Google Drive alternatives: where to go and how to take every file with you
Eight destinations, one for each reason to leave, plus a seven-step migration plan.
The short answer: OneDrive if your work already ends up in Word and Excel, Dropbox if you sync big files and send them to clients, Proton Drive or Sync.com if you want end-to-end encryption, Koofr if your Drive is huge and you'd rather copy cloud to cloud, Filen for cheap encrypted storage hosted in Germany, pCloud to pay once and be done, Nextcloud to host it all yourself. One warning before you pick: copying the Google Drive folder on your computer isn't enough. Your Docs, Sheets and Slides are just shortcuts in there. We compared all eight destinations and checked their pricing and import options in 2026.
Our ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always labeled on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
Why people leave Google Drive, and why it's tricky
Nothing beats Google Docs for writing in the same document with five people at once. People leave for other reasons: a free tier that fills up fast, a provider that holds the encryption keys, and the surprise, on the way out, that not everything leaves as easily as it came in. Six reasons, reviewed in 2026.
15 GB shared by Gmail, Drive and Photos
The free 15 GB isn't just for Drive. Gmail and Google Photos draw from the same pool. When it's full, Google stops everything at once: no new files in Drive, no sending or receiving email in Gmail, no photo backups. Plenty of people notice because an important email bounces, not because Drive looks full.
Google holds the keys
Drive encrypts your files on its servers, but with its own keys, so Google can technically read what you store. Proton Drive, Sync.com and Filen encrypt on your device before upload: even the provider can't open your files. No Drive setting gives you that.
Your data sits with a US provider
Under the 2018 CLOUD Act, US authorities can compel an American provider to hand over data wherever it's stored. For a European client, a regulated profession or a contract with data-residency terms, that alone can rule Drive out. Microsoft and Dropbox are in the same position, which matters when you pick a destination.
Your Google Docs aren't real files
In the Google Drive folder on your computer, a Google Doc weighs a few bytes: it's a shortcut (.gdoc, .gsheet, .gslides) pointing to the web. Copy that folder to another cloud and you move dead links. Every document has to be converted to Word, Excel or PowerPoint, through Google Takeout or by downloading it from Drive on the web.
Files shared with you stay behind
Exports and import tools only take files you own. The "Shared with me" section, often the one you use most at work, stays at Google. Sharing permissions don't move either: neither Takeout nor consumer importers rebuild who had access to what. Only Microsoft's admin tool does, for a business migration. Make your own copy of what matters before you leave, then reshare by hand.
Takeout is a backup tool, not a moving truck
Google Takeout splits your Drive into ZIP archives of up to 50 GB. Each one expires about seven days after it's created and can only be downloaded five times. On big accounts, files can go missing: a Workspace admin on Google's community forum reports files absent from an export marked "completed". The list of failed files hides in an index file inside the archive, which few people open.
You're leaving because… go to…
The right Google Drive alternative depends on what's pushing you out. Usually one line fits. Each card jumps to the full write-up below.
1 TB plus the Office apps for $99.99 a year.
You sync big files and send them to clientsDropbox2 TB for $9.99 a month, built-in import from Drive.
You want nobody else to read your filesProton DriveEnd-to-end encryption, even on the free 5 GB.
You want encryption and lots of spaceSync.com1 TB from $9 a month billed yearly in the first year.
Your Drive is huge and your upload is slowKoofrIt copies Drive cloud to cloud, without your computer in the middle.
You're done with subscriptionspCloud500 GB for life for a one-time $219.
Google Drive alternatives, one by one
For each tool: why move there, who it's for, its limit, how to migrate from Google Drive, and what it costs. Prices are what each provider lists in 2026, in its own currency: dollars for most, euros for Koofr and Filen.
OneDrive: the easy switch if you already use Office
Best with OfficeWhy move to OneDrive. If every file ends up as a Word doc or an Excel sheet anyway, Google Docs is a detour. Microsoft 365 Personal gives you 1 TB of OneDrive plus the desktop Office apps for $99.99 a year ($9.99 monthly). Family is $129.99 a year and covers up to six people.
Who it's for. Freelancers and small teams who trade Office files with clients, and Windows households.
