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There’s no question that Google Drive is one of the most versatile cloud storage services available today. Using it, however, is a little different than what you may be used to, so in this guide we’ll show you exactly how Google Drive works, especially its suite of apps , like Google Docs and Sheets.
Along the way, we’ll mention where Google Drive exceeds so you know what tasks it works best for, while also pointing out where you’d be better off going with a more secure cloud storage service like any of the options mentioned in our best cloud storage roundup.
What is Google Drive and Cloud Storage
Google Drive is a cloud storage service, and like any cloud storage service its main purpose is to expand your ability to store files beyond the limits of your hard drive. Cloud storage is sometimes confused with online backup, which achieves a very different purpose using similar infrastructure.
You can read more about the difference between cloud storage and online backup in our article on that subject. However, simply put, online backup is designed to replicate your hard drive rather than expand it, with the goal of disaster recovery. As we’ll mention later, Google Drive has recently started to expand into the online backup market by letting you tag any folder for backup.
Google will give you 15GB of free cloud storage just for signing up. However, it’s important to realize that all of that free space is shared between Google Drive, Google Photos and Gmail.
Even still, for many users that 15GB will go pretty far without having to spend a dime. And it’s not like Google has a monopoly on free if it doesn’t. Check out our overview of the best free cloud storage services for some other ideas.
Google Drive hasn’t achieved its staggering popularity solely on the back of Android phones sales and Gmail. There are some things it does as well or better than any other cloud storage service. Most of that has to do with productivity, thanks to both Google’s homegrown office suite, Google Docs, and a range of third-party applications.
However, there are also somethings Google Drive doesn’t do so well. The biggest failings have to do with privacy.
For example, Google grants itself, through its terms and conditions, the right to scan the files you store in the cloud for marketing purposes. On top of that, Google Drive doesn’t give you any way to really secure file shares, like password protection.
You can read more about those issues in the security and privacy section of our full Google Drive review. If privacy is an absolute must for you, you may want to consider encrypting your files before sending them to the cloud with a service like Boxcryptor if you do end up using Google Drive.
Better yet, consider one of the best zero-knowledge cloud storage providers. While ultra-secure options like Sync.com (read our Sync.com review) don’t have Google Drive’s productivity apps, there’s no reason you can’t use both to limit the risk by using Google for active projects and a more privacy-oriented solution for long-term storage. Check out our guide to using Google Drive and Sync.com together for an example.
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