Google Drive vs OneDrive: which cloud drive wins for you?
Google Drive has the biggest free tier (15 GB). OneDrive has the cheapest bundle (Microsoft 365 Family, 6 TB, plus Office apps, at $129.99/year). The choice usually comes down to which productivity suite you already live in. Prices checked September 3, 2026.
The short answer
✓ Prices checked September 3, 2026
| Provider | Free | Entry paid | 6 TB tier | Family | Bundled apps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Drive (Google One) | 15 GB | See current price (100 GB Basic) | n/a (2 TB Premium is top personal) | Up to 5 members | Docs, Sheets, Slides (free) |
| OneDrive (Microsoft 365 Basic) | 5 GB | $1.99/mo (100 GB) | 6 TB via Family $129.99/yr | 6 users x 1 TB each | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook (with Family) |
When Google Drive wins
You live in Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Photos already. Free 15 GB is the biggest free tier in the category, shared across all three. Real-time collaboration in Google Docs is still the best in the class. If your workflow is Google-first, Drive wins by default.
When OneDrive wins
You use Microsoft Office or want to. Microsoft 365 Family at $129.99/year gives 6 TB total (1 TB per user across 6 users) plus Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook desktop apps for every user. No other cloud-drive bundle in the category matches that per-TB math if you actually use all six seats. OneDrive Personal at $1.99/month for 100 GB is also the cheapest paid entry tier of any major cloud drive.
Where they tie
Both do the core job: cloud drive, sync client, sharing, real-time collaboration, mobile apps. Both are mature and reliable. Both integrate with hundreds of third-party apps.
The bottom line
Use Office already: OneDrive via Microsoft 365 Family. Use Google Docs already: Google Drive. If you have a household of 3 to 6 users, Microsoft 365 Family’s per-TB math is unbeatable, and you get Office for the whole house.
Common questions
Which has more free storage?
Google Drive at 15 GB (shared with Gmail and Google Photos). OneDrive gives 5 GB. That is why so many casual users default to Google Drive: the free tier lasts.
Which is cheaper for 2 TB?
Comparable pricing on paid single-user tiers. If you can use Microsoft 365 Family across 3+ users, the 6 TB shared pool at $129.99/year works out to less than half the per-TB rate of Google One Premium 2 TB. Multi-user math favours Microsoft.
Do their document editors work offline?
Yes for both. Google Docs works offline on Chrome and Chromebooks with the extension enabled. Word and Excel desktop apps (included with Microsoft 365) work offline natively and sync when you reconnect.
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