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File Storage · head to head

Google Drive vs IDrive e2

Google Drive logo

Google Drive

File Storage

Google's consumer cloud storage app, sharing the same 15GB quota as Gmail and Google Photos

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IDrive e2 logo

IDrive e2

File Storage

Low cost S3-compatible object storage with egress included up to a multiple of what you store

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Google Drive free storage is a 15GB pool shared with Gmail and Google Photos, so heavy use of any one of those services reduces what is left for the others.; IDrive e2 the included egress is capped as a multiple of stored data, so a small bucket that serves a lot of traffic exhausts the allowance quickly and the economics stop looking cheap exactly where a CDN backed store would still be free.
  • They diverge on capability: Google Drive covers Cloud file storage and sync, IDrive e2 covers S3-compatible endpoints.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Drive and IDrive e2 actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Drive and IDrive e2 differ
AttributeGoogle DriveIDrive e2
Pricing modelFree tier plus paid storage add-onPer terabyte per month
PlatformsiOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOSWeb, API

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (File Storage).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Google Drive

  • Cloud file storage and sync
  • Google Docs, Sheets, Slides
  • Shared drives and permissions
  • Offline access
  • Version history
  • Third party format support

Only in IDrive e2

  • S3-compatible endpoints
  • Included egress allowance
  • Object lock
  • Versioning
  • Regional endpoints
  • Cross region replication

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Google Drive

  • Backing up and syncing personal files across a phone, laptop and desktopnot IDrive e2
  • Collaborating on a document, spreadsheet or presentation in real time with othersnot IDrive e2
  • Sharing a folder of files with specific permission levels with a defined groupnot IDrive e2
  • Storing large attachments to send by link instead of email attachment size limitsnot IDrive e2

IDrive e2

  • The offsite copy in a three two one backup chain driven by Veeam, restic or a NAS backup clientnot Google Drive
  • Replacing an S3 bucket whose cost is dominated by storage rather than by requestsnot Google Drive
  • Small teams who want predictable monthly object storage billing with no request line itemsnot Google Drive
  • Archiving media or logs that must stay accessible without a retrieval delaynot Google Drive

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Google Drive

  • Free storage is a 15GB pool shared with Gmail and Google Photos, so heavy use of any one of those services reduces what is left for the others.
  • Version history and recovery for accidentally deleted files has limits, and permanently deleted items are unrecoverable after a set retention period passes.
  • Sharing links can be misconfigured to be more open than intended, and Google's permission model has been a source of accidental oversharing for organisations and individuals alike.
  • Native Google Docs format files do not export perfectly to Microsoft Office formats in all cases, and complex formatting can shift on conversion.
  • This is the consumer product with consumer-grade support; organisations needing admin controls, audit logs and larger storage pools need the separate paid Google Workspace product instead.

IDrive e2

  • The included egress is capped as a multiple of stored data, so a small bucket that serves a lot of traffic exhausts the allowance quickly and the economics stop looking cheap exactly where a CDN backed store would still be free.
  • The region list is short compared with the hyperscalers, so data residency requirements outside the main markets are hard to satisfy and multi region designs have fewer options.
  • S3 compatibility covers the common calls but not the long tail, so software that relies on less common features can fail in ways that are hard to diagnose against a provider with thin public documentation.
  • Support is organised around a consumer and small business backup product rather than a platform engineering organisation, so escalating a storage layer problem takes longer than it would with a specialist provider.
  • IDrive publishes far less about the underlying architecture, durability engineering and incident history than its competitors, so due diligence on the storage layer is largely taking the vendor at its word.

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Drive

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 15GB shared across Gmail, Drive and Photos
  • Google One 100GB$1.99/month
    • 100GB shared storage across the same Google services
  • Google One 2TB$9.99/month
    • 2TB shared storage

IDrive e2

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10 GB stored
    • S3 API access
    • Egress within the included allowance
  • Pay as you go$4/month
    • Roughly 4 USD per terabyte stored per month
    • Egress included up to a multiple of stored data
    • No per operation charge on standard usage

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Drive if

  • You need cloud file storage and sync.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want google docs, sheets, slides.
Google Drive review

Choose IDrive e2 if

  • You need s3-compatible endpoints.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want included egress allowance.
IDrive e2 review

Questions people ask

Is Google Drive or IDrive e2 better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Drive starts at Free and IDrive e2 at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Drive or IDrive e2?
Google Drive starts at Free and IDrive e2 at Free.
Does Google Drive or IDrive e2 run on more platforms?
Google Drive runs on iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS. IDrive e2 runs on Web, API.
Can I use Google Drive for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Google Drive best used for?
Google Drive is most often used for backing up and syncing personal files across a phone, laptop and desktop, collaborating on a document, spreadsheet or presentation in real time with others, sharing a folder of files with specific permission levels with a defined group, storing large attachments to send by link instead of email attachment size limits. Of those, backing up and syncing personal files across a phone, laptop and desktop and collaborating on a document, spreadsheet or presentation in real time with others are not what IDrive e2 is typically brought in for.
What can Google Drive do that IDrive e2 cannot?
Google Drive covers Cloud file storage and sync, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Shared drives and permissions, Offline access. IDrive e2 covers S3-compatible endpoints, Included egress allowance, Object lock, Versioning.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Drive: Is Google Drive free?

Yes, up to a 15GB storage pool shared with Gmail and Google Photos; more storage requires a paid Google One subscription.

IDrive e2: Is the egress genuinely free?

It is included up to an allowance tied to how much you store, not unlimited. Read heavy workloads on a small bucket will exceed it.

Google Drive: Is this the same as the Save to Google Drive browser extension?

No, that is a separate browser extension for saving web pages directly into Drive; this entry covers the storage and document app itself.

IDrive e2: Does it work with Veeam and restic?

Yes, both treat it as a standard S3 endpoint, and object lock is supported for immutable backup chains.

Google Drive: Do I need Google Workspace for business use?

For individual or informal use the free or Google One consumer tiers work, but organisations wanting admin controls and larger pooled storage need Google Workspace.

IDrive e2: Is there a minimum retention period?

No fixed minimum retention charge on standard storage, which is a real difference from providers that bill ninety days on early deletion.

IDrive e2: How does it compare with Backblaze B2?

The rates are close. B2 is the better documented and more widely integrated service; e2 is cheaper at list and has a different egress allowance model.

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Related pages

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