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The 9 Best Google Drive Alternatives

Google Drive is a powerhouse for online collaboration, but it collects a lot of user data and can scan your files. This list offers secure and affordable Google Drive alternatives that cover its shortcomings.

Aleksandar KochovskiValentina BravoSimona Ivanovski

Written by Aleksandar Kochovski (Writer)

Reviewed by Valentina Bravo (Editor)

Facts checked by Simona Ivanovski (Fact-Checker, Formatter)

Last Updated:

All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.

Best Google Drive Alternatives

Key Takeaways: These Are the 5 Best Alternatives to Google Drive

  1. Sync.com — The best Google Drive alternative, with extensive security and privacy features and Microsoft Office integration. Get 40% off the 2TB plan with our exclusive Cloudwards discount.
  2. pCloud — Secure Google Drive alternative focused on media storage and playback. Get the lifetime 2TB plan for just $399.
  3. Icedrive — Easy-to-use alternative to Google Drive with beautiful app design.
  4. Internxt — Google Drive alternative with a unique selection of security and privacy features.
  5. Koofr — Cloud storage that can connect to your Google Drive account for an easy transition.

Facts & Expert Analysis About Choosing a Google Drive Alternative 

  • Privacy and security: Google Drive scans your stored files, so look for a service that offers client-side encryption to prevent the company from accessing your files.
  • Document editing and collaboration: Google Drive is known for its direct document editor integration, so an alternative should offer integration with Google Workspace or Microsoft.
  • Usability: Google Drive is mostly meant to be used through the web interface, and its desktop and mobile apps seem like an afterthought. An adequate alternative should offer better app design than Google’s.
The Best Google Drive Alternative
200GB$2.65 / month
(save 40%) (All Plans)

Google Drive is the world’s most popular cloud storage service, with more than 3 billion users globally. However, while Google Drive offers an impressive productivity suite with the Workspace integration, its privacy policy allows it to scan your files for data, and the syncing apps leave much to be desired. These are all good reasons to look for a Google Drive alternative.

The services we’ve chosen offer better privacy than Google Drive while offering a similar feature set or one that might better suit your needs.

Our top choice is Sync.com, which has document-editing and collaboration capabilities, comprehensive file-sharing features and client-side encryption for maximum privacy. It even tops our list of the best cloud storage, which you can check out for more recommendations.

  • 06/25/2022 Facts checked

    Updated Sync.com’s pricing information.

  • 04/04/2024 Facts checked

    Updated to reflect changes in Icedrive’s pricing plans and storage offers

  • 02/05/2025 Facts checked

    We added additional features and information for several providers, including Sync.com, pCloud and Dropbox.

  • 04/20/2025 Facts checked

    Adjusted our list to reflect changes to providers.

  • 04/30/2025 Facts checked

    We updated our recommended providers to include new features and information.

  • 07/23/2025 Facts checked

    We rewrote this article to reflect the current cloud storage landscape, adding more providers for a wider selection.

Cloudwards’ Choice: Sync.com

Aleksandar Kochovski cloudwards scaled
Cloudwards’ Choice: Sync.com

Aleksandar Kochovski is a Cloudwards expert in cloud storage and online backup services.

Sync.com is my preferred alternative to Google Drive — it integrates with Microsoft Office, letting you create and edit documents and collaborate with others in a secure environment. On top of that, it’s super easy to use and can fit most people’s budgets, as it’s one of the cheapest cloud services around. It even offers an affordable unlimited storage plan.

200GB$2.65 / month
(save 40%) (All Plans)

Our Methodology: How We Tested the Top Google Drive Alternatives 

Cloudwards has a dedicated team that runs rigorous tests on all services we review. We check for issues with encryption, privacy, syncing, speed and general usability before we make any judgements. We focused on the categories listed below, as they cover Google’s strengths, such as productivity and speed, while highlighting its main weakness — privacy.

