Google Drive alternatives: 12 cloud storage tools compared
People look for a Google Drive alternative for three reasons: they want files kept outside a Google account, they want encryption that the provider cannot read, or they find that a Workspace seat buys more suite than they use. They move to Microsoft or Dropbox for familiarity, to zero-knowledge services for privacy, or to a self-hosted system for control.
Short answer: The closest replacements for Google Drive in our cloud storage ranking are Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox and Box. Choose Microsoft OneDrive if your staff already work in Word, Excel and Teams and pay for Microsoft 365. All 12 alternatives below are ranked products from Best Cloud Storage for Business in 2026, and each says where it differs from Google Drive.
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Pricing: Per user per month with Workspace, published
Established in: United States
Built for: A company already on Workspace
Not for: An organisation with strict confidentiality requirements
01
Why buyers look past Google Drive
01
Storage is bundled into the suite
Google Workspace sells Drive as part of a plan. Starter lists 30 GB of pooled storage per person, Standard 2 TB and Plus 5 TB, with Enterprise on a quote. A team that wants only file storage pays for email, meetings and AI features it may not use, and storage grows only by moving up a plan.
02
Consumer and business products differ
Every Google account comes with up to 15 GB, and Google One sells 100 GB, 2 TB and 5 TB plans that are bundled with Google AI plans at the higher tiers. Business accounts run on Workspace instead. Individuals who keep personal and work files separate often compare services that sell storage on its own.
03
Privacy and data location questions
Drive is a managed service whose operator controls the encryption arrangement. Organisations that must show that no supplier can read the files, or that want to choose a data region or run the system themselves, look to zero-knowledge and self-hosted services, several of which are listed below.
Free 5 GB plan; paid per user per month, minimum three users, published
Team folders and file sync at a low per-user price
you want a team drive at a per-user price and already use other Zoho apps
#10
03
What each one does differently
1
Microsoft OneDrive
United States · Per user per month, published; included in Microsoft 365
OneDrive is Microsoft's storage service, priced per user and included in Microsoft 365. Our category record lists it as bundled with the Office applications, so it suits organisations already licensing Microsoft 365. Microsoft's own pricing pages blocked our automated checks, so plan limits are not stated here.
Switch from Google Drive if your staff already work in Word, Excel and Teams and pay for Microsoft 365.
Dropbox sells Plus for one person with 2 TB, Standard for teams from 3 TB and Advanced for three or more people from 15 TB. Longer file recovery windows rise with the plan, from 30 days to one year. End-to-end encryption and single sign-on appear only on Advanced. Its pages list signing and document-sending products beside storage.
Switch from Google Drive if you want storage and sync as the product, with long version history.
United States · Per user per month, published; minimum of three users on business plans
Box is aimed at governance, retention and workflow around files. Our category record lists per user pricing with a minimum of three users on business plans. Box's pricing page blocked our automated checks, so the plan details are unconfirmed here. It is a content management tool more than a shared drive.
Switch from Google Drive if retention rules and approval workflows matter more than sync speed.
Switzerland · Free tier; paid per user per month, published
Proton Drive stores files with end-to-end encryption, so Proton cannot read them. The free plan gives 5 GB with an online document and spreadsheet editor, Drive Plus 200 GB, and Drive Professional 1 TB per user for teams. Mail and VPN appear only in its bundled plans.
Switch from Google Drive if you want encrypted storage from a Swiss non-profit-controlled company.
Germany · Free self-hosted; enterprise subscriptions per user per year, published
Nextcloud is self-hosted under an AGPL licence, so your organisation runs the server and keeps the data. Enterprise subscriptions start at 100 users, with Standard listed at 71.29 euros per user per year and Premium at 104.99. It adds Talk, groupware and office editing, but administration is yours.
Switch from Google Drive if you want to host file sharing yourself and have staff to run it.
Switzerland · Per month, per year or one-off lifetime, published
pCloud is operated by pCloud International AG and lets you pick an EU (Luxembourg) or US (Dallas) data region at sign-up. It sells subscription and lifetime plans and includes built-in editors for documents and PDFs. Encryption beyond the default is a separate product, and collaboration is thinner than Drive's.
Switch from Google Drive if a one-off lifetime payment and a choice of EU storage appeal to you.
Canada · Free 5 GB plan; Teams per user per month, minimum three users, published
Sync.com markets end-to-end encryption in which it cannot see your files, and sells Teams plans of 2 TB and 10 TB per user plus an Enterprise tier from 100 users. It has unlimited team shared folders and file requests. Editing in Office applications requires an Office 365 licence.
Switch from Google Drive if you share confidential files with clients and want zero-knowledge as the default.
Tresorit sells end-to-end encrypted, zero-knowledge storage as SecureCloud for businesses and private use, with separate Engage data rooms and FileSharing products. It is built for confidential projects rather than collaborative documents.
