Google Drive Review: Reliable & Safe Cloud Storage Solution

Nowadays, cloud storage is becoming relevant and hence importance of apps such as Google Drive assumes great importance. With Google Drive, you can access content in an easy and secure way. You can store, share and collaborate files from any mobile device, tablet, or computer. Google Drive provides encrypted and secure access to all your valuable files. The files are scanned for viruses. Moreover, the uploaded files are automatically removed when malware, ransomware, spam, or phishing are detected. Google Drive is cloud-native, which eliminates the need for local files and minimizes risk to your devices. The main highlight of Google Drive is that the app integrates with Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides. Your team can collaborate effectively in real-time. With the help of Google Drive, you can collaborate with Microsoft Office files without any need to convert file formats. You can edit and store over 100 additional file types including PDFs, CAD files, images, and much more. The integration of Google’s AI and search technologies enable teams to move faster. The company has embedded powerful search capabilities in Google Drive with unmatched speed, performance, and reliability.

Working with Google Drive

To work with Google Drive, you need to navigate to drive.google.com and sign-in using your Gmail credentials. You will view a dashboard as shown below.

You can upload new files and create new folder by selecting New button the top left side below the Drive logo. You can also create Google Docs, Sheets, and much more from within Google Drive. The relevant file will be automatically saved inside Google Drive. You just need access to one single Google Drive to create and manage documents, spreadsheets, slides, and much more.

You can upload new files by selecting File Upload option. Google Drive displays upload progress as shown below. It will take time to upload images depending upon the capacity of the file. You will view Green tick marks after the completion of the upload. You can also upload a folder and the entire file(s) will be transferred.

You can also install Google Drive for Desktop to upload files directly from your Windows desktop without logging into the web-based interface. Alternatively, you can also try Google Drive for iOS and Android operating platforms. The capacity of the installer is large and hence you will have to wait to download.

The installation process took long time and the app hangs. You will have to wait till the app completely loads. However, we are not completely impressed with the Google Drive for Desktop app because the uploading process is not as smooth as Microsoft OneDrive. The web interface enables users to view the available storage out of the total 15GB across all Google properties. You can purchase additional storage depending upon your requirements.

Google Drive Competitors

Unlike all other services, Google Drive also has several competitors such as Microsoft OneDrive, Mega, Box, and much more. We have seen the rapid rise of India’s own Diggiboxx, which houses the servers within India and has been developed as per AatmaNirbhar Bharat initiative envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mega provides 50GB free storage, which is the largest among all free cloud storage platforms. You can also try CBackup cloud storage service from AOMEI, which we reviewed recently.

Conclusion

Google Drive is an excellent, safe and capable cloud-based data storage service. You will be able to store plenty of documents, spreadsheets, and much more inside the drive. Google Drive will be useful for beginners. However, advanced users will find it difficult to manage because of the 15GB space limit across all Google properties. We would appreciate if Google increases the storage limit to 25GB so that students and professionals can make use of the platform for various purposes amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Google Drive

Free/Paid

97

Simple to use

10/10

Excellent interface

10/10

Easy to upload files

10/10

Secured and Reliable

10/10

Desktop app

9/10

Pros

• No installation required
• Easy to use
• Quick file upload
• Easy to manage

Cons

• Only 15GB storage
• Expensive Paid option

Google Drive