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The 9 Best Google Drive Alternatives Compared

Service:Free StorageBest PriceServer LocationsEE2ECollaborationSharingSecurity
5GB$4.80 per month (one-year plan) for 2TBCanadaWhole storageMicrosoft OfficeAES-256,
TLS/SSL
10GB$8.33 per month (one-year plan) for 2TBEU,
U.S.*		One folder (paid add-on)NoneAES-256,
TLS/SSL
10GB$4.99 per month (two-year plan) for 1TBEUOne folderNoneTwofish,
TLS/SSL
1GB$2.60 per month (one-year plan) for 3TBEUWhole storageNoneAES-256,
TLS/SSL
10GB$10 per month (one-month plan) for 1TBEUOne folderMicrosoft OfficeAES-256,
TLS/SSL
10GB$5.80 per month (one-year plan) for
5TB		EU,
U.S.,
Canada		Whole storageNoneAES-256,
TLS/SSL
10GB$10 per month (one-year plan) for 100GBGlobalPaid plans only,
Paid add-on		Microsoft Office, Google WorkspaceAES-256,
TLS/SSL
2GB$9.99 per month (one-year plan) for
2TB		U.S.NoMicrosoft Office, Google WorkspaceAES-256,
TLS/SSL
5GB$8.33 per month (one-year plan)for
1TB		GlobalNoMicrosoft OfficeAES-256,
TLS/SSL
*Optional

1. Sync.com — Best Overall Google Drive Alternative 

www.sync.com
200GB$2.65 / month
(save 40%) (All Plans)
Visit Sync.comReview

Pros:

  • Integration with Microsoft Office
  • Client-side encryption for all files
  • Collaboration & advanced file sharing

Cons:

  • Poor speeds

Get 2TB of the best cloud storage, with excellent security, collaboration and file-sharing features, for only $4.80 per month, annually.

Sync.com is the best Google Drive alternative, as it covers all of Google Drive’s flaws while providing similar functionality. It is the most secure cloud storage solution, offering client-side encryption so even the company itself can’t ever access your files. 

It also integrates with Microsoft Office for online collaboration and document creation and editing, and it offers detailed, secure file-sharing controls.

Sync.com Hands-On Testing

Sync.com’s apps are easy to use, if a bit minimalist. Its desktop app lets you sync files via a single sync folder, with no option to sync other folders, though you can set files to cloud-only to save hard drive space. Its web version sports a clean and legible design, and its mobile apps are competently crafted, with the ability to automatically upload photos and videos.

sync.com web interface
Although Sync.com’s apps aren’t the most flexible, they’re super easy to use.

Notes From the Lab: Sync.com Speed Test Results (5GB Folder)

Provider:Upload Time*Download Time*Upload Time**Download Time**
0:09:470:11:560:09:360:10:56
*100 Mbps
**1 Gbps

Unfortunately, Sync.com is among the slower services on this list, performing relatively poorly in our 100 Mbps speed test.

When we uncapped the speed to our connection’s full 1 Gbps, we saw only marginal improvements. We chalk this up to its encryption process, though it’s possible the server hardware has limitations as well. Read our fastest cloud storage article for a detailed comparison.

Notes From the Lab: Sync.com Security Analysis

sync.com security settings NEW
Sync.com protects all of your storage with client-side encryption.
Encryption TypeEncryption Protocols
Encryption at restAES-256
Encryption in transitTLS/SSL
Client-side encryptionYes, whole storage

Sync.com Pricing & Value

Thankfully, Sync.com is very affordable, with its 2TB plan costing just $4.80 per month on a yearly subscription with our exclusive deal. You can even get a plan with no file storage limit at a relatively low price. For these reasons, it ranks on our list of the best cheap cloud storage and tops our list of the best unlimited cloud storage. 

You can try Sync.com using its 5GB free plan or read our full Sync.com review for more information.

