Google offers three tiers of storage for Google Drive
(1) Personal (Individual) Storage
Google has made available Personal Google Drive Storage for Gmail users since 2010 with Google Docs (starting out then at 1 Gig of storage for files). Google changed the name of this service to Google Drive in 2012 and increased free storage to 15 Gigs. Users can add personal additional storage above and beyond the free personal Google Drive storage in increments up to 30 Terabytes. What you may not know is Personal Storage is also available to Google Apps users as well. However, if you choose Personal Storage as a Google Apps for Work user you should be aware of the limitations of personal storage. To learn how you can add personal storage to a Google account read these instructions.
If you are not aware of the difference between Personal Google Drive storage and Managed Google for Work Drive storage continue reading this post.
Most important is that Google has drastically reduced Personal storage prices which are shown below:
Personal Google Drive Storage Monthly Rate
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100 GB
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$1.99
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1 TB
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$9.99
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10 TB
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$99.99
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20 TB
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$199.99
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30 TB
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$299.99
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Official Personal Google Drive Price Page
Google Apps for Work users, Google Apps Free Version users, and those users with a free Gmail account can purchase Personal Google Drive storage as an option with a credit card and Google Wallet. With a Personal Google Drive storage account the credit card holder for each individual account 'owns' the data. The disadvantage of this means the company could potentially lose control of the data since an individual purchases the storage. Hence the need for 'managed' storage. Let's now understand what managed storage is all about.
It costs more than personal storage:
(2) Managed Google Apps for Work Storage Monthly Rate
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20 GB
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$4.00
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50 GB
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$7.50
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200 GB
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$17.50
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400 GB
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$35.00
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1 TB
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$89.00
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2 TB
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$179.00
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4 TB
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$358.00
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8 TB
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$716.00
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16 TB
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$1430.00
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Prices are valid as of July 2015. Official Google Drive Managed Services Price Page. For more info go to the Google Drive Managed Storage Official Page.
Google Apps for Work users only have the option to purchase Google Drive Managed Storage if the company allows this (the company also has the option to not allow personal storage for individuals in the company). The advantage is that the storage purchased through this manner is 'managed' in the sense that the data can be moved to another user account if the user account is changed or deleted. The distinct advantage for a company or organization is that the company 'owns' the data and can centrally manage the storage.
Tip: A work around is to use a company credit card to purchase the additional Personal Google Drive storage so that if the company wants to retain the data all they need to do is keep the account active and keep paying for the storage at the lower price.
(3) Unlimited Storage
Google Drive for Work Unlimited is only available for Google Apps for Work users, which was announced on June 25, 2014.
Please note this limitation:
There is a limit of 1 TB per user if you have only purchased 4 user licenses or less (see this official announcement).
If your Google Apps for Work account has five user licenses or more then all the users have unlimited storage.
Connectech recommends you seriously consider purchasing Google Drive for Work Unlimited which is only $10/month per user and includes Google Vault, which is the best deal for your money. All user accounts in the domain must upgrade (no exceptions).
How to Purchase
For personal storage plans follow these directions. If you need assistance contact us for help.
For Managed Storage or Unlimited Storage contact us. If you are ready to purchase click here for your choices.
