Recognition: Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
The unlimited storage space on Google Photos will unfortunately expire in June 2021. Any subsequently uploaded photos will count towards your 15GB of free Google Drive storage. That means, at best, you still have a few more years of free space before you have to pay for more space.
For those looking to jump ship early, the good news is that there are already several Google Photos alternatives out there. The bad news is that none of them offer the same range of features, and some require a lot more effort to set up. Here are your best options!
Best alternatives for Google Photos
Should you stop using Google Photos?
Recognition: Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
Before we dive into Google Photos alternatives, ask yourself the question: Would you better pay for more Google Photos storage?
The answer is probably yes. 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 even less free capacity than Google Drive, and some also require hardware or software subscription fees. In most cases, it’s better to bite the bullet and pay $ 2 a month (or $ 20 a year) for 100GB once you hit the limit.
It’s also worth noting that Pixel owners keep unlimited free Google Photo storage. They’re also great phones with options to suit all budgets. You can find out more about this list here.
Here are the best Google Photos alternatives for those looking to get the service out of their lives for good.
Amazon photos
Recognition: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
For those who are too used to truly unlimited storage, Amazon Photos is a great replacement. Even better, you already have it when you pay for Amazon Prime.
Amazon Photos is essentially unlimited cloud storage, but only for photos. You can store 5GB of videos and other files, but you have to pay more to do so. However, it has some keyword search features. They’re not as good as Google’s, but it’s better than nothing. You can also save photos in their original quality.
As with Google Photos, the app automatically syncs your photos, and you can share them with family members too. The unlimited photo storage can be shared with up to six family members with a single subscription. However, if you cancel your Amazon Prime subscription, you will lose access to your photos and they can even be permanently deleted.
Dropbox
Recognition: Jon Fingas / Android Authority
Dropbox is a very popular cloud storage service and, if configured correctly, can serve as a decent alternative to Google Photos. You can automatically sync all the photos from your phone to a safe place in the cloud. It also offers some of the best third-party integrations of any cloud provider.
Also read: Google One versus the competition: Dropbox, OneDrive, iCloud and more
However, the free version is limited. You only get 2GB of storage (compared to 15GB on Google Photos and a few others), and paid plans are significantly more expensive than the competition. In return, you get extra security and productivity features that might be worth it if you just want to save photos of your kids.
Flickr
Flickr has been around for a long time, but not everyone knows it has great photo storage plans. It is mainly marketed to professional and amateur photographers for hosting and sharing high quality photos, but it can be great for everyday users too.
The app offers automatic syncing of all your photos or individual uploads if you only want to save the best shots. Photos and videos can be set to private to keep prying eyes out of your personal life. Since it’s designed from the ground up with photos, it’s also a breeze to organize everything into albums.
Free plans used to offer 1TB of storage, now they’re limited to 1,000 photos. If you need unlimited storage, you need Flickr Pro, which is $ 7 a month (or $ 60 a year).
Apple iCloud
If you have an iPhone, chances are you’re already using iCloud. It’s just as sturdy a cloud storage tool as Google Drive if it doesn’t outperform in certain cases. iCloud Photos is the part that we’re going to focus on here. As with Google Photos, there is an easy way to securely store all of your photos 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 has some of the cheapest plans for expansion. 50 GB is only $ 1 per month, 200 GB is $ 3 per month, and 2 TB is only $ 10 per month. You can also save money on other subscriptions by bundling them together with Apple One.
However, if you’re not an iPhone user, then you should look elsewhere. There is currently no official support for Android phones, and it doesn’t look like it’s coming anytime soon. You can access some limited features through a mobile browser, but they don’t come nearly as convenient.
A ride
Next up is Microsoft’s cloud storage solution. OneDrive is a popular choice for business users because of its integration with Office apps, but it is also a powerful replacement for Google Photos. You can download the app on your phone and have your photos automatically synced to the cloud. The gallery enables searches and automatically tags images based on their content (just like Google Photos).
The free version is limited to just 5GB, but you can upgrade that to 100GB for just $ 2 a month. Microsoft 365 users also get 1TB of storage under the plan for $ 7 per month (or $ 70 per year). This makes it a natural choice for anyone who uses Microsoft apps for business or personal use.
Your own server
The final Google Photos alternative is by far the most complicated, but the most versatile. By setting up your own cloud server, you have complete control over your files and are freed from permanent subscriptions to a single service.
However, it will take a lot more time and effort than any other service on the market. You can use Plex, Synology, OwnCloud, or a number of other services to do this, but this requires technical expertise.
Learn more about cloud services: