Amazon Drive Not the most feature-rich cloud storage solution on the market, but it’s still a good option for those who store photos and regularly update their files via the mobile app. However, it leaves a lot to be desired when compared to premium cloud storage services like Sync and pCloud. So if you’re okay with basic features like Prime’s unlimited photo storage, it might be worth a look.
Compare Amazon Drive to the Best Cloud Storage Services
While Amazon Drive is affordable and has some nice features, we can’t ignore some of the features a reliable cloud storage service should have. That’s why Amazon Drive doesn’t make the cut compared to its competitors.
If you’re looking for an effective cloud storage solution that offers the best cloud storage features, rock-solid security, and unlimited backups, check out our curated list of the best cloud storage services. See all our top picks here.
Amazon Drive: Good and Bad
OK
User-friendly platform: Amazon Drive has done a pretty good job designing its cloud platform. You can access it in three different ways: desktop application, mobile application and web browser client. While it takes a while to get used to the desktop client and web interface, the mobile app is simple and sleek. For example, you’ll see a view of each folder when you open the app, and you can use the bottom menu to navigate between files and settings. If you don’t want to upload new photos and videos manually, you can upload them automatically from your mobile device when you first set up the app.
Unlimited photo storage: Amazon Drive is one of the few cloud storage services that offers unlimited photo storage. This only extends to photo storage, though, not video, document or music files. However, the service offers a wide range of storage plans for all file types, up to 30 TB.
High-res image preview: Amazon Drive allows users to view high-quality images through its image preview feature that supports JPEG, RRAW, and HEIC file types. Since Amazon Photos is embedded in Google Photos, you can also perform basic editing of images in the web browser application. Video playback is also available within the platform, so if you have an Amazon Prime account, you can watch content in full resolution. Remember, you can’t edit videos from Amazon Drive or Photos.
high speed: A good cloud storage device should be able to handle the upload and download speed of files, and Amazon Drive competes fiercely with other storage devices when it comes to uploading and downloading files. Now, the results won’t blow your mind, but it’s still decent in terms of speed. In addition to uploading and downloading, Amazon Drive also offers amazing file transfer speeds. You can limit the speed of downloads and uploads if you think they’re affecting your system resources, but in most cases this won’t happen because the sync process is seamless and smooth.
bad
Limited cloud security: Amazon Drive offers two-factor authentication, but given the increasing frequency of sophisticated cyberattacks today, that’s not enough. There is no end-to-end encryption or encryption at rest, plus the software has a very open way of managing shared links, not allowing you to password protect them or restrict access to specific accounts. This is fine if you want to store some pictures of you and your family on vacation.However, if you deal with important and sensitive documents, you’ll find plenty of cloud storage options a lot of Better security measures, including end-to-end encryption and password-protected links.
Restricted file sharing and sync functionality: Amazon Drive provides basic file sharing, but is limited to mobile apps and web browser clients. This means that you cannot choose different user permissions when sharing files. The platform itself generates a shareable file that anyone with the link can share, download and comment on. When sharing files through the mobile app, you can share them as attachments. This will allow you to share images via WhatsApp, iMessage, email and other similar platforms. You can share files directly to Facebook and Twitter using the web browser app, but it doesn’t support Instagram.
Insufficient customer support: Amazon Drive does not have dedicated user support. If you encounter any problems, you must go to the centralized help center through the Amazon website. You can use the search function to ask specific questions related to your problem, but the results are mostly vague and need further clarification. If you want to talk to the Amazon support team, there is no easy way to do it. While there is a chatbot, it’s not very responsive – when you finally connect to a support agent, they’re not very efficient or prompt in answering your questions.
Amazon Drive pricing and options
Amazon Drive Numerous pricing options are available, each with different features and storage.
Here is the full list:
- 5 GB plan – free
- 100 GB plan – $1.99 per month
- 1 TB plan – $6.99 per month
- 2 TB plan – $11.99 per month
- 3 TB plan (1-year plan) – $15 per month
- 4 TB plan (1-year plan) – $20 per month
- 5 TB plan (1-year plan) – $25 per month
- 6 TB plan (1-year plan) – $30 per month
- 7 TB plan (1-year plan) — $34.99 per month
- 8 TB plan (1-year plan) – $39.99 per month
- 9 TB plan (1-year plan) – $44.99 per month
- 10 TB plan (1-year plan) – $49.99 per month
- 20 TB plan (1-year plan) – $99.98 per month
- 30 TB plan (1-year plan) — $149.98 per month
notes: Paid plans marked (1 year) mean you have to subscribe annually to get the lowest price.
How Amazon Drive Ranks
Over the years, Amazon Drive has gone through several different incarnations.
While some features have improved, others are just a mess. It feels like the tool is still in beta, but it does a decent job of backing up files and folders from your local computer, and also automates it for some folders. The Amazon Photos aspect of the tool is even more impressive, especially if you subscribe to Amazon Prime. This gives you unlimited cloud space to store all your images.
If you’re just looking for a service to back up your images, Amazon Drive won’t let you down. But if you’re looking for a more sophisticated cloud storage solution, one with sealed security features, unlimited storage for all file types, and built-in productivity features, you should look elsewhere.
Check out our list first The best cloud storage services Worth your money.
- Synchronize – The best cloud storage service for most people
- pCloud – The best long-term storage solution
- ice drive – Best for personal cloud storage
- I will drive – Best for personal backup
- Solz – Best for automatic backups from any device
generalize
Amazon Drive If you’re okay with a simple photo storage service, this is a good solution. However, if you are a professional or business leader dealing with a large number of sensitive files and need reliable cloud storage, we recommend you try Sync and pCloud, which offer a wide range of features including longer recovery periods, granular user access and automatic backups.
