If you’re well-intuned with Google’s ecosystem, chances are you’ve dipped into a few Google services and packages. Google One costs between $1.99 and $19.99 per month in the United States, depending on the storage plan and features. There are four plans: Basic, Standard, Premium, and AI Premium. The higher you go, the more you pay, but the more features and storage you can access (in theory). Monthly plans become increasingly expensive, especially when the demand for backing up data is needed. Too often, Chromebooks and low-storage hardware rely on online backups to keep data intact.
I recently needed to back up terabytes (TB) of data, and sadly, Google One storage ended up being less feasible, which catapulted me into realizing that a Google One subscription isn’t necessary. Here is why I am not renewing Google One and why you shouldn’t.
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6
Other cloud storage options
Google isn’t the only one
Image from Microsoft.com
OneDrive is another storage option; monthly plans range from $1.99 to $9.99, depending on the tier and features. You can pay slightly less annually (note that Google One also has annual plans). If you pay into the OneDrive Microsoft 365 plans, you can receive 1TB and more, plus access to Office services and Microsoft Copilot in OneDrive. That’s very helpful if you already work within Microsoft’s ecosystem.
Alternatively, you can pay for larger cloud storage options if you’re willing to part ways with all the premium features you get from Google One and OneDrive. Proton Drive’s plans are flexible. Depending on your storage needs, you can select between 500GB and 3TB. These sizes match common computer storage standards, giving you extra flexibility to back up a hard drive. Proton Drive is also a far superior storage option for digital security. Proton Drive keeps all your data and files encrypted so no one can spy on what you’re sending; for me, this is important since I have a mixture of confidential documents I like to keep backed up.
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Now, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly storage option, you can always try iDrive. One shortcoming of using this service is how slow uploads are. You also have to be careful with overcharging on a Team and Business plan since if you use too much storage, the service may charge an additional fee depending on how much gets used.
The nice part about iDrive is that the plans are still flexible, and it’s less of a hassle to get it going if you’re just trying to back up sections at a time. Juggling multiple Google Drive and OneDrive accounts to back up some data is slightly more annoying than setting up iDrive. Plus, you might discover decent discounts for first-year usage only — something to consider for a one-and-done backup.
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External hard drives are becoming less expensive
There’s no subscription service
Source: Pexels
I recently avoided Google One by paying into an external hard drive. Some people recommend using multiple backups, which include cloud storage, but I’ve never needed to. Cloud storage becomes essential to your workflow if you use Google Workspace, and your job requires backing up gigabytes of data. But usually, that’s a cost covered by the company.
For me, Google One was more for personal use. However, I realized there are other effective ways to do backups that don’t involve cloud storage. These include buying an external hard drive. Additionally, there are even external SSD storage options for faster transfer. However, buying some upfront is still somewhat costly, so an external hard drive might be the best option if you need a cheaper option. Seagate makes decent, affordable ones that I often find on sale around holiday time.
I like the freedom of not paying for a subscription to access data backups. I also don’t have to worry about being at the mercy of subscription changes or if the company stops supporting the feature (Google is reliable, but you never know if there will be future price changes).
4
Not using Google Store discount
It’s easy to ignore this Google One benefit
One of the attractive features of keeping a Google One subscription is receiving Google Store discounts. You can save up to 10% on purchases in the Google Store. That discount is incredible if you plan to stick solely with the Google ecosystem. But I’ve always been more interested in Samsung products. Right now, the added Google Store discount is going to waste, especially when I’ve begun to put more effort into budgeting — I’m simply buying less than before.
3
Setting up NAS
A cost-effective solution for handling TBs of data
If you feel tied to Google One because of the cloud storage included, there are still more options on the table that don’t involve it. Another alternative to Google One’s cloud storage option is a NAS (Network Attached Storage).
NASs are specialist computers that hold files and run services/apps. You can access it offline locally, and it doesn’t cost anything extra to service, as everything is entirely free except for the setup. The difficulty lies in planning and handling the hardware costs upfront. It also requires careful configuration. But once you’ve done the legwork, it’s easy to use and saves money.
Setting up a NAS is not cheap; some of our top picks can cost hundreds of dollars. We mainly recommend this option if you already pay for several TB of storage space and your network is dependable.
2
Google Photos editing features
It’s become far less interesting
Google Photos was my go-to gallery and photo backup source five years ago. But I’ve been sticking to Samsung Gallery for the last few years. I avoid heavy AI editing and prefer applying simple filters and lighting effects to improve an image. But if I wanted to dip into AI-photo editing features, I could do so without extra cost (at least for now). Previously, it required a Google One subscription to access advanced AI features (like Magic Editor) with Google Photos. Now, it is free for all Google users, making having a Google One subscription to enhance your Google Photos experience far less exciting.
1
Google One’s VPN is no more
Only Pixel users can use its replacement
Since June 20, 2024, Google pulled the plug on its Google One VPN service. The reason was because “people simply weren’t using it.” But despite this removal, it didn’t affect the pricing. This makes it difficult to support a company unwilling to re-negotiate its pricing structure after losing its features.
According to Security.org, a study was conducted about VPN usage. The study suggested that most Americans don’t use or know about VPNs. According to their data:
54% of the respondents don’t know how to use VPNs because they are not aware of a VPNs existence or do not feel the need to use one.
Google removing an easy-to-access VPN service from a popular subscription makes them contributors to this ongoing problem. Not enough people know the benefits of using a VPN, nor do people realize all the threats/security issues our digital world faces. So now it leaves people vulnerable and forced to search for alternatives themselves. As someone who constantly worries about my data and tracked activity, removing Google One’s VPN was the cherry on top of the cake to incentivize cancellation.
Canceling or downgrading your subscription
Before you bite the bullet to change your Google One subscription status, back up everything using alternative methods. If you cancel your subscription and have exceeded your free limit, you won’t be able to send or receive emails on your Gmail account. Thankfully, Google doesn’t delete your data, but you have a two-year due date before anything exceeding the limit becomes removed. Remember to come prepared before you end your Google One support.