Free
  • 5GB
More plans
Pro Teams Standard
  • per user, per month, billed annually
  • 1TB
Pro Teams+ Unlimited
  • Monthly price for 1 user (3 users minimum) Yearly price for 3 users
  • Unlimited GB
Enterprise
  • Minimum 100 users, custom requirements, account manager, training options

2. pCloud — Best Google Drive Alternative for Media Storage

www.pcloud.com
2TB$4.17 / month
(save 24%) (All Plans)
Editor’s ChoiceVisit pCloudReview

Pros:

  • Client-side encrypted folder
  • Lifetime plans for extra savings
  • Advanced media playback features

Cons:

  • No document editing
  • No document collaboration
  • Client-side encryption as a paid add-on

Get the most powerful cloud storage with multimedia features with a 2TB pCloud lifetime plan for $399.

While pCloud doesn’t have the collaboration or document-editing capabilities of Google Drive, it is a trusted and secure cloud storage provider. Like Sync.com, it offers client-side encryption, though it’s a paid add-on and covers only one folder.

pCloud also has some of the most advanced media playback features, including a fully featured music player and Kodi integration for streaming video files directly from your cloud storage.

pCloud Hands-On Testing

pCloud’s app design is nearly flawless. Its desktop app offers enough file management features without being overwhelming, and it lets you sync files using a sync folder or a virtual drive if you want to save space on your device.

pCloud web app
pCloud’s apps sport a clean design, with a clear overview of all its features.

You can also choose to sync other folders. Its mobile app automatically uploads photo and video files, and it lets you exclude folders such as screenshots or screen recordings. 

Notes From the Lab: pCloud Speed Test Results (5GB Folder)

Provider:Upload Time*Download Time*Upload Time**Download Time**
0:07:060:06:520:02:060:02:33
*100 Mbps
**1 Gbps

pCloud is blazing fast, beating nearly all other providers on this list. It took less than seven minutes to download our 5GB test folder over the 100 Mbps speed test, and only IDrive bested its upload time. Over the uncapped 1 Gbps connection, it managed to improve speeds massively, with no other service coming close.

Notes From the Lab: pCloud Security Analysis

pcloud two step authentication
pCloud Encryption is a paid add-on that adds a client-side
encrypted folder to your storage.
Encryption TypeEncryption Protocols
Encryption at restAES-256
Encryption in transitTLS/SSL
Client-side encryptionYes, single folder (paid add-on)

pCloud Pricing & Value

pCloud’s 2TB plan is pretty cheap, at $8.33 per month on a yearly subscription, though the cost increases when you include the optional private encryption add-on. Thankfully, you can get a lifetime deal for extra savings. A free pCloud account comes with up to 10GB of storage. Read our full pCloud review to learn more.

3. Icedrive — Best User-Friendly Google Drive Alternative

icedrive.net
100GB – 3TB$2.99 / month
(save 40%) (All Plans)
Visit Icedrive Review

Pros:

  • Easy to use
  • Excellent app design
  • Client-side encrypted folder

Cons:

  • Slow speeds
  • Lacks collaboration
  • Lacks document editing

User-friendly and highly secure Google Drive alternative — get 2TB of lifetime storage with Icedrive for a one-time payment of just $479.

Icedrive is another secure alternative to Google Drive, with an easy-to-use interface. Although this service isn’t the most feature-rich, it provides a smooth experience that beats Google Drive’s usability and includes a client-side encrypted folder at no extra charge.

Icedrive Hands-On Testing

Icedrive’s desktop app offers comprehensive syncing options, including a sync folder, virtual drive or custom sync pairs that can be set to back up your files instead of syncing both ways. It also has a portable app for setting up syncs without requiring installation. Its mobile app offers basic photo and video uploads and not much else.

icedrive web app
Apart from offering great syncing flexibility, Icedrive’s apps simply look stunning.

