Google’s shutdown announcement over Google Drive app for Windows and Mac has caused panic among its users in 2017, however, later Google replaced it with Backup and Sync for Windows and Mac. This cloud storage service has millions of active users around the globe, which means the same number of people have to find the best Google Drive alternatives to save their files. Luckily, there are several trustworthy cloud storage services that you can count on.
Google Drive indeed has a big name but it doesn’t dominate the market. Some other services offer similar features and functionality, allowing you to save large files in the cloud. While it can be a real struggle to choose one by yourself, it’s not a bad idea to find some help. Here, you are about to find the help that you need to find the best substitute.
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Top Best Google Drive Alternatives
Dropbox and OneDrive are two popular cloud storage services that may come across your mind. Still, there are many other choices that can be taken into consideration. These services are trustworthy and secure to save your files, photos, and other data. Take a closer look at the 10 best Google Drive alternatives and make your decision.
1. Dropbox
Who doesn’t know Dropbox? This cloud storage service is comparable to Google Drive and one of the best Google Drive alternatives, even though it offers more features than Google’s. It boasts tons of features and services that are made to be easy for all users, including beginners. Launched in 2007, Dropbox found its way to popularity and becomes one of the most used cloud storage worldwide.
Dropbox has many things to love. Among the highlight, features are unparalleled sync that supports all platforms including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. It enables you to access files from any device at any time. Once the app is installed on your device, it creates a folder. Anything inside the folder will be uploaded to the Dropbox server and is ready to access.
Furthermore, this cloud storage boasts less data usage and fast sync time. The explanation to this convenience is that your full file is uploaded only once. Whenever you make changes, the files will be synced without needing to upload the full file. When it comes to cost, Dropbox offers various plans with the lowest tier costs $9.99 per month for 1 Terabyte of storage.
2. OneDrive
Another mainstream and popular cloud storage to substitute Google Drive is OneDrive. This service competes strictly with Google Drive and Dropbox, though it has successfully made a special place in people’s hearts. Despite being launched by Microsoft, OneDrive serves users with other platforms including Android, iOS, and Mac.
OneDrive boasts similar functionality as Google Drive, making it one of the best Google Drive alternatives. But the best part of choosing this service and becoming a paid member is that you get Office suite access without additional cost.
If you already have an Office subscription, this offer sounds less attractive if it can’t be said as useless. But how about OneNote access? Paid members are also eligible to get OneNote access, which is the best note app to help with your tasks. Luckily, it offers various plans, starting from $1.99 per month for 50GB of storage. You can upgrade to 1TB by paying $7.99 per month.
3. pCloud
You might haven’t noticed pCloud before but it’s the right time to get to know more about this cloud storage. Recently, this service is gaining its popularity, especially after the shutdown announcement. Despite their less popular name, pCloud provides excellent service with a variety of plans to meet your needs and requirements. Let’s say that pCloud is truly made for anybody.
The cloud service provider offers highlight features, one of the best is that it can sync anything on your PC. It means no physical space is taken by pCloud, instead, your files are stored in their places. But this feature is quite flexible as you can choose which file to sync. Additionally, this service works well on any platform including Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, and Linux.
As aforementioned, pCloud is made for anybody. Thanks to the flexible plans that allow you to choose storage plans as needed. The lowest tier starts at $3.99 per month, providing you with 500GB of storage. If you need more space, this provider offers 2TB of storage which can be purchased at $7.99 per month.
4. Tresorit
How about trying a cloud storage provider that offers military-grade encryption service? It would be nice to know that your confidential files and data are well secured. It can be said that Tresorit is the most secure service, much safer than Google Drive and Dropbox. Whenever you have sensitive data to store on the cloud, now you know which service to use.
Tresorit features end-to-end encryption that ensures no third party can read your data during the upload process. The feature gets better with cryptographic key sharing technologies to make sure only you can open the files. However, Tresorit doesn’t eliminate the main function of cloud storage—sharing. It enables you to share your files easily, just like what you can find on other services.
