When comparing OneDrive vs IDrive, the Slant community recommends OneDrive for most people. In the question“What are the best cloud backup services?” OneDrive is ranked 19th while IDrive is ranked 24th. The most important reason people chose OneDrive is:
Once setup OneDrive folder and local folders can be the same slowing for seamlessly integration into Windows OS.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Full integration in Windows 10
Once setup OneDrive folder and local folders can be the same slowing for seamlessly integration into Windows OS.
Pro Collaboration via Office 365
If you use Office 365 with OneDrive, you can share a file to edit collaboratively in real time.
Pro Microsoft Office integration
It integrates with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc as if you were using OneDrive locally.
Pro Automatic photo uploads from phone
When Android, iOS and Windows Phone users shoot a photo with their phone it is automatically uploaded to OneDrive via app.
Pro Music file syncs with Groove Music
Music files put in the Music folder in OneDrive sync with Groove Music.
Pro No setup for Windows 8/8.1
If you use Windows 8 or 8.1, OneDrive is already built in your system and can be accessed via file explorer.
Pro Web UI admin console has a feature to individually update IDrive program *settings* on each device or make all the same
This is very helpful to remotely update one or more devices or ensure all settings are the same on devices when managing multiple device backups on the same account.
Pro Web UI admin console has a feature to individually update IDrive *installed program version* on each device or make all the same
This enables updating the installed version on remote devices.
Pro The client UI has a backup progress indicator
The progress indicator can show total bytes backed up and remaining, and the file that's being backed up.
Pro The client UI "Backup" tab has a summary list of folders and files and their sizes selected for backup
Pro Reasonably priced subscription plans
It's one of the few options with subscription plans for unlimited devices and tiered backup quotas, and not a ridiculous price.
Pro It's one of the cheapest options
Cons
Con Strictest code of conduct
Terms of Service forbid any kind of nudity, or that incites, advocates, or expresses pornography or racism among other things.
Con Becomes slower when it picks up a "Linux" user-agent
This may be intentional by Microsoft to force OneDrive users to use Windows. When OneDrive picks up a "Linux" user-agent it becomes slow whereas when from the same computer and browser it picks up a "Windows" user-agent it becomes considerably faster.
Con Support is slow to respond or non-responsive
They offer same-day responses when emailed feature requests but take days and days and non-helpful responses when inquired on issues.
Con IDrive program does not auto-update to new versions (many other backup programs do)
While not having an automated version upgrade doesn't enable unattended backup (particularly desired for remote devices or for non-techy users), these options exist:
- The web UI admin console has an option to update the version.
- When a new version exists, an "Upgrade" button appears on the client UI.
Con The backup often misses files
While testing it by editing a file, the app missed it for many hours. However, it usually found the file a many runs later/the next day and backed it up. This flakiness is enough to be concerned.
Con The backup regularly "locks up" on a file in OS-specific directory during backup
When including OS-specific directories in the backup, it regularly freezes on a file, and never the same file. It's possible to cancel the backup, run it again, and it almost always works. Support said not to backup OS directories, and this is true for other backup products too; CrashPlan did not have this issue.
Con Requires too much manual monitoring because it is an unreliable product
It's necessary to regularly check if it's working because it can lock-up on some files, or continually say "verifying files". It's a flakey product.