Google One’s price ladder has crept up every year, and the last round pushed the 2 TB plan past the point where a small NAS pays for itself in about eighteen months. The recent XDA piece on swapping Google One for a two-bay NAS made the same point with hard numbers. If you want off, these Google One alternatives cover the two main jobs Google’s plan handles: photo and file backup, and cross-device sync. Some are cheaper subscriptions, some are one-time buys, and one is a NAS you own outright.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price/mo | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proton Drive | End-to-end-encrypted sync | 5 GB | $3.99 | Zero-access encryption on files and metadata |
| Sync.com | Secure team storage | 5 GB | $6.00 | Canadian jurisdiction with zero-knowledge default |
| iDrive | Full-machine backup | 10 GB | $2.95 | Backs up unlimited devices to one plan |
| Backblaze | Set-and-forget desktop backup | None | $9.00 per computer | Unlimited size, one flat monthly rate |
| pCloud | One-time lifetime purchase | 10 GB | $4.99 or $199 lifetime | Pay once, keep the storage forever |
| Nextcloud | Self-hosted sync | Self-hosted free | Hosting cost only | Owned files with a Google-style web app |
| Synology DiskStation Manager | Two-bay NAS at home | Included with hardware | Hardware cost | Photos, sync, backup, and media in one box |
Why people leave Google One
Users on Reddit and in the XDA report describe three recurring reasons. The first is price creep on the 200 GB and 2 TB tiers, without matching increases in what the plans include. The second is the family-sharing model, which counts every member’s Photos, Drive, and Gmail against the same shared pool. The third is control: Google One is convenient, but the backup that matters most (family photos, tax records, work files) is sitting on a Google account that could be locked overnight for a policy violation.
The alternatives split into three camps. Encrypted sync services (Proton, Sync) give you Google’s convenience with better privacy. Backup services (iDrive, Backblaze) protect the whole machine instead of a folder. Self-hosted options (Nextcloud, a Synology NAS) trade a subscription for hardware you own.
Proton Drive – Best for end-to-end encrypted sync
Proton Drive encrypts files, filenames, and metadata on your device before upload. It ships desktop apps for Windows and macOS with a native file-system integration that mirrors Google Drive’s, plus mobile apps that back up photos and videos. If you use Proton Mail already, the storage is shared.
Where it falls short: Linux desktop client is still in beta. Media previews for large videos are slower than Google’s because they cannot be pre-transcoded server-side.
Pricing:
- Free: 5 GB with Proton account
- Paid: $3.99 per month for 200 GB, $9.99 for 500 GB, family plan for 3 TB
- vs Google One: Roughly the same price at 200 GB, but with true end-to-end encryption
Migrating from Google One: Proton has a Drive Easy Switch tool that pulls Google Drive contents into Proton Drive with a Google OAuth login. Photos migrate over separately. Estimate a day for a mid-size library on a home connection.
Download: proton.me/drive
Bottom line: The right pick if you want sync with Google’s ergonomics and none of the surveillance.
Sync.com – Best for secure team storage
Sync.com is Canadian, zero-knowledge by default, and has been running the same product for over a decade. It runs a virtual drive on Windows and Mac, supports shared team folders, and lets you send password-protected links that expire on a schedule.
Where it falls short: No native Linux desktop client. The mobile app can be slow to sync large media libraries.
Pricing:
- Free: 5 GB
- Paid: $6.00 per month for 2 TB solo, team plans from $6.00 per user
- vs Google One: Better privacy floor. Slightly pricier at the 2 TB tier, but includes team collaboration Google gates behind Workspace
Migrating from Google One: No first-party migration tool. Use a desktop copy from a Google Drive sync client into the Sync folder, or a third-party mover like Air Explorer.
Download: sync.com
Bottom line: For freelancers and small teams who want zero-knowledge without a self-hosted setup.
iDrive – Best for backing up every device on one plan
iDrive is a backup service, not a sync service. It ships with desktop apps for Windows, Mac, and Linux, plus a mobile app, and one plan covers every device on your account. That is the opposite of Google One’s family-shared quota.
Where it falls short: The UI has not seen a modern refresh in years. First backup on a slow home connection can take days for a full machine.
Pricing:
- Free: 10 GB
- Paid: $2.95 first year for 100 GB, higher after renewal
- vs Google One: Much cheaper per gigabyte, but not a live-sync tool. Restores are one-time rather than on-demand
Migrating from Google One: iDrive backs up whatever folder you point it at, so pull your Google Drive local cache down first and then set the folder as an iDrive source.
Download: idrive.com
Bottom line: A backup, not a sync, and the strongest option if you want every machine covered.
Backblaze – Best for set-and-forget desktop backup
Backblaze Personal Backup is the flat-rate backup product that made “unlimited” a real word again. One computer, one price, unlimited storage size, and it backs up everything on the internal disk plus attached USB drives by default.
Where it falls short: One computer per license, no mobile backup, no shared drives, and older external disks drop out of protection if you unplug them for six months.
Pricing:
- Free: None
- Paid: $9.00 per month per computer
- vs Google One: More storage per dollar for the desktop use case. Not a good fit for phone photos or shared family libraries
Migrating from Google One: Backblaze indexes whatever is on the disk. Sync Google Drive down to a local folder and Backblaze will pick it up on the next scan.
Download: backblaze.com/computer-backup
Bottom line: The right pick for a single power user with a lot of local data.
pCloud – Best for a one-time lifetime purchase
pCloud is the Swiss cloud storage service best known for lifetime plans. Pay once, keep the storage forever, and the desktop client mounts pCloud as a virtual drive so files do not eat local disk unless you pin them. Optional pCloud Encryption adds zero-knowledge folders inside the account.
Where it falls short: The lifetime plan is a large upfront cost. Encryption is a paid add-on rather than the default.
Pricing:
- Free: 10 GB
- Paid: $4.99 per month for 500 GB, or $199 lifetime for 500 GB
- vs Google One: Roughly the same annual cost at 500 GB, but the lifetime option turns into savings after four years
Migrating from Google One: pCloud has an integrated Google Drive importer that pulls files into pCloud without downloading them to your machine first.
Download: pcloud.com
Bottom line: The best answer for anyone who resents recurring bills and would rather buy storage once.
Nextcloud – Best for self-hosted sync
Nextcloud is the open-source suite that turns any Linux server, Raspberry Pi, or old PC into a Google Drive replacement. Desktop clients sync folders, a mobile app backs up photos, and add-on apps cover calendar, contacts, and shared editing. Communities run it on everything from a mini PC in a closet to a rented VPS.
Where it falls short: You maintain it. Storage size and reliability are limited by whatever hardware you point it at, and updates require attention.
Pricing:
- Free: Self-hosted with no license fee
- Paid: Managed hosting through providers like Hetzner or Nextcloud’s own partners, from about $5 per month
- vs Google One: Effectively free once the hardware is paid off. The cost is your time
Migrating from Google One: Use Google Takeout to export your Drive, then upload into Nextcloud. The Photos app in Nextcloud can index Google Takeout metadata directly.
Download: nextcloud.com
Bottom line: The right pick if you already run a home server or want to.
Synology DiskStation Manager – Best for a two-bay NAS at home
Synology DiskStation Manager, the software that runs on Synology’s DS-series NAS units, ships with Synology Drive (sync), Synology Photos (photo backup with face and object recognition), and Hyper Backup (offsite backup). A two-bay unit with a pair of consumer drives gets you 6 TB to 16 TB of local, deduplicated storage.
Where it falls short: Real upfront cost for the hardware, and Synology has raised prices on drive compatibility. Setup takes an afternoon.
Pricing:
- Free: Bundled with any Synology NAS
- Paid: Hardware only. A DS224+ with two 8 TB drives lands around $600
- vs Google One: Pays back a 2 TB Google One plan in roughly eighteen months and never expires
Migrating from Google One: Synology Photos has a Google Photos import, and Synology Drive Client mounts the NAS as a local folder, so pointing your existing Google Drive folder at it works after the initial copy.
Download: synology.com/en-global/dsm
Bottom line: The endgame for anyone tired of paying rent on their own files.
How to choose
Pick Proton Drive or Sync.com if you want Google One’s convenience with real privacy: Proton if you already use Proton Mail, Sync if you want a Canadian jurisdiction and simpler team folders. Pick iDrive if the priority is protecting every device the family uses. Pick Backblaze if it is one power user’s laptop and the goal is unlimited size at a flat rate. Pick pCloud if the idea of paying rent on storage rankles and a lifetime purchase fits the budget. Pick Nextcloud if you want the same features Google offers on hardware you own, and you are comfortable maintaining a small server. Pick a Synology NAS if you want the self-hosted option without the maintenance burden. Stay on Google One only if the workflow is deep into Google Photos face groups and Family Link, both of which are hard to reproduce.
FAQ
What is the cheapest Google One alternative?
At the storage sizes most families need, pCloud with a lifetime plan works out cheapest over four years, and Nextcloud on hardware you already own is effectively free. Month-to-month, iDrive’s introductory 100 GB plan is the lowest cash entry.
Can I still use Google Photos face grouping if I leave Google One?
Not with the same photos, but Synology Photos, Immich (a self-hosted app that pairs with Nextcloud), and pCloud’s AI features all do face grouping locally.
Is a NAS really cheaper than Google One?
At 2 TB and above, yes, over eighteen months to two years. At 100 or 200 GB it is not, because the NAS hardware costs more than a few years of the small plan.
Which alternative works on Linux?
Proton Drive has a beta Linux client, Nextcloud has native Linux clients, and Backblaze runs headless on Linux via B2 with third-party clients. pCloud and Sync do not ship Linux desktop apps as of 2026.
Do I lose Gmail and Docs if I leave Google One?
No. Google One is only the storage add-on. Your Gmail and Docs stay on the free 15 GB baseline account. Only the extra storage disappears when the plan ends.
