What is Google One?
IONOS editorial team5 mins
Google One users “subscribe” to a plan of their choice for additional cloud storage for Google Drive and other Google services like Photos, Docs, and Gmail. Depending on your needs, you can buy 100 GB, 200 GB, or even 2,000 GB of storage. Including benefits like tech support, additional filters and effects for photos and videos, and Google Store discounts.
Plan prices as of December 2022.
What is Google One?
If you use Google Drive then you may be wondering, what is Google 1 or Google One? The answer is simple. Google Drive users are given 15 GB of free storage as standard in the Google cloud. But if you need to back up large or many files, create WhatsApp backups with Google Drive, or share the storage with family members, it’s a good idea to look into Google One. This will let you expand your cloud storage space but will cost you a little.
Google One currently offers a choice of three plans with 100 GB, 200 GB, and 2,000 GB of storage. When you subscribe to Google One, nothing changes in the way you use Google Drive. But you do automatically get to enjoy additional cloud storage and more features. Unlike Google Workspace, Google One is for personal use only. Businesses that need more storage and more powerful tools for video conferencing and teamwork use Google Workspace’s plans instead.
How does Google One work?
Google One works just like Google Drive. It doesn’t require any switching or customization. You can keep using your Drive storage to back up files to the cloud, sync with Google Drive, or use Google Drive offline. The only difference in terms of cloud features is the larger storage volume. Attachments, files, photos, and videos are still added to the storage space. Device- and location-independent file access and sharing of Drive files also remain unchanged. There’s no real difference between Google Drive and Google One storage.
What additional features do you get with Google One?
In addition to more cloud storage, you’ll get many more features with a cloud storage plan. These include:
- 24/7 support for Google One subscribers
- Shared family storage for up to five family members (with separate storage)
- Google Play credit
- Up to ten percent discount on Google Store purchases
- Discounts on hotel reservations
- Google One VPN (included with Google One Premium)
- Additional image and video editing tools and filters
How much does Google One cost?
Google One offers three plans with different pricing:
- Basic plan with 100 GB for $1.99 per month
- Standard plan with 200 GB for $2.99 per month
- Premium plan with 2,000 GB for $9.99 per month
If you go for the yearly plan you’ll also receive a 17 percent discount on the total price (as of December 2022).
How do you activate Google One?
If you don’t have a Google account then you first need to create a Google account, to activate Google One. You can either link an existing email address to your Google account or create a new Gmail. Then go to the Google One website, select a plan, and pay by credit card, PayPal, or with Google Pay credit.
If you want to cancel your Google One subscription, sign in to Google and go to Google One. You can cancel anytime and will be billed until the end of the current billing period.
Google One compared to other providers
Google One offers a lot of additional storage space. If you’re looking for similar cloud services or Google Drive alternatives, then you might find answers in this overview:
| Cloud service | Features | Cost for 100 GB to 2 TB | Server location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google One | Cloud storage on a subscription basis for data and device backup and “family storage” | 100 GB: $1.99 per month 200 GB: $2.99 per month | USA/worldwide |
| HiDrive | Cloud storage for backing up, editing, syncing, and sharing files, creating automated backups, ISO-certified, highly secure data centers | 100 GB: $1 per month 250 GB: $3 per month 2 TB: $10 per month | USA |
| OneDrive | Cloud service for individuals and businesses to create backups, centralize data access, and share big data via link | 100 GB: $1.99 per month 1 TB: $69.99 per year | USA |
| Dropbox | Large cloud storage for collaborative work, file sharing, and centralized access to files | 2 TB: $9.99 per month 5 TB: $18 per month | Individuals: USA Business: USA, Australia, EU, Japan, UK |
| MediaFire | US cloud provider with personal and business plans for up to 100 users | from 5 GB | USA |
Status: December 2022
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What is the Google 1 App?
As with Google Drive, a Google One subscription lets you access your cloud storage from all devices. This is possible from both desktop and mobile browsers. In addition, you can try the Google One app. This will let you secure important mobile data on Android and iOS so you can create backups of documents, photos, videos, chats, contacts, or calendar notes. Install the Backup & Sync service for Mac or Windows with Google One to synchronize important data and folders on desktop.