Who it's not for. Anyone leaving Google to get away from a US provider. Microsoft sits under the same CLOUD Act.
Its limit. Live co-editing of shared spreadsheets in the browser still trails Google Sheets. And OneDrive gets most useful once you pay for Microsoft 365.
How to migrate. It depends on the account. On Personal or Family there's no direct tool: use Takeout, which converts Docs, Sheets and Slides to Office formats and can drop its archives straight into OneDrive. For businesses, Microsoft provides Migration Manager: a Microsoft 365 admin and a Google Workspace admin connect both sides, and it copies files, metadata and, if you turn it on in settings, sharing permissions. A simplified Migration Manager Lite is on by default for tenants under 300 licenses.
- Family
- up to 6 people, $129.99/yr
- Paid
- Personal 1 TB, $99.99/yr
- Best for
- Word and Excel users
- Limit
- US provider, like Google
Dropbox: for big files and client work
For creativesWhy move to Dropbox. Dropbox is still the go-to for syncing large files across several computers and sending them to people without an account. Plus gives you 2 TB for $9.99 a month.
Who it's for. Video editors, studios, agencies and photographers who work with heavy files more than with text documents.
Who it's not for. Anyone after a free plan. Basic stops at 2 GB and three devices, and users complain loudly about upgrade prompts once they hit the cap.
Its limit. A US company, so the same CLOUD Act exposure as Google. Team pricing (Standard) jumps to $15 per user.
How to migrate. Dropbox can import from Google Drive, on dropbox.com only: Import, then Import from Google Drive. Two catches hardly anyone reads. It's for individual accounts only, not team accounts. And it imports files, not whole folders. For a Drive with thousands of files, Takeout is faster. Count files afterward: users on the Dropbox forum report files missing after this import.
- Free
- 2 GB, 3 devices
- Paid
- Plus 2 TB, $9.99/mo
- Best for
- big files, client delivery
- Limit
- files only, no folders; personal accounts
Proton Drive: so nobody else can read your files
Encryption includedWhy move to Proton Drive. Proton encrypts every file on your device before upload. The Swiss company doesn't hold your keys, so it can't read your files or hand them over readable. That end-to-end encryption comes with the free 5 GB plan too, which also includes a document and spreadsheet editor.
Who it's for. Lawyers, therapists, journalists, and anyone already on Proton Mail. Drive Plus gives you 200 GB for $4.99 a month and keeps file versions for ten years.
Who it's not for. A team that leans on Google Docs add-ons and integrations. Proton's editor is simpler.
Its limit. The pricing page lists desktop apps for Windows and macOS only, plus a command-line tool: there's no Linux desktop app, so Linux users get the CLI or the web app.
How to migrate. No direct import from Google Drive yet in 2026; Proton has announced one with no date. Its own method: a Takeout export of Drive only, unzip it, then drag the folders into the desktop app. The app retries failed uploads on its own, which makes it safer than the browser for big transfers.
- Free
- 5 GB, encrypted
- Paid
- Drive Plus 200 GB, $4.99/mo
- Best for
- sensitive files
- Limit
- no direct import, no Linux desktop app (CLI only)
Sync.com: encrypted storage with room to grow
Encrypted, lots of spaceWhy move to Sync.com. The Canadian provider encrypts end to end like Proton, but sells bigger buckets: 1 TB on Personal, 5 TB on Solo. It fits people who want privacy without juggling storage tiers.
Who it's for. Freelancers and small offices storing client files, contracts or other sensitive files that shouldn't be readable by the host.
Who it's not for. Anyone who needs to co-edit documents in the browser. Sync stores and shares; it doesn't replace Docs.
Its limit. Read the renewal price. Personal is $9 a month billed yearly in the first year ($108), then $12 a month. Monthly billing goes from $12 to $16. There's a 30-day free trial, not a free plan listed on the pricing page.
How to migrate. No direct import. Run Takeout on Drive only, unzip, and drop the folders into the Sync desktop app. Start with one folder to time the upload, because encrypting on your device slows big batches a little.
