Among some top-rated cloud storage solutions, OneDrive is still one of the best. The reason lies in the ease of use and robust security system, and don’t forget the wide variety of Microsoft applications available.
So, there are many features and security, but, is Microsoft OneDrive free? And in case you also have this doubt, then just take a glance at this article, and you will understand everything about the OneDrive spectrum.
Is OneDrive Free to Use?
Yes, OneDrive is indeed free. As soon as you create a Microsoft account, you can access to OneDrive and use 5 GB of cloud storage. You can use that 5 GB on any device, like Windows, Mac, and Mobile devices. But, when you need more storage, you need to get one of the paid plans.
Okay, let’s get into a detailed explanation. There are two types of accounts in OneDrive. And in both account types, there are different plans and upgrade options.
There are OneDrive Personal and Business accounts. Also, the Business account is known as Work and School account. You will find Work and School under the business account.
You can access your OneDrive Basic account for free, which includes 5 GB of storage capacity. To increase storage, you must purchase a subscription plan, either Personal or Business.
So the bottom line is, you can use OneDrive for free. And not just the storage, you can use the web version of Microsoft suite, and many features might be unavailable for the cause of a free account.
Also, this free basic account run on every platform. So, is OneDrive free with Windows 10 & 11? Yes. Is it free with Mac or iOS? Yes. The free account also works on Android devices and phones. And you can use it to sync to any device.
OneDrive free storage limit is 5 GB where you can store files, and share them if you wish. But when you cover up the storage, then the sync will not work anymore. And here comes the Microsoft OneDrive storage plans to increase your storage. Let’s now learn about those.
What are the OneDrive Plans?
There are OneDrive plans for everyone. Even there are options to get OneDrive personally or with family. And there are two lineages of plans.
You can either get just the OneDrive storage plans, or get the OneDrive and Microsoft 365 plans together. Microsoft also offers OneDrive as part of its Microsoft 365 subscription, which includes access to Microsoft Office apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
So let’s see the plans below, and you can visit the Microsoft website to check the price of the Home plans and the Business plans, cause they might change with time.
| Home Plans | ||
|---|---|---|
| Plans | Storage | Price (Month/Yearly) |
| OneDrive Basic | 5 GB | Free |
| Microsoft 365 Basic | 100 GB | $1.99 / $19.99 |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | 1 TB | $6.99 / $69.99 |
| Microsoft 365 Family | Up to 6 TB of cloud storage (1 TB per person) | $9.99 / $99.99 |
| Business Plans | ||
|---|---|---|
| Plans | Storage | Price/Monthly |
| Microsoft 365 Business Basic | 1 TB for each user | $6.00 |
| Microsoft 365 Apps for Business | 1 TB for each user | $8.25 |
| Microsoft 365 Business Standard | 1 TB for each user | $12.50 |
| Microsoft 365 Business Premium | 1 TB for each user | $22.00 |
As you can see, there is indeed a free option in OneDrive. And to upgrade the storage, you can take different plans. The plans come with features. The basic 100 GB plan is just for storage. You will get OneDrive and add-free Outlook.
For the Personal and Family plans, you will get 1 TB of storage and access to all the Microsoft Suite apps. If you are a proper office user, and you have to deal with a lot of files and folders, then you can go for Personal.
I have a team of people who works together, that’s why I take the planned Family. I have a photographer and editor on my team, so there is a need for massive storage. And to be honest, the pricing of Microsoft OneDrive Plans is pretty cheap.
On the other side, there are no free plans on the business accounts or plans. As the features are wholesome and come really beneficial for business purposes. And you can upgrade the storage to your liking.
FAQs
Is OneDrive completely free?
With OneDrive’s free cloud storage, you can get more done. Use OneDrive free cloud storage to save your files and photographs and access them from any device, anywhere.
Do you have to pay for OneDrive?
OneDrive offers a free account with 5 GB of storage, but you can upgrade to a premium plan to increase that storage as you prefer.
What happens if I don’t pay for OneDrive?
Admins and users no longer have access to the subscription’s services or Microsoft 365 apps. All customer data is permanently lost and unrecoverable, including user data, documents, and email, is permanently lost and unrecoverable.
Is it safe to keep everything on OneDrive?
In general, Microsoft OneDrive is as secure as any other cloud storage platform. The platform encrypts data that is exchanged and stored on it.
Final Thoughts
You can start using OneDrive free with a modest 5 GB of cloud storage. As soon as you create a Microsoft account, you can access to OneDrive. And you can create a Microsoft account with any mail client, like Gmail, Yahoo, or any other.
So, again, the bottom line is it is free, and you can upgrade to any plan whenever you need or wish.
