Google One alternatives

Google One is Google's consumer cloud storage subscription service, offering expanded storage that is shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. Plans start at 100 GB and scale up to 2 TB and beyond, with pricing that is competitive in the consumer cloud storage market. For many individual users, Google One is a natural choice because it integrates seamlessly with the Android ecosystem and Google's productivity tools. However, there are compelling reasons to consider alternatives, particularly for users who value privacy, data ownership, and vendor independence.

The primary concern with Google One is that your data resides entirely on Google's infrastructure. Google's business model is built on data collection and advertising, and while Google states that it does not scan Drive files for advertising purposes, the company's extensive data practices give many privacy-conscious users pause. Furthermore, Google retains broad rights to access your data for service improvement and compliance purposes, and your files are subject to US jurisdiction regardless of where you are located.

Nextcloud is one of the strongest alternatives for users and organizations that want full control over their data. As an open-source, self-hosted platform, Nextcloud allows you to run your own cloud storage on hardware you control. You can install it on a home server, a rented VPS, or a dedicated server from providers like Hetzner. The result is a private cloud that offers file synchronization, sharing, and collaboration without any third party having access to your data.

Beyond basic file storage, Nextcloud provides a rich feature set. Nextcloud Files handles synchronization across desktop and mobile clients for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. Nextcloud Office, powered by Collabora Online or OnlyOffice, enables collaborative document editing directly in the browser. Nextcloud Photos provides automatic photo upload and organization. Calendar and contact synchronization work through standard CalDAV and CardDAV protocols, making them compatible with virtually any client application.

Other notable alternatives to Google One include Sync.com, a Canadian provider offering end-to-end encrypted cloud storage with zero-knowledge architecture, meaning even Sync.com cannot read your files. Tresorit, based in Switzerland and now owned by Swiss Post, offers similar zero-knowledge encryption with a focus on business compliance. Proton Drive, from the makers of Proton Mail, provides encrypted storage integrated with the broader Proton privacy ecosystem including Proton Mail, Proton VPN, and Proton Calendar. For users who want synchronization without a central server, Syncthing offers peer-to-peer file synchronization that works entirely on your own devices with no cloud dependency.

Microsoft OneDrive and Apple iCloud are also commonly considered alternatives. OneDrive integrates tightly with Microsoft 365 and Windows, offering 1 TB of storage bundled with Office subscriptions. iCloud is the natural choice for users in the Apple ecosystem, with deep integration into macOS and iOS. However, both services share the same fundamental trade-off as Google One: your data lives on a major tech company's servers under their terms of service.

When evaluating alternatives, several factors deserve consideration. Storage capacity and pricing are important but should not be the only criteria. Encryption practices matter: does the provider offer end-to-end encryption, or only encryption in transit and at rest? Data jurisdiction is relevant for compliance: where are the servers physically located, and which country's laws govern access to your data? Platform support determines usability: does the service offer reliable clients for all your devices?

For organizations and privacy-conscious individuals, self-hosted solutions like Nextcloud paired with European hosting providers offer the best combination of control, privacy, and cost-effectiveness. Choosing independent providers over the dominant platforms is a practical step toward preserving digital autonomy, ensuring that your personal data remains under your own jurisdiction rather than feeding the data ecosystems of a few concentrated technology conglomerates. A Hetzner cloud server with sufficient storage can host Nextcloud for a fraction of what equivalent Google One or Dropbox storage would cost, with the added benefit of complete data sovereignty.

The cloud storage landscape continues to evolve, with increasing emphasis on privacy and encryption. While Google One remains a solid choice for users already embedded in Google's ecosystem who prioritize convenience, the alternatives have matured to the point where switching is practical and, for many use cases, preferable. The right choice depends on your specific priorities: convenience, privacy, cost, or control.

Nextcloud, OnlyOffice, Hetzner, Office365