[Home](https://www.selecthub.com/) \> [Technology Selection](https://www.selecthub.com/category/technology-selection/) \> [Cloud Storage Providers](https://www.selecthub.com/c/cloud-storage-providers/) \> [Google Drive](https://www.selecthub.com/p/cloud-storage-providers/google-drive/) \> Google Drive vs iCloud 

# Google Drive vs iCloud 

Last Updated: June 8th, 2026 

Our analysts compared [Google Drive](https://www.selecthub.com/p/cloud-storage-providers/google-drive/) vs [iCloud](https://www.selecthub.com/p/cloud-storage-providers/icloud/) based on data from our 400+ point analysis of [Cloud Storage Providers](https://www.selecthub.com/c/cloud-storage-providers/), user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our [free software selection platform](https://www.selecthub.com/about/start-free-selection-project-site/?category=Cloud Storage Providers&cta=cloud-storage-providers). 

[Overview](#product-overview) [Pricing](#product-pricing) [Our Review](#product-analyst-summary) [User Ratings](#user-sentiment-section) [Features](#product-benefits-features) [Screenshots](#product-screenshots) 

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[![Google Drive Software Tool](https://cdn.selecthub.com/products/70222949cc0db89ab32c9969754d4758-fbb2fe81d8503ae3ce11e6d99868d27f/resources/normal/logo.png?1726344073)](https://www.selecthub.com/p/cloud-storage-providers/google-drive/)

[ ![Product Awards](https://www.selecthub.com/display/images/awards_badge.svg) ](#awards-section) 

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[![iCloud Software Tool](https://cdn.selecthub.com/products/1cfead9959b76ce44a847c850b61c587-6c2a358117533c3d91f461c039b6416d/resources/normal/logo.png?1726860721)](https://www.selecthub.com/p/cloud-storage-providers/icloud/)

[Get Free Demo](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-demo/?category=Cloud+Storage+Providers&product%5Fname=Google%2BDrive&product%5Flogo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2F70222949cc0db89ab32c9969754d4758-fbb2fe81d8503ae3ce11e6d99868d27f%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1726344073) [Demo](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-demo/?category=Cloud+Storage+Providers&product%5Fname=Google%2BDrive&product%5Flogo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2F70222949cc0db89ab32c9969754d4758-fbb2fe81d8503ae3ce11e6d99868d27f%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1726344073) [Request Pricing](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-pricing/?category=Cloud+Storage+Providers&product%5Fname=Google%2BDrive&product%5Flogo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2F70222949cc0db89ab32c9969754d4758-fbb2fe81d8503ae3ce11e6d99868d27f%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1726344073&price=1) [Pricing](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-pricing/?category=Cloud+Storage+Providers&product%5Fname=Google%2BDrive&product%5Flogo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2F70222949cc0db89ab32c9969754d4758-fbb2fe81d8503ae3ce11e6d99868d27f%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1726344073&price=1) 

[Get Free Demo](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-demo/?category=Cloud+Storage+Providers&product%5Fname=iCloud&product%5Flogo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2F1cfead9959b76ce44a847c850b61c587-6c2a358117533c3d91f461c039b6416d%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1726860721) [Demo](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-demo/?category=Cloud+Storage+Providers&product%5Fname=iCloud&product%5Flogo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2F1cfead9959b76ce44a847c850b61c587-6c2a358117533c3d91f461c039b6416d%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1726860721) [Request Pricing](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-pricing/?category=Cloud+Storage+Providers&product%5Fname=iCloud&product%5Flogo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2F1cfead9959b76ce44a847c850b61c587-6c2a358117533c3d91f461c039b6416d%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1726860721&price=1) [Pricing](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-pricing/?category=Cloud+Storage+Providers&product%5Fname=iCloud&product%5Flogo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2F1cfead9959b76ce44a847c850b61c587-6c2a358117533c3d91f461c039b6416d%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1726860721&price=1) 

### Products Insights 

Product Ranking 

## #1

among all   
Cloud Storage Providers

## #2

among all   
Cloud Storage Providers

[Find out who the leaders are](https://pmo.selecthub.com/request-custom-scorecard?post%5Ftype=auto%5Fvs%5Farticle&category%5Fslug=cloud-storage-providers&product%5Fslug=google-drive&category=Cloud+Storage+Providers) 

Price Starts From 

$1.99 Monthly, Freemium 

Free Trial is unavailable → 

$0.99 Monthly, Freemium 

[Free Trial is available →](https://pmo.selecthub.com/free-trial/?product%5Fname=iCloud&category=Cloud Storage Providers&product%5Flogo=https://d3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net/products/1cfead9959b76ce44a847c850b61c587-6c2a358117533c3d91f461c039b6416d/resources/normal/logo.png?1726860721) 

Pros 

What we like about Google Drive and iCloud: 

* Real-time co-editing in Docs, Sheets, and Slides makes group work simple.
* Tight links to Google Workspace and many third-party apps like Slack and Trello.
* Generous free storage and scalable paid plans for personal or business use.
* Strong search lets you find files by name, content, or owner quickly.

