Google Drive vs iCloud Drive

Updated October 2026 · AppBreakup editorial

Google Drive

Google's cloud drive, tied into Gmail, Photos and the Docs editors, with 15 GB free.

Free plan + paid

Visit Google Drive Google Drive profile

iCloud Drive

Apple's built-in cloud storage for files, photos and device backups across Apple devices.

Free plan + paid

Visit iCloud Drive iCloud Drive profile

The short answer

Pick iCloud Drive if your household is all on iPhone, iPad and Mac and you want storage that needs no setup, with optional end-to-end encryption. Pick Google Drive if you use Android or Windows, work in Google Docs, or need richer sharing. The biggest difference is reach: iCloud is built for Apple devices, while Drive works across almost every platform except Linux.

Google Drive or iCloud Drive: our take

iCloud Drive is part of iCloud, built into every iPhone, iPad and Mac. It syncs a Mac's Desktop and Documents folders, holds app data and iPhone backups, and shares its pool with iCloud Photos and Mail. On Apple devices it needs no setup and shows up in Finder and the Files app. Google Drive is part of every Google account, sharing storage with Gmail and Google Photos, and Google's Docs, Sheets and Slides edit files in place. Drive's link sharing is fine-grained and its search can find text in scanned PDFs and images, while iCloud's sharing links are basic and its admin controls for teams are limited.

Free space favours Google: Drive offers 15 GB, while iCloud offers 5 GB, which fills quickly once phone backups land in it. Paid iCloud+ plans start at $0.99/month for 50 GB in the US and go up to 12 TB, and they also include Private Relay, Hide My Email and custom email domains. Both services let you share a plan with up to five other people, which makes either reasonable for families.

Platforms and privacy are where they split most. iCloud has apps for Apple devices and an iCloud for Windows app, plus iCloud.com in the browser, but no Android or Linux app. Drive has apps for Android, iOS, Windows and macOS and the web, but no Linux client either. With Advanced Data Protection turned on, most iCloud data, including Drive, is end-to-end encrypted; Google Drive does not offer end-to-end encryption.

For an all-Apple household that wants backups and files to just work, and values encryption, iCloud Drive is the simpler choice. For anyone mixing Android, Windows and Apple devices, or collaborating on documents with others, Google Drive is more flexible.

Choose Google Drive if…

People and teams already living in Gmail and Google Docs
You need Android, which iCloud Drive doesn't list
Generous free tier shared with Gmail and Photos
Docs, Sheets and Slides edit files in place

Choose iCloud Drive if…

Households that use iPhones, iPads and Macs
Zero setup on Apple devices
Plans can be shared with up to five family members

What is Google Drive?

Google Drive is the file storage layer of a Google account. Files, Gmail and Google Photos share one storage pool, and the Docs, Sheets and Slides editors work directly on files in Drive, so many people end up using it without ever choosing it. Sharing is link-based and fine-grained, search is strong (including text inside scanned PDFs and images), and Drive for desktop can either stream files on demand or mirror folders to a Windows or Mac computer. Every account gets free storage; more comes through Google One subscriptions for individuals and families, or Google Workspace plans for businesses, which add admin controls and pooled team storage. The main drawbacks are privacy and lock-in: files are not end-to-end encrypted, the desktop client is less capable than Dropbox's at syncing large or deeply nested folders, and there is no Linux client. Apps run on the web, Windows, macOS, Android and iOS.

What is iCloud Drive?

iCloud Drive is part of iCloud, the storage service built into every iPhone, iPad and Mac. It syncs the Desktop and Documents folders on a Mac, holds app data and iPhone backups, and shares one storage pool with iCloud Photos and Mail. On Apple devices it needs no setup and works through the Files app and Finder; on Windows there is an iCloud for Windows app, and anyone can reach files through iCloud.com. Paid storage comes as iCloud+, which also adds Private Relay, Hide My Email and custom email domains, and a plan can be shared with family members. With Advanced Data Protection turned on, most iCloud data including Drive is end-to-end encrypted. The weak spots are outside Apple's world: there is no Android app, no Linux client, sharing links are basic, and the free allowance fills up quickly once phone backups land in it.

Side by side

Attribute	Google Drive	iCloud Drive
Pricing	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Open source	No	No
Self-hostable	No	No
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS
Best for	People and teams already living in Gmail and Google Docs	Households that use iPhones, iPads and Macs
Status	Active	Active

Verified facts, compared

Facts both apps publish, checked on each vendor's own site.

Fact	Google Drive	iCloud Drive
Free storage	15 GB, shared with Gmail and Photos	5 GB
Family sharing	Share storage with up to 5 others	Up to five other family members