Notes From the Lab: Icedrive Speed Test Results (5GB Folder)

Provider:Upload Time*Download Time*Upload Time**Download Time**
0:12:120:13:000:11:500:12:37
*100 Mbps
**1 Gbps

Although Icedrive used to be one of the fastest cloud storage services, our latest tests show a significant drop in speeds. It performed worse than most other Google Drive alternatives in our 100 Mbps tests. Unfortunately, uncapping the speed to 1 Gbps didn’t do much to help, hinting at possible congestion or other server-related issues.

Notes From the Lab: Icedrive Security Analysis

icedrive security page
Icedrive provides client-side encryption for a single
folder in your cloud storage space.
Encryption TypeEncryption Protocols
Encryption at restTwofish
Encryption in transitTLS/SSL
Client-side encryptionYes, single folder

Icedrive Pricing & Value

Icedrive’s 1TB plan is very affordable, at just $4.99 per month on a two-year subscription, and it offers lifetime plans up to 10TB for extra savings. Try Icedrive out with the 10GB free plan, or read our full Icedrive review for more information.

Free
  • Bandwidth limit: 50GB
  • 10GB
More plans
Lifetime – LIFE 500
  • 512GB
Lifetime – LIFE 2K
  • 2TB
Lifetime – LIFE 10K
  • 10TB
Lifetime Add On – Stack 100
  • Additional 128GB storage for users who purchased the Lifetime Plan
  • 128GB
Lifetime Add On – Stack 500
  • Additional 512GB storage for users who purchased the Lifetime Plan
  • 512GB
Lifetime Add On – Stack 2K
  • Additional 2TB storage for users who purchased the Lifetime Plan
  • 2TB

4. Internxt — Secure Google Drive Alternative

internxt.sjv.io
1TB – 5TB$1.30 / month
(save 85%) (All Plans)
Visit Internxt Review

Pros:

  • Post-quantum encryption
  • Bundled with a VPN & antivirus
  • Client-side encryption for all files

Cons:

  • No collaboration
  • No file versioning
  • No document editing

Enjoy the most advanced security features with an Internxt lifetime plan —1TB of storage for just $117.

If you’re looking to replace Google Drive with a more secure service and don’t care for online collaboration, you can’t do much better than Internxt. In addition to offering client-side encryption, it future-proofs its storage with post-quantum encryption, offers open-source apps whose code anyone can inspect and comes bundled with a VPN and antivirus.

Internxt Hands-On Testing

Since Internxt lacks cloud storage features (apart from the added backup option), its apps are very simple, with its desktop app coming with just a sync folder. Thankfully, files placed in that folder are online-only to save disk space. Unfortunately, its mobile apps lack automatic photo and video uploads.

internxt web app
Internxt’s apps are well designed, though that’s not much of a
feat since the service lacks advanced features.

Notes From the Lab: Internxt Speed Test Results (5GB Folder)

Provider:Upload Time*Download Time*Upload Time**Download Time**
0:08:010:09:280:07:480:09:27
*100 Mbps
**1 Gbps

Despite Internxt’s poor performance in previous tests, our latest round of testing shows that its speeds have greatly improved. While we wouldn’t exactly call it a speed demon, its speeds were respectably average in the 100 Mbps test, though there wasn’t any improvement over the faster 1 Gbps connection.

Notes From the Lab: Internxt Security Analysis

Internxt independent audit
Security firm Securitum independently audited Internxt’s security, though you can do this yourself by inspecting the code of its open-source apps.
Encryption TypeEncryption Protocols
Encryption at restTwofish
Encryption in transitTLS/SSL
Client-side encryptionYes, single folder

Internxt Pricing & Value

In simple terms, Internxt is dirt cheap. Its 3TB plan goes for an outrageously low price of $2.60 per month on an annual basis, and you can save even more money by opting for a lifetime plan. Admittedly, though, its free plan is miniscule, at only 1GB of storage. Read our full Internxt review for more details.

5. Koofr — Best Google Drive Alternative for an Easy Transition

koofr.eu
10GB – 20TB$0.50 / month
Visit KoofrReview

Pros:

  • Microsoft Office integration
  • Client-side encrypted folder
  • Manages multiple cloud accounts

Cons:

  • Expensive

Make an easy switch from Google using Koofr’s 1TB cloud storage plan for $10 per month.