* iCloud Drive keeps files in sync across Apple devices without extra setup.
* End-to-end encryption helps protect your data from outside access.
* Automatic daily backups of iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch over Wi-Fi.
* Family Sharing lets up to six people share storage and purchases.

Cons 

What we dislike about Google Drive and iCloud: 

* No zero-knowledge encryption, which worries users handling sensitive data.
* The interface can feel unintuitive and slow down new users learning the platform.
* Shared files can't be password-protected, raising risks on confidential projects.
* Specialized needs may outgrow what Drive offers compared to niche storage tools.

* Features are sharply reduced on non-Apple platforms, limiting mixed-device use.
* File versioning is weak, making it harder to recover older document iterations.
* Sharing lacks granular controls, like blocking collaborator deletions in shared folders.
* Users report sluggish syncing with large files or across several devices at once.

### Our Review 

**Bottom line:** Google Drive fits you better if you live in Google Workspace and need real-time co-editing with broad third-party app support. iCloud makes more sense if you're all-in on Apple devices and want syncing and backups that just work.

Drive shines for collaboration. You can co-edit Docs, Sheets, and Slides with colleagues, set view, comment, or edit permissions, and pull in tools like Slack and Trello. iCloud Drive supports real-time work on shared documents too, but it leans on the Apple ecosystem, and features get thinner once you step outside it.

On pricing, Google Drive starts at $1.99 per month and iCloud starts at $0.99 per month, with both offering freemium tiers. Drive's free tier gives you 15GB, while iCloud's free tier sits at 5GB, which users often find too small for business needs.

For security, Drive encrypts files in transit and at rest and supports two-factor authentication, but the lack of zero-knowledge encryption and no password protection on shared files can be a blocker for sensitive work. iCloud uses end-to-end encryption and adds Find My to help locate lost devices, which appeals if privacy and device security are top of mind.

Fit-wise, Drive works well if you mix platforms and want flexible sharing plus deep search. iCloud is best if you mostly use Apple gear and value automatic backups, photo sync, and Family Sharing. If you handle large media files often, users note iCloud can feel sluggish, so weigh that against the convenience tradeoff.

### User Sentiment Summary 

Google Drive has a user sentiment rating of 95 based on 25453 reviews. iCloud has a user sentiment rating of based on reviews. 

![Excellent User Sentiment](https://www.selecthub.com/display/images/scores/excellent.svg) 25453 reviews 

we're gathering data

Synopsis 

Evaluating all review platforms, our market analysts have compiled the following user sentiment data. 

95% 

of users recommend this product

Google Drive has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 95% when considering 25453 user reviews from 1 recognized software review sites. 

we're gathering data

User Review Scores 

**Software Advice, Inc** 

**4.77** (25453) 

n/a 

### Awards 

SelectHub awards earned by these products based on a comprehensive analysis by our research analysts. 

Google Drive stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite. 

![User Favorite Award]()

No awards.

### Product Assistance 

Training Resources 

Documentation

In Person

Live Online

Videos

Webinars

Documentation

In Person

Live Online

Videos

Webinars

Support 

Email

Phone

Chat

FAQ

Forum

Knowledge Base

24/7 Live Support

Email

Phone

Chat

FAQ

Forum

Knowledge Base

24/7 Live Support

### Product Basics 

Company Size 

i 

Small

Medium

Large

Small

Medium

Large

Platforms Supported 

Windows

Mac

Linux

Android

Chromebook

Windows

Mac

Linux

Android

Chromebook

Deployment Supported 

Cloud

On-Premise

Mobile

Cloud

On-Premise

Mobile

Comparison of Top Alternatives 

[Google Drive Alternatives ](https://www.selecthub.com/cloud-storage-providers/google-drive/alternatives/) 

[iCloud Alternatives ](https://www.selecthub.com/cloud-storage-providers/icloud/alternatives/) 

### Screenshots 

![Screenshots]() 

![Screenshots]() 

### Key Features 

* **Real-time collaboration** – Multiple people can edit the same document at once with changes showing live, paired with flexible view, comment, or edit permissions.
* **Workspace integration** – Connects natively to Docs, Sheets, Slides, and other Google Workspace apps to keep your workflow in one place.
* **Version history** – Tracks edits and lets you revert to earlier versions of a file, helping you recover from accidental changes.
* **Advanced search** – Finds files by keyword, file type, owner, and content, drawing on Google's search technology to surface results fast.
* **Large file support** – Handles individual files up to 5 TB, which suits big media projects and large datasets.

