that strikes a good balance between functionality and ease of use. Nevertheless, there are other cloud drive solutions out there… and some of them are very good!
For those interested in trying something else, we’ve rounded up eight of the best Google Drive alternatives to try. Read on to learn about the options!
But first, a quick primer on Google Drive.
What Is Google Drive
Google Drive is a cloud-based storage and synchronization service developed by Google. It lets you store files online and access them from a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
Google Drive is a part of Google Workspace (formerly “G-Suite”) which boasts over 2 billion users. Google Workspace’s popularity is hardly surprising considering what you get:
- Gmail
- 15GB free storage
- Google office: Docs (word processing), Sheets (spreadsheets), Slides (presentations)
- Desktop and mobile versions
- Online and offline modes (incl. sync selection)
- State-of-the-art collaboration tools
- Did I say Gmail already…? 😉
As skeptical as we are about Google’s business model, Workplace and Drive are pretty awesome services.
Why Consider Google Drive Alternatives
Nevertheless, there are still some good reasons you might want to consider using an alternative.
Price
Google Drive offers 15GB of free storage that’s shared with Gmail and Google Photos. That’s enough for average users with docs and occasional photos, but anybody doing document-heavy work or saving a lot of photos will quickly reach a pay-limit.
While the Google Drive prices frankly are quite reasonable, there are even cheaper options out there. That could be interesting if you’re planning on storing lots of data for a long time.
Daily Upload Limit
Google Drive caps the amount of data you can upload daily to 750 GB. Once you reach that limit, you’re blocked automatically and won’t be able to upload anything else that day.
Again, for most users this won’t be an issue but if you’re working with video files it can be quite annoying.
Confusing Shared Folders
Anybody who has worked on a team with Google Drive knows how confusing their shared folders can be. For obscure reasons, folders can appear in three different places: My Drive, Shared Drives, or Shared with me.
I have yet to meet anybody who finds this intuitive.
The Top 8 Google Drive Alternatives
Whether you’re looking for an alternative because of those limitations or just browsing, there are lots of excellent options out there for cloud storage.
To help you decide, we researched the top eight alternatives to Google Drive. Read on to find out more!
Side note: For pricing, almost all of the companies distinguish between “personal” and “business” use (with slightly different definitions). We’ve tried to stick to personal pricing here, but it’s something to bear in mind as you shop around.
1. OneDrive
When it comes to Google Drive alternatives, OneDrive gets our top vote.
OneDrive is Microsoft’s take on cloud storage. It’s aimed at students, professionals, and businesses alike. Launched in 2007, OneDrive has many of the same features as Google Drive.
With OneDrive, users can store documents in the cloud, share and collaborate in real-time, and sync between devices. With Microsoft’s historical focus on enterprise customers, OneDrive also includes a host of security features.
However, OneDrive’s key selling point is its integration with the Microsoft Office suite. Since Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Teams are the industry-standard in office suites, you might consider using OneDrive simply because it plays so nicely with them.
OneDrive Pros
- Tight integration with Microsoft Office O365
- Fast file syncing
- Online and offline modes (incl. sync selection)
- Large variety of features
- Real-time document collaboration
OneDrive Cons
- Limited file versioning
OneDrive Pricing
OneDrive’s free plan only gives you 5GB of storage, but the premium options are quite affordable. That’s especially true because OneDrive comes as part of the Microsoft 365 subscription.
2. Dropbox
Dropbox is a pioneer among cloud storage services, albeit slightly more expensive than other Google Drive alternatives. Working seamlessly with Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, Dropbox keeps your files backed up to the web and in sync across all your devices.
Apart from easy usage, what sets Dropbox apart are some interesting features that you won’t find elsewhere including an e-signature tool. It also has its own editing tool, Dropbox Paper, that’s similar to Google Docs or Word.
Like Google Drive and OneDrive, Dropbox distinguishes between personal and business use, with the latter geared towards collaboration and larger storage.
Dropbox Pros
- (Third party) Support for integrations
- Apps for numerous operating systems
- Numerous file sharing features
- Offline mode (incl. sync selection)
- Digital signing tool included
Dropbox Cons
- Comparatively expensive
- No integrated office package
Dropbox Pricing
Dropbox has a free option that comes with 2GB of free storage. Premium (personal) plans start from €9.99 per month for 2TB of storage.
3. pCloud
pCloud is perhaps less well-known than the first three on this list, but it nonetheless deserves a place as one of the top cloud-storage providers around. pCloud is fast, secure, and most of all reasonably priced.
Calling themselves the most secure cloud storage platform, pCloud offers “zero knowledge” encryption so your files are never stored unencrypted.
Like Google Drive, pCloud has numerous file sharing and collaboration capabilities: It lets you share files by either inviting someone or creating a shareable link.
pCloud also has some interesting features: It’s the only service on the list that comes with not just file versioning but also a dedicated media player (in case you wanted that). However, it lacks an integrated office package and search is only available from the website (not on your computer).
pCloud Pros
- Locally encrypted secure option
- Lifetime pricing options (see below)
- 10 GB of free storage
- Integrated media player
pCloud Cons
- Search only available on the website
- No office package
- No add-on services
pCloud Pricing
Where pCloud stands out is its unusual pricing: Unlike most other services they offer lifetime deals for storage. That means for 350€ you can buy 2TB of cloud storage forever. If you’re planning on long-term storage (several years) then pCloud’s lifetime deals might make sense for you.
They also offer a free account with 10 GB of storage, and monthly plans at 500 GB for $3.99 a month, and 2TB for $7.99 per month.
