Two Cloud Storage Heavyweights
The battle between all the cloud storage apps is heating up and we want to be here to help you understand exactly which one is best for your needs. Unfortunately, they all offer different storage, upload and file viewing features, so it’s a little tricky trying to figure out exactly which one works for you. DropBox has always been at the forefront of the battle, and that’s why we matched it up against Google Drive to see which one provides the most punch in terms of storage and document editing. Now it’s time to bring in Microsoft’s cloud storage system, OneDrive, formerly known as SkyDrive.
Windows has been suffering a bit of an identity crisis, trying to figure out exactly where it factors in with the cloud storage, software and hardware markets, but the OneDrive app is no slouch. Let’s take a look at the Google Drive vs OneDrive Android battle to see which one comes out on top.
Our Ratings:
Google Drive: 4.5 out of 5 stars
OneDrive: 4.1 out of 5 stars
Google Play Ratings and Links:
Google Drive: 4.3 out of 5 stars
OneDrive: 4.3 out of 5 stars
The Good
Google Drive and OneDrive both offer 15GB of free storage, making them perfect for people who just want to store their files for free. Google Drive features three payment options so you don’t have to pay too much for something you won’t use or not receive enough storage. Both Google Drive and OneDrive provide online document editing suites so that you can receive a shared Word document, bring it up online and edit it to your heart’s content.
A plus for OneDrive is that you can earn additional storage space through various different ways. It also offers two paid plans, one with 100GB and the other with 200GB, at $2 and $4 per month, respectively.
The Bad
Google Drive only lets you upload files that are smaller than 10GB. You also can’t earn additional free storage with the Google service.
OneDrive fails to provide large storage options for power users. 200GB is quite a bit, but I know plenty of people who need more than this. It’s also lacking with its file size restrictions. Since you can only upload files as big as 2GB it leaves much to be desired.
The Bottom Line
Since both Google Drive and OneDrive both offer online document editor suites they kind of even out on that front. The interfaces are quite intuitive from both apps, and if you purchase a Chromebook or Windows computer then you can integrate directly into the storage systems. Google Drive still comes out on top for this battle, since OneDrive is severely lacking in terms of its overall storage options, and a 2GB upload restriction is quite laughable.
Max File Sizes and Storage Interface– Google Drive Wins
Dropbox reigns supreme for power users who really want to upload large files and store up to a terabyte of files. That said, if you don’t need that much storage, Google Drive and OneDrive are suitable alternatives. Since Google Drive lets you upload files up to 10GB in size it’s a clear winner over the 2GB restriction from OneDrive. They both give the same amount of free storage, but Google Drive comes out on top again with as much as a terabyte for a paid plan. This is comparable to Dropbox’s offering for storage.
The interfaces for both apps are actually quite similar. I’m used to the Google Drive layout, but I used to use SkyDrive and actually enjoy the clean simplicity. You can categorize your files in folders for both apps and see what they look like straight from your phone or computer. They also sync with all your devices in case you want to grab a file from your tablet while rushing to work.
Online Office Suite – Tie
Although Google Drive is more popular for editing documents online you have to remember that Microsoft started the document suite game. They provide more features than you would find flicking around the Google Docs or Google Sheets interface. That said, they both work for just about everything you would need. When you open up a document in the OneDrive app it is easy to modify and search for things that you might have done a while back.
Google Drive also includes a full office suite, which is perfect for making or viewing documents, sheets or slides. You can do just about anything you would do on Microsoft Word, making it a viable competitor in the game. Since they are both so similar and provide comparable features and assets, the result is a tie for document editing suites.
Earning Additional Storage and Other Features – OneDrive Wins
Google Drive does not offer the chance to earn more storage. I’ve tried to get more storage from places like Dropbox and OneDrive and it’s a bit of a pain, but it’s nice for people who don’t want to pay for additional storage. You basically have to invite other people to join or share things about the app. It’s not my style to beg my friends to join a random app, but I can see how it’s useful for many people.
In terms of additional features, OneDrive and Google Drive are pretty similar. You can share your files with other people, whether it’s through a link or shared email.
I’ve always found that backing up with OneDrive is a little easier than with Google Drive, since the Google feature links up to your Google Plus account, and I find it a little annoying. With OneDrive you simply check off the backup feature one time and all of your photos and other media are backed up automatically.
Support – Google Drive Wins
Let’s be serious, when you contact a company like Microsoft or Google you have to go through the whole process of letting them know what your problem is, and even then it’s difficult to figure things out. That’s where forums and FAQs come into play, since it can be a pain to get someone on the phone or to respond to one of your emails.
Both of the apps have support pages on their apps, and you can also go online to figure out what is wrong. The only reason Google comes out on top here is because Microsoft technical support is terrible to work with. They have so many products and features that your emails and phone calls are almost useless. You are left to scan and search forums for your solutions. Although Google isn’t that much better, they do have an easier system to call in and get your problems resolved.
App Permissions – OneDrive Wins
OneDrive can tap into your contacts and accounts, which might not sit well with some users who value their full privacy. Google Drive is pretty similar, with one exception. The app has the ability to read your messages such as emails and SMS messages. For this sole reason, OneDrive wins on the app permissions battlefield. Keep in mind that it’s typical for cloud storage systems to access this type of information, so you’ll be hard pressed to locate another service that doesn’t do this.
Conclusion
There you have it for the Google Drive vs OneDrive Android battle. Both systems are quite useful in terms of storage and document modification, but Google Drive comes out on top when looking at overall storage size and maximum upload capabilities. Don’t completely forget about OneDrive though, since the online document editor is actually more powerful than Google Docs, so you will find more features. In my experience I would never use all of these features, but it’s worth mentioning that OneDrive is still a player in the cloud storage area.
Let me know in the comments section if you have any questions about Google Drive or OneDrive. Your options are aplenty, so think about the different features and drop a line if you have concerns.