Koofr is a unique cloud storage service that not only is secure, offering a client-side encrypted folder, but also offers collaboration via Microsoft Office and lets you manage other cloud storage accounts. It can link to your Google Drive account to make transitioning to the new service a breeze. The only flaw is its relatively steep price tag.

Koofr Hands-On Testing

The desktop app is relatively easy to use if you utilize only the default sync folder or the optional virtual drive. However, setting up custom syncs can be tricky, and the app itself even warns you of this. Advanced users might appreciate the flexibility, though. The mobile app is reliable and can upload photos and videos automatically.

koofr desktop app
Koofr’s desktop app offers a lot of customization, though setting up
custom sync pairs might be too complicated for new users.

Notes From the Lab: Koofr Speed Test Results (5GB Folder)

Provider:Upload Time*Download Time*Upload Time**Download Time**
0:08:010:09:280:07:480:09:27
*100 Mbps
**1 Gbps

In the 100 Mbps test, Koofr performed admirably, reaching some of the fastest speeds in this testing round. Speeds improved when we uncapped our connection, especially for downloads.

Notes From the Lab: Koofr Security Analysis

Koofr privacy page
Koofr offers a client-side encrypted vault, as well as
GDPR protection via its German servers.
Encryption TypeEncryption Protocols
Encryption at restTwofish
Encryption in transitTLS/SSL
Client-side encryptionYes, single folder

Koofr Pricing & Value

Although Koofr’s smaller plans are cheap, its larger plans are relatively expensive, with the 1TB plan costing $10 per month, with no yearly subscription (or corresponding discount) available. Try out Koofr with the 10GB free plan, or read our full Koofr review for more details.

Free Starter 10GB
  • 10GB
Briefcase S – 10GB
  • *Prices in Euro
  • 10GB
Briefcase M – 25GB
  • *Prices in Euro
  • 25GB
More plans
Briefcase L – 100GB
  • *Prices in Euro
  • 100GB
Suitcase XL – 250GB
  • *Prices in Euro
  • 250GB
Suitcase XL+ – 500GB
  • *Prices in Euro
  • 500GB
Suitcase XXL – 1TB
  • *Prices in Euro
  • 1TB
Crate XXXL – 2.5TB
  • *Prices in Euro
  • 3TB
Crate 5XXL – 5TB
  • *Prices in Euro
  • 5TB
Crate 10XXL – 10TB
  • *Prices in Euro
  • 10TB
Crate 20XXL – 20TB
  • *Prices in Euro
  • 20TB

6. IDrive — Best Cloud Storage and Backup Alternative to Google Drive

www.idrive.com
100GB – 5TB$0.25 / month
Visit IDriveReview

Pros:

  • Cloud backup
  • Affordable pricing
  • Client-side encryption for all files

Cons:

  • Few cloud storage features

Cloud storage and backup combined — get 5TB of IDrive storage for just $6.22 per month annually.

Although IDrive is primarily a cloud backup provider, it also offers inexpensive, if basic, cloud storage functionality. Despite offering an extensive portfolio of backup options, there’s little to speak of in terms of cloud storage features besides file sync and a rudimentary feature to share files.

IDrive Hands-On Testing

IDrive’s app isn’t the easiest to use, mostly due to the slew of backup features. Thankfully, sticking to the cloud storage tab makes using it a bit easier, with a button to enable syncing, selective sync to save on storage and the option to sync other folders on your device.

IDrive sync folder settings
IDrive’s desktop app is mostly focused on backup, which can make it a
little overwhelming if you want to use it for cloud storage only.

Automatic photo and video uploads are missing from the mobile app — they’re relegated to the separate IDrive Photos app, which is similar to Google Drive’s implementation of Google Photos.

