Which are the best cloud storage alternatives to Google Drive? Google Drive is certainly among the most popular cloud storage solutions. It is easy to move files from Google Drive to Dropbox and other cloud storage providers. Also, you get a good amount of free storage and it’s easy to access from a lot of different devices.
But, there is a very good reason why to look at some great storage options other than Google Drive, mainly, the security.
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Why search for alternatives to Google Drive
We were shocked and to an extent also quite scared after reading the small print associated with Google Drive. Here are a few reasons to consider Google Drive alternatives:
- Google Scans your data – The files you upload are scanned by Google and then information is taken to create your user profile- which is public;
- Google shares data with third parties – While this might not be anything new, Google’s privacy agreement states that they can reproduce, modify, and publish as well as other things. Essentially, once you load a document onto Google Drive, it becomes Google’s property;
- It is difficult to track your shared files – Once you have given someone permission to edit a document, they are able to share it with others and you aren’t told when this happens. Your documents could be found with a Google search;
- Google Drive is linked to your Gmail account – If you access your emails from a public computer or lose your own device, others can not only access your emails but also your Google Drive files.
The logical best Google Drive alternatives are OneDrive and Dropbox, so let’s compare these solutions first.
OneDrive vs Google Drive
OneDrive is Microsoft’s solution to cloud storage and has the advantage of integrating the familiar Word, Excel, and other apps that most of us use. Google Drive has similar apps like Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides. Sharing files with Google Drive and OneDrive is also similar. You have the option to right-click and share with an email address or copy a link to share.
The difference comes down to pricing, storage, and security. Google Drive offers 15GB for free but OneDrive currently only offers 5GB. For 100GB, both cost $1.99 per month. When you start looking at larger amounts, OneDrive becomes the better value for money.
For $9.99 a month you can get 2TB of storage with Google Drive and 6TB with OneDrive. There are more pricing plans for both but generally speaking, OneDrive is more cost-effective.
Like Google, Microsoft has the right to scan documents but with significantly fewer advertisements coming your way, you will feel that Microsoft doesn’t abuse this right. To date, Microsoft has not experienced any major data breaches.
Google Drive vs OneDrive in terms of data security, privacy, and value for money, OneDrive is the safer choice.
Dropbox vs Google Drive
Google Drive has the advantage of integrating more productivity apps. Dropbox has “Paper” which allows you to create simple documents as well as merge files that you have uploaded. Though this is a little basic, Dropbox has done a great job with sharing access.
Any file that is shared with someone is marked and you can see the number of people who have access to each particular file. You can sync both with video conferencing programs for team collaboration.
Google Drive has the upper hand with storage space. The 2GB of free cloud storage with Dropbox is nothing compared to Google’s 15GB. Dropbox has a yearly subscription for 2TB for $120 and a Dropbox Plus account with 3TB for $200 per year. Google Drive offers 2TB for $100 per year. After that, the next option is 10TB for $99.99 per month.
We preferred Dropbox for its method of block syncing. Google Drive will automatically save an entire document when changes are made. Dropbox only saves the changes that have been made, which makes the process much faster. Everyone can see changes made with less delay and you are less likely to lose any recent data.
Dropbox vs Google Drive; as neither is the ideal option for security, we felt Google Drive was the better option. That being said, depending on your needs, Dropbox is still a suitable alternative.
More Google Drive alternatives
Tresorit
Tresorit made it to the top of our Google Drive alternatives list because of its enhanced security. With military-grade encryption and public-key cryptography, it could be one of the safest cloud storage providers on the market. In fact, Tresorit offered $50,000 to anyone who was able to hack the encryption. Over 1,000 hackers tried and failed, even those from MIT.
A personal account comes with 2.5TB of encrypted storage that involves a 2-step verification to access. It has file restore and file recovery as well as password-protected links and permission controls for file sharing. This security doesn’t come cheap. The personal account is $25 per month.
pCloud
pCloud is another solution that has put security as a priority. With TLS/SSL channel protection and 265-bit AES encryption, pCloud offered $100,000 to anyone who could hack the system and none of the 3,000 hackers could. The other thing we liked was the payment plans. For 500GB, there is a one-time payment of $175 and for 2TB, a one-time payment of $350.
Other features include a built-in video player and audio player, detailed statistics about the links you have shared, automatic syncing across various devices, and data recovery. You can backup files from other major cloud storage providers and from Facebook.
Mega
Mega has set a leading example on how to offer well-priced and secure cloud data storage. Your data is divided into equal parts and stored in multiple data centers across the globe. When you need to access it, it is reconstructed using end-to-end encryption.
You are given 50GB of free storage and 400GB costs just $5.88 dollars a month. With Google Drive, 10TB will set you back $99.00 per month, Mega charges just $35,34 with the advantage of better security.
There is a good range of collaboration tools and all of your chats, texts, and video calls are also encrypted so not even the staff at Mega can access them. We loved how you can verify the identity of your contacts with cryptographic fingerprints, making file sharing all the more secure.
Sync.com
Sync.com has all the right things to look for in cloud storage. It is completely secure from unauthorized access by using encryption. You can share files with anyone, regardless of their size, and multiple users can work on the files at the same time. You can set up password protection and permissions so you know who has access to your files.
Prices start at $8 per month for an individual account with 2TB of storage. For teams of up to 100 people, 1TB costs $5 per month and 4TB at just $8 per month. Sync.com also offers 5GB free when you sign up.
Box.com
Box.com is ideal if you have projects that require a lot of team collaboration. Files can be shared, edited, and commented on while you receive notifications of everything that has been done.
There are also more than 1,500 other popular apps that can be integrated, making the workflow easier for everyone. Box.com includes advanced security practices such as intelligent threat detection, data privacy, and industry compliance.
We felt that 10GB for free was quite generous. For personal use, 100GB costs $10.61. This seems quite a bit more than Google Drive. But if you are running a business, Box.com offers unlimited storage for as little as $15.91 a month when you pay annually.
Wrap Up
Perhaps the question today shouldn’t be Google Drive vs OneDrive or Dropbox vs Google Drive. It is true that these may have been some of the pioneer cloud storage providers and we are comfortable using them.
Nevertheless, the list of the best cloud storage alternatives to Google Drive shows that there are options that include great value for money and far better security than the traditional cloud storage solutions.
Check out some of our other awesome articles:
- How can I change my Google business address
- How to download photos and albums from Google Photos
- Differences between Gmail and a Google Account
- Recover permanently deleted photos from Google Photos and Drive
- Google Docs ownership – How to transfer?
- Can I still get 100GB free on Google Drive?
- Editing photos with Google Drive
- Google Photos vs Google Drive
