Alternatives to Google Drive
Google's storage with Docs collaboration
Google Drive ranks #6 of 12 in Cloud storage, with an Alt Score of 62. It is proprietary, freemium from €1.99/month and available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Web. 10 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Individuals, teams, and organizations already in (or adjacent to) Google Workspace who need to store files in the cloud and collaborate on them across devices — from personal users to businesses, schools, and nonprofits.
Cloud storage (15GB free, paid tiers up to 5TB+) for over 100 file types, with real-time co-editing built into Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Files sync automatically across web, desktop, and mobile, with AI-assisted search, offline access, and sharing controls (Viewer/Commenter/Editor, link expiration). Deep integration with Gmail and Calendar, plus security features like ransomware detection and data loss prevention.
Upload or create files in Drive from the web, desktop sync app, or mobile app; changes sync automatically across all connected devices. Share specific files or folders with individual people or via link, setting the permission level and optional expiration.
Why people leave Google Drive
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
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Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
How Google Drive compares with its alternatives, feature by feature.
| Cloud storage checklist | Google Drive | Proton Drive | pCloud | Sync.com | Icedrive | OneDrive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Free storage amount | ||||||
| E2E encrypted storage | ||||||
| Selective sync | ||||||
| Block-level (delta) sync | ||||||
| File versioning depth | ||||||
| Sharing links with password/expiry | ||||||
| Collaborative editing of docs | ||||||
| WebDAV support | ||||||
| Max file size | ||||||
| Self-hostable | ||||||
| Photos-specific features | ||||||
| Data residency choice |
Every fact and feature listed for Google Drive is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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License Proprietary verified 2026-07-11
Although we give you permission to use our services, we retain any intellectual property rights we have in the services.
https://policies.google.com/terms?hl=en -
Pricing model Freemium verified 2026-07-11
All Google accounts come with up to 15 GB of storage
https://one.google.com/about/plans -
Starts at €1.99/month verified 2026-07-11
Basic (100 GB) €1.99/mo
https://one.google.com/about/plans -
Platforms Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web verified 2026-07-11
Automatically keep all your Drive files up to date and protected. Available for Windows and macOS.
https://workspace.google.com/intl/en_us/products/drive/ -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
Upload, open, share and edit files from any device.
https://workspace.google.com/intl/en_us/products/drive/ -
Self hostable No verified 2026-07-11
When you upload files to Google Drive, they are stored in secure data centers.
https://support.google.com/drive/answer/141702?hl=en -
E2e encrypted No verified 2026-07-11
Data is encrypted in-transit and at-rest.
https://support.google.com/drive/answer/10375054?hl=en -
Free storage amount Yes verified 2026-07-11
Your Google Account comes with up to 15 GB of cloud storage at no charge.
https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2375123?hl=en -
E2E encrypted storage No verified 2026-07-11
Data is encrypted in-transit and at-rest.
https://support.google.com/drive/answer/10375054?hl=en -
Selective sync Yes verified 2026-07-11
With mirroring, choose where you want your My Drive files to appear on your local device, or back up local files to the cloud.
https://support.google.com/drive/answer/13401938?hl=en -
File versioning depth Yes verified 2026-07-11
A version might be permanently deleted after 30 days or if there are 100 newer versions.
https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2409045?hl=en -
Sharing links with password/expiry Partial verified 2026-07-11
The expiration date feature is only available for eligible work or school accounts.
https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2494822 -
Collaborative editing of docs Yes verified 2026-07-11
Co-editing means that multiple people can work on the same document at the same time, without having to send versions back and forth.
https://workspace.google.com/products/docs/?hl=en -
Max file size Yes verified 2026-07-11
Up to 5 TB.
https://support.google.com/drive/answer/37603 -
Self-hostable No verified 2026-07-11
When you upload files to Google Drive, they are stored in secure data centers.
https://support.google.com/drive/answer/141702?hl=en -
Photos-specific features Yes verified 2026-07-11
Search your photos for anything. For example, you can search for:
https://support.google.com/photos/answer/15235862?hl=en -
Data residency choice Partial verified 2026-07-11
As an administrator, you can use data regions to store your covered Google Workspace data in a specific geographic location.
https://knowledge.workspace.google.com/admin/compliance/choose-a-geographic-location-for-your-data?hl=en
FAQ
Yes. Proton Drive, pCloud and Sync.com have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Nextcloud — every license claim links its source.
Nextcloud can be self-hosted. Cells marked ? mean we have not verified a self-host path yet.