An important parameter of any device is internal storage. It doesn't take much to fill it with apps, pictures, and videos. Since most devices don't come with SD card slots, you can only store apps and files on the device's internal storage. This is where cloud storage platforms, such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive, come into play. These services provide storage space without physical alterations and are often free of charge.

Cloud storage is especially useful with budget-friendly Chromebooks, as some have limited onboard storage. If you need more storage space, look for a paid cloud service. Google offers cloud storage and more with Google One. This guide introduces you to the ins and outs of Google One.

Google One: A brief introduction

Google One is a cloud storage service with cloud-based data management tools that tie seamlessly into Google's ecosystem. A Google account automatically gives you 15GB of free cloud storage through Google One. Storage space on Google One is shared across Google's products, including Drive, Gmail, and Photos. The data stored in these individual services contributes to your total storage used.

Google One also offers paid subscriptions for more storage if you run out of the free 15GB or want more space. These subscriptions include additional features that improve other Google services and devices.

Google One subscription tiers, storage options, and features

Google Drive's 15GB of free storage is great if you don't have a large photo library or a multitude of PDFs. It gives you a place to back up your phone settings, store emails, and save important documents.

With Google One, subscribers can choose from several monthly plans based on their storage needs. The entry-level Basic plan costs $1.99 for 100GB, and the Standard plan offers 200GB for $2.99. The Premium plan provides 2TB for $9.99, and for $19.99, the AI Premium plan adds Gemini Advance AI to the same storage. If you aren't content with 2TB, there are larger monthly plans of 5TB ($25), 10TB ($50), 20TB ($100), and 30TB ($150).

Larger monthly storage plans (5TB, 10TB, 20TB, and 30TB) are only available for upgrade to current 2TB plan subscribers in selected countries.

Google offers a discount on its three main subscription tiers if you pay for a year upfront, coming in at 100GB for $19.99, 200GB for $29.99, and 2TB for $99.99. Google One does not offer annual billing discounts for plans above 2TB or the AI premium 2TB plan. Regardless of how you are billed, each tier provides improved storage for emails, cloud backups, general file management, and Google One VPN. You also get access to other benefits.

An image showing a comparison chart of Google One plans, detailing various subscription tiers with different prices and included features.
Source: Google

The Basic plan provides 100GB of storage and other neat features. You can use Pixel-exclusive photo filters, collage styles, and Google's AI-powered photo-editing tools, such as HDR light balancing for video and the Magic Eraser for photos. These perks elevate the standard Google Photos editing tools to the next level. The basic plan also offers 24/7 live chat, email, or phone support from Google Experts.

You gain access to a feature that constantly monitors the dark web for your personal information, from emails to social security numbers (the latter for users with US billing). Any detected information is shown in redacted form to protect privacy, allowing for informed decisions on data protection.

Going up one tier to the Standard plan expands storage to 200GB while maintaining the other Basic plan benefits. The Premium plan bumps the storage to 2TB and provides access to Google Workspace premium features and Google One VPN.

The Google Photos video editor showing image enhancement options
Source: Google

Google One subscribers in Australia, Canada, Germany, the UK, and the US are eligible for cashback on select purchases from the Google Store. Members of the Standard plan are eligible for 3% cashback on purchases made through the Google Store (in the form of store credit). Members of the Premium and higher plans are eligible for up to 10% cashback.

The AI Premium plan is worth considering if you use AI chatbots regularly, whether for work or entertainment. It offers access to Gemini Advance AI, Google's answer to ChatGPT. While it differs from ChatGPT, its integration with Google's apps is seamless.

You can enhance your writing in Gmail and Docs, from drafting invitations and resumes to refining your final piece. You can create original images effortlessly in Slides with only a few words. You can improve your video calls in Meet by minimizing noise, increasing image clarity, and adjusting the lighting. These benefits come with 2TB of cloud storage for $19.99 per month, the same price as ChatGPT 4, making it an attractive deal.

