Google Drive is an obvious storage solution for many Android users. However, the latest change to Google Drive storage limits is being described as a “cloud storage trap” by frustrated customers, on top of the other issues Google Drive has, and now storage seekers may be wondering what the best alternative to switch to is.
Google Drive now comes with a catch
And you may not have noticed
Google very quietly changed its wording surrounding the free storage included for Google account holders back in March, which mostly went unnoticed until a Reddit user spotted the change when creating a new Gmail account.
Up until this year, we Google users were given 15GB of free storage space without any ifs, ands, or buts. That’s now changed. This Reddit user noted that the new storage allowance is 5GB — and if you want the other 10GB you’d previously been entitled to, you have to input your mobile number.
Google claims the need for a mobile phone number is a form of “identity verification”, but commenters on this Reddit post have described it as a form of “bribery for your data”.
Given we live in the day and age where user data is coveted by companies and user privacy seems to have fallen by the wayside for major corporations, many Google users are drawing the line at handing over a phone number (a piece of personal information you can’t lie about, unlike a home address or name).
Google Drive comes at a higher price
Seriously…the price tag keeps getting bigger and bigger
Potentially one of the biggest issues, which isn’t exclusive to Google but is a huge problem for users, is the growing cost. Google users noted that the price rise in 2026 could be the final straw, as price increases are becoming normal.
Back in 2020, the Business Standard package cost roughly $14.40/user/month (when paid on a flexible plan), which increased to about $16.80/user/month in 2025, according to Incentro.
Though this only looks like a couple of bucks on paper, the extra $2.40 per month sure adds up. Plus, some users are questioning what the pay increase is actually paying for — and the answer is, of course, AI (as well as a few other Google updates).
Is your Google Drive safe and private?
Safe? Very. Private? Not so much
Back in 2019, Google announced the Privacy Sandbox in an attempt to appease Google and Android users’ concerns about third-party cookies. After years of delays and backtracking, Google officially gave up on that dream back in 2025. And since then, users have still been raising questions about safety and privacy across Google Workspace.
How does Google use your data, you may ask? Essentially, they track your every move on Google apps and sites to tailor the ads you see — to an invasive degree. Obviously, some people find personalized ads useful, but they can be creepy too.
Google tracks your location, assimilates information from your Gmail and Google Drive files, and doesn’t use end-to-end encryption, much like OneDrive, to protect your documents from being snooped on, which is why users are beginning to make the switch.
There are plenty of things you can do to ensure your privacy while using Google, including locally encrypting your documents before putting them into your Drive to stop Google collecting data from them, but these are extra steps a lot of casual users or business owners aren’t going to want to do before using cloud storage.
What should you use instead of Google?
If you’re considering making the move from Google, whether because of the growing privacy concerns, rising prices or the new storage rules, there are plenty of alternative workspaces available. There’s Proton, iWork if you’re an Apple user, LibreOffice if you don’t mind something a bit more retro (and offline), Zoho Workspace, Lark and (of course) Microsoft 365 — if you’re happy to sacrifice end-to-end encryption for the primary competitor of Google Workspace.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
