[ad_1]
Credit: Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
Unlimited storage on Google Photos is unfortunately coming to an end in June 2021, with all photos uploaded afterwards counting towards your free 15 GB storage on Google Drive. This means that at best, you have a few years of free storage left before you have to start paying for more space.
For those who want to get off the ship early, the good news is that there are already several Google Photos alternatives on the market. The bad news is that none of them offer the same set of features, and some require a lot more effort to set up. Here’s a look at your best options!
Best Google Photos alternatives
Should you stop using Google Photos?
Credit: Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
Before getting into Google Photos alternatives, it’s worth asking the question: is it better to pay for more storage in Google Photos?
The answer is probably yes. The free unlimited storage was only part of what made Google Photos the best option. The ability to quickly search your photo library by date, location, or keyword is incredibly useful, and no other service can match it.
Learn more: Everything you need to know about Google One
Another thing to consider is that none of these alternatives will be free forever. Most have an even smaller free capacity than Google Drive, and some also require hardware or software subscription fees. In most cases, it’s best to bite the bullet and pay $ 2 per month (or $ 20 per year) for 100GB once you’ve hit the limit.
It’s also worth noting that Pixel owners keep free and unlimited Google Photo storage. They are also great phones with options for all budgets. You can read more about this range here.
With that out of the way, here are the best Google Photos alternatives for those who want to cut the service out of their lives for good.
Amazon Photos
Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
For those who have become too accustomed to truly unlimited storage, Amazon Photos is a great replacement. Better yet, you already have it if you pay for Amazon Prime.
Amazon Photos is basically unlimited cloud storage, but only for photos. You can store 5GB of videos and other files, but you have to pay more than that. However, it does have some keyword research features. They’re not as good as Google’s, but it’s better than nothing. You can also save photos in original quality.
Like Google Photos, the app automatically syncs your photos and you can share them with family members as well. Unlimited photo storage can be shared with up to six family members on a single subscription. However, if you cancel your Amazon Prime membership, you will lose access to your photos, and they may even be deleted permanently.
Dropbox
Credit: Jon Fingas / Android Authority
Dropbox is a very popular cloud storage service, and if configured correctly, it can serve as a decent alternative to Google Photos. You can automatically sync all photos on your phone to a secure location in the cloud. It also has some of the best third-party integrations of any cloud provider.
Also read: Google One vs. the competition: Dropbox, OneDrive, iCloud and more
However, the free version is limited. You only get 2GB of storage (compared to 15GB with Google Photos and a few others), and the paid plans are significantly more expensive than its competition. What you get in return are additional safety and productivity features, which may be worth it if you only want to store photos of your kids.
Flickr
Flickr has been around for a long time, but not everyone knows that it offers great photo storage plans. It is primarily intended for professional and amateur photographers as a way to host and share high quality photos, but it can also be ideal for everyday users.
The app offers automatic syncing of all your photos or individual downloads if you just want to save the best photos. Photos and videos can be set as private to keep prying eyes out of your personal life. Since it’s designed for photos from scratch, organizing everything in albums is a snap too.
Free plans previously offered 1TB of storage, but now they’re limited to 1,000 photos. If you want unlimited storage, you’ll need to get Flickr Pro, which costs $ 7 per month (or $ 60 per year).
Apple iCloud
If you have an iPhone, chances are you are already using iCloud. It’s a cloud storage tool just as robust as Google Drive, if it doesn’t surpass it in some cases. ICloud Photos is the part we’ll focus on here, and like Google Photos, it’s an easy way to keep all of your photos safe in the cloud. It doesn’t have the same search capabilities, but you can access your photos from virtually any device.
Free users are limited to 5GB of storage, but Apple iCloud offers some of the cheaper expansion plans. 50GB runs at just $ 1 per month, 200GB at $ 3 per month, and 2TB at just $ 10 per month. You can also save money on other subscriptions by bundling them with Apple One.
However, if you’re not an iPhone user, you’ll want to look elsewhere. There is currently no official support for Android phones, and it doesn’t look like it’s happening anytime soon. You can access some limited functions through a mobile browser, but it doesn’t offer the same level of convenience.
OneDrive
The next step is Microsoft’s cloud storage solution. OneDrive is a popular choice for business users due to its integration with Office apps, but it’s also an effective replacement for Google Photos. You can download the app to your phone and automatically sync your photos to the cloud. The gallery can automatically search and tag images based on their content (just like Google Photos).
The free version is no longer limited to just 5GB, but you can boost it up to 100GB for just $ 2 per month. Microsoft 365 users also get 1TB of storage under the $ 7 per month (or $ 70 per year) plan. This makes it a natural fit for anyone who uses Microsoft apps for business or personal use.
Your own server
The last alternative to Google Photos is by far the most complicated, but the most versatile. Setting up your own cloud server will give you full control over your files and free you from persistent subscriptions to any service.
However, it will take much more time and effort than any other service in the market. You can use Plex, Synology, OwnCloud, or a number of other services to do this, but it will require some technical know-how.
Learn more about cloud services:
[ad_2]
Source link