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Add to SafariWhen comparing Backblaze vs Google Drive, the Slant community recommends Google Drive for most people. In the question“What are the best cloud backup services?” Google Drive is ranked 1st while Backblaze is ranked 2nd. The most important reason people chose Google Drive is:
Google account holders and non-holders can be set to access and/or collaborate on files/folders in real-time. Additionally, you can find files you've shared not only by filename but by person you've shared the files with.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro Beginner-friendly defaults
The default configuration includes everything except for system files to be backed up. That also includes external USB drives. This will work for most people. It can, of course, be customized to each person's liking.
Pro No file size or traffic restrictions
There are no limitations of file size or amount of data you can upload. The $5/mo plan gets you unlimited cloud storage.
Pro Excellent restoration performance
Backblaze creates a zip file of all your files for you to download, thus decreasing the amount of data you need to download and increasing the speed of the download since it's one connection instead of multiple that need to be opened and closed for a list of files.
Pro Secure
AES encrypted files are transferred over a secure SSL connection.
Pro Download any backed-up files from any web browser
Some backup services like Carbonite require a client to be installed to restore files. Backblaze allows you to login and download any or all files from a web browser, meaning it also serves as an ad-hoc cloud storage platform.
Pro Users can order a physical copy of their data
You can have a flash drive or an external hard drive delivered to you. They cost $99 and $189 respectively.
Pro File sharing & collaborative editing
Google account holders and non-holders can be set to access and/or collaborate on files/folders in real-time. Additionally, you can find files you've shared not only by filename but by person you've shared the files with.
Pro 15GB free
This space is shared across Drive, Gmail & Google Photos.
Pro Built-in office suite
Includes tools for writing, presentations and spreadsheets.
Pro Integrates with other Google services
For example, you can use search to search through both Drive and Gmail.
Pro Extended functionality via apps
Third party Drive applications running in Chrome or Android can add functionality such as image/video editing, project management, flowchart creation, etc.
Pro Mobile integration
You can work from any device, especially mobile.
Pro Save files to drive directly from Gmail
Drive lets you save any file from your email.
Pro Cheap for extra storage
$1.99 per 100GB, for up to 16TB.
Pro Revision control
By clicking Ctrl + Alt + G in Windows or Command + Alt + Shift + G is OS X you can access previous version of the file.
Pro Indexes images
You can search images by object, place, or face when they've been added to your google photos collection. Google Assistant also helps you find screenshots that could be archived, images that aren't in the correct orientation and pictures that would work well as animations or albums.
Cons
Con No Linux support
There's no Linux client for Backblaze.
Con Pay extra to keep deleted files permanently
Additional $2/Month plus $0.005/GB/Month for files updated, changed, or deleted more than one year ago.
Con Backblaze does not support network (NAS) drives
If you use a thing like Drobo, Backblaze will not back it up.
Con Buggy
Con No official client for Linux
Google as of yet has a client for Linux, leaving many who use the service forced to use third party apps or the webpage.
Con Data privacy not guaranteed
Data privacy is widely known as one of Google's weaknesses. Data shared through Google is most likely matched up with the user's profile inside other Alphabet inc. subsidiaries, and, due to the business model, used commercially.
Con Terms and Conditions allow Google to own anything on Google Drive
They can create derivative works, they can perform it, they can modify it, and they can publish it at will. There are many other specific rights they take over your product. Read the Terms carefully and compare with ANY others.
Con Very unreliable
Desktop client constantly crashes.
Con No WebDAV, FTP or SFTP
It supports none of these common protocols used for access to network storage, which severely limits OS integration. You are forced to use the browser or a standalone client, which isn't possible on all systems.
Con Low bandwidth
Can't even upload all my files to this
Con Low sync speed
Con No universal Windows app
Con Doesn't integrate well with OS
