File Storage & Backup · head to head
IDrive vs Microsoft OneDrive
IDrive
File Storage & Backup
Affordable online backup with multiple device support
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Microsoft OneDrive
File Storage & Backup
Cloud storage that comes with Microsoft 365
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only IDrive has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: IDrive the advertised annual rates are first year introductory prices, with standard pricing applying from the second year onward; Microsoft OneDrive storage is not sold standalone at these tiers; it is bundled into Microsoft 365 subscriptions, with Basic limited to 100 GB and only Personal and above reaching 1 TB per person
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which IDrive and Microsoft OneDrive actually diverge.
| Attribute | IDrive | Microsoft OneDrive |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Windows, Mac, Linux, Web | Web |
| Founded | 1995 | Unknown |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (File Storage & Backup).
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 IDrive
- Multiple device backup
- True archiving
- Continuous protection
- IDrive Express
- Snapshots
- File sharing
- iOS
- Android
Only in Microsoft OneDrive
Nothing recorded that IDrive does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
IDrive
- Online backup for computers, servers and mobile devicesnot Microsoft OneDrive
- Backing up multiple machines under one accountnot Microsoft OneDrive
Microsoft OneDrive
No use cases recorded yet. See the Microsoft OneDrive review.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
IDrive
- The advertised annual rates are first year introductory prices, with standard pricing applying from the second year onward
- The two year offer discounts only the first year, so the second year reverts to the full rate
- Team plans tie user and computer counts to the storage tier, so 10 TB means exactly 10 computers
- Business storage costs far more per terabyte than Personal, at $719.88 a year for 1.25 TB against $143.88 for 5 TB
Microsoft OneDrive
- Storage is not sold standalone at these tiers; it is bundled into Microsoft 365 subscriptions, with Basic limited to 100 GB and only Personal and above reaching 1 TB per person
- Family and Premium plans cap shared storage at 1 TB per person even when only 1 of the allotted 6 people are using the subscription
- Subscriptions automatically renew and must be canceled through the Microsoft account dashboard to stop billing
Pricing, plan by plan
IDrive
Free- Personal$4/month
- 5TB storage
- Unlimited devices
- IDrive Express
Microsoft OneDrive
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft OneDrive review.
Which should you pick?
Choose IDrive if
- You need multiple device backup.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web.
- You also want true archiving.
Choose Microsoft OneDrive if
Nothing in the data separates Microsoft OneDrive from IDrive on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is IDrive or Microsoft OneDrive better?
- Neither clearly leads. IDrive starts at Free and Microsoft OneDrive at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, IDrive or Microsoft OneDrive?
- IDrive has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for IDrive and On request for Microsoft OneDrive.
- Does IDrive or Microsoft OneDrive run on more platforms?
- IDrive runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web. Microsoft OneDrive runs on Web.
- Can I use IDrive for free?
- Yes. IDrive has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Microsoft OneDrive starts at On request.
- What is IDrive best used for?
- IDrive is most often used for online backup for computers, servers and mobile devices, backing up multiple machines under one account. Of those, online backup for computers, servers and mobile devices and backing up multiple machines under one account are not what Microsoft OneDrive is typically brought in for.
- What can IDrive do that Microsoft OneDrive cannot?
- IDrive covers Multiple device backup, True archiving, Continuous protection, IDrive Express.