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Google Drive is the preferred cloud storage provider for millions of users. It offers 15 GB free storage, apps for all devices, easy syncing, and so much more. But then, why think about Google Drive alternatives? That’s because, as with other Google products and services, it doesn’t honor your personal privacy.
For starters, Google scans all the documents you have uploaded on Drive and uses the collected information to show you personalized advertisements. Then, there’s also the issue of Google Drive being more vulnerable than other cloud storage services.
If you don’t want anyone else to access your files on the cloud, you’re better off finding an alternative to Google Drive. Without further ado, here’s our attempt to find something like Google Drive but with better security and privacy.
10 Best Google Drive Alternatives
There are so many cloud services targeting the consumer and business markets, but our main focus was to find the best option for personal use. Some of the names are good but not as perfect as the others, so we have mentioned the top Google Drive replacements in order of priority.
Note: This is a subjective list based on our experience with each mentioned option.
Google Drive Alternatives – Priority Contenders
1. SpiderOak One – Better Privacy than Google Drive
Free Trial:
21-day free trial period.
Pricing:
Starting from as low as $6 a month or $69 per year. Take a look at all the plans and pricing options here.
Features:
- End-to-end encryption
- Compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS
- Supports file sharing
- Utmost priority to the privacy
Brief Review:
SpiderOak One is for people who cannot tolerate privacy invasion or tamper at any cost. It offers end-to-end encryption and even its employees have no knowledge about the encrypted data stored on their servers. In addition, you get to be in complete control of your settings and preferences via the Management Console.
Reservations:
- SpiderOak One is not easy to use.
- Its servers are based in the US, which means user data is not protected from the government’s strict invasive policies.
- The target market is businesses rather than individual users.
- SpiderOak cloud itself doesn’t provide sharing and instant messaging. There are separate apps, called SpiderOak Share and SpiderOak Semaphor for that.
2. Sync.com – Almost like Google Drive
Free Trial:
None, but there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pricing:
It can be used for free with 5 GB storage and basic features. Upgrading to 500GB or 2 TB storage costs $49 per year. Check all the plans and pricing options here.
Features:
- Compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
- Secure, password-protected file sharing
- Lightning-fast syncing
- End-to-end encryption
Brief Review:
Sync brings the best of both worlds – Dropbox and SpiderOak One. It creates a folder on your computer which is uploaded to the cloud as you make changes or additions to your files. End-to-end encryption keeps your private data safe from prying eyes, and automatic backups ensure that you never lose file ever again. The service provider is pretty easy-to-use and navigate.
The file-sharing system is advanced and convenient at the same time. You can share password-protected files with people, decide expiry dates, revoke access, or select partial access. Sync even allows devices to be remotely disconnected if they are stolen or lost.
Reservations:
The only problem with Sync.com is non-organized data storage. You have to spend a lot of time in order to locate a file, which can be annoying at times.
3. Box – Best Google Drive Replacement
Free Trial:
14-day free trial period.
Pricing:
Starting from as low as $5.80 per month for 100 GB storage. View all the plans and pricing options here.
Features:
- Compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
- Integrated third-party apps like Office 365, Salesforce
- Next level sharing and collaboration tools
- Supports teamwork like no other cloud storage provider
Brief Review
The box is a complete package for small businesses. It makes teamwork smooth and seamless. You can see what everyone is doing on one platform. Box has integrated apps like Office 365, Salesforce, and Adobe Sign, so the users don’t have to leave the app for any task.
You can share the files, decide permission, create custom links, set passwords for individual files, and grant limited or complete access to users. In short, Box lets you run a virtual office with centralized control in your hands. It provides SSL encryption and two-factor authentication for various files and folders being shared and worked on simultaneously.
Reservations:
- The plans are a tad expensive.
- Files can be shared externally via links, but this can still cause concerns surrounding security.
- Though it offers individual plans, Box is mainly focused on the businesses. As such, we don’t recommend it for personal use.
4. Dropbox – Worthy Google Drive Alternative
Free Trial:
No free trial or money-back guarantee.
Pricing:
Can be used for free with 2 GB space and limited features. Upgrading to 1 TB costs $9.99 per month. See all the plans and pricing options here.
Features:
- Compatible with macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS
- Sync data across multiple devices
- Share links and folders with people
- Offline access to data (paid version)
Brief Review:
Dropbox is considered the pioneer in the cloud storage business. It started the bandwagon and everyone else joined in later. Dropbox has plenty of advanced features like remote device wipe, offline file access, full-text search, etc.
Unfortunately, these features are only available in the paid version. When you upload anything for the first time, the whole file is transferred but only the edits will be synced later. In terms of security and privacy, Dropbox encrypts your data and provides two-factor authentication.
There are stricter rules when it comes to who can edit and share documents, which is great. Since Dropbox uses open-source code, the vulnerabilities can be detected and fixed right away by a large group of developers.
Reservations:
- Dropbox will never spy on your data. However, if any law enforcement agency asks them for access, they will comply for sure.