- Trial
- 30 days
- Paid
- 1 TB, $9/mo billed yearly (first year)
- Best for
- client files that must stay private
- Limit
- price goes up after year one
Koofr: move cloud to cloud without downloading anything
Easiest to migrateWhy move to Koofr. This is the migration trick most roundups miss. On paid plans, Koofr connects to your Google Drive account and shows its files next to yours. You copy from one cloud to the other, and your home upload speed stops being the bottleneck.
Who it's for. People with a big Drive, and anyone who wants several clouds under one roof: up to 3 accounts per provider on Briefcase, 6 on Suitcase, 10 on Crate.
Who it's not for. A team that wants to edit documents together. Koofr stores and shares; it isn't Google Docs.
Its limit. Only yearly subscriptions exist, priced in euros. The monthly figures on the page (1 TB for €10 a month, 22% VAT included) are billed per year. The free 10 GB can't connect other clouds.
How to migrate. Pick a paid plan, connect Google Drive inside Koofr, then copy folders into your Koofr space. Native Google Docs still need converting to Office formats first, in Drive or through Takeout.
- Free
- 10 GB
- Paid
- 1 TB, €10/mo billed yearly
- Best for
- huge Drive, several clouds
- Limit
- no office suite
Filen: cheap encrypted storage hosted in Germany
Cheapest encryptedWhy move to Filen. It's the name that keeps coming up on r/degoogle, often head to head with Proton Drive. The company and all its servers are in Germany, every file is encrypted on your device, and prices are low: 200 GiB for €1.99 a month, 2 TiB for €8.99.
Who it's for. Individuals and freelancers who want end-to-end encryption at regular storage prices. Linux users too: Filen ships a desktop client and a command-line tool.
Who it's not for. Teams that need shared, co-edited documents.
Its limit. A newer provider, with less track record than Dropbox or Microsoft. Plans stack on one account, which is handy for growing but worth watching on the bill.
How to migrate. No direct import. Takeout of Drive only, unzip, then drop folders into the desktop client. Time one test folder first.
- Free
- free account
- Paid
- 200 GiB €1.99/mo, 2 TiB €8.99
- Best for
- encryption on a budget
- Limit
- young company, no doc editor
pCloud: pay once and forget about it
One-time paymentWhy move to pCloud. pCloud sells lifetime storage: 500 GB for $219 or 2 TB for $499, paid once (the struck-through list prices are higher). For someone archiving photos and old projects who never wants another monthly charge, it's the simplest deal around.
Who it's for. People who store a lot and edit little: archives, photos, video.
Who it's not for. Anyone who wants end-to-end encryption without paying extra. At pCloud it's a paid add-on (pCloud Encryption).
Its limit. "Lifetime" means the company's lifetime. User reviews also mention sync hiccups.
How to migrate. Takeout of Drive in 50 GB archives, then upload through the pCloud Drive virtual disk or the browser. Compare the lifetime price to three or four years of a subscription elsewhere: that's where it pays off.
- Free
- free account
- Paid
- 500 GB lifetime, $219
- Best for
- archives, no subscription
- Limit
- encryption is a paid add-on
Nextcloud: host it all yourself
Open sourceWhy move to Nextcloud. Nextcloud is open-source software that rebuilds a full Drive (files, sharing, calendar, and documents through Collabora or OnlyOffice) on a server you control. No vendor between you and your data, no software subscription.
Who it's for. Organizations with someone technical on hand, and homelabbers who already run a small server.
Who it's not for. Someone working alone and in a hurry. Installing, updating and backing up a server is ongoing work.
Its limit. Collaborative editing isn't there out of the box: you add Collabora or OnlyOffice. Users who set it up on a small rented server say permissions per shared space then need real attention.
How to migrate. Takeout of Drive, then upload through the Nextcloud desktop client.