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Google One VPN

Google One VPN has been available for Android and iOS since June 2022. It's only available in a select list of countries, but Google plans to expand the availability of its VPN to new territories.

If you want a VPN that avoids geo-blocking on websites like Netflix or Amazon Prime, Google's VPN only allows you to toggle it on and off. It automatically connects you to the nearest server in your country.

Google's VPN is mainly marketed as a security and privacy service. Some of the best VPNs for Android allow manual location selection and further customization. Being security-focused, Google's VPN encrypts your device traffic, hides your IP address, and logs a small amount of anonymous user data. The service ensures a fast and stable connection, which is enough for many VPN users.

The Google One logo with three screenshots of the app in the background

If you subscribe to Google One's 2TB Premium tier and haven't used the VPN, try it out, even if it's only to keep your connection secure when using Wi-Fi at a coffee shop.

Google released a white paper detailing how the system works. In that white paper, the company claims the VPN will never collect or sell user data. Google also heavily emphasizes that a third party audits the VPN to ensure there are no privacy concerns.

Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro owners can access the VPN for free. If you have the recently announced Google Pixel 7a, you also get Google One VPN for free. If you purchased a Pixel 7 series phone, open the Google One app and scroll down to the VPN tile on the Home tab. Click Get Started and follow the steps to activate. You'll be surfing the web safely in no time.

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Managing your Google One storage

Your Google One storage quotient is related to all your Google services. This means items you save when you use Gmail, Google Photos, Drive, or Android backup services count toward this total.

The Google One app is Google's hub for managing your cloud storage. The app gives you access to features that free up cloud storage space, manage family sharing settings, and access the 24/7 live support included with paid subscriptions. You can also manually clear up storage by deleting files, such as mass deleting emails in Gmail.

The Google One app may come preloaded on your Android device. If it isn't, install it from the Play Store or APKMirror.

Google One includes family sharing

The paid Google One subscriptions come with a family-sharing feature, which allows you to share your Google One benefits with up to five other individuals. You can do this regardless of your subscription tier.

Activating family sharing doesn't mean the people in your family can access your information or personal files. You must grant permission for anyone to gain access. Your family members can only use the Google One benefits with their accounts.

When you share your Google One storage space with a family member, they must fill up their personal 15GB of free Google One storage before it uses your paid quota, meaning your storage is only used when necessary. Google allows each user to use as much of the storage in a family group as they like. There isn't a limit. Be prepared to duke it out with your cousin for more space to store memes.

To activate family sharing on Google One, all family group members need to be in the same country.

Other rewards, offers, and perks

In addition to the features mentioned above, Google One has a rotating list of rewards, offers, and perks for subscribers. These include hotel discounts, free Nest hardware (Premium plan), free Google Play Store credit, and more. The current offers can be seen in the Benefits tab of the Google One app.

How to change or cancel your Google One plan

If you subscribed to a Google One plan and decide you need more or less storage than anticipated, it's helpful to know how to modify your plan.

How to change or cancel your plan on mobile

  1. Open the Google One app.
  2. Tap the triple line icon in the upper-left corner.
  3. Tap Membership plans.
  4. Select the new plan you desire and then tap Continue.

If you want to cancel your plan, tap Settings instead of Membership plans in step 3. Then select Cancel membership.

How to change or cancel your plan on a web browser

  1. Go to the Google One website and log in.
  2. Click Plans on the left.
  3. Choose a new plan and click Upgrade, then click Continue.
    Screenshot of the upgrades page on the Google One website.

If you want to cancel your plan, click the Settings icon instead of clicking Plans in step 2. Then click Cancel membership.

Maximize your free Google storage first

Google One is Google's way of managing your Google account storage. It offers unique features such as a VPN, photo editing, and more. It's a good buy for those integrated into Google's ecosystem. If Google Drive is filling up but you are hesitant to subscribe to Google One, consider freeing up storage space as a first step.