Are you one of the billion Google Drive users who are considering upgrading to Google One for extended cloud storage? If yes, then this Google One review is for you.
The Google One backup solution is an extension of Google Drive that offers expanded storage space and benefits, including Google Play discounts, automatic Android backup, and access to other Google services like Google One VPN.
The extra paid Google Drive storage space and additional features are tempting, but are they worth the price tag? It all depends on your needs. Read our Google One review to see if it’s the right choice for you. We’ll dive into the usability, security, features, and pricing plans of Google’s online storage solution.
Google One Short Review: Easy to Use With Lots of Features
What We Liked:
- Your internet traffic is encrypted with the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm
- You can store a large range of files with storage space of up to 2TB
- Allows you to share your subscription with up to 5 devices, ideal for small families
- You can use Google One VPN to hide your idenity online
- You can avoid identity theft with the dark web monitoring feature
- You can get expert and technical help from Google experts
What We Didn't Like:
- History of Google privacy violations
- Free trial by invitation only for new customers
- No possibility to assign specific storage amounts to family members
- No option to call customer service directly
Our Google One review has revealed that this backup solution is a neat extension of Google Drive that gives you up to 2TB of cloud storage, starting at $1.99 monthly (for 100GB). If you’re a user of Google services, it’s an excellent choice to store all your files in the cloud. It comes with several extras, such as a VPN, dark web monitoring, and access to Google experts.
However, Google has been involved in several privacy violations, making us hesitant to recommend the service if you are a privacy-focused user.
Nevertheless, Google offers several features that may not be provided by any of its competitors, including advanced encryption of your internet traffic and some good discounts on its products.
Keep reading below for more information on the Google One pros and cons and find out whether this reputable storage provider will cover your needs.
Google One Membership and Pricing
During our Google One review, we discovered several interesting features. We’ve compiled our findings in the table below.
| Feature | Google Drive | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | From $1.99/month | From $2.99/month | From $9.99/month |
| Storage Limit | 15GB | 100GB | 200GB | 2TB |
| Users | 1 | Up to 5 | Up to 5 | Up to 5 |
| Access to Google Experts | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| VPN for Multiple Devices | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Extra Member Benefits | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Discount in the Google Store | ✖ | None | 3% back in the Google Store | 10% back in the Google Store |
| Dark Web Monitoring | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Google Photos Editing Features | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Download Link | Download Google One Free | Get Google One Basic | Get Google One Standard | Get Google One Premium |
The main difference between Google One’s plans is the cloud storage on offer. Once you have a Gmail account, you have 15GB of free storage to work with. However, that can quickly be consumed, especially if you store many files.
For personal use, we recommend the 100GB plan. That should provide lots of storage for all your music files, videos, and documents. For more storage, especially if you want to share this service with your family, opt for the Standard plan, which provides 200GB of storage.
We recommend the Premium Plan (2TB of storage) for large families and small businesses. Ultimately, your choice of Google One plan depends on your storage needs.
Pro Tip:
Your Google One prices will change depending on your location. You can spoof your location to other countries using a VPN to compare prices before making a purchase. You might need to do that in Incognito mode, though, since Google probably knows your location.
Security: How Safe Is Google One?
If you’re wondering, “Is Google One safe,” you’ll be pleased to know that the Google One backup solution provides top-notch encryption for its users and a virtual private network (VPN). Here’s a summary of what we discovered during our Google One review:
- Google One uses secure AES encryption, often referred to as military-grade encryption.
- Google One VPN provides a layer of anonymity while browsing.
Encryption
Google states that it uses several layers of encryption to protect customer data on the cloud, specifically the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm. All data stored on the cloud storage platform is encrypted with AES-256 (by default), and for a few pre-2015 documents, AES-128.
Additionally, Google uses 2048 bits RSA encryption keys to protect against cryptanalytic advances. Below is an overview of how Google’s encryption process works.
With that said, your files are safe from external threats with Google One.
Google One VPN
If you purchase a Google One plan, Google will add the Google One VPN to help secure your data. Google does not offer their VPN as a stand-alone service at this time.
We have extensively tested Google One VPN, and although it is a nice extra to have, we found that it has many weaknesses, including servers in only 18 countries, only one VPN protocol, and it can’t unblock many streaming services.
