iCloud vs Google Photos

Google Drive

Dropbox Business

Canva

OneDrive

Adobe Photoshop

inPixio Photo Studio

Compare iCloud and Google Photos based on features, pricing, verified reviews, integrations & more on GetApp. Find out which software is best for your business in 2026.

Google Drive is a cloud storage and backup platform to access files, docs, photos & more, store them in a safe place, and collaborate with other people

OneDrive is a secure access, sharing, and file storage solution which enables users to store and share photos, videos, documents, and more at anytime, via any device.

Google Workspace

Google Workspace is a suite of applications from Google which offers a number of tools to communicate and collaborate with colleagues, store files, and manage data from all devices.

iCloud from Apple is a secure cloud storage solution for storing multiple types of content online, and across all your devices. The data storage platform provides a single place to store your documents, music, photos and other files. It eliminates the need for uploads, downloads and transfers.

Access Controls/Permissions

Activity Tracking

Alerts/Notifications

Archiving & Retention

Authentication

Automatic Backup

Collaboration Tools

Commenting/Notes

Content Management

Data Import/Export

Data Storage Management

Document Capture

Document Management

Document Storage

Email Management

Encryption

File Sharing

Full Text Search

Messaging

Mobile Access

Real Time Synchronization

Search/Filter

Secure Data Storage

Reviews for iCloud come from a wide variety of industries, including Information Technology and Services (6% of reviewers), Education Management (5%), and Health, Wellness and Fitness (4%). The most frequent use case for iCloud cited by reviewers is cloud storage (93% of reviewers).

Users and use cases

Some users report that iCloud’s free storage fills up quickly, and they feel forced to upgrade. Reviewers appreciate affordable paid plans and bundling options, but some users say limited free space and inconvenient subscriptions reduce value compared to competitors.

Value for money

The iCloud integrations most frequently cited by reviewers are: Numbers (a spreadsheet product rated 4.7 out of 5 for its integration with iCloud), Google Drive (a cloud storage product, 4.9), and Keynote (a presentation product, 4.0).

Integrations

iCloud is a cloud storage program with key features that include mobile access, data storage management, real-time synchronization, access controls, document management, encryption, and more.

iCloud

Web-based

Android

Windows

iPhone

iPad

 iCloud

iCloud+ - 50GB

iCloud+ - 200GB

iCloud+ - 2TB

iCloud+ - 6TB

iCloud+ - 12TB

Medical Assistance Specialist

I use iCloud every day to save, retrieve and exchange my medical documents and case related files: it backs up the information during my mission assistance in a fast environment by synchronize informations from one device to another.

Assistant Manager

wanting easy photo/backup/file syncing, space-optimization on their Apple devices, and features like Hide My Email, Private Relay.

Sales Representative

I love the ability to save my photos, WhatsApp messages, iMessages, contacts, and all data on my phone.

My phone storage gets filled up easy and I use iCloud storage for important details. Plus to ability to retrieve infos even on your next device is cool.

Senior Designer

The storage pricing, I feel like a lot of space gets taken up with photos and then more star age has to be purchased monthly to keep up with everyday life.

Case manager

There is this calm it provides knowing that all my files and documents are safe and will be accessed whenever i need it since the files are shared across all my apple devices.

HR Coordinator

Password manager, hide my email and private relay offer secure features for a low price. When you do want to share documents and files, it works well (but do keep an eye on windows implementations).

Database Developer

For someone like me who takes a thousand photos and videos per day, the cloud storage fills up fast so Apple's malicious payment system can take place.

billing specialist

What I like the most of this product is the fact that all my information from emails to contacts, to pictures, automatically get uploaded and I don't have to worry about losing that important information.

Training and Development Manager

iCloud is great for backing up photos, videos or other file types from your iPhone, iPad or Macbook and is easily accessible on devices.

Technical Support Specialist I

I like the seamless integration of photos, passwords, keychains, browser data, backups, and other media into my other Apple (and even Windows) devices.

Owner

The free storage sometimes fills up way too quickly. And then there is no other option but to purchase more. And that sometimes makes the device move slower with downloads etc when or if you can’t purchase more at the time.

Managers

I have been using iCloud since 2009 and I think that is one of the most reliable sources of data management in the network currently, I’ve been a faithful Apple customer for years upgraded as much as I can and use as many of the options that they provide, and this has been always one of the best because everything is all at once from device to device

I dislike that iCloud isn't a little more transparent about deleting things from your device ALSO deleting it from the cloud (think individual pictures, etc.) and I think options should be available to download photos in BULK as a direct download or compressed file, torrent, etc.

Customer Service Representative

When my iCloud was full it deleted my items (files from my work computer as well as photos from my personal phone) without notifying me that this was going to happen. When I called Apple support, they let me know my items were gone and there was no way to retrieve them.

So far I can save all my transferred documents in the Cloud and I am learning to store my pictures in there as well.

Publisher

It erased 2/3 of my purchased library, i lost all my playlists, required to get additional itunes match and they still were erased about $300 ripoff.

