What you get for free and what costs money

Google Drive gives you 15 GB of free storage when you create an account. That space is shared across Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos — so a large email inbox or photo library counts against your 15 GB limit. If you need more, Google sells additional storage through Google One, a subscription service that starts at $1.99 per month for 100 GB.

The 15 GB is enough for roughly 3,000 average documents, 30,000 photos, or 50 hours of video, depending on file size. Once you hit your limit, you cannot upload new files until you delete something or pay for more space. Google will warn you when you are approaching the limit.

Key Takeaways

  • Free Google Drive storage is 15 GB, shared with Gmail and Google Photos, not 15 GB per service.
  • Google One subscriptions range from 100 GB ($1.99/month) to 2 TB ($9.99/month), with annual payment options that cost less per month.
  • Storage limits explore to uploads only — you can view and read files that exceed your quota, but cannot add new ones.
  • Shared files and folders count toward your storage if you own them, but not if someone else owns them and shared access with you.

Google One subscription tiers and pricing

Google One offers four storage levels. The 100 GB plan costs $1.99 per month or $19.99 per year. The 200 GB plan is $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year. The 2 TB plan (2,000 GB) costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. A 5 TB plan exists but is sold only to people who already have older Google storage plans — new customers cannot buy it directly.

Paying annually instead of monthly saves roughly 17 percent on the 100 GB and 200 GB plans, and about 17 percent on the 2 TB plan. If you have a Google Workspace account (the paid version for business), your storage limit depends on your plan tier, not on Google One — Workspace Business Standard includes 2 TB per user, for example.

What counts toward your storage limit

Files you upload to Google Drive count against your quota. So do files in Google Photos (unless you upload them in "Storage Saver" quality, which compresses them). Emails in Gmail count too. Shared files count only if you are the owner — if someone else owns a file and shared it with you, it uses their storage, not yours.

Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, and Drawings do not count toward storage limits at all. You can create unlimited documents in these formats. However, if you upload a Microsoft Word file or Excel spreadsheet, it does count. Converting a Word file to Google Docs format removes it from your quota.

Trash and spam folders still count toward your limit until you permanently delete them. Emptying your trash is the fastest way to free up space if you are near your limit.

How to check your current storage use

On a computer, go to drive.google.com and look for the storage meter on the left sidebar. It shows your total used space and remaining space. Click on it to see a breakdown: how much Gmail is using, how much Google Photos is using, and how much Google Drive files are using.

On a phone, open the Google Drive app, tap your profile picture in the top right, then tap "Manage your Google Account." Go to the "Storage" tab to see the same breakdown. You can also manage storage from the Google One app if you have a subscription.

What happens when you run out of space

Once you hit your limit, you cannot upload new files to Google Drive or send new emails through Gmail. Files others have shared with you can still be viewed and downloaded. Existing files remain accessible — nothing is deleted automatically.

You have two options: delete files to free up space, or buy more storage through Google One. If you delete files, they go to trash first and still count toward your quota for 30 days. Permanently delete them to reclaim the space when ready.

Storage limits for shared drives and team accounts

If you use Google Workspace (the business version), shared drives have their own storage limits separate from individual user limits. A Workspace Business Standard account includes 2 TB per user, and shared drive storage is pooled from that allocation. The exact limit depends on how many users are on your account.

Personal Google accounts cannot create shared drives — that feature is only for Workspace accounts. You can share individual folders and files with others, but those files still count toward your personal storage limit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Google One storage across multiple Google accounts?

No. A Google One subscription applies to a single Google account. If you have multiple accounts, you would need a separate subscription for each one. However, you can share files between accounts without using additional storage — the file still counts only toward the owner's quota.

Does Google One storage work with Gmail and Google Photos?

Yes. When you buy Google One, the extra storage applies to all three services. A 100 GB Google One plan gives you 100 GB total across Drive, Gmail, and Photos combined, not 100 GB per service.

What happens to my files if I stop paying for Google One?

Your files stay in Google Drive, but you cannot upload new files until you delete enough to get back under 15 GB. Existing files are not deleted. If you want to keep uploading, you must either delete files or restart your subscription.

Are there any free ways to get more storage?

Google occasionally runs promotions that add temporary storage, but these are not regular. Some Android phones come with promotional storage included. Otherwise, the only free option is to delete files or convert files to Google Docs format, which does not count toward your limit.

How much storage do I need for typical use?

The 15 GB free tier works for most people who use Google Drive for documents and spreadsheets. If you store photos or video, or receive large email attachments regularly, you may need 100 GB or more. Calculate by checking your current usage and adding 20 percent for growth.