Google Photos vs iCloud Photos: Storage, Prices, Sharing and Which to Choose

If everyone in your household uses iPhones, iPads and Macs, iCloud Photos is the simpler choice because it’s built into Apple devices and syncs edits everywhere. If you use Android, Windows, or a mix of devices, Google Photos is usually easier because it has full apps on both Android and iPhone plus a capable website. Storage prices are close; the bigger difference is the ecosystem.

You can also use both: many iPhone owners keep iCloud Photos on and run Google Photos backup as a second copy.

Quick comparison

Prices are US list prices as of October 2026 and change from time to time, so check the current plans before you buy.

Storage: what really matters

Free storage fills up quickly either way. A few thousand photos and some videos can exceed 15 GB, and 5 GB on iCloud is often used up by device backups alone.

• Google’s 15 GB is shared by Google Photos, Gmail and Google Drive. A busy inbox reduces what’s left for photos.
• Apple’s 5 GB covers iCloud Photos, iPhone backups, Messages in iCloud and app data. Most people who use iCloud Photos seriously end up on a paid plan.
• Both store original quality by default on paid plans. Google Photos also offers a “Storage saver” backup quality that compresses photos to use less space.

If you’re running short on iPhone space, both services can keep full-resolution copies in the cloud and smaller versions on the device. See our guide on freeing up storage on iPhone.

How they back up and sync

iCloud Photos

Turn it on under Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos, then switch on Sync this iPhone (wording varies slightly by iOS version). Choose Optimize iPhone Storage to keep smaller copies on the phone. iCloud Photos is a sync service: delete a photo on one device and it’s deleted everywhere, after a 30-day stay in Recently Deleted.

Google Photos

In the Google Photos app, tap your profile picture and turn on Backup, then choose backup quality. On iPhone, Google Photos needs permission to access your full library to back it up. Deleting in the Google Photos app also removes items from the device and cloud (with a trash period), but deleting with the iPhone’s Photos app doesn’t necessarily remove Google’s copy.

Neither service is a true separate backup on its own, because a deletion syncs. If your photos are irreplaceable, keep an extra copy on a computer or external drive. Our guide to backing up an iPhone to a computer shows one way.

Sharing with family and friends

• Google Photos: shared albums anyone with a Google account (or a link) can view and add to; Partner sharing automatically shares all photos, or photos of selected people, with one partner.
• iCloud Photos: Shared Albums for specific collections, and an iCloud Shared Photo Library that up to six people can contribute to. Shared Albums can be viewed by non-Apple users via a public web link if you enable it.

For mixed Android and iPhone families, Google Photos sharing is usually smoother because everyone gets the same app.

Search, editing and AI features

Both let you search by people, places and things (“dog,” “beach,” “receipt”) and create automatic memories. Both include solid editing tools: crop, light and color adjustments, filters and object removal. Some AI-powered features depend on the device or plan; for example, Apple’s Clean Up tool needs a device that supports Apple Intelligence, and some Google Photos editing features vary by phone, region and plan. If a specific feature matters to you, check that it’s offered on your device.

Privacy

• Apple offers Advanced Data Protection, which turns on end-to-end encryption for iCloud Photos and most iCloud data. If you enable it, Apple can’t help you recover your data if you lose access, so set up a recovery contact or key.
• Google encrypts photos in transit and at rest, but Google Photos doesn’t offer end-to-end encryption for your library. Google uses your photos to power features like face grouping and search, which you can control in settings.

How to switch between them

From iCloud Photos to Google Photos

1. Make sure you have enough Google storage for your library.
2. Go to Apple’s Data and Privacy page (privacy.apple.com) and sign in.
3. Choose Transfer a copy of your data, select iCloud Photos and Google Photos as the destination.
4. Sign in to Google, choose photos, videos or both, and confirm.

Apple says the transfer takes 3 to 7 days. It copies rather than moves, and some items, such as Smart Albums and Live Photos effects, may not carry over. Details are on Apple’s transfer support page.

From Google Photos to iCloud Photos

A transfer in this direction has also been added. You can also download your library with Google Takeout and import it into the Photos app on a Mac, or simply install nothing and let the iPhone back up new photos to iCloud from now on. Moving from Android to a new iPhone? Our guide to transferring data from Android to iPhone covers photos too.

Who should choose which

• All-Apple household: iCloud Photos. Seamless sync, no extra app, and family storage sharing.
• Android user, or mixed family: Google Photos. Same experience on every phone and the web.
• Windows PC as your main computer: either works; Google Photos’ website is easy, and iCloud for Windows syncs to File Explorer.
• Huge library (over 2 TB): iCloud+ offers 6 TB and 12 TB plans; Google offers larger tiers through Google One too, so compare current prices.

Bottom line

Pick the service that matches your devices: iCloud Photos for an Apple-only life, Google Photos for Android or mixed homes. Expect to pay a few dollars a month for either once your library grows, and keep a separate offline copy of photos you can’t replace.

FAQ

Can I use iCloud Photos and Google Photos at the same time?

Yes. On iPhone you can keep iCloud Photos on and also back up to Google Photos. Each service uses its own storage.

If I delete a photo from my iPhone, is it deleted from Google Photos?

Not necessarily. Deleting in Apple’s Photos app removes it from iCloud, but Google’s backup copy may remain unless you delete it in Google Photos.

What happens if I stop paying for storage?

Your existing photos usually stay, but new backups stop once you’re over the free limit. Google warns that content may be deleted if you stay over quota for a long time, so read the notices you receive.

Is iCloud Photos available on Android?

Only through the icloud.com website in a browser. There’s no full iCloud Photos app for Android.