Data storage of files up to 1 GB total in size was introduced on January 13, 2010, but has since been increased to 10 GB, documents using Google Docs native formats do not count towards this quota. Google Docs combines the features of Writely and Spreadsheets with a presentation program incorporating technology designed by Tonic Systems. It allows users to create and edit documents online while collaborating in real-time with other users. Google Docs (now known as Google Drive) is a free, Web-based office suite and data storage service offered by Google. Īnother report from The Verge finds that Google's terms are quite comparable to those of its competitors, and slightly better in some cases. Although the user retains intellectual property rights, the broad Google Drive license allows extraction and parsing of uploaded content to customize advertising and other services that Google provides to the user, and for promoting the service. This license is perpetual even after removal of content. According to CNET, unlike competing services Dropbox and SkyDrive, Google retains a more broad claim to reproduce, use, and create derivative works from content stored on the Google Drive. Google has only one, unified terms of service and privacy policy for all its products. According to Sundar Pichai of Google, the Google Drive online storage service will be tightly integrated with Chrome OS version 20. At the start of the service the client software was available for the following devices: on PCs running Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7, or Mac OS X Lion (10.7) and Snow Leopard (10.6) on Android smartphones and tablets with Eclair and newer OSes (Android 2.1+) on iPhones and iPads, iOS 3.0+. īesides the web page, Google Drive needs a client to synchronize files. These apps, running in Google Chrome, are operating on the online files, and can be used to edit images and videos, fax and sign documents, manage projects, create flowcharts, etc. There are third-party Google Drive apps which can be installed from the Chrome Web Store. Extra storage, which is shared between Picasa and Google Drive, from 25 GB (2.49 USD/month) up to 16 TB can be acquired through a paid monthly subscription plan.

Google Drive gives the user a free-of-charge cloud storage of 5 gigabytes to start with.

Is google drive free to use