- Free
- open-source software
- Paid
- your server, or a host
- Best for
- teams with an admin
- Limit
- maintenance is on you
All 8 alternatives side by side
Our default pick: OneDrive if your work ends up in Office, Dropbox if it ends up in big media files. For scale, 2 TB costs $9.99 a month at Dropbox, €8.99 at Filen, and $499 once at pCloud, while Sync.com gives you 1 TB for $9 a month billed yearly in year one. The right column also shows how your files get there from Drive.
| Free | First paid plan and how to migrate from Drive | |
|---|---|---|
| Google DriveWhere you start | 15 GB shared with Gmail and Photos | Exit via Takeout: archives up to 50 GB, valid about 7 days |
| OneDriveWith Office | 5 GB (free Microsoft account, shared with Outlook.com) | Personal 1 TB, $99.99/yr; Takeout, or Migration Manager for businesses |
| DropboxBig files | 2 GB, 3 devices | Plus 2 TB, $9.99/mo; web import, files only |
| Proton DriveEncrypted | 5 GB, encrypted | Drive Plus 200 GB, $4.99/mo; Takeout then desktop app |
| Sync.comEncrypted, big tiers | 30-day trial | 1 TB, $9/mo billed yearly (year one); Takeout then desktop app |
| KoofrCloud-to-cloud move | 10 GB | 1 TB, €10/mo billed yearly; connects to Drive directly |
| FilenEncrypted, Germany | Free account | 200 GiB, €1.99/mo; Takeout then desktop client |
| pCloudOne-time payment | Free account | 500 GB lifetime, $219; Takeout then pCloud Drive |
| NextcloudSelf-hosted | Open source | Server cost; Takeout then Nextcloud client |
Prices as listed by each provider in 2026, in their own currency, and subject to change. Sync.com first-year pricing renews higher.
Leave Google Drive in seven steps
Order matters. Each step protects something: other people's files, your Google Docs, your bandwidth, and your Gmail while you move.
Measure what you're actually moving
Day 1Open your Google account storage page and check the split between Drive, Gmail and Photos. If Photos is half of it, your real project may be Google Photos, not Drive. Then note Drive's size, how many Docs, Sheets and Slides you have, and which shared folders you rely on.
List what writes to Drive on its own too: a Google Form, a Zapier, Make or n8n workflow, a phone app. Forget those and they keep filling Drive after you've left.
- Time
- about an hour
- Risk if skipped
- automations writing to nowhere
Make your own copies of files shared with you
Before exportTakeout and import tools only take files you own. For each shared document you need, use "Make a copy": the copy is yours and will move. "Add shortcut to Drive" doesn't count, because a shortcut contains nothing.
For a whole folder, ask the owner to transfer it to you, or download it as a ZIP from the web.
- Gotcha
- a shortcut isn't a copy
Decide what your Google Docs become
DecisionYour Docs, Sheets and Slides need to become real files. Takeout converts them to Word, Excel and PowerPoint by default, which is the right call for OneDrive, Nextcloud and most other destinations.
No conversion is perfect: layouts, formulas and comments can shift. Open your three most important documents and spreadsheets after conversion, before you delete anything.
- Default
- Office formats
- Check
- spreadsheets and layouts
Export: Takeout or a direct import
Days 1 to 3Two routes. If your destination can pull from Drive (Dropbox for individual accounts, Koofr, Migration Manager for a Microsoft 365 business account), use it: it fetches files without going through your computer. Otherwise, Takeout: deselect everything, tick Drive only, and pick 50 GB archives to keep the split down.
Takeout rules worth knowing: each archive expires about seven days after it's created and can be downloaded five times. Grab everything that week, check each ZIP, and store a copy on an external drive. Tip: Takeout can drop archives straight into Dropbox, OneDrive or Box, skipping your connection entirely.
- Max archive
- 50 GB
- Valid for
- about 7 days, 5 downloads
Check what's missing
Don't skipInside a Takeout archive, an index file lists the files Google couldn't fetch, with a link to each. Open it. Large video files fail more often than the rest.
Then compare file counts and total size between Drive and the destination, folder by folder for the ones that matter. One missing file in a thousand doesn't show, and it's always the one you'll need.
- Open
- the failed-files index in the archive
Rebuild sharing and tell people
Switch dayNeither Takeout nor consumer importers recreate sharing permissions (only Migration Manager does, between two business tenants). List folders shared with coworkers or clients, rebuild them at the destination, and send the new links. In Drive, replace the old folder's contents with a note pointing to the new one.
