Google One is Google’s subscription-based cloud storage service that gives users expanded storage space across Google services. As a long-time Google user, I decided to sign up for Google One to take advantage of the unlimited cloud storage and other features. Here is my in-depth review after using the service for a few months.
Storage Space and Pricing
Google One offers unlimited storage for photos, videos, documents, and other files in your Google Account. This removes the storage limits imposed on free Google Accounts like Gmail and Drive.
There are three Google One plans:
- £1.59/month for 100GB
- £7.99/month for 200GB
- £30/month for unlimited storage
I chose the Unlimited plan to fully leverage Google One without worrying about storage limits. The 2TB plan is sufficient for most, but unlimited storage brings total peace of mind.
Is Unlimited Storage Really Unlimited?
Google does impose some commonsense limits on “unlimited” storage to prevent abuse. Users cannot upload Terabytes of data overnight or store content banned by Google’s policies.
However, for personal use, I have confirmed the unlimited storage is indeed unlimited. I’ve uploaded over 1TB of photos and videos so far without issue. Google does not impose caps as long as you reasonably grow your storage over time.
Backup and Restore
A key benefit of Google One is it provides an easy way to backup and restore data across Google services:
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Photos and videos – I can safely backup an unlimited number of photos and videos at original quality. No more worries about running out of space.
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Gmail – Every email and attachment in Gmail can be stored in Drive with unlimited storage.
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Contacts – I backed up all my contacts. If I ever lose my phone, I can restore my contacts easily.
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Calendar – My entire calendar history is backed up and can be restored if needed.
The peace of mind from knowing my data is securely backed up is a top reason I recommend Google One, especially for high-res photos and videos.
File Sharing and Collaborations
With unlimited storage, I can easily collaborate and share large files using Drive. I no longer get errors when sharing files that exceed storage quotas.
Some examples:
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I created shared folders with unlimited storage for my family to upload photos and videos. Now we have a single library of our memories.
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I share large video projects with co-workers seamlessly without worrying about caps.
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I send clients large sample videos for review through Drive links. No more rejected emails due to attachments exceeding size limits!
For teams and enterprises, Google One business plans provide unlimited storage for groups at reasonable monthly prices.
Additional Benefits
Google One includes a few other benefits:
- Expert support – I can contact Google One support for quick help on any Google service like Drive, Photos, Gmail, etc. Support agents are knowledgeable and friendly.
- VPN service – Google One includes a basic VPN to help keep web browsing secure on public WiFi. It’s easy to turn on when needed.
- 10% credit back on purchases at the Google Store. I saved 10% when buying a Nest camera which nearly covered the monthly Google One fee.
While not huge perks, the additional support, VPN, and Store credit make Google One even more valuable.
Is it Worth £30 a Month?
For me, the unlimited peace of mind is well worth £30/month. I no longer think twice before backing up irreplaceable photos and videos. Collaboration is frictionless. Automated backups give me confidence my data is secure.
However, carefully consider your needs:
- If you primarily use Google services for docs and lightweight storage, the 200GB plan at £7.99/month is likely sufficient.
- For families, the 2TB plan at £9.99/month provides robust storage for most households at a reasonable price.
- Businesses with larger storage and collaboration needs can benefit from unlimited storage and support.
Evaluate your use case, but for power Google users who want unlimited storage, Google One is a superb solution. The peace of mind alone is worth the monthly price for me.
Conclusion
After several months using Google One Unlimited, I highly recommend it for £30/month if you:
- Have a growing library of high-res photos and videos to backup
- Frequently collaborate on large Drive files
- Want automated backup and peace of mind for your Google data
- Need robust storage for a family or business
With unlimited cloud storage, frictionless collaboration, and bonus features like support and VPN, Google One is a valuable upgrade for any heavy Google user. For me, the peace of mind of unlimited, secure cloud storage is well worth the monthly price.
