JOIN USSix best alternatives to Google Photos app
In November 2020, Google announced that device owners (except those with Pixel 1-5) will no longer enjoy the free unlimited storage of Google Photos from June 1, 2021 onwards.
The company said it has become tough to scale up the cloud storage as people around the world are uploading billions of images and videos to the Google Photos app. It has already maintained 4 trillion photos and it is registering 28 billion content every week.
So, from Tuesday (June 1), Google Photos app users will get access only to 15GB storage. For more space, consumers will have to subscribe to Google One plan.
The company is offering three plans with options of a monthly or annual subscription. Consumers can opt for 100GB Google One service with monthly (Rs 130)/annual (Rs 1,300) fees.
For 200GB and 2TB, consumers have to pay Rs 2,100 ( or Rs 210/month) and Rs 6,500 (or Rs 650/month) for yearly plans, respectively. These can be shared with family members as well.
To be fair, the aforementioned Google One plans are actually cost-effective and consumers can continue with Google Photos.
If you have already made a decision to jump the ship, we will help you find the best alternatives. Here they are:
Microsoft 365 or OneDrive
This is a really good option for corporates. For individuals, it costs Rs 4,899/year (or Rs 489/month) for 1TB and Rs 6,199/year (or Rs 619/month) for the Family plan (6TB, 1TB for each family member of six).
In addition to cloud storage and users get access to premium productivity-related Word, PowerPoint, Excell, and Outlook applications across all platforms and compatible devices such as iPhone, Android mobile, tablets, Macs, and Windows PC.
If you want just the cloud storage, you can opt for basic Microsoft OneDrive. It offers 5GB of free storage. There is another standalone Microsoft OneDrive plan for Rs 149/month, which offers 100GB storage.
Apple iCloud or Apple One bundle
If you are an Apple device owner, it is best to upgrade the Apple iCloud to any of three plans-- 50GB (Rs 75/month) or 200GB ( Rs219/month) or 2TB (Rs749/month).
Or else, consumers look for Apple One bundles. In addition to iCloud storage, They offer exclusive access to Apple TV+, Music and Apple Arcade.
Apple One India Plans
--Individual plan includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and 50GB of iCloud storage for Rs 195 per month. With this, Apple device owners can save up to Rs 177 per month if subscribed to individual services.
--Family plan includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and 200GB of iCloud storage for Rs 365 per month, and can be shared among up to six family members. With this, Apple device owners can save up to Rs 200 per month if subscribed to individual services.
There is also another Premier plan for global consumers
--Premier plan includes Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+, and 2TB of iCloud storage for $29.95/month (not available in India) and can be shared among up to six family members.
JioCloud- Free Cloud Storage
JioCloud storage is one of the best for Indian customers. It offers 50GB free cloud storage and users can claim more with the 'Refer & Earn' programme and promotions run time-to-time.
Amazon Photos app
This app is available only on Google Play Store for Android phones. Anybody with Prime membership (in select countries only), will get access to free unlimited storage. One caveat is that users can upload only 5GB of videos. But, there is no limit to photos.
Also, users get access to Prime Video, Prime Music, exclusive lighting deals during festive seasons, and also get a free one or two-day delivery option for doing purchases on Amazon e-commerce app.
However, there is no Amazon Photos app for Apple iPhones and device owners may have to rely on iCloud for now.
Flickr
It offers three plans-- Individual monthly plan for $7.99 (approx.Rs 580/m) . Benefits include unlimited storage ad-free, plus get advanced statistics, and backup with the desktop Auto-Uploadr feature.
The 3-month Pro plan costs $21.99 (around Rs 1,596). It offers unlimited storage ad-free, plus get advanced statistics, and backup with the desktop Auto-Uploadr.
The third option is an annual plan for $71.88 (around Rs 5,216). It offers unlimited storage, ad-free, with advanced statistics, backup via the desktop Auto-Uploadr, and exclusive discounts from Adobe, Blurb, SmugMug, and Priime.
Dropbox
It offers 5GB free cloud storage for the Basics plan. If you want more, you can upgrade to Dropbox Plus for $9.99 (approx. Rs. 725) a month or $119.88 (around Rs 8,699) a year and get 2TB storage (fully encrypted).
There is also Dropbox Family option for $16.99 (roughly Rs 1,233) monthly or $203.88 (approx. Rs 14,795) annual plans. Up to six members can get 2TB storage via Family Room sharing option.
Both the aforementioned plan will offer users to recover changed or deleted files within 30 days.
For corporates, there is Professional + eSign plan for $24.99 (approx. Rs 1,813) monthly or $299.88 (around Rs 21,760). Subscribers will get access to 3TB (3,000GB) encrypted storage and can send unlimited documents for signature. Also, users can recover changed or deleted files within 180 days.
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