The only difference is that you will need a generated secret key to access the file. This is how Tresorit ensures your data are only accessed by wanted person. When it comes to pricing, this premium service costs $20 per user per month, which is quite pricier than other providers. But considering the protection that you will get, this service is worth your money.
5. Sync.com
Despite its name that uses .com, this cloud storage provider is present in native apps that work well on various platforms including iOS, Mac, Android, and Windows. It can be said that Sync.com combines Tresorit’s high-level security and Google Drive’s usability. This best Google Drive alternative features end-to-end encryption and zero-knowledge authentication to ensure your security.
At the same time, Sync.com features a user-friendly interface that allows new users to navigate it easily just like Dropbox and Google Drive. Another highlight feature offered by this provider is the ability to share entire folders instead of just files. It also allows you to decide the level of access such as view only, view and edit, and many more.
Do you wonder how much you should spend for this? Compared to Dropbox, this service is much cheaper as it charges only $8 per month for 2 Terabytes of storage. If you are a business owner, it costs $5 for 1 Terabyte of storage per month. With the combination of security and usability, this price is pretty affordable.
6. SpiderOak One
Much like Tresorit that focuses on providing security to your sensitive data, SpiderOak promises high-level security through zero-knowledge authentication and end-to-end encryption. It also has all the security features to ensure your privacy as well as sharing convenience. For this reason, it makes sense that SpiderOak is rather difficult to use especially when compared with Dropbox and Google Drive.
If you are seeking a cloud storage provider for business purposes, SpiderOak One can be an ideal choice to pick. This provider is less commonly used by individual users, but it doesn’t mean it won’t work well for personal purposes. Considering its servers are based in the US, its protection maybe not as excellent as providers with EU-based servers.
SpiderOak One offers flexible pricing and plans that can be picked according to your preferences. The price starts at $5 per month for 100 GB of storage and the highest tier is priced at $25 per month for 5000 GB of storage.
7. Box
Business users can opt for Box service to store their files. This provider indeed focuses on business purposes than individuals, thanks to a lot of features that support easy sharing among employees. Not only can this cloud storage service save your data, but it also enables employees to collaborate effortlessly. It makes no surprise that Box is among the best tools for collaboration.
Box integrates third-party apps to support its function. For instance, it comes with a built-in Office suite that enables you to edit documents without downloading. It offers a lot of convenience as you and your team can collaborate on a certain document.
Box provides a free trial with 10GB of storage. But if you want to upgrade to the premium version, it offers flexible plans starting at $5 per month for 100GB of storage. Users can also opt for an Unlimited Storage plan that costs $15 per month per user.
8. Jottacloud
Jottacloud is a great option if you need a cloud storage service to substitute Google Drive. This provider is ideal for personal use, thanks to unlimited storage that comes in low prices. It even offers a free version that gives 5GB of storage, helping you to make a decision before actually purchasing a plan.
Jottacloud boasts a number of features such as backing and syncing photos. While it can give convenience to backup and sync photo files, you may end up running out of storage unless you buy the unlimited storage plan as low as $9.99 per month.
8. Backblaze
If you are looking for a cloud storage service for backup instead of storing files, Backblaze can be a good bet. This provider offers unlimited storage for any file sizes, allowing you to upload any kind of files without worries. All the uploaded files will be backed up automatically. Interestingly, this highlight feature is available at an affordable price.
However, problems come when you have sensitive files. The security isn’t as excellent as Tresorit and SpiderOak One, so it’s recommended not to upload sensitive files to this cloud service. However, Backblaze remains a good alternative for Google Drive. You can enjoy a 15-day trial or purchase premium plans at $50 per year for unlimited storage.
10. Mega
Mega is among few cloud service providers that offer generous storage for free. While most providers offer free plans with maximum storage of 20GB, Mega proudly doubles up to 50GB. Individual users can take advantage from this offer, especially if they don’t have many files to upload.
In addition to its surprising offer, Mega features end-to-end encryption that ensures the security of your files. Even though its security feature isn’t as excellent as Tresorit, you can count on this provider to backup and store your data. If you are interested to upgrade to premium plans, it starts at 200GB. Mega is undoubtedly one of the best Google Drive alternatives.
