Both Google Photos and Google Drive are popular options for storing photos online. Google Photos offers unlimited storage for photos up to 16MP and videos up to 1080p resolution. Google Drive provides 15GB of free storage that can be used for any type of file, including photos and videos. Choosing between the two depends on your specific needs and priorities.
Key Differences
Here is a quick overview of the key differences between Google Photos and Drive:
Storage
– Google Photos offers unlimited free storage for photos up to 16MP and videos up to 1080p. Storage above those limits counts against your Google account storage quota.
– Google Drive gives you 15GB of free storage to be used for any type of file. You have to pay for additional storage above 15GB.
Organization
– Google Photos automatically organizes your photos and makes them searchable based on content, location, people etc.
– Google Drive relies on you to organize your photos into folders and name files appropriately to make them searchable.
Sharing and Access
– Google Photos makes it easy to share albums and photos by link or directly with Google contacts.
– Google Drive allows sharing by link or with specific users, but the recipient needs a Google account to view shared content.
Editing
– Google Photos provides basic editing tools like filters, cropping, rotation, etc. directly in the app.
– Google Drive itself does not offer any photo editing capabilities. You need to download photos and edit them in other software.
Syncing and Backup
– Google Photos automatically syncs images from phones and tablets for backup.
– Google Drive requires manually uploading files to the cloud for backup.
Storage Considerations
One of the key differences between Google Photos and Drive is how storage works.
Google Photos gives you unlimited storage for high quality photos up to 16MP and videos up to 1080p. This makes it easy to store all your phone photos and videos without worrying about storage limits.
However, the unlimited storage does not apply to original quality content. Photos and videos larger than 16MP or 1080p will count against your overall Google storage quota. If you have a lot of DSLR or other high resolution photos, you may run into storage limits.
Google Drive provides a flat 15GB of storage for any type of file. So you have to be more selective about what you store if you have a lot of large photos and videos. Paying for additional storage is the only way to increase the storage limit in Google Drive.
Storage Cost Comparison
Here is a cost comparison of extra storage in Google Photos vs Drive:
| Storage Amount | Google Photos | Google Drive |
|---|---|---|
| 100 GB | $1.99/month | $1.99/month |
| 200 GB | $2.99/month | $2.99/month |
| 2 TB | $9.99/month | $9.99/month |
| 10 TB | $99.99/month | $99.99/month |
| 20 TB | $199.99/month | $199.99/month |
| 30 TB | $299.99/month | $299.99/month |
As you can see, additional storage costs the same whether you purchase it through Google Photos or Google Drive. So cost should not be a major factor in your decision between the two services.
Organization and Searchability
How your photos are organized and searchable can make a big difference in being able to find what you want later.
One of the biggest advantages of Google Photos is that it automatically organizes all your photos using AI. It scans the contents of each image and determines information like the objects, scene type, location, faces etc.
This allows you to search for photos years later just by searching for a person or location, without having to manually tag each photo or organize them into folders yourself.
Google Drive takes a traditional file/folder approach to organization. If you want photos searchable in Drive, you have to put effort into organizing them carefully into folders, categorizing based on date or event name, adding descriptions etc. Otherwise, it can be difficult to find a specific photo easily later on.
So for most everyday users who don’t want to spend time manually organizing photos, the AI powered approach of Google Photos will make finding photos much easier. But advanced users who need precise control over categorization in a traditional hierarchical folder structure may prefer Google Drive.
Sharing and Collaboration
The ability to share photos with other people is an important consideration when choosing a storage service.
Google Photos allows you to easily share individual photos, entire albums, or your whole library of photos if you choose. Sharing happens directly within Google Photos by sending an email or link. The recipient does not need to have a Google account to view the shared content.
Google Drive also enables sharing photos through links or by allowing collaboration on folders. But the recipient needs to have a Google account and be logged into Drive to view the shared content.
So Google Photos provides a bit more flexibility for sharing casually with family and friends. Google Drive sharing works best when collaborating with other Drive users on an ongoing basis.
If you need to collaborate on photos through comments, edits etc. then Google Drive may provide more robust tools to manage access andsequential revisions. But Google Photos sharing is better for one-off sharing of finished photos.
Editing Capabilities
Being able to edit your photos is another factor that may influence your choice between services.
Google Photos has basic editing tools built right into the mobile and web interface. This allows you to do quick edits like:
Google Photos Editing Tools
– Filters and color adjustments
– Manual adjustments like exposure, contrast etc.
– Cropping and rotating
– Red eye removal
– Adding text
The tools are easy to use and provide good options for simple edits and photo enhancement. But options are limited for more complex or precise editing.
Google Drive does not include any native editing capabilities. To edit photos stored in Drive, you need to:
1. Download the photo to a device
2. Open and edit it in separate image editing software
3. Re-upload the edited photo to Drive
So editing requires additional steps and software compared to the streamlined experience in Google Photos.
The Drive approach does give you flexibility to use any desktop image editor you want, like Photoshop, GIMP etc. But the lack of integrated tools makes quick edits more difficult.
So for casual editing, Google Photos provides easier access to basic tools. But Drive offers more flexibility if you need advanced editing capabilities.
Syncing and Backup
Having your photos automatically backed up to the cloud is an essential consideration for many users.
Google Photos provides seamless backup by syncing with your mobile devices. As you take photos on your Android phone or iPhone, they are instantly uploaded to the cloud.
This means all your photos are always backed up and accessible from any device. You don’t have to manually transfer photos or remember to back them up later.
Google Drive does not sync your mobile photos. You have to manually upload files to Drive using the app or web interface. That extra step means it’s easier to forget to backup photos, meaning they remain only on your mobile device and risk being lost if it’s damaged, lost or upgraded.
So Google Photos provides automated peace of mind backup while Google Drive requires more effort on your part for manual backup.
Backup and Sync Tables
Here is a comparison of the backup and sync capabilities:
| Criteria | Google Photos | Google Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile sync | Yes | No |
| Desktop sync | Manual | Manual |
| Effort to backup | Automatic | Manual |
| Real-time backup | Yes | No |
Conclusion
So in summary, here are some guidelines on when to use Google Photos vs Google Drive:
– Use Google Photos if you want:
Ideal for Google Photos
– Unlimited free storage of “high quality” photos and videos
– Automated organization using AI search
– Basic editing tools accessible in the app
– Easy sharing of photos via links
– Real-time automatic sync and backup of mobile photos
Ideal for Google Drive
– Use Google Drive if you want:
– Total control over organization in a folder structure
– Ability to use advanced desktop photo editing tools
– More options for access controls and collaboration
– Sync capabilities across devices for any file type
Neither choice is definitively “better” – it depends on your specific needs and priorities around photo storage. In many cases, using both services in tandem provides helpful capabilities that complement each other.