Google Photos vs iCloud Photos - The Ultimate Comparison
There's no denying the convenience of cloud storage for your photos. With the ability to access your pictures from any device, having a cloud storage service can be a lifesaver. However, with so many options available, it can be difficult to decide which one to go with.
Two of the most popular cloud storage services for photos are Google Photos and iCloud Photos. Both services have their strengths and weaknesses, so to help you decide which one to use, we've put together a side-by-side comparison.
User Interface
Both Google Photos and iCloud Photos have clean and user-friendly interfaces. However, Google Photos takes it one step further with its unique features like Assistant and Auto Enhance. Assistant automatically creates albums and collages from your photos, while Auto Enhance automatically makes your photos look better.
Storage
Google Photos offers unlimited photo storage for free, but the catch is that the photos are compressed. iCloud Photos, on the other hand, offers 5GB of free storage, with the option to upgrade to additional storage plans.
Features
Both Google Photos and iCloud Photos offer a range of features, but they differ quite a bit. Google Photos has a search bar that can recognize objects in photos, which is incredibly handy for finding specific photos. iCloud Photos offers live photos, which are like mini videos that capture a few seconds of movement and sound.
Price
As we touched on earlier, Google Photos offers free unlimited storage, while iCloud Photos users have to pay for more than 5GB of storage. If you're an iPhone user, you'll already be subscribed to iCloud since Apple bundles it with their devices. However, if you're an Android user or don't want to pay for additional storage, Google Photos is the clear winner here.
Sharing
Both services allow you to share your photos with others, but Google Photos makes it much easier. With Google Photos, you can create and share albums with anyone, and even allow them to add their own photos to the album. iCloud Photos allows you to share photos, but it's a little more complicated.
Final Verdict
Ultimately, which service you choose to use will depend on your needs. If you're an iPhone user and are already subscribed to iCloud, then it may make sense to stick with that. However, if you're an Android user or don't want to pay for extra storage, then Google Photos is definitely the way to go.