Last updated: 22 September 2026

OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud or Jottacloud: Which Cloud Storage Suits You?

Cloud storage means your files live on servers on the internet instead of only on your PC or phone, so you can reach them from several devices and have an extra copy if something happens to the machine.

Choose OneDrive if you use Microsoft 365. Choose Google Drive if you live in Google's world with Gmail and Docs. Choose iCloud if you have an iPhone, iPad and Mac. If you want your files stored in Norway, Jottacloud is the Norwegian alternative. Here is an honest comparison with prices and recommendations for 2026.

Free storage

All the big services give you free storage, but the amount varies:

• OneDrive: 5 GB free.
• Google Drive: 15 GB free (shared with Gmail and Google Photos).
• iCloud: 5 GB free.
• Jottacloud: 5 GB free.

Google is clearly the most generous with free storage. But 15 GB fills up quickly if you use Gmail actively and take lots of photos with Google Photos. For most people, the free tier is not enough regardless. You end up paying.

Prices for more storage

Prices are per month in Norwegian kroner, taken from each provider's own pricing page on 22 September 2026. Providers adjust prices regularly, so check the links before you buy.

• iCloud+: 50 GB for NOK 12, 200 GB for NOK 39 and 2 TB for NOK 129 (Apple's price list).
• Google One: 100 GB for NOK 24. 2 TB is now part of Google AI Plus at NOK 125 (Google One plans).
• Microsoft 365 Personal: 1 TB OneDrive + the Office apps for NOK 121/month, or NOK 1,189/year (Microsoft's plan comparison).
• Jottacloud Home: 1 TB for NOK 79, shared by up to five users. Unlimited storage for one user costs NOK 129 (Jottacloud pricing).

OneDrive with Microsoft 365 gives the most for your money if you need Word, Excel and PowerPoint anyway, because 1 TB of storage comes with it. Paid yearly, Personal works out at about NOK 99 a month. Microsoft 365 Family costs NOK 155/month or NOK 1,559/year and gives up to six people 1 TB each. If you only need storage and not Office, Jottacloud or Google One is cheaper per GB.

Norwegian cloud storage: when should you pick Jottacloud?

If you want your files on servers in Norway, Jottacloud is a Norwegian alternative. The company is headquartered in Oslo and states that data is stored in Norway, under Norwegian privacy law and the GDPR. Google, Microsoft and Apple store data in their own global data centres.

Jottacloud is built for storage and automatic backup of photos and PCs. If several people need to edit the same document at once, Google Docs or Office is built for exactly that. Many people therefore combine them: Jottacloud for photos and backup, and Google Drive or OneDrive for the documents they work in every day.

Integration and ecosystem

OneDrive

Integrated into Windows, Microsoft 365 and Teams. Files appear directly in File Explorer. You can edit Office documents straight from the browser. For businesses, OneDrive is the natural choice with SharePoint integration and management via Microsoft 365 Admin.

Google Drive

Works best with Google Workspace: Docs, Sheets, Slides and Gmail. Everything is web-based, and real-time collaboration is Google's biggest strength. There's nothing to install. Just open a browser. Google One bundles storage and family sharing in one subscription.

iCloud

Built into iPhone, iPad and Mac. Photos, documents and backups synchronise automatically. Works reasonably well on Windows with the iCloud app, but the experience is best on Apple devices. Family Sharing lets up to six members share storage.

Google Drive pricing in detail: Google One 2026

The 15 GB of free storage is shared between Drive (files and documents), Gmail (email and attachments) and Google Photos. If you use Gmail actively and take lots of photos, 15 GB runs out fast. Norwegian prices as of September 2026:

• 100 GB (Basic): NOK 24/month. Enough for most individuals who have gone past the free limit.
• 2 TB (Google AI Plus): NOK 125/month. Google has bundled the 2 TB tier with AI features, so you pay for more than storage.
• 5 TB (Google AI Pro): NOK 259/month. For heavy users with large video and photo collections.

Paying yearly saves up to 17 %, according to Google. The 200 GB plan many people remember is no longer listed on Google's Norwegian plans page.

Sharing and collaboration

Google Drive is the best for collaboration. Multiple people can edit a document at the same time without conflicts. It's intuitive and only requires a browser.

OneDrive has equivalent features via Office Online, and it works well. Especially for businesses using Teams, collaboration is tightly integrated.

iCloud is the weakest for sharing and collaboration. You can share files and folders, but real-time editing is not as stable as with Google and Microsoft.

Which cloud storage is the most secure?

Short answer: iCloud with Advanced Data Protection turned on. iCloud Drive, Photos and backups are then end-to-end encrypted among other things, and Apple does not hold the key. The feature is off by default, so you have to switch it on yourself under Settings, your name and iCloud (Apple's description of Advanced Data Protection). If you lose both your devices and your recovery key, Apple cannot help you get back in.

All the big services encrypt your files in transit and at rest. The difference is who holds the keys:

• OneDrive: Microsoft holds the keys. Personal Vault provides extra protection for sensitive files with two-factor authentication. Ransomware detection alerts you to suspicious activity.
• Google Drive: Google holds the keys. Strong encryption and good account management. Google's Advanced Protection Program is available for high-risk users.
• iCloud: With Advanced Data Protection almost all content is end-to-end encrypted. Without it, Apple holds the keys to most of it, like the others.
• Jottacloud: Norwegian company with data stored in Norway. If you care where your data sits and which country's laws apply, that is an argument.

Regardless of service: enable two-factor authentication. It stops far more break-ins than the choice of provider does.

Cloud storage for businesses

If your business uses Microsoft 365, you already have OneDrive and SharePoint in the licence, and that is usually the right place for work files. The common mistake in small businesses is documents living on employees' private Dropbox or Google accounts. Then the business does not own the files, and when someone leaves, access leaves with them.

If you store personal data about customers or employees in the cloud, the provider is a data processor under the GDPR and you need a data processing agreement. The big providers include standard agreements in their business terms. The rest of your obligations are in our GDPR checklist for small businesses.

Want help moving files from private accounts into the company's own setup and getting access right? We do that as part of IT support for businesses in Stavanger and Rogaland.

Family subscriptions

All of them offer family solutions:

• Microsoft 365 Family: Up to 6 people with 1 TB each. Includes the Office apps. Best value for families using a PC.
• Google One: Storage can be shared with up to five other people, according to Google's plans page.
• iCloud+: Family sharing of storage between up to 6 people with Apple devices.
• Jottacloud Home: 1 TB or 5 TB shared by up to five users.

Which should you choose?

The simple answer: use the one that fits your ecosystem.

• Windows PC and Office? OneDrive.
• Gmail and Google Docs? Google Drive.
• iPhone and Mac? iCloud.
• Data in Norway and lots of photos? Jottacloud.

Need help setting up cloud storage for yourself or your business? Datafolka's support service can help you choose the right solution and move your files safely.

Frequently asked questions about cloud storage

Many people use two services in parallel. For example iCloud for photos on their phone and OneDrive for work-related documents. That works perfectly fine. Just make sure you know where your files are. Important: Cloud storage is not the same as a backup - if you delete a file there, it typically disappears from all synced devices. Read our backup guide with the 3-2-1 rule for proper backups.

Claude AI helped me with phrasing and proofreading in this article.