* **Cross-device syncing** – iCloud Drive keeps documents, photos, and videos updated across iPhone, iPad, and Mac so you always see the latest copy.
* **Apple ecosystem fit** – Built into Apple devices with little setup, syncing Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Notes, and Reminders alongside files.
* **Version history** – Keeps a record of document versions so you can roll back when needed, though users note versioning is less robust than alternatives.
* **Automatic backup** – Backs up iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch daily over Wi-Fi, covering app data, settings, and media.
* **Private Relay** – Encrypts your internet traffic and hides your IP address from trackers and websites for added privacy.

### Top Alternatives in Cloud Storage Providers 

[  Box ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/content-collaboration-software/box-content-cloud/) [  CrashPlan ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/endpoint-security-software/crashplan/) [  Dropbox ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/cloud-storage-providers/dropbox/) [  iCloud ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/cloud-storage-providers/icloud/) [  IDrive ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/backup-software/idrive/) 

### Related Categories 

Google Drive and iCloud can also be found with other leading products in these categories: 

[Content Collaboration Software ](https://www.selecthub.com/c/content-collaboration-software/) 

[Document Collaboration Software ](https://www.selecthub.com/c/document-collaboration-software/) 

Show more 

[Content Collaboration Software ](https://www.selecthub.com/c/content-collaboration-software/) 

[Document Collaboration Software ](https://www.selecthub.com/c/document-collaboration-software/) 

Show more 

### Head-to-Head Comparison 

![Google Drive Software Tool]() 

![Dropbox Software Tool]() 

[Google Drive VS Dropbox](https://www.selecthub.com/cloud-storage-providers/google-drive-vs-dropbox/) 

![Google Drive Software Tool]() 

![FilesAnywhere Software Tool]() 

[Google Drive VS FilesAnywhere](https://www.selecthub.com/cloud-storage-providers/google-drive-vs-filesanywhere/) 

![Google Drive Software Tool]() 

![iCloud Software Tool]() 

[Google Drive VS iCloud](https://www.selecthub.com/cloud-storage-providers/google-drive-vs-icloud/) 

![Google Drive Software Tool]() 

![OneDrive For Business Software Tool]() 

[Google Drive VS OneDrive For Business](https://www.selecthub.com/cloud-storage-providers/google-drive-vs-onedrive-for-business/) 

![Google Drive Software Tool]() 

![SugarSync Software Tool]() 

[Google Drive VS SugarSync](https://www.selecthub.com/cloud-storage-providers/google-drive-vs-sugarsync/) 

![Google Drive Software Tool]() 

![Tresorit Software Tool]() 

[Google Drive VS Tresorit](https://www.selecthub.com/cloud-storage-providers/google-drive-vs-tresorit/) 

**About SelectHub (and our data)** 

We’re the employee-owned Austin-based startup democratizing software data so you can make your decisions in an influence-free zone. Our market data is crowdsourced from our user-base of 100,000+ companies.

WE DISTILL IT INTO REAL REQUIREMENTS, COMPARISON REPORTS, PRICE GUIDES and more...

![SelectHub Products Reporting and Analytics]() 

![SelectHub Products Cost and Pricing Guide]() 

**Tier 1:**  
Fully/moderately supported out-of-the-box allowing for quick and easy deployment.  
Fully or moderately supported out-of-the-box with industry-leading capabilities and is immediately available after installation without needing any add-ons, integrations, or custom development. 

**Tier 2:**  
Supported with workarounds or add-ons that may require additional costs.  
Not directly available in the software, but can be accomplished using other built-in features, workarounds, or add-ons/products from the vendor with or without any additional cost. 

**Tier 3:**  
Requires partner integrations or custom development that is often at an additional cost.  
Requires additional integrations, plugins, marketplace applications from a third-party vendor, or custom development using the APIs, libraries, extensions, and development framework supported by the software, with or without any additional cost. 

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