Estimator

You don’t need to manually download or upload anything—just sign in with your iCloud ID, and you can restore everything to your new device.

Operations Director

Features like iCloud Drive, iCloud Photos, and device backup help users stay organized and secure without much effort.

Case Manager Assistant

Overall icloud has progressed and created the new way in saving memories, important documents as well as sharing them whether business or personal

HR Director

Either can store pictures and files from your phone on iCloud and it uploads from your phone automatically.

Onboarding and training supervisor

It’s obviously just good for any Mac or iOS users as you don’t have any access to it from any Windows app, has a limited crowd platform support and it’s not the sign for any collaborative editing or a structure on the flow.

patient coordinator

The thing i like the most about iCloud is that it safely stores all photos and videos that are the most endearing to you and even date labels everything.

Executive Assistant

I always have video projects I am working on and this helps me to gain the storage I need to be able to complete my work

Hairstylist

The thing I like most about iCloud is the fact no matter how many phones you switch if you have access to the specified iCloud then you will have acesss to years of photos, videos and etc.

Open source contributor

Overall, it is doing great, but I can not find a workspace connected to it that works with the best efficiency, so, for example, the default Apple apps are useful but not with the best customisations.

Photographer

Occasionally, I have suffered from slow syncing with big files, which makes the workflow drag during peak times.

iCloud is the default for iPhone users, and Mac users. But it has many uses, and a lot of features beyond file sharing.

Manager, Business Development

It allows for a large amount of data storage for the information that I want.

What I like most about iCloud is that all of my information is stored here and I can get online and also access it.

Hospital administrator

The cost for a large amount of storage across multiple departments is higher than I’m competitors that we considered.

IT Manager

If you try to back up your Mac product, it takes a lot of memory space that can force you to upgrade your storage plan adding more costs.

Tidal gate operator

Users can have a secure mindset ofknowing that their data is backed up in one place and can't be lost

Also my phone camera takes professional images of my art to upload to my website.

Researcher

It has been good I have used it on my iPad and iPhone to store photos and especially large files and videos

Publicist

iCloud's exceptional storage management and collaboration tools have revolutionized the way I organize, access, and collaborate on my files, making it an indispensable part of my workflow with clients!

Learning how to use it is essentially zero, and this makes me feel comfortable knowing even my newest staff can get into files securely and efficiently.

What I don´t like about iCloud it´s the limited free storage and that is not compatible with no apple systems.

I like that you can back up all of your important documents and photos and data on any Apple iPhone or iPad and then later restore that back up to be able to access those documents and photos and you don’t have to worry about them being lost

Having sufficiently available storage for the free subscription is great. And it has no bugs or technical issues since I started using it.

Dispatcher

I like the options to purchase more storage and the amount of backup I have with iCloud.

AI QA

The price and hassle of trying to access iCloud from my windows computer or my work tablet didn't make it worth paying for.

That gives me an extra sense of assurance I’ll be able to keep and transfer those things if and when I attain new devices.

The things I like least about iCloud is how long it can take to recover your account if you forget your password or if you don't have access to the method for your verification.

I like that my files (photos, notes, documents) can be shared across various devices easily - both work and personal devices.

It puts it all in one spot to help manage each account in its individual way.

Escrow Manager

I think the price is a little steep once it passes the bottom tier.   If the bottom tier had a little more storage, then the price would be acceptable.

Kids Director

Having to pay for extra iCloud storage because of my laptop and phone usage is a con in using iCloud for me.

COTA

The cost for more iCloud storage is very small however paying a small cost for the entirety of your life seems ridiculous to me.

Office Manager

Integration is easy when starting out - love that it helps keep me organized on the go and keeps all my files in one place.

Cloud Storage

Photo Backup

Photo and Video Storage

File Access Across Devices

Pricing

Account and Password Management

Photo and Document Storage

Backup

File Management

Challenging account recovery

Marketing Coordinator

If you get locked out of your iCloud account, or have trouble accessing on a particular device, the recovery process can be quite difficult.

braulio online

that due to its security if I forget to remove it from my old device or I forget the password it is very difficult to recover it

56% of reviewers feel negative about Account and Password Management. Some users report that recovering access after forgetting passwords or losing devices is difficult and time-consuming, often requiring multiple authentication steps. Reviewers mention frustration with strict security protocols, which can lock them out of accounts and make data recovery challenging. They say merging accounts or switching between personal and work Apple IDs is confusing, and accessing iCloud from non-Apple devices or the web is cumbersome. Many feel that the recovery process lacks flexibility and can result in lost access to important files.

Costly storage upgrades

Communications Coordinator

it's an arbitrary fee with the soul operation to have a steady pay out from customers... paying extra for storage does not improve the service nor does it improve the customer service, which in recent years has become embarrassing to the once great Apple standards

Administrative Assistant

They only offer a very small storage space in size of only 5GB and need to pay for they add-on storage.