Notes From the Lab: IDrive Speed Test Results (5GB Folder)

Provider:Upload Time*Download Time*Upload Time**Download Time**
0:08:010:09:280:07:480:09:27
*100 Mbps
**1 Gbps

IDrive was the fastest performer in our 100 Mbps test, beating even pCloud. However, while the uncapped 1 Gbps connection improved its speeds further, it wasn’t by much, possibly indicating a limitation of IDrive’s server hardware.

Notes From the Lab: IDrive Security Analysis

idrive security
IDrive lets you choose to use client-side encryption,
which applies to your whole storage space.
Encryption TypeEncryption Protocols
Encryption at restAES-256
Encryption in transitTLS/SSL
Client-side encryptionYes, whole storage

IDrive Pricing & Value

IDrive offers separate spaces for cloud storage and backup. This means that, for example, a 5TB plan comes with 5TB of cloud backup space and another 5TB of cloud storage space, effectively doubling your storage for just $6.22 per month on a two-year subscription. This makes IDrive ideal for storing large files.

Give IDrive a test run using the 10GB free plan, or read our IDrive review for more details.

Basic
  • No credit card required.
  • 10GB
Personal
  • One user, multiple computers. Plans starting from 5TB up to 100TB. Big discount for first-time signup.
  • 5TB
More plans
Team
  • 5 computers, 5 users. Starting at 5TB up to 500TB. Big discount for first-time signup.
  • 5TB
Business
  • Monthly Plan storage starts at 1.25TB up to 50TB Unlimited users, multiple computers and servers. NAS devices. 250GB storage. Starting at 250GB up to 50TB. Large discount for first-time signup.
  • 250GB

7. Box — Best Google Drive Alternative for Business

www.box.com
100GB – Unlimited GB$5 / month
(save 28%) (All Plans)
Visit BoxReview

Pros:

  • User access control panel
  • Integrates with Microsoft Office
  • Integrates with Google Workspace
  • Client-side encryption on business plans

Cons:

  • Very expensive
  • Client-side encryption as a paid add-on
  • Client-side encryption add-on not available on all plans

Supercharge your business with an unlimited storage plan from Box starting at $15 per month, annually.

Box is a great alternative to Google Drive for small business owners. It comes with its own productivity suite; integrations with Microsoft Office and Google Docs, Sheets and Slides; and other tools from its add-on store. It has an admin console to manage user permissions as well, making it one of the best cloud storage solutions for business.

Box Hands-On Testing

As a business-focused cloud service, Box’s desktop interface can be overwhelming, as it isn’t really meant for personal users. The website is much easier to use, though. Its mobile apps for iOS and Android upload photos and videos automatically, but confusingly, they upload to the root folder.

best cloud storage for teams box
The Box web interface offers a more welcoming experience than its desktop app.

Notes From the Lab: Box Speed Test Results (5GB Folder)

Provider:Upload Time*Download Time*Upload Time**Download Time**
0:07:090:07:360:06:580:07:20
*100 Mbps
**1 Gbps

Box is a very fast service, scoring highly in our 100 Mbps test, though with little improvement over the uncapped connection. While its performance is respectable, its servers might have bandwidth limitations or even just a hardware speed limit.

Notes From the Lab: Box Security Analysis

box security
Although Box offers client-side encryption, it’s a paid
add-on available only to business users.
Encryption TypeEncryption Protocols
Encryption at restAES-256
Encryption in transitTLS/SSL
Client-side encryptionYes, whole storage (business plans only, paid add-on)

Box Pricing & Value

There are no two ways about it — Box is expensive. Its only paid personal plan offers just 100GB of storage for $10 per month on a yearly subscription. Businesses can enjoy unlimited online storage for $15 per user per month (billed yearly, with a three-user minimum), though all plans have file size limits. Try the 10GB free plan, or read our Box review for more.

