iCloud vs Google Drive: Is One Better Than the Other?

Juliet D'cruz

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Are you trying to find the simplest and most straightforward way to store your data on the Cloud, but you don’t know where to start? There are a variety of cloud storage solution options out there, and it’s important you make sure you choose a solution that’s easy for you to use for the long-term.

The reason for this is because you don’t want to deal with redundant files or complex structuring that makes it hard to find and access the files you need. If you don’t like the way a certain storage solution works, you’re also less likely to keep backing up your files regularly. 

With this in mind, read on to learn all about iCloud vs Google Drive so you can make the best choice for you! 

What is iCloud Drive? 

If you use Apple products, you’re probably already familiar with iCloud. This enables you to sync data across multiple devices, such as your contacts, Messages, Notepad, and more. When you upgrade your device, you’ll find it’s easy to download all the old apps you used because all of your data is being stored in iCloud. 

One of the best parts about iCloud is that it works seamlessly on all of your devices. It’s also free to start off with and comes with a low monthly cost if you want to expand your storage over the 5 GB it gives you initially.

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What is Google Drive?

Google Drive is a free app that comes with your Google account, similar to Google Docs and Excel. Unlike iCloud, it gives you a whopping 15 GB of data for free and costs $1.99 a month for 100 GB of data. You can store a variety of file types in Google Drive, and it can also act as a hub to keep track of all of your Google Docs. 

An aspect that differentiates itself from a pure data storage solution is that it provides a number of easy collaboration tools. For instance, you can access all of your Google Docs from Google Drive on your desktop. You can then edit them, share them with colleagues, and change editing and privacy permissions depending on the type of file it is. 

iCloud Drive vs Google Drive

Now that you know some of the differences between iCloud and Google Drive, what’s the best choice for you? Here are a few more details that you should consider. 

Accessibility 

You can see how iCloud is a great option if you’re already well-entrenched in the Apple ecosystem. You can enjoy a seamless method of backing up all of your data and files without even thinking about it.

You can change your settings either through your Desktop or your mobile device. Lastly, your files can easily be accessed through the Files app or you can login to icloud on a web browser. However, iCloud is much harder to use if you don’t have an Apple device.

On the other hand, Google Drive is easy to access if you have a Google account–regardless of the devices you use. The web browser is easy to use and it also comes with mobile apps. The only downside is that you can’t edit Google Drive files in the mobile app–you’ll need to have Google Docs downloaded as well. 

Sharing

Sharing is an important aspect of any cloud storage solution. Whether you want to share an old photo for a family member or access previous project files for a client, it’s important that you’re able to do this efficiently. Both iCloud and Google Drive work the same way. 

You’ll be able to change the viewing and editing permissions for each file by adding the email address of certain people. If you want to share a file with a group of people, all you have to do is copy a link. 

However, Google Drive provides itself to be better for collaborating. Along with viewing and editing, it also gives you the ability to add a “comment” permission. If you’re looking for feedback on a file, this can be an easy way to receive the feedback you need without worrying about someone changing your document without your knowledge. 

Ease of Use

Last but not least, it’s important that the storage solution you choose is easy to use. You don’t want to have to read manuals or watch YouTube tutorials in order to figure out how to back-up and access your files. 

iCloud is simple to use for Apple users because as you use and update certain apps, they’ll be backed-up to the Cloud. You can then access iCloud through a browser that will show you all of the apps that have data saved to the Cloud. If you have miscellaneous files that aren’t being used by any app, you can find those by clicking on the iCloud Drive icon. 

Google Drive boasts a tiled homepage on both Desktops and mobile devices, meaning that you always have an easy view of the files that you most recently updated. Even if you didn’t title a file correctly, you can sort through everything by the column on the left. This helps you sort files into Recent, Starred, Shared With Me, and more. 

iCloud vs Google Drive: Depends on Your Devices

Deciding between iCloud vs Google Drive may seem impossible since they both have different strengths and weaknesses. iCloud is perfect if you have Apple devices, as your apps and data will be backed-up through this data storage solution regardless if you enjoy using it or not. 

Google Drive requires more manual input, but you’ll be impressed by its collaboration tools as well as the huge amount of storage you’re given for free. We recommend trying out both solutions for a few months since they’re both free. The most important part is that regardless of what you choose, your files will be backed-up in a secure way. 

Ready to learn more about cloud storage solutions? Keep reading our blog for more informative tips and tricks! 

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