51% of reviewers feel negative about Pricing. Some users say the free storage allocation is too limited, forcing them to pay for additional space sooner than expected. Reviewers mention that the monthly subscription model feels expensive, especially compared to competitors offering more free storage. They report frustration with frequent upgrade prompts and notifications when nearing storage limits. Users feel the lack of flexible storage tiers and the need for ongoing payments make iCloud less appealing for those with larger storage needs or tight budgets.

Seamless multi-device access

Developer

One of the features i like the most is I can retrieve, save, upload files in any devices as long as i signed in using my id.  

maintenance 

i liked that all my link apple products would always be updated with anything that i changed on one document would be uploaded to iCloud and all other devices would be up to date with any modifications i had done.

92% of reviewers feel positive about File Access Across Devices. Some users say iCloud’s cross-device synchronization makes it easy to access files, photos, and documents from any Apple device or web browser. Reviewers indicate that changes made on one device are instantly reflected on others, streamlining workflows and saving time. They find it convenient for managing files between work and personal devices, and appreciate the ability to recover or transfer data when switching devices. Many users feel this feature is essential for maintaining productivity and organization, especially in environments with multiple Apple products.

Reliable and secure storage

customer support specialist

I do like iCloud software for the reason that it stores your personal files and enables you to recover them in case of delete it prevents any external access to your end-to-end encrypted datait offers the data synchronization in case you are distant

Every operating device whether Apple or Android has some sort of 'cloud', but iCloud is essential for keeping your documents and files safe in a digital format.

95% of reviewers feel positive about Safe File Storage. Reviewers appreciate that iCloud provides a secure environment for storing important documents, photos, and backups, offering peace of mind against data loss or device theft. They say the platform’s encryption and security features make them feel confident about privacy and data protection. Users mention that iCloud’s automatic backups and long-term file retention help them avoid stress over accidental deletions or hardware failures. Many feel that the safety and reliability of iCloud are crucial for both personal and business use, especially when handling sensitive or irreplaceable files.

Simple and intuitive experience

The iCloud is very user friendly and not hard to set up at all and once it is set up, I don't have to think anymore about it. And to put the cherry on top - it is so inexpensive - there is no excuse to not have it. And if you have it, you will never have to worry over losing anything you want to keep.

Senior Solutions Architect 

It also has top notch convenience and simplicity, making it very easy to use and understand.

92% of reviewers feel positive about Ease of Use. Reviewers appreciate that iCloud is straightforward to set up and navigate, even for those with limited technical skills. They say the interface is user-friendly, making it easy to organize, store, and retrieve files without confusion. Users mention that the platform operates seamlessly in the background, requiring minimal intervention. Many find that integrating iCloud into daily routines, whether for personal or business purposes, is hassle-free and efficient. They value how iCloud simplifies device transitions and keeps important data easily accessible.

Mid-size Business

Small Business

Freelancers

Large Enterprises

Some users report that iCloud offers a convenient free storage tier, but they feel the 5GB limit fills up quickly and often forces them to consider paid plans. Reviewers appreciate that the upgrade cost for additional storage is generally affordable and say the pricing is reasonable compared to the amount of storage received. Some users say they value the flexibility to pay only for the storage they need, and they find integration with Apple devices adds to the perceived value. Reviewers indicate that bundling iCloud with other Apple services, such as Apple One, increases the overall value for money. Some reviewers find the addition of features like custom email domains in paid plans helpful for business needs.

However, some reviewers feel the free storage is too limited and wish Apple would offer more space at no cost, especially compared to competitors. Users think the monthly subscription model is inconvenient and would prefer one-time or annual payment options. Some users report frustration with persistent upgrade notifications and the lack of intermediate storage options between tiers. Reviewers indicate that iCloud can be more expensive than alternatives and that the need to pay for extra storage after purchasing high-priced Apple devices is a drawback. Some users say the value is diminished by limited cross-platform support and occasional billing issues.

Apple

Google Photos is a free, unlimited photo storage and photo sharing service that makes it easy to store, sync, and share all your photos across your devices

Backup and Recovery

Batch Processing

Content Sharing

Drag & Drop

File Transfer

Image Library

Multi-Device Support

Third-Party Integrations

Reviews for Google Photos come from a wide variety of industries, including Information Technology and Services (7% of reviewers), Education Management (7%), and Entertainment (6%). The most frequent use case for Google Photos cited by reviewers is cloud storage (99% of reviewers).

Google Photos is a cloud storage solution with key features that include backup and recovery, secure data storage, automatic backup, file sharing, data storage management, and more.

Google Photos

Basic

Users appreciate the ease of Google Photos and handy editing functionality, allowing them to manage event files easily, erase blemishes on photos, and strip away backgrounds for stylish portfolio presentations.

Singer Songwriter, Author, and Poet

I love that Google photos allows you to collect photos and cherish memories across many years in the kidst of all the devixes switches, upgrades, and resets.

Marketing Assistant

It makes storing, organizing, and finding my pictures so easy, and I love being able to access them from any device.

iCloud vs Google Photos Comparison (2026)

iCloud

Google Photos

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives