Google One vs. Google Drive: What’s the Difference

Mehvish Mushtaq is a computer engineer by degree. Her love for Android and gadgets led her to develop the first Android app for Kashmir. Known as Dial Kashmir, she won the prestigious Nari Shakti award from the President of India. She has been writing about technology for 6+ years and her favorite categories include how-to guides, explainers, tips and tricks for Android, iOS/iPadOS, social media, and web apps.

You may have seen Google One on your Android phone or heard about it somewhere. Is Google One the same as Google Drive, or what’s the difference between them? Are these types of questions on your mind? Find the answer here.

Before we begin, you should know thatGoogle Drive is different from Google Photos. However, both are Google products. And Google One will apply to Google Photos as well. Let’s begin.

Google One vs. Google Drive: Comparison Table

Tip:Know how touse the VPNincluded with Google One.

What’s the Difference Between Google One and Google Drive

Google Drive is a free cloud storage service, whereas Google One is a premium subscription for Google Drive.

To put it in perspective, Google Drive is a cloud storage service from Google where you can save your photos, videos, and documents like PDFs, etc. Google files like Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms are also saved in Google Drive. It’s a free service with 15GB of storage across Google products like Google Photos, Gmail, and Google Drive.

Once your free 15GB storage is full, consider expanding the storage. That’s whereGoogle Onecomes into the picture. Google One is simply a paid subscription for Google Drive or your Google account. You can call it the pro or premium version of Google Drive. It’s not a separate service for Google Drive. Like any paid version, you get extra benefits for your Google account in a Google One subscription.

Note:Before Google One, the paid subscription plan to increase Google storage was called the Google Drive storage plan.

Now, let’s check the differences in detail between the two in terms of storage, pricing, benefits, and more.

Storage

You get 15GB of storage with your personal Google account. That includesstorage for Google Drive, Photos, and Gmail. Google One subscription plans offer three types of storage plans: 100GB (basic), 200GB, and 2TB.

Again, this storage is also shared across your Google products. There is no limit on storage for any particular Google product. For instance, you can have 80GB of data in Google Drive, 10GB in Google Photos, and 10GB in Gmail. Or you can have 10GB in Drive, 50GB in Google Photos, and 40GB in Gmail. It’s up to you.

Pricing

The personal Google accounts that most of us have are free to use. But if you want to expand the storage beyond 15GB, you will have to purchase a Google One subscription plan. Here are three Google One plans:

Availability and Apps

Google Drive can be used on all platforms. Be it Android, iPhone, or desktop. Similarly, if you buy a Google One subscription, it can also be used on iPhone and PC. It’s not limited to Android phones. To keep a check on your storage, Google has provided dedicated apps for Google One for both Android and iPhone.

Tip:Learn how tofix Google Drive storage full but not files

Benefits

Google One subscription plans offeradditional benefitsyou don’t get in the free version. Here’s alist of benefitsof a Google One subscription:

Note:Members with whom you share your storage can’t see what you save in Drive or other Google products. Only the storage amount is shared, nothing else. Learn how toshare Google One storage with your family.

Identify Google One Accounts

If you are a Google One member, i.e., you are subscribed to any Google One plan except the free one, you will see the official Google logo-colored ring around your profile picture in various Google products. No such thing happens in the free Google Drive account.

Files and Data

You don’t need to move or transfer yourexisting Google Drive filesto a Google One storage or elsewhere when purchasing a Google One subscription. The files will remain in your current Google account only, and you can access them as you would prior to switching to a Google One plan. The only difference is that the storage of that account will increase by buying a Google One plan. So, now you can save more data or files in your Google account.

Tip: Know what happens when youcancel your Google One subscription

Frequently Asked Questions

No, Google One isn’t available for Workspace accounts. You can subscribe to a Google One plan using your personal account only.

Yes. You can use both things at the same time as they are completely different services.

Choose Between Google One or Google Drive

We hope you understood the differences between Google One and Google Drive. Clearly, you don’t need to choose between the two. You can continue using the free version of Google account (or Drive) as long as you have enough storage. You should switch to Google One only when you need extra storage or the benefits provided by Google One. Before you go, know how tofree up storage in Google Drive.

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Last updated on 14 February, 2024

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