If you want a standalone VPN, we recommend NordVPN instead. It has 6000+ servers in 61 countries, supports all the major VPN protocols, and unblocks streaming platforms with ease.
Privacy: Does Google One Take Good Care of Your Data?
Even though Google has been involved in some security incidents, there have been no known Google One privacy breaches so far.
This is what we know until now about Google, Google One’s parent company:
- Google has a checkered history of several privacy violations.
- Its privacy policy shows that it gathers all kinds of personally identifiable information.
Who’s behind Google One?
As you might have already guessed, the Google One backup solution is a product from Google, a famous tech company. Although there are no recorded incidents of Google specifically using Google One to invade the privacy of its users, the company has had a number of security incidents in the past. As a result, we’re hesitant about trusting Google.
Privacy policy
During our Google One review, we took a deep dive into Google’s privacy policy. This is the information that Google collects:
- Information you create or provide to them: Your name, password, payment information, content you create and upload, photos and videos you save, docs and spreadsheets you create, and comments you make on YouTube videos
- Information about apps, devices, and browsers: Browser type and settings, device type and settings, operating system, mobile network information including carrier name and phone number, application version number, IP address, and crash reports
- Your activity: Terms you search for, videos you watch, views and interactions with content and ads, voice and audio information, and purchase activity
- Your location: GPS and other sensor data from your device, IP address, activity on Google services, such as your searches and places you label like home or work, and information about things near your device, such as Wi-Fi access points, cell towers, and Bluetooth-enabled devices
This is a lot of information about you, and Google can share those details with various third parties, like domain administrators, affiliates and law enforcement authorities. Google says it will only do so with your content, but it has been mired in so many controversies that it’s hard to take that at face value.
Google privacy breaches
Although there are no recorded incidents of Google specifically using Google One to invade the privacy of its users, the company has had a number of security incidents. In 2018, Google allowed third-party app developers, including human programmers, to read thousands of Gmail users’ emails to develop the Smart Reply feature in Gmail.
Another incident involved Google tracking users in Incognito mode or the company collecting information on users’ locations.
Ease of Use: Is Google One User-Friendly?
We found Google One easy to use and install. Below are our main conclusions regarding the usability of this backup solution based on our Google One review:
- The Google One website is clear and helpful.
- It is easy to purchase and install Google One.
- Google One works on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices.
- The Google One app is intuitive and easy to navigate.
- It has multiple different subscriptions with additional storage and benefits.
Google One’s website and installation process
We found Google One’s website to be incredibly user-friendly. We could easily locate the information we needed about different subscriptions, how to get support, and the features of the Google One VPN.
When you’re logged in on your Google account, you can directly sign up for Google One. Google One works on almost all devices, as long as they’re running Windows, macOS, iOS, or Android.
If we were using our desktop to back up our data with Google One, we could access the Google One app through our web browser or download the Drive for our desktop app with a few clicks. From that point on, your storage space is immediately increased, and you can make use of it right away. It really is that simple.
If you’d like to download the Google One app on your smartphone or tablet through the Apple Store, follow these steps:
- Open the App Store on your iPhone and search for Google One.
- Download the application on your device.
- Select the plan you want.
- Pay with your preferred payment method. Google accepts credit cards, PayPal, and crypto through Coinbase.
- You’re all set. You can now start using your storage!
Working with Google One
We found the Google One mobile app snappy and intuitive. It allows you to upgrade your subscription, manage Google One VPN, or set the frequency of backups. While using the app, we found it easy to get around and locate what we were looking for.
The app also lets you clean up your Google account, remove duplicate or redundant files, access FAQs, or switch your membership plan.
Backup management
One of the best things about the Google One backup solution is that it gave us greater control over how we managed our data on the platform.
Almost everyone has a Gmail account these days, and if you use Google Photos as well, One makes it easy for you to manage your data. It shows you personal estimates on how long your storage will take to fill up based on backups and usage, and you can also review and delete apps, screenshots, blurry photos, or larger images.
Google One also adds a dedicated option to clean up Gmail and Drive.
Note:
Google One will erase your backup data on Windows and Android if you don’t use your device for 57 days. Also, Google One only backs up photos, calendar events, and contacts on iPhone.
