File Storage · head to head
IDrive vs Microsoft OneDrive
IDrive
File Storage
Affordable online backup with multiple device support
- From
- $2.5/month
- Rated
- -
Microsoft OneDrive
File Storage
Cloud storage that comes with Microsoft 365
- From
- $1.99/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- 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 free tier not available; minimum cost is $1.99/month for 100 GB storage
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which IDrive and Microsoft OneDrive actually diverge.
| Attribute | IDrive | Microsoft OneDrive |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $2.5/month | $1.99/month |
| Platforms | Windows, Mac, Linux, Web | Web |
| Founded | 1995 | Unknown |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 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
- Personal cloud storage and file backupnot IDrive
- Family file sharing and collaborationnot IDrive
- Business document managementnot IDrive
- Enterprise ransomware protectionnot IDrive
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
- Free tier not available; minimum cost is $1.99/month for 100 GB storage
- Higher-tier plans required for advanced Copilot features
- Per-user pricing increases significantly with family plans
Pricing, plan by plan
IDrive
$2.5/month- IDrive Personal$2.5/month
- Promotional pricing: $2.50/month (billed annually)
- Regular pricing: $6.99/month
- 50% savings with annual billing
- IDrive Team$null/month
- Cloud backup service for small business
- IDrive Business$null/month
- Backup for computers and servers
- IDrive 360 Enterprise Backup$null/month
- Endpoint, servers, and SaaS cloud backup
- For MSPs and IT teams
Microsoft OneDrive
$1.99/month- Microsoft 365 Basic$1.99/month
- 100 GB cloud storage
- Outlook access
- OneDrive access
- Microsoft 365 Personal$9.99/month
- 1 TB cloud storage
- Desktop Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote)
- Copilot features
- Microsoft 365 Family$12.99/month
- Up to 6 TB cloud storage (1 TB per person)
- 1-6 users supported
- Same apps and features as Personal
- Microsoft 365 Premium$19.99/month
- Up to 6 TB cloud storage (1 TB per person)
- 1-6 users
- Extensive Copilot feature access
Which should you pick?
Choose IDrive if
- You need multiple device backup.
- 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 $2.5/month and Microsoft OneDrive at $1.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, IDrive or Microsoft OneDrive?
- IDrive starts at $2.5/month and Microsoft OneDrive at $1.99/month.
- Does IDrive or Microsoft OneDrive run on more platforms?
- IDrive runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Web. Microsoft OneDrive runs on Web.
- 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.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
IDrive: How much does IDrive Personal cost?
IDrive Personal starts at $2.50/month when billed annually, representing a 50% discount from the regular price of $6.99/month. A 7-day free trial is available without requiring a credit card.
SourceMicrosoft OneDrive: How much does Microsoft OneDrive cost?
OneDrive pricing starts at $1.99/month for Microsoft 365 Basic with 100 GB storage. Personal plan costs $9.99/month with 1 TB storage. Family plan at $12.99/month supports 1-6 people with up to 6 TB total storage. Premium tier at $19.99/month adds advanced Copilot and AI features.
SourceIDrive: What is the price for IDrive Cloud Applications Backup?
IDrive Cloud Applications Backup costs $20 per seat per year with unlimited storage. This covers backups for Microsoft 365, Microsoft Entra ID, Google Workspace, Salesforce, Dropbox, and Box.
SourceMicrosoft OneDrive: Is there a free version of Microsoft OneDrive?
Microsoft does not offer a free OneDrive plan through their paid subscription tiers. However, users with Microsoft accounts receive 5 GB of complimentary OneDrive storage at no cost when creating a Microsoft account.
SourceIDrive: How much does IDrive e2 cloud object storage cost?
IDrive e2 starts at $29.75 per year for 1 TB (first-year promotional pricing; regular price $59.50/year). IDrive markets this as 90% cheaper than AWS pricing for equivalent storage.
SourceMicrosoft OneDrive: What security features are included in OneDrive plans?
All OneDrive plans include ransomware detection with files restore, password-protected and expiring-link file sharing settings, and anywhere editing with real-time collaboration. Premium and higher tiers offer exclusive agentic AI security features.
SourceRelated pages
More on Microsoft OneDrive
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