Why buy into iCloud for photo storage when there’s a free option?
By: Andrew George
Tags: Google Photos, Google, Apple, Cloud Storage, iPhone

People still don’t know how the “Cloud” works — it’s the butt of many jokes, and it’s all because of Apple. The iCloud Photo Library, iCloud Photo Sharing, Photostream, confusion about setting up each device, the panic of wondering if simply tapping a couple buttons will erase your precious photos for good — I’ve watched users give in and pay for the extra iCloud service only to still feel frazzled over the dreaded iCloud.

I could sit here and explain Apple Photos to you, but instead I’ll tell you not to waste your time and just buy into Google Photos. Actualy, you don’t have to buy in… it’s free.

When Apple offers up free space for Pages, Keynote, Numbers, along with photos and videos, perhaps I’ll consider switching over. Until then, I’m with Google.

Google Photos vs. Apple Photos

Google Photos will store your iPhone photos for free, along with any 1080p video you collect. As many of us know you only have 5GB of room in your iCloud account. After a few months of selfies, concert footage, and party pics, Apple wants you to pay up and grab more storage.

For a third-party app, Google makes managing photos a breeze.

You still kind of need to use Apple Photos, but…

…so, Google Photos accesses your photos from Apple Photos, since the iPhone camera automatically places your pictures into Apple Photos. Google Photos then takes them from the app (after you give it permission to) and once it uploads it to the the Google cloud, it allows you to clear redundant photos from your phone with the Free up space feature.

This is awesome, easy, and you don’t have to worry about running out of storage on your iPhone’s drive.

Essentially you get the same service as you would with an iCloud account, except it’s unlimited and free. The catch is that you can’t upload pictures over 16MP, but iPhones don’t shoot past 12MP at the moment, and even at that, you have the option of downsizing your photos if they’re too large. Unless you’re doing something professional, the current settings are just fine.

Also, you can store as much 1080p video as you like into Google Photos. I understand 4K video is all the rage, but honestly, if you’re dead set on shooting at 4K you should already understand that the files are massive, that the difference between 1080p and 4k is tough to spot for the average viewer, and you should already have a file storage solution for your video library if you’re looking to shoot 4K.

Why I moved to Google Photos, and stick to Google Drive (for the most part) over iCloud

Look, I really wish I loved iCloud. However, I’ve ran into syncing issues with Pages and Keynote. I use Google Docs for all of my word processing. Google Backup and Sync is an awesome tool, I use Gmail, and the 15GB of free space is something that doesn't quickly pressure you to purchase additional storage. Sure, I still use iCloud for Apple Notes and other apps where it’s just easier, but if I’m buying additional space in the future, I’m buying Drive space, and probably leaning towards Amazon before I go to Apple. On top of that, iCloud.com needs work — using it on a PC is horrid. Google is more dedicated to their cloud services and it’s simple to use.

When Apple offers up free space for Pages, Keynote, Numbers, along with photos and videos, perhaps I’ll consider switching over. Until then, I’m with Google.