iCloud vs OneDrive
An honest side-by-side comparison of two of our top cloud storage providers picks — pricing, strengths, weaknesses, and who each one is really for.
iCloud
Ranked #5 of 15 in this directory
Apple's seamless cloud ecosystem for syncing files, photos, and data across devices
OneDrive
Ranked #3 of 15 in this directory
Microsoft's cloud storage with deep Office 365 integration and Windows syncing
Our pick: OneDrive. Our editors rank OneDrive higher overall in Cloud Storage Providers — but iCloud can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case below. How we review
Compare the details
| iCloud | OneDrive | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | See website | See website |
| Category | Personal | Business |
| Editorial rank | #5 of 15 | #3 of 15 |
Strengths
iCloud
- ✓Deeply integrated across every Apple device for effortless syncing
- ✓iCloud+ includes privacy features like Private Relay and Hide My Email
- ✓Shared Family plans allow up to six people to share storage
- ✓Automatic photo and device backup with no configuration required
- ✓Keychain syncs passwords securely across Apple devices
OneDrive
- ✓1 TB of storage included with every Microsoft 365 subscription
- ✓Native Windows integration with built-in file explorer sync
- ✓Real-time co-authoring in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents
- ✓Personal Vault feature adds extra security for sensitive files
- ✓Excellent value when bundled with the full Microsoft 365 suite
Watch out for
iCloud
- !Only 5 GB free storage is very limited for device backups and photos
- !Windows and Android support is minimal and clunky
- !No native Linux client available
- !Limited collaboration features compared to Google Drive or Dropbox
OneDrive
- !Free tier offers only 5 GB compared to Google's 15 GB
- !Sync conflicts can occur when editing files across multiple devices
- !macOS integration is less polished than the Windows experience
- !Upload speed can be slower than Dropbox for large file batches
Best use cases
iCloud
- →Apple ecosystem user syncing photos, files, and backups across devices
- →Family wanting to share a single storage plan across multiple Apple devices
- →Privacy-conscious user taking advantage of iCloud+ Private Relay features
OneDrive
- →Windows user wanting cloud backup and sync built into the operating system
- →Microsoft 365 subscriber looking to maximize their included 1 TB storage
- →Business team collaborating heavily in Word, Excel, and Teams
About each tool
iCloud
iCloud is Apple's cloud storage and syncing service, providing 5 GB of free storage with paid plans up to 12 TB. It powers seamless synchronization of photos, documents, contacts, calendars, and device backups across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. iCloud Drive provides a file storage layer similar to Google Drive, and iCloud+ plans include additional privacy features like Private Relay and Hide My Email.
OneDrive
OneDrive is Microsoft's cloud storage solution, offering 5 GB of free storage and tight integration with Microsoft 365 apps including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams. For Microsoft 365 subscribers, OneDrive provides 1 TB of storage per user. Built directly into Windows, OneDrive enables seamless file backup, sync, and sharing without installing additional software.
Still deciding? Browse all 15 options with honest pros, cons, and pricing.
See all Cloud Storage Providers →