Free
  • Single user
  • 10GB
Business Starter
  • Price per user, minimum of three users
  • 100GB
More plans
Business Plus
  • Users: No limit
  • Unlimited GB
Enterprise
  • Users: No limit
  • Unlimited GB
Enterprise Plus
  • Price shown is for one user; minimum 3 users
  • Unlimited GB

8. Dropbox — Best Alternative With Google Apps Integration

www.dropbox.com
2TB – 5TB$9.99 / month
(save 16%) (All Plans)
Visit DropboxReview

Pros:

  • Easy-to-use apps
  • Integrates with Microsoft Office
  • Integrates with Google Workspace

Cons:

  • No client-side encryption
  • U.S. servers (poor privacy laws)
  • Prior security & privacy lapses

The best personal cloud storage with Google Workspace integration — get 2TB of Dropbox storage for $9.99 per month, annually.

As one of the first commercial cloud storage services, Dropbox needs no introduction. It offers polished apps and advanced file-sharing features, and it integrates with both Google Workspace and Microsoft Office.

However, its personal plans lack client-side encryption (though it’s available for enterprise users), its privacy policy allows it to scan your files, and it has had various privacy and security issues in the past.

Dropbox Hands-On Testing

Dropbox’s apps are polished and reliable, though relatively simple, with few customization options. On desktop, you can use only the default sync folder, though files are online-only by default. 

dropbox web app
Dropbox has some of the best app design on all platforms, making it suitable for beginners.

The mobile app is likewise sparse but has the added ability to upload motion photos if your device supports it. Thankfully, Dropbox’s straightforward app design makes it very easy to use.

Notes From the Lab: Dropbox Speed Test Results (5GB Folder)

Provider:Upload Time*Download Time*Upload Time**Download Time**
0:07:090:07:360:06:580:07:20
*100 Mbps
**1 Gbps

Dropbox’s speeds are decently fast, especially considering the large number of users. It was in the middle of the pack in the 100 Mbps test, and the unthrottled connection cut speeds down, though it still couldn’t reach pCloud’s speeds.

Notes From the Lab: Dropbox Security Analysis

a screenshot of a computer
Although Dropbox integrates with Google Workspace, the lack of client-side encryption makes it a less private Google Drive alternative.
Encryption TypeEncryption Protocols
Encryption at restAES-256
Encryption in transitTLS/SSL
Client-side encryptionEnterprise plan only

Dropbox Pricing & Value

Dropbox isn’t the cheapest service, at $9.99 per month on a yearly plan. Its miniscule 2GB free plan comes with an added limit of only three active devices, which defeats the main purpose of cloud storage — file syncing across multiple devices. Read our full Dropbox review for more details.

Free
  • 1 user
  • 2GB
More plans
Dropbox Essentials (aka Professional for professionals)
  • (Formerly Dropbox One) 1 user Signature requests and eSignature templates
  • 3TB
Dropbox Business (aka Standard for teams)
  • 3 users minimum
  • 5TB
Dropbox Business Plus (aka Advanced for companies)
  • 3 users minimum
Dropbox Enterprise

    9. Microsoft OneDrive — Google Drive Alternative for Windows Users

    www.onedrive.com
    100GB – 6TB$1.67 / month
    (save 16%) (All Plans)
    Visit OneDriveReview

    Pros:

    • Integrates with Microsoft Office
    • Comes preinstalled with Windows
    • Full access to MS Office desktop apps with paid plans

    Cons:

    • Harvests user data
    • No client-side encryption
    • Up to only 1TB of cloud storage space per user

    Get Microsoft’s alternative to Google Drive — 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage for $8.33 per month, annually.

    OneDrive is among the most popular cloud services, due in no small part to coming preinstalled on all Windows devices. It offers a similar feature set to Google Drive, integrating with Microsoft Office and other related apps, like Teams and SharePoint. However, it also comes with similar shortcomings, such as a poor privacy policy.

