Google Drive Storage Amounts by Account Type
Google Drive storage comes in three tiers: free, paid monthly, and paid one-time purchase. The free tier gives you 15 GB shared across Gmail, Google Photos, and Google Drive combined. That 15 GB is not separate storage for Drive alone — it counts down whether you use it for email, photos, or documents.
Paid plans start at 100 GB per month and go up to 30 TB. Google sells these through Google One, which is the subscription service that wraps Gmail, Drive, and Photos together. A 100 GB plan costs around $2 per month. A 2 TB plan costs around $10 per month. A 5 TB plan costs around $25 per month. Larger plans (10 TB, 20 TB, 30 TB) exist but are less common for individual users and cost more per month.
Storage amounts do not change based on your device type or operating system. Whether you use Drive on a phone, tablet, or computer, the storage limit stays the same.
Key Takeaways
- Free Google Drive storage is 15 GB total, shared with Gmail and Google Photos, not 15 GB for Drive alone.
- Paid plans range from 100 GB to 30 TB per month through Google One subscriptions.
- Storage limits are the same whether you access Drive on a phone, tablet, or desktop computer.
- You can see how much storage you have used and how much remains in your Google Account settings under "Storage".
- Shared files and folders count toward your storage limit only if you are the owner; files others own do not count against your quota.
What Counts Toward Your Storage Limit
Everything you upload or create in Google Drive counts toward your limit: documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDFs, images, videos, and any other file type. Files you create using Google's native apps (Docs, Sheets, Slides) also count, though they take up less space than the same content would in Microsoft Office or other formats.
Shared files and folders work differently depending on who owns them. If you own a file, it counts toward your storage limit. If someone else owns a file and shares it with you, it does not count against your quota — it counts against theirs. This matters when you are collaborating: you can have access to hundreds of GB of shared files without them using your storage.
Trash and deleted files still count toward your limit until you empty the trash. Once you permanently delete a file, it stops counting when ready.
How to Check Your Current Storage Usage
Open Google Drive in a web browser and look at the left sidebar. Near the bottom, you will see a storage meter showing how much space you have used and how much is available. Click on it to see a breakdown by category: how much Gmail is using, how much Google Photos is using, and how much Drive is using.
You can also check storage from your Google Account settings. Go to myaccount.google.com, click "Storage" in the left menu, and you will see the same meter plus options to buy more storage or manage what is taking up space. From this page, you can also see recommendations for files you might delete to free up room.
Storage Limits for Shared Drives and Team Accounts
Shared Drives (formerly Team Drives) have their own storage limits separate from personal Drive limits. A Shared Drive with one user gets 1 TB of storage. Each additional team member adds 1 TB, up to a maximum of 5 TB per Shared Drive. This is different from personal Drive, where you buy storage by the month for yourself alone.
If you use Google Workspace (the paid business version of Google's apps), storage limits depend on your plan. Business Standard includes 2 TB per user. Business Plus includes 5 TB per user. Enterprise plans include unlimited storage. These are separate from personal Google One plans and are managed through your organization's admin console.
What Happens When You Run Out of Storage
When you reach your storage limit, you cannot upload new files to Drive, and you cannot receive new emails in Gmail. You can still view, read, and delete existing files. Google will send you warnings as you approach your limit, usually starting when you are around 90 percent full.
If you run out of storage, you have two options: delete files to free up space, or buy more storage through Google One. Buying storage is when ready — your limit increases as soon as the payment processes. Deleting files also frees up space when ready, but remember that files in trash still count until you empty the trash permanently.
Comparing Storage Plans and Costs
| Plan | Storage Amount | Typical Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 15 GB (shared with Gmail and Photos) | $0 |
| Google One Basic | 100 GB | $2 |
| Google One Standard | 2 TB | $10 |
| Google One Premium | 5 TB | $25 |
| Google One 10 TB | 10 TB | $100 |
Prices vary by country and may change. Google One also includes other benefits beyond storage, such as phone support, extended file recovery, and discounts on Google services, though the storage amount is the main difference between plans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Google Photos storage count toward my Drive limit?
Yes. Google Photos, Gmail, and Google Drive all share the same 15 GB free storage pool. If you upload 5 GB of photos, you have 10 GB left for Drive and email combined. Paid Google One plans also share storage across all three services.
Can I buy storage one time instead of paying monthly?
No. Google One storage is subscription-based only. You pay monthly and can cancel anytime. There is no option to purchase storage as a one-time purchase.
What happens to my files if I stop paying for Google One?
Your files stay in Drive, but you cannot upload new files or receive new emails once you exceed the free 15 GB limit. You have 30 days to either delete files to get under 15 GB or resume a paid plan. After 30 days, Google may delete your files, though you can contact support to request recovery.
Do files in shared folders count toward my storage if I did not create them?
Only if you own them. If a colleague creates a file and shares it with you, it counts toward their storage, not yours. If you make a copy of their file, the copy counts toward your storage.
Can I see which files are using the most storage?
Yes. In Google Drive, you can sort files by size by clicking the "Size" column header. You can also use the storage breakdown in your Google Account settings to see which category (Gmail, Photos, or Drive) is using the most space, then drill down from there.