The Best Google Drive Alternatives

Google’s user-friendly interface makes Google Drive the go-to alternative for each people and companies. However, relating to safe file administration, and collaboration, you do produce other choices. In reality, lots of the options supplied in different file-sharing back-up options are an identical to Google Drive.

In this text, we identify the 4 best alternate options to Google Drive, that embody most of its options.

The Alternatives

Our suggestions for the 4 best alternate options to Google Drive are as follows:

1. Box
2. Dropbox
3. Microsoft One Drive
4. pCloud

Must-Have Features of a Collaborative Cloud Storage Service

Our determination was primarily based on whether or not the cloud platform shared the next options with Google Drive. These are significantly essential for these working remotely or in teams.

Cross Platform Compatibility

All 4 of our cloud file-sharing companies are compatible with all units, that means that even giant teams, all working with completely different units and working programs, can entry the an identical latest model of a file in real-time.

Automatic File Synchronization

Automatic file synchronization is presumably an important characteristic of a cloud storage service. The purpose being, it ensures that each one customers of any shared info are “on the same page.” This is especially essential for companions or teams working collectively to edit and refine the identical content material.

Automatic file synchronization additionally makes certain that all the units and platforms owned by a single consumer of the storage cloud are at all times “in sync.” Files will at all times be up to date with the most recent info, whether or not or not it’s accessed on a sensible telephone, pill or desktop laptop.

Real-Time Collaboration

To be similar to Google Drive, all customers of the service should be capable to edit and touch upon paperwork in real-time. This is what makes Google Docs such an environment friendly workspace for teams.

Effortless File Sharing

Like Google Drive, the cloud service should be safe, but additionally permit collaborators to create hyperlinks that may simply be shared by e mail or textual content.

Version History

Google Drive additionally permits gives customers of Google Docs model historical past. This helps customers monitor all adjustments and prevents the lack of doc drafts, so there’s by no means a communication breakdown or misunderstanding between teams.

Free Storage

Google Drive gives customers 15 GB of free area, so long as they’ve registered for a Gmail account with Google. All of our decisions for best alternate options to Google Drive additionally supply free and paid plans.

The Four Best Google Drive Alternatives

Here is our evaluation of the 4 best Google Drive alternate options.

1. Box

Box is a superb alternative for enterprise customers searching for cloud storage that prioritizes knowledge safety and safety. An established cloud storage answer, it was initially developed for private customers in 2005 after which targeted on enterprise customers in 2009. The platform additionally options superior encryption and is right for companies that work with giant teams and delicate info.

Like Google Drive Box gives a user-friendly interface with crew collaboration, file sharing, and model historical past. It additionally has a free model with a beneficiant 10GB of free cloud storage so long as you retain your file dimension restrict to 250GB.

Pros

• End-to-end encryption
• Activity monitoring
• Integrates with 400 enterprise integrations

Cons

• File dimension restrict of 250GB on free model

2. Dropbox

Dropbox predates Google Drive as a pioneer in cloud storage and file-sharing. Founded in 2007, it hasn’t modified a lot since. Like Google, Dropbox gives customers with permission the flexibility to collaborate from wherever. Like Google Docs, Dropbox gives a file model historical past and manner of recovering misplaced recordsdata.

Dropbox gives 2GB of free storage and in addition paid plans for as much as 3TB per consumer that include a “Try free for 30 days” supply.

Pros

• Fast add speeds
• Unlimited file sizes
• Integrates with 1000’s of purposes

Cons

• Offers solely 2B of free storage
• Expensive

3. Microsoft One Drive

Formerly often known as SkyDrive, Microsoft’s file-sharing service, now often known as Microsoft One Drive, permits registered customers to share and synchronize recordsdata. Fully built-in with Microsoft Office Suite, which incorporates Microsoft Word, Excel, it’s a streaming service, e mail, a To-Do checklist, calendar, and more.

Microsoft One Drive is free for anybody who buys a pc with Microsoft 365 put in with three extra paid plans that provide storage from as much as 100GB to 6TB.

Pros

• Strong encryption protects knowledge
• Access to recordsdata could be restricted
• One click on file sharing by e mail

Cons

• The file restrict is 300,000 recordsdata
• It can not back up PSP recordsdata

4.pCloud

Founded in 2013, pCloud is a more recent cloud storage answer with fast-file syncing, media-file sharing, and real-time synchronization. It additionally gives a characteristic known as “crypto folders”, that are encrypted on the shopper finish. Even pCloud, the service supplier, doesn’t know the contents of your recordsdata. Only the consumer can decrypt it with a particular Crypto Pass.

pCloud gives customers free 10GB value of storage only for signing up for his or her plan, after which an improve to a reasonable lifetime plans. All of which suggests you by no means must cope with month-to-month or annual funds once more.

Pros

• Inexpensive life-time subscription
• File could be set as much as expire
• Streaming characteristic
• Creates playlist

Cons

• Version historical past is wiped after 30 days on free model
• Lacks some collaboration instruments
• No inbuilt doc editor

FAQS

Can I change Google Drive solely with any of those best Google Drive alternate options?

Any of the advisable cloud storage options can change your free model of Google Drive. That stated, not all include Google Drive’s built-in bells and whistles equivalent to e mail, streaming companies or excel sheets. It is essential to analysis the free and paid plans of all 4 Google Drive alternate options before you purchase.

Who owns the info saved on a cloud?

The particular person or enterprise that pays for the cloud storage, or has the encryption password, sometimes owns the info on a cloud. Any supplier that tells you in any other case isn’t providing you the promised safe platform. Beware of any cloud storage supplier that claims possession of your knowledge after getting uploaded it to their cloud.

Is cloud storage safer than storing knowledge on my laptop?

Cloud storage is rather more safe than storing knowledge on a tough drive or a pc because it’s much less susceptible to ransomware. Your knowledge can also be saved safely within the cloud in case your {hardware} or software program occurs to crash.

What is cloud encryption?

Cloud encryption is the method of remodeling knowledge into codes earlier than it may be transferred to a cloud. This distorts the info in your recordsdata and renders it unreadable to unauthorized customers and malware till you entry your recordsdata along with your password.

Choose the Solution That Fits Your Focus

The best Google Drive different goes to be the one that matches your wants. Dropbox works nicely with private customers preferring a longtime model, whereas Box is nice for enterprise. Microsoft One Drive is best for Microsoft 365 customers and pCloud fits those who want a file backup answer with full encryption. All of those decisions share the collaborative and file-syncing options which have made Google Drive so in style.

Are you searching for a substitute for Google Drive? If so, which answer in our article pursuits you probably the most? Let us know within the feedback part beneath.