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File Storage · head to head

Google Drive vs Zerto

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
Zerto logo

Zerto

File Storage

Continuous data protection with near-zero RPO

From
$5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Google Drive has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Zerto zerto with Azure is listed on UK G-Cloud as a reseller-managed disaster recovery service, not Zerto's own licence pricing, with OS management from £75 per host per month for the public sector
  • They diverge on capability: Google Drive covers Cloud file storage and sync, Zerto covers Continuous data protection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Drive and Zerto actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Drive and Zerto differ
AttributeGoogle DriveZerto
Starting priceFree$5/month
Pricing modelFree tier plus paid storage add-onsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOSWindows, Linux, Web
FoundedUnknown2009

Identical on both: 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 Zerto

  • Continuous data protection
  • Journal-based recovery
  • Automated failover
  • Non-disruptive testing
  • Multi-cloud mobility
  • Long-term retention
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V

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 Zerto
  • Collaborating on a document, spreadsheet or presentation in real time with othersnot Zerto
  • Sharing a folder of files with specific permission levels with a defined groupnot Zerto
  • Storing large attachments to send by link instead of email attachment size limitsnot Zerto

Zerto

  • Data protectionnot Google Drive
  • Disaster recoverynot Google Drive
  • Business continuitynot Google Drive
  • Ransomware protectionnot Google Drive
  • Compliancenot 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.

Zerto

  • Zerto with Azure is listed on UK G-Cloud as a reseller-managed disaster recovery service, not Zerto's own licence pricing, with OS management from £75 per host per month for the public sector

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

Zerto

$5/month
  • Zerto Enterprise Cloud$5/month
    • Continuous protection
    • Journal-based recovery
    • Multi-cloud mobility

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 Zerto if

  • You need continuous data protection.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Web.
  • You also want journal-based recovery.
Zerto review

Questions people ask

Is Google Drive or Zerto better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Drive starts at Free and Zerto at $5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Drive or Zerto?
Google Drive has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Drive and $5/month for Zerto.
Does Google Drive or Zerto run on more platforms?
Google Drive runs on iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS. Zerto runs on Windows, Linux, Web.
Can I use Google Drive for free?
Yes. Google Drive has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zerto starts at $5/month.
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 Zerto is typically brought in for.
What can Google Drive do that Zerto cannot?
Google Drive covers Cloud file storage and sync, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Shared drives and permissions, Offline access. Zerto covers Continuous data protection, Journal-based recovery, Automated failover, Non-disruptive testing.

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.

Zerto: Can I try Zerto before buying?

Yes, Zerto offers a 14-day free trial or on-demand lab access to test the platform.

Source
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.

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.

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Related pages

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