Switch from Google Drive if you handle regulated or confidential client material and need data rooms.
Spain · Free 1 GB plan; paid per year or one-off lifetime, published
Internxt is an open source European service founded in 2020, with zero-knowledge and post-quantum encryption claims. It sells yearly plans and a one-time lifetime payment, with 1 TB to 5 TB tiers listed and per-file limits that rise by plan. It has no collaborative office suite.
Switch from Google Drive if you want open source, EU-based storage that you can pay for once.
Slovenia · Free 10 GB plan; paid yearly by storage size, published
Koofr is run by Koofr d.o.o. and offers a free 10 GB plan with yearly paid tiers. Its distinguishing feature is connecting your other cloud accounts, up to 10 per provider among Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive on paid plans, so you can manage them in one place. It is not a team collaboration suite.
Switch from Google Drive if you want one interface across several existing cloud accounts.
Germany · Free plan; monthly or annual plans by storage size, stackable, published
Filen is published by Filen Cloud Dienste UG and sells client-side encrypted, zero-knowledge storage from 200 GiB at 1.99 euros a month up to 10 TiB, with plans that stack on one account. It includes notes and chats but not collaborative document editing.
Switch from Google Drive if low-priced encrypted storage by size matters more than team features.
India · Free 5 GB plan; paid per user per month, minimum three users, published
Zoho WorkDrive has a free 5 GB plan for individual use and paid team plans that start at three users, with pooled team storage that grows per user. It sits inside the Zoho suite and its pages offer a 15-day trial. Pooled storage is set by the plan and user count.
Switch from Google Drive if you want a team drive at a per-user price and already use other Zoho apps.
Google Drive stays the right choice when the organisation already lives in Gmail, Docs, Sheets and Meet and wants storage that works with them. Real-time editing, sharing links and the pooled storage on Workspace plans come together without extra integration work. If your concern is cost rather than architecture, check whether a lower Workspace tier covers you before leaving.
05
What moving off Google Drive involves
01
Google-native files do not move as they are
Docs, Sheets and Slides are Google formats, so a move means exporting them to Office or open formats and checking that formatting, comments and formulas survive. Test a sample of your most complex spreadsheets before committing to a cutover.
02
Sharing links and permissions break
Every shared link to a Drive file stops working when the file moves. List external partners who hold links, and recreate sharing with the same groups in the new tool. Where the destination offers end-to-end encryption, features such as server-side search and preview may be reduced.
06
Questions about replacing Google Drive
6 answers
How much storage does Google Workspace include?
Google lists Starter at 30 GB of pooled storage per person, Standard at 2 TB and Plus at 5 TB per user, with Enterprise on a quote.
Prices on the page are shown in your local currency and change by promotion, so check the live page.
Is there a free alternative to Google Drive?
Proton Drive gives 5 GB free, Koofr 10 GB, Zoho WorkDrive 5 GB, and Dropbox Basic 2 GB. Google itself gives up to 15 GB per account across its services, so a free move rarely adds space.
Which Google Drive alternative is end-to-end encrypted?
Proton Drive, Sync.com, Tresorit, Internxt and Filen all describe zero-knowledge or end-to-end encryption in which the provider cannot read your files. Dropbox offers end-to-end encryption only on its Advanced business plan. Encryption usually costs you server-side search and browser editing.
Can I self-host a Google Drive replacement?
Nextcloud is the established option: AGPL-licensed software you run on your own servers, with paid Enterprise subscriptions from 100 users for support. You take on updates, backups and security hardening.
Where is my data stored with the alternatives?
pCloud lets you choose Luxembourg or Dallas at sign-up. Others state their own regions. Read the data processing terms, because the operator's country and the data centre location are separate questions.
Is there a lifetime-payment alternative?
pCloud sells lifetime plans and Internxt lists a one-time payment option. Lifetime means the lifetime of the product, not yours, so treat it as a bet on the company's continuity.
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Sources
Checked 8 October 2026
Google Workspace pricing: Starter 30 GB pooled storage, Standard 2 TB, Plus 5 TB, Enterprise on contact, 14-day trial.
Google One plans: 15 GB per Google account, 100 GB, 2 TB and 5 TB consumer plans.
Dropbox plans: Plus, Standard, Advanced storage and restore windows, end-to-end encryption on Advanced, Basic 2 GB free.
Proton Drive pricing: Free 5 GB, Drive Plus 200 GB, Drive Professional 1 TB per user, end-to-end encryption.
Nextcloud Enterprise pricing: AGPL licence, Enterprise from 100 users, Standard 71.29 euros and Premium 104.99 euros per user per year.
pCloud pricing: pCloud International AG, lifetime and subscription plans, built-in editors.