Reconnect your automations too: a workflow that drops invoices in Drive needs a new target. Our pages on Google Drive in Make and Google Drive in n8n help you find those flows.
- Rebuild
- links, permissions, automations
Switch over, then keep Drive for a month
AfterUninstall Google Drive for desktop only once the new sync is running and your checks are done. Then leave Drive untouched for a month: a forgotten file takes two minutes to recover.
Don't delete your Google account outright. It usually carries your Gmail, your "Sign in with Google" logins and your purchases. Empty Drive, keep the account.
- Time
- one month of overlap
- Keep
- the Google account
What makes a Google Drive exit go wrong
The same mistakes show up on forums, from solo users and from universities moving thousands of accounts. None of them is technical. They're oversights, and each one costs more than the time it takes to avoid it.
Copying the desktop folder
Dragging your local Google Drive folder into another cloud moves .gdoc shortcuts, not your documents. Go through Takeout or download from the web.
Forgetting "Shared with me"
That's often where the working documents live, and an export skips them. Copy what matters into your own Drive before you start.
Letting archives expire
A Takeout archive vanishes after about a week and allows five downloads. Starting the export the Friday before a vacation means doing it again when you're back.
Re-running Takeout to "fill gaps"
A second Takeout export starts from scratch: you get the whole Drive again, split into new archives with a new seven-day clock. For a top-up, download only the missing folders from Drive on the web.
Deleting before checking
Files sometimes go missing with no error, even on exports marked "completed". Count files, open the failed-files index, then wait a month before emptying Drive.
Comparing prices without comparing terms
First-year promos, yearly-only billing, euros versus dollars, lifetime deals: providers don't list the same thing. Bring everything back to a yearly price in your currency. Our cloud storage ranking helps compare, and our guide to replacing WeTransfer covers sending big files.
- Drive, Gmail and Photos split checked
- Important shared files copied to your account
- Google Docs format decided
- Takeout archives downloaded within the week, or direct import started
- Failed-files index opened, file counts compared
- Shares and links rebuilt at the destination
- Automations reconnected
- Drive kept for a month, Google account kept
Google Drive alternatives: common questions
What is the best free alternative to Google Drive?
Koofr gives you 10 GB free and Proton Drive 5 GB with end-to-end encryption. Neither matches Google's 15 GB, but that 15 GB is shared with Gmail and Photos. If you only need to free up Gmail, clear Google Photos first: it's usually what fills the quota.
How do I move Google Drive to another cloud without downloading everything?
Use a cloud-to-cloud route: Koofr's Google Drive connection, Migration Manager if your company is moving from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365, or Dropbox's web import for individual accounts. Takeout can also deliver archives straight into Dropbox, OneDrive or Box. Your home connection is then out of the loop.
Can I still edit my Google Docs after leaving?
Yes, once they're converted to Word, Excel or PowerPoint, which Takeout does by default. They then open in Office, OnlyOffice or LibreOffice. Check your most complex spreadsheets: conversion can shift a formula or a layout.
Is Dropbox better than Google Drive?
For syncing large files across computers and sending them to clients, often yes. For writing documents together, no: Google Docs is still ahead. Dropbox Plus costs $9.99 a month for 2 TB.
Proton Drive or Sync.com: which encrypted option?
Proton Drive if you want a free plan and already use Proton Mail; Drive Plus is 200 GB for $4.99 a month. Sync.com if you need 1 TB or more: $9 a month billed yearly in the first year, then $12.
Can I keep Gmail and only quit Google Drive?
Yes. Empty Drive and keep your Google account: Gmail, Calendar and your "Sign in with Google" logins keep working. You also free up room for Gmail, since the 15 GB is shared.
How long does a Google Drive migration take?
A few dozen gigabytes fit in a day. Several hundred take several days with Takeout (archive prep, download, upload), less with a cloud-to-cloud copy. Add a month of keeping Drive around as a safety net.
Can I encrypt Google Drive instead of leaving it?
Yes, with a tool like Cryptomator, which encrypts files before they reach Drive. Google then only sees unreadable files. In exchange you lose previews, search and online editing for those files.
Get the next migration guide in your inbox
One tool to leave, one destination, one migration plan. Nothing else.