Manual and automated phone backups
All Google One subscription plans allow users to automatically back up their iPhone data and manually back up their iOS device’s multimedia content, including Gmail, photos, videos, messages, and contacts.
With this option, you can make sure your phone data is saved in a secure place. The automated Android backups are especially useful since you don’t need to do anything for your files and pictures to be saved once you’ve set it up.
We found the setup incredibly easy. We could also find out what was backed up and manage our backups by clicking on “View details.”
Real-time document collaboration
Google’s document editing service, Google Docs, is integrated into Google One to allow users to upload, share, edit, and comment on text documents in real time.
Although other users have access to the shared documents, the owner controls access and edit permissions for users.
Additionally, the document owner can set up access in a way that changes based on which documents need to be reviewed and approved before they are sent forward. This is one of the reasons Google Docs is a popular tool for working from home.
Centralized access to Google products
One of the biggest perks of the Google One backup solution, as we discovered during our Google One review, is that it gives you access to all your Google data in one place. You’ll benefit the most from the centralized structure if you rely heavily on Google services for work and daily life.
No matter your location and the device you’re using, as long as you have an internet connection, you can access your files from Gmail, Google Photos, and Google Drive in one centralized location.
Google One family plan
Every paid subscription plan includes the option to add up to six family members to a single shared subscription through Google Families. Each member’s files are private and secured with permission controls that they can set themselves. Essentially, if you don’t have power users in your family, a single 200 GB plan can easily be used by up to six members.
Unfortunately, there is one drawback here: there is no way to allocate a specified amount of storage to any one user. Instead, the total amount of storage space available for the account is equally split between all members.
When we tried out the service ourselves, we opted to share access with two family members and found that it worked easily and exactly as intended. Keep in mind, however, that the shared space only kicks in for other family members once they go over their allocated Drive limit.
The family plan comes with several extra options:
- Create family calendars, share Keep access, and customize the Google Assistant to connect with other family members.
- Create a Family Link, which is essentially an account for your children. This way, you’ll always be in the loop when your kids explore mobile devices.
- Share eligible games, movies, apps, books, and TV programs with family members via the Google Play Family Library. If you buy an eligible app, your family members can use it, too. If you have the subscription Google Play Pass, you can share that with up to five members of your family as well.
- Create a Nest family home, which gives your family access to all Google Nest features. This way, whenever you send a family broadcast, it’ll be sent directly to the whole group of devices (provided you’re using Nest devices).
Google Experts
Google One provides subscribers access to “Google Experts,” which offers a higher level of customer support than Google’s free service support.
Additionally, English-speaking Google One subscribers in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada can schedule a one-on-one meeting with a Google expert through the service Pro Sessions. During these sessions, customers receive personalized advice on improving the security of their Google account.
Cashback for Google Store purchases
Google One users who have chosen the Standard plan (or anything above that) receive cashback on Google Store purchases. Subscribers can earn cashback on purchases of phones, earphones, security cameras, and more. To obtain the discount, the purchase must be made under the account with the applicable Google One subscription.
Extra member benefits
Another benefit of the paid plans is that you get exclusive discounts on various goods and services. Note that benefits vary per country and are constantly changing. For this reason, we encourage you to check the Google One website for the most up-to-date information. You can also reach out to a Google expert with any questions you have.
To give an example of a possible benefit, Google One is offering additional photo editing features to its members right now, similar to the ones offered by some of the best face editing apps. If you use the Google Photos app, you can easily customize photos in greater detail straight from the app.
Some other benefits include:
- Google Store member rewards
- Google Play credits
- YouTube Premium discount
- Hotel preferred pricing (discounts of up to 40% on hotels found in a Google search for “Hotels in (city)”)
Does Google One have a money-back guarantee?
Google One doesn’t have a money-back guarantee or a free trial. If you want to check out the service before making a purchase, we recommend using the free plan (Google Drive).
Customer service
Google One subscribers have access to two types of customer support: Google Experts and Pro Sessions.
Google Experts can be contacted via email, phone, or a live chatroom. Through Pro Sessions, users can set up a video call with a Google representative to get advice on how to enhance their account’s security and privacy. Our experiences with Google’s support resulted in the following conclusions:
- Not all Google Experts are equally knowledgeable, and their helpfulness seems to come down to luck.
