Thinking about which cloud storage service to use? If you’re reading this, it’s a safe bet. Today, the digital market is dominated by Google Photos and iCloud. Great news for photo management! Among their many functions, these two offer you effortless ways to manage photos on multiple devices, heavy-duty sorting options, and easy sharing capabilities.
Their features are quite similar. Ideal for you as an IOS user, we will aid in determining which cloud service is the superior one out of the two. Most individuals find this task to be a formidable challenge.
Defining Google Photos and iCloud
Google Photos is one of the leading platforms in the digital space that allows you to save videos and photos online. It is part of the Google Drive family. It comes pre-installed on most Android and Google phones. Apart from easy access, it is free to use and it offers huge storage. You can always purchase more storage if you require it.
ICloud is another amazing cloud storage device that was developed by Apple to allow users to store data and access it conveniently from different devices. Although iCloud and Google Photos have a lot of similarities, one of the biggest differentiating factors is iCloud does not limit users to storing videos and photos only.
As a photographer, you can visit this photography blog to learn more about how to optimize iCloud storage. You can store documents, music, and a wide range of files. It syncs easily with Apple devices thus allowing you to add new files or photos automatically. This not only enhances the security of your data but also helps you avoid the hassle of transferring them manually.
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1. Storage Plan
After reviewing iCloud and Google Photos thoroughly, here is what we think about these tools. When it comes to storage plans, both Google Photos and iCloud offer fair storage services. However, Google Photos has a free plan that offers more storage. Google Photos offers a free 15G.
On the other hand, iCloud offers 5G of free storage. Keep in mind that Google Photos only allows you to store photos while iCloud allows you to save any type of data ranging from photos, files, and messages to name a few. Here’s the pricing plan for both Google Photos and iCloud:
| Google Photos | iCloud |
| 15GB Free | 5GB Free |
| $1.99 per month for 100 GB | $0.99 per month for 50GB |
| $2.99 per month for 200 GB | $2.99 per month for 200 GB |
| $9.99 per month for 2TB | $9.99 per month for 2TB |
From this table, you can see that Google Photos offers more storage space. However, Google has not yet created a pricing plan for Google Photos alone. 100 GB is the basic purchasing plan. ICloud is ideal for personal daily use as it offers a 50 GB plan.
2.Uploading Photos, Sync and Backup
Another important aspect that you should consider when choosing between Google Photos and iCloud is how these storage services upload, sync, and store photos. The Photos app makes it effortless for those with iPhones and Macs to skip the drudgery of saving media to cloud storage. Thanks to the uncomplicated interface of iCloud and Google Photos, users can send their files to iCloud without moving a muscle. This streamlines the process and spares users from needless exertion, freeing up time and energy.
Sync and backup choices are on hand for Google Photos for both Android and iOS. However, because of Android’s iCloud incongruity, syncing and backing up in an automated way isn’t possible on Android. Cloud services for photo synchronization and backup continue to be best served by iCloud for iOS. Users of iOS can explore the Settings of Google Photos to make use of this feature.
3. Editing Tools
Photo editing is made simple by iCloud as it provides access to various editing tools through the Photos app on your iPhone or Mac. Whether you want to alter the photo’s shape or add filters, perform basic editing processes at your convenience. As for Google Photos, its features are more advanced. When it comes to editing, Google Photos is better than iCloud since it offers lots of advanced editing features.
4. Photo Sharing
The cloud service that you should choose should allow you to share photos with your loved ones quickly and easily. Fortunately, both Google Photos and iCloud offer this feature. Users can create links to various images and share them with their loved ones on both cloud storage services. Google Photos allows users to share links to both photos and albums. On the other hand, iCloud only allows you to share a link for one photo. As a Mac or IOS user, you can consider using the Apple Photos App to share photos with your loved ones through different apps.
5. Finding Photos and Organizing them
Sorting photos has never been easier especially with Google Photos and iCloud. Both applications offer unique ways to sort out your pictures based either on specific timelines or assorted criteria. Google Photos standout because of its special feature, allowing pictures to be sorted using selected themes and even identify what’s inside. If you’re someone who is tech-savvy and wants to explore more of the features, Google Photos is the ideal choice for you.
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Cons of iCloud and Google Photos
While these two cloud storage platforms have lots of amazing features that will help you complete your tasks, they have their limitations. It’s important to keep them in mind when making your decision.
Google Photos
Compressing files
Google Photos allows you to save to share videos and photos in their actual size. However, if you don’t want to invest in additional storage, you may be forced to compress your files. This can end up affecting their original quality.
Lack of private folders
The option to password-protect your folders is not available. This means that the people who are sharing or operating the space with you can access all your photos.
iCloud
Limited options to integrate
iCloud has been designed to work with other Apple apps and services seamlessly. However, it doesn’t work smoothly with other third-party apps. For instance, most apps don’t have the option of saving files to iCloud storage directly.
Limited storage
When you stick with the free plan, you’ll only get 5GB of storage. To get extra storage, you’ll have to pay. This might not be ideal for users who are on a budget.
Conclusion
When selecting a cloud storage provider, it’s crucial to factor in certain elements. Of course, Google Photos and iCloud provide an array of fantastic functions; however, they also have weaknesses. It’s critical to grasp their strengths and shortcomings if you wish to accomplish your objectives.