4. Box
Box is another well-known cloud storage platform. Much like the other options, Box offers a host of sharing and collaboration features.
Box is mainly focused on businesses and it shows: It integrates tightly with Microsoft and Google, making it easier for users to create Microsoft Office or Google Workspace documents right within the app. It also supports many third-party integrations that could be useful for businesses.
Box has top-notch security and added features. However, many of its features, including the private key management, require a subscription. On the downside, Box costs more than other services on our list. Plus, it also puts stricter limits on the size of uploads.
Box Pros
- Top security protection
- Integrates with many third-party services
- Well-designed for collaboration
- Easy to use
Box Cons
- Comparatively expensive
- Limited consumer options
Box Pricing
Box offers free personal, and business accounts. The free plan comes with 10 GB free, but there’s a 250MB limit on the file size you can upload. A paid Personal Pro account costs €9 a month, comes with 100 GB, and lets you upload up to 5GB. Business plans start at €13.50 a month.
5. iCloud Drive
iCloud Drive is an interesting cloud storage platforms for those who’re part of Apple’s ecosystem.
In typical Apple style it offers seamless integration and backup across all devices. In fact, Apple pushes users towards iCloud to back up their files and phone data. If you’re already using iCloud to back up your phone data, it might be worth considering it as a cloud storage option.
Side note: iCloud Drive and iCloud aren’t quite the same thing, but they’re closely connected.
iCloud also makes it easy to share media via an iCloud link or a shared album. Moreover, you can upload all types of files to iCloud and save, preview, share, and access them on any device hooked to iCloud. And like Google Drive, iCloud offers user collaboration… within the Apple Work suite.
On the downside, iCloud requires users to have an Apple ID and it plays best with Apple devices and the Apple Work office suite.
iCloud Pros
- Seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem
- User-friendly interface
- Nice photos app
- Good mobile and desktop integration
iCloud Cons
- No Android support
- Apple ID is required to view files shared on iCloud
- Office package is Apple Work
iCloud Pricing
You can purchase iCloud either as a standalone subscription or as a part of an Apple One bundle. All iCloud users receive 5 GB of free storage, which could almost be enough for most average users.
Standalone packages start at €0.99 a month for 50GB, €2.99 a month for 200GB and €9.99 a month for 2TB.
6. IceDrive
IceDrive is a name that you may not yet know, but it packs some interesting features that put it on par with the big players. Coupled with high security and attractive pricing, IceDrive is a strong contender as a Google Drive alternative.
IceDrive is easy to use and supports file syncing, versioning, and sharing. It also supports “zero-knowledge encryption” so no one can access your files.
Windows users will particularly benefit from IceDrive as it integrates nicely with Windows File Explorer thanks to its “virtual sync” drive.
On the downside, IceDrive doesn’t integrate with cloud-based productivity software like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.
IceDrive Pros
- Competitively priced
- User-friendly interface
- Supports preview for encrypted files
- Virtual Drive
IceDrive Cons
- Limited support options
- Virtual Drive is for Windows only
- No support for productivity software like Google Workspace
IceDrive Pricing
IceDrive offers a free account with 10 GB of storage and 3GB daily bandwidth.
For paid users, the platform offers three tiers of subscription, offering 150 GB, 1 TB, and 5TB of storage, priced at €1.83, €4.17, and €15.00 respectively. Like pCloud, they also offer Lifetime plans.
7. Internxt
Internxt is a relatively new cloud-based service launched in late 2020. This secure platform features a clean interface, comprehensive support, and multiple pricing plans.
As a new entrant to the market, Internxt doesn’t offer much in the way of unique features. However, it does focus on privacy and security, using zero-knowledge encryption to keep users’ data secure.
There are hints that Internxt does something with blockchain-blah-blockchain, but it’s not prevalent on the website so we’ll try not to hold that against them. 😉
Internxt Pros
- Easy interface
- Focus on security
Internxt Cons
- Basic features
- Some reports that it can be slow
Internxt Pricing
The free plan offers 10 GB of storage. All accounts start with a free 2 GB allowance, while more storage can be added for free upon completing certain tasks like referring friends, subscribing to the company’s newsletter, etc.
Beyond that, several paid plans are available.
8. NordLocker
NordLocker is a secure cloud storage solution developed by Nord Security, the company behind the popular NordVPN virtual private network. It’s an encryption service, but its main feature is sharing — which you can do whether you’re using the free service or premium plan.
As a cloud storage option, NordLocker is cheaper than Google Drive, making it yet another great alternative.
NordLocker aims to be is straightforward and easy to use. However, with its focus on encryption, it doesn’t offer much in the way of advanced features.
NordLocker Pros
- Easy to use
- Users can share encrypted files
- Integrates with Dropbox for sharing
- Best in class security
NordLocker Cons
- No support for iOS or Android
- Limited advanced features and integrations (editing etc.)
NordLocker Pricing
NordLocker offers a free and a premium plan. All users can download the app and encrypt their files on the free plan for free. Users wanting cloud storage will need to upgrade to the premium plan for $7.99 per month.
Wrapping Up
Google Drive offers an excellent cloud storage service with great features and competitive pricing.
However, it’s far from the only one out there. The alternatives here all have something to recommend them, whether it’s advanced features, cross-device compatibility, pricing, or a focus on security.
Personally, we like Microsoft One Drive as the most powerful Google Drive alternative, but the best platform for you will depend on your goals and hardware/software setup.
Let us know in the comments if there are any awesome cloud drives we’re missing or if there are other types of tools you’d like us to write about!