- The Google One Pro sessions aren’t available for all users and are only held for previously determined topics.
We contacted Google Experts both through phone and via chat and had very diverging experiences. The phone call made us feel like we weren’t talking to an actually knowledgeable Google expert, whereas the live chat was more helpful. In both cases, Google One’s customer support service was inconveniently bureaucratic.
Google Experts phone call experience
To contact customer service via phone, we had to fill out a form with our name, email address, phone number, and our questions.
During the call, a Google representative went through our list of questions one by one. We were put on hold multiple times while the representative went to retrieve information for us, including an instance when we were on hold for over ten minutes.
We walked away from the conversation with some helpful information but didn’t get all of our questions answered. Afterward, the representative emailed us a few pages from Google’s knowledge base for further reference, but they still did not have the information we needed.
Google Experts support via chat experience
The Google chat option is available 24/7 for Google One members. Head to “Support” and select “Chat.” Select the product you need help with, then choose an issue topic. Finally, provide a brief description of the issue you’re facing to connect with a support representative.
During our test, the chat was incredibly quick. It only took a few minutes for us to connect with an agent, and they were very helpful in providing us with the information we needed. Considering our phone call experience, however, we feel this was more a matter of luck.
Note that Google records your account and system information when you connect via chat to improve “support quality and training” and “technical services.”
However, if you are looking for a service provider that has a more straightforward customer support feature, it may be worth looking into our WeTransfer review. While testing this service, we discovered that this platform offers a section containing several articles on resolving issues, a chatbot, and a submission form for questions that are answered within a couple of hours.
Google One Pro sessions
Some Google One users also get the option of scheduling personal online Pro sessions with an expert. Pro sessions are designed to help members understand how different Google products work. For instance, if you purchase a new Google Pixel phone, you can schedule a Pro session to discuss different features with an expert.
Pro sessions are available for Google One members who:
- Reside in Canada, the USA, or the UK
- Use the 2 TB plan or above
- Have their Google One app set to English at launch
Google also states that the Pro sessions work on a first-come, first-served basis, with limited seats available. You can schedule a Pro session via your browser or directly from the Google One app. However, when we tried to schedule one, there were “no topics available.”
The Pro sessions are held over Google Meet (either via your browser or the Meet app), and you can join one based on topics that Google makes available.
Final Verdict: Is Google One Worth Purchasing?
Based on our Google One review, it’s clear that Google One is a handy cloud storage for anyone who uses Google services like Gmail. It also comes with nice extras like Google One VPN and dark web monitoring.
However, we don’t recommend it to privacy-conscious users like journalists who handle sensitive information because of Google’s history of privacy violations. Hence, if you are looking for some Google One alternatives, check out our articles below:
- Sync.com Review: Cheap Zero-Knowledge Cloud Storage
- NordLocker Review: End-to-End Encrypted Files for Free
- Internxt Review: Decentralized, Privacy-Focused Solution
Below, you’ll find a few answers to questions that many of our readers have about Google One. Click on a question to reveal the answer.
Google One is a cloud-based storage and backup service. There are multiple Google One plans that come with different storage capacities and benefits. Some of these benefits include premium customer support, discounts on Google Play purchases and hotels, a Google VPN, and discounts in the Google Store.
While Google Drive is free with every Google account, Google One is not free. It does offer storage plans as low as $1.99 per month. The payment plans offered by Google One are:
- 100GB: $1.99 per month, or $19.99 per year
- 200GB: $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year
- 2TB: $9.99 per month, or $99.99 per year
Google Drive is a free cloud storage service that comes with 15 GB of space for free. Google One is an expanded, paid version of Google Drive that offers more storage space and extra benefits with each pricing tier, including discounts, a VPN, premium customer support, family plans, and automatic Android backup.
If you’d like to know more about Google One, you can check out our full review of the Google One service.
Some of the biggest advantages of Google One are:
- Ability to create a Family Group and add up to five members in addition to yourself
- Centralization of all of your Google data, like Gmail, photos, and text documents
- Automatic phone backups
- Google One VPN to encrypt your traffic.