    OneDrive Hands-On Testing

    OneDrive’s desktop app follows the sync folder method, with files set to cloud-only by default. You can also choose to back up the default Windows folders, such as “documents,” “photos” and “videos.” Thankfully, the OneDrive mobile app is simpler than Google Drive’s, with no separate app for photo uploads.

    onedrive file sharing
    OneDrive comes with all Windows installations, making it a
    convenient choice for Windows users.

    Notes From the Lab: OneDrive Speed Test Results (5GB Folder)

    Provider:Upload Time*Download Time*Upload Time**Download Time**
    0:07:200:07:180:02:570:04:15
    *100 Mbps
    **1 Gbps

    OneDrive is among the faster services on this list. Despite its middle-of-the-pack performance in the 100 Mbps test, it performed very well in our uncapped speed test, with uploads in particular benefitting from the added speed.

    Notes From the Lab: OneDrive Security Analysis

    onedrive privacy policy
    Microsoft’s data-harvesting practices make it a
    poor choice for those seeking privacy.
    Encryption TypeEncryption Protocols
    Encryption at restAES-256
    Encryption in transitTLS/SSL
    Client-side encryptionNo

    OneDrive Pricing & Value

    As a personal user, you can get up to only 1TB of storage, and this plan goes for a relatively steep price of $8.33 per month on a yearly subscription. This is likely because it comes bundled with the full desktop version of the Microsoft Office apps. Try OneDrive out with the 5GB free plan, or read our full Microsoft OneDrive review for more details.

    Microsoft 365 Free (5GB)
    • For one person
    • 5GB
    Microsoft 365 Personal (1TB)
    • Comes with Office 365 Personal
    • 1TB
    More plans
    Microsoft 365 Family (6TB)
    • Comes with Office 365 Home
    • 6TB
    OneDrive for Business (Plan 1)
    • Price per user
    • 1TB
    Microsoft 365 Business Basic
    • 1TB
    Microsoft 365 Business Standard
    • Price per user
    • 1TB

    Why Get an Alternative to Google Drive? 

    There are many reasons why you might want a Google Drive alternative, including Google’s privacy issues, its confusing desktop apps, and poorly designed mobile apps.

    Privacy Issues

    Google’s privacy policy allows it to scan the contents of your files to check for malware, copyright infringements and policy infringements, and for the purpose of improving its services. These categories are broad enough that they allow Google to scan every file you upload.

    Allegedly, Google itself doesn’t use the data it collects to serve you ads, but its full privacy policy allows the company to share your data, including your browser and device fingerprint, with advertisers. 

    Confusing Desktop Apps

    Google Drive’s desktop app seems to try its hardest to impede a clean user experience. Setting up folder syncs is easy, but they’re located in a different space from your normal cloud storage, and they don’t turn up in the virtual drive either. New users can easily find themselves confused and in search of an alternative.

    Poorly Designed Mobile Apps

    Google Drive’s app lacks the basic function of automatically uploading photos and videos, relegating this task to the separate Google Photos app. Unfortunately, that app is designed to get you to purchase more Google Drive storage. 

    If you delete an app from your phone storage, it gets deleted from your Drive storage. Worse, if you delete a photo from Google Photos, it deletes it from your device. Since this isn’t immediately apparent, you might end up permanently deleting a photo by accident. This also prevents Google Photos from being a reliable photo backup app.

    Final Thoughts

    Whether you need a cloud storage solution with better privacy than Google or are just fed up with dealing with Google Drive’s frustrating apps, this list provides worthy alternatives. 

    Our top choice is Sync.com, which offers much better privacy and security, advanced file-sharing features, and document editing and collaboration via Microsoft Office. With the Cloudwards exclusive Sync.com deal, you can get 2TB for just $4.80 per month (one-year plan). 

    Why are you moving away from Google Drive? What’s your favorite Google Drive alternative? Is your favorite choice on our list? Please let us know in the comments below, and as always, thank you for reading.

    www.sync.com
    200GB$2.65 / month
    (save 40%) (All Plans)
    Visit Sync.comReview

    FAQ: Cloud Storage Alternatives to Google Drive 

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