In today’s world, storing all files on a local hard drive is impractical. There are two explanations for this. For starters, data is constantly growing, and traditional hard drives are relatively expensive. Second, it is critical to protect data from cyber threats. As a result, consumers put their money into cloud storage, which is less costly and more secure.
There are a variety of cloud storage choices available on the market. Google Cloud Storage and iCloud are two of them. In this post, we will look at some of the similarities and differences between them and how to choose the ideal one for your needs.
What is iCloud?
Apple’s iCloud is free to enable and use, and it’s linked to your Apple ID. You get the first 5GB of free space with iCloud, and you can upgrade it for more space.
When we refer to “the cloud”, we usually refer to a collection of online services that work with our Internet-connected gadgets. And Apple’s iCloud is no exception. You could think of it as the apple cloud that powers all Apple services that sync across our devices or work online.
The goal of iCloud is to safely store data and crucial information on Apple’s remote servers or cloud. As a result, all of your data is backed up to a secure location and synchronized across your devices.
What are the benefits of using iCloud?
iCloud is a built-in cloud in all apple devices. You can directly create a backup of your files and sync multiple devices at a time. In addition, if you ever lose your Apple device, all your data will be stored on iCloud.
You can then go to iCloud.com to recover this info or check in with your Apple ID to instantly restore this data on your new Apple device. Some of the major benefits of using iCloud are:
- Data backup: iCloud backups a wide range of data and sync it across devices such as contacts, calendar, notes, photos, music, app data, purchase history, apple watch backup, voice memos, messages, and health data. iCloud can create a backup for all this data, but every iCloud account is configured differently. To view what your iCloud account is backing up, launch the “Settings” app on your iPhone or iPad, choose your profile at the top of the list, and then scroll down to the “iCloud” section.
- Auto Sync: One of the essential things about iCloud is that it syncs your data automatically across different devices between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
- High Security: Cyberattacks are increasing at a lightning rate. It has become critical to keep your data safe. iCloud comes with a robust security level to keep your files safe from malicious attacks.
What is Google Cloud Storage?
Google Cloud Platform (GCP) provides cloud computing and storage capabilities to enable the development, testing, and deployment of cloud-hosted applications. It uses the same infrastructure as Google, and stability and security are two of the primary features heavily included in GCP’s underlying architecture.
Google Cloud Storage is a component of Google’s GCP cloud computing platform.
Because Google Cloud Storage is a paid service of GCP, it provides more functionality and independence than any other regular storage service. Not only can you store files, but Google Cloud Storage can also be integrated with an app or website.
It can be described as a server-based cloud storage solution requiring some technical knowledge. Mainly it is used by the developers or someone with a technical background.
Advantages of using Google Cloud Storage
- Documentation that is well-curated: Google Cloud Storage includes various features, and Google has created well-organized documentation for it. As a result, your technical staff will have an easier time incorporating it into the product.
- Storage options: GCP provides a variety of storage classes from which you can choose based on your needs.
- Simple Integration: Google Cloud Storage can be integrated with other GCP services such as App Engine, Kubernetes, or Compute Engine.
- Simple Pricing model: Google Cloud Storage works on a pay-as-you-go model. You pay only for what you use.
Difference between Google Cloud Storage vs iCloud
Google Cloud Storage and iCloud are both storage services offered by tech giants Google and Apple.
Both services come with a highly secured and scalable environment. So, which one should you choose?
The main differences between Google Cloud Storage vs iCloud:
- Pricing: iCloud is free for the first 5GB of storage space. Later you are charged $20 a year for an additional 10GB (15GB total), $40 for an additional 20GB, and $100 for an additional 50GB (55GB total). In the case of Google Cloud Storage, it is completely different. You will sign up for GCP, which will require a credit card, and for using Storage, you will be charged based on the pay-as-you-go pricing model. It means you will pay for whatever you use.
- Working environment: Google Cloud Storage works entirely in the cloud, and you can use it on any platform, Windows, Mac, Android, Linux, or iOS. On the other hand, iCloud works only on Apple devices. You need an apple id to activate it, and then you can start backing up the data.
- Ease of use: iCloud is easy to use compared to Google storage because of its simplicity. With Google Cloud storage, you need technical experience to operate. It will be difficult for someone, not a technical background to work on GCP cloud storage. iCloud is way more straightforward as it is designed only for data storage. There are no extra technical functionalities.
- Security: Just like other Apple products, iCloud is highly secure. Apple itself maintains servers, and they take care of your data. So you can rest assured about it. In addition, Google Cloud storage offers a data encryption feature, and alongside, you can control the file access and roles.
Final words
iCloud and Google Cloud Storage are entirely different. The iCloud is a simple storage service for apple products. It helps you to upload, download and share files across different devices.
Whereas Google Cloud Storage is a technical storage offering by GCP which comes with multiple functionalities and features. Mainly Google Storage is used by developers in apps and websites.
The iCloud is used by apple product users as primary Cloud Storage like android users use Google drive.
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Amit Doshi is a Cloud Engineer who has experienced more than 5 years in AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. He is an IT professional responsible for designing, implementing, managing, and maintaining cloud computing infrastructure, applications, and services.