Cloud storage: Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox and iCloud

Almost all of us have cloud storage today, yet few know which one really suits them. Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox or iCloud do a similar thing, but differ in space, integration and price. Let us compare them.

What cloud storage is

Cloud storage saves your files on servers on the internet, from where they are accessible from any device. The files sync between computer, phone and the web, and you easily share them with others. You do not have to carry a USB stick or worry that a file stayed on the other computer.

The main players

• Google Drive offers 15 GB free and connects smoothly with other Google services and Docs.
• OneDrive is from Microsoft and has the best integration with Windows and the Microsoft 365 suite.
• Dropbox was a pioneer, has excellent and reliable sync, but gives the least space for free.
• iCloud is the choice for Apple users, where it fits with the Mac and iPhone.

A comparison in brief

What to look at when choosing

• How much space you really need and what an increase costs.
• The ecosystem, that is what you already use (Windows, Apple, Google).
• Privacy and where the data is, because the files sit on foreign servers.
• Sharing and collaboration, if you work in a team.

Watch out: the cloud is not a backup

This is the most important and often underestimated. Sync is not the same as a backup. When you accidentally delete a file or ransomware encrypts it, the change is reflected in the cloud too and you have the problem everywhere. So besides the cloud, also keep a real backup, as we write in the articles how to back up data properly and cloud versus local backup.

What for whom

• Windows and Office: OneDrive.
• Google and Android: Google Drive.
• Apple Mac and iPhone: iCloud.
• Teams and independence from an ecosystem: Dropbox.

Not sure which storage to choose or how to set up a safe backup? Get in touch, we will advise and set it up so you do not lose data.