Which are the top-notch and best cloud storage alternatives to Google Drive? Google Drive is undoubtedly among the excellent cloud storage solutions. It is simple to move files from Google Drive to Dropbox & other cloud storage providers. Additionally, you get a fair amount of free storage, and it is easy to access from a lot of different devices.
But, there’s an excellent reason to look at some great storage options other than Google Drive, mainly the security.
Why search for alternatives to Google Drive
We were shocked and, to an extent, also quite worried after reading the small print associated with Google Drive. Here are some causes to consider Google Drive alternatives:
Google Scans your data – The files Google scans you upload, and then the info is taken to create your user profile- which is public;
Google shares data with third-parties – While this probably not be anything new, Google’s privacy agreement states that they can reproduce, modify, publish as well as other things. Essentially, once you load a document onto Google Drive, it will become Google’s property;
It is troublesome to track your shared files – Once you have given someone permission to edit a document, they can share it with others, and you are not told when this happens. Your documents could be found with a Google search;
Google Drive is linked to your Gmail account – In case you access your emails from a public computer or lose your device, others can access your emails & your Google Drive files.
The logical top Google Drive alternatives are Dropbox and OneDrive, so let’s compare these solutions first.
OneDrive vs. Google Drive
OneDrive is Microsoft’s solution to cloud storage and has the benefit of integrating the familiar Word, Excel, & other apps that most of us use. Google Drive has similar apps such as Google Docs, Google Sheets, & Google Slides. Besides, sharing files with OneDrive and Google Drive is also similar. You have the option to right-tap and share with an email address or copy a link to share.
The difference comes down to pricing, storage, & security. Google Drive provides 15GB for free, but OneDrive currently only offers 5GB. For 100GB, both cost $1.99/month. When you start looking at more massive amounts, OneDrive becomes the better value for the money.
For $9.99 a month, you’ll 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 ads coming your way, you’ll feel that Microsoft does not abuse this right. To date, Microsoft hasn’t experienced any major data breaches.
Google Drive vs. OneDrive in terms of data security, privacy, & value for money, OneDrive is the safer choice.
Dropbox vs. Google Drive
Google Drive has the benefit of integrating more productivity apps. Dropbox has “Paper,” which enables you to create simple documents & merge files you’ve uploaded. Though this is a little basic, Dropbox has done the best job with sharing access.
Moreover, any file shared with someone is marked, and you can see the number of folks who have access to each specific 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 contains a yearly subscription for 2TB for $120, and a Dropbox Plus account with 3TB for $200/year. Google Drive gives 2TB for $100/year. After that, the next option is 10TB for $99.99/month.
We preferred Dropbox for its method of block syncing. Google Drive will automatically save the whole document when changes are made. Dropbox merely saves the changes that have been made, which makes the process much faster. Besides, everyone can see changes made with less delay, and you’re less likely to lose any recent data.
Dropbox vs. Google Drive, as neither is the ideal security option, we felt Google Drive was the better option. That being said, depending on your requirements, 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 & public-key cryptography, it could be one of the safest cloud storage providers on the market. Furthermore, Tresorit offered $50,000 to anyone who was able to hack the encryption. Over 1,000 hackers tried & failed, even those from MIT.
A personal account comes with 2.5TB of encrypted storage that involves two-step verification to access. It contains file restore & file recovery as well as password-protected links and permission controls for file sharing. This security does not come cheap. The personal account is $25/month.
pCloud
pCloud is another best 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 most-liked was the payment plans. For 500GB, there’s a one-time payment of $175, and for 2TB, a one-time payment of $350.
Other quirky features include a built-in video player & audio player, detailed statistics about the links you’ve shared, automatic syncing across different devices, and data recovery. Besides, you can backup files from other major cloud storage providers & Facebook.
Mega
Mega has set a leading instance on how to offer well-priced & secure cloud data storage. Your data is divided into equal parts and stored in multiple data centers across the world. When you need to access it, it is reconstructed by using end-to-end encryption.
You’re given 50GB of free storage, and 400GB costs just 5.88 dollars a month. With Google Drive, 10TB will set you back $99.00/month, and Mega charges just $35,34 with the benefit of better security.
There’s a good range of collaboration tools, and all of your texts, chats, and video calls are also encrypted, so not even the staff at Mega can access them. We loved how you can verify your contacts’ identity with a cryptographic fingerprint, making file sharing all the more secure.
Sync.com
Sync.com contains all the right things to look for in cloud storage. It is completely secure from unauthorized access by using encryption. You can easily share files with anyone, regardless of their size, & multiple users can work on the files simultaneously. You can set up password protection & permissions, so you know who has access to your files.
Prices start at $8/month for an individual account with 2TB of storage. For teams of up to 100 folks, 1TB costs $5/month and 4TB at just $8/month. Sync.com even offers 5GB free when you sign up.
Box.com
Box.com is ideal if you have projects that need a lot of team collaboration. Files can be shared, edited, & commented on while you receive notifications of everything that has been done.
More than 1,500 other famous apps can be integrated, making the workflow easier for everyone. Additionally, Box.com includes advanced security practices like intelligent threat detection, data privacy, & industry compliance.
We felt that 10GB for free was quite generous. For personal use, 100GB costs $10.61. It seems quite a bit more than Google Drive. But is you’re running a business, Box.com provides unlimited storage for as little as $15.91 a month when you pay annually.
Wrap Up
Perhaps the query today should not be Google Drive vs. OneDrive or Dropbox vs. Google Drive. These may undoubtedly have been some of the pioneer cloud storage providers, and we’re comfortable using them.
Nevertheless, the list of the best and top-notch cloud storage alternatives to Google Drive shows that there are options that include great value for money & far better security than the traditional cloud storage solutions.