- The uploaded documents are never scanned for viruses or malware. If they are infected, then the devices that opened those documents can also be harmed.
- Teams using Dropbox have full access to each other’s documents, which can be problematic in terms of privacy.
Related: If you want to uninstall Dropbox from Windows 7 and Windows 10 devices we have prepared a comprehensive guide on how to download all the data from Dropbox and close your account.
5. pCloud – Perfect Security Alternative to Google Drive
Free Trial:
None, but there’s a 10-day money-back guarantee.
Pricing:
Starting from as low as $3.99 per month for 500 GB storage. Take a look at all the plans and pricing options here.
Features:
- Compatible with Linux, Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
- Advanced collaboration features
- Encryption
- Zero-knowledge-protection policy
- Syncs everything, unless told otherwise
Brief Review:
pCloud offers military-level security but you have to buy their encryption service pCloud Crypto separately. However, the provider claims that it’s fool-proof and has offered a whopping $100,000 to anyone who can decrypt it. They are also serious about your privacy, and therefore have a zero-knowledge-protection policy in place, encrypting your files before they leave your computer or mobile device.
pCloud Business is great for sharing files with clients and teammates. The same editing permissions can be used for the whole team, or you can have them sent individually. Users also the convenience of restoring previous sessions for as many as 180 days.
Reservations:
- Crypto pCloud is an amazing cloud service but paying additional for security seems a bit extravagant. Needless to say, the overall cost of pCloud reaches new heights with Crypto pCloud.
Alternatives to Google Drive – 2nd Priority List
6. Trestorit – Privacy and Security at its Best
Free Trial:
14-day free trial.
Pricing:
Starting as low as $12 per user per month for 1,000 GB encrypted storage. Check out all the plans and pricing options here.
Features:
- Compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS
- Military-grade encryption
- Public key cryptography
- Two-factor authentication
Brief Review:
Tresorit is the safest cloud option available. It takes security to the next level. The files are encrypted even before they are uploaded on the cloud, which means even Tresorit cannot access it under any circumstances. Tresorit is offering a generous $50,000 to anyone who can break its encryption, but to no avail – thousands of able hackers have failed so far.
The security measures taken by Tresorit for file sharing are commendable. While files can be shared quite easily, it’s considerably difficult for anyone to transfer the ownership of data. If you share a link to a particular file, a secret key exclusive to that person is generated. You can also see who downloaded the shared file and when. In case you doubt someone, you can revoke their access.
Reservations:
- Tresorit is phenomenal, but it’s aimed at businesses only.
- A very expensive option for individuals.
7. Mega – A Decent Google Drive App Replacement
Free Trial:
No free trial or money-back guarantee.
Pricing:
It can be used for free with 50 GB storage. Upgrading to 200 GB storage costs 4.99 € per month. Look at all the plans and pricing options here.
Features:
- Compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS
- End-to-end encryption
- File versioning
- Secure team messages
Brief Review:
Mega cloud storage offers the best free account with 50 GB storage, which can be further increased by inviting more friends or downloading their app. It’s a decent cloud service provider that end-to-end encrypts your data during transit and comes with impressive collaboration tools for sharing your files. Mega is built on open-source code, which means anyone can find vulnerabilities and improve it.
Reservations:
- Mega lets you share files but provides no password protection.
- Bandwidth is limited to 10 GB only which refreshes every 30 minutes. It comes as a surprise because most cloud service providers offer unlimited bandwidth.
Google Drive Replacement – Worth Mentioning
8. OneDrive
Free Trial:
No free trial or money-back guarantee.
Pricing:
It can be used for free with 5 GB storage. Upgrading to 50 GB storage costs $1.99 per month. Check all the plans and pricing options here.
Features:
- Compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
- Advanced sync technology
- Edit files on the go
- Advanced security, productivity tools, and other core features – but they only come with Office 365.
9. iCloud
Free Trial:
No free trial or money-back guarantee
Pricing:
It can be used for free with 5 GB storage. Upgrading to 50 GB storage costs $0.99 per month. See all the plans and pricing options here.
Features:
- Compatible with macOS and iOS
- Two-factor authentication
- Collaborate with live updates
- Save and share photos/videos
10. Jotta Cloud
Free Trial:
No free trial or money-back guarantee.
Packages:
It can be used for free with 5 GB storage. Upgrading to unlimited storage costs €7.5 per month. View all the plans and pricing options here.
Features:
- Compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
- Sync and organize your data
- File version history available
- Offline access to selected data
Conclusion – There’s an Abundance of Google Drive Alternatives!
Phew! It was a long journey indeed. However, we are happy to uncover some great options for your convenience. Some are dead-set on security and privacy matters, some offer ample free space, and some are great at everything but very expensive.
At the end of the day, the choice is in your hands and you have a number of options to choose from. So, which cloud service provider do you prefer, and why? Please tell me in the comments section below.
PureVPN
June 20, 2023
10 months ago
