OneDrive offers a free plan with 5 GB of storage, but you'll need to pay for more space if you store photos, videos, or work files regularly
Yes, OneDrive is free to start. Microsoft gives every account holder 5 GB of cloud storage at no cost. That's enough for documents, spreadsheets, and a modest photo collection, but it fills quickly if you back up your phone or store video files. Once you hit the limit, OneDrive stops accepting new uploads until you either delete files or pay for additional storage.
The paid plans start at $1.99 per month for 100 GB through Microsoft 365 Basic, which is OneDrive storage only. If you want Microsoft Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) bundled in, Microsoft 365 Personal costs $6.99 per month and includes 1 TB of OneDrive storage. Families can share a Microsoft 365 Family plan for $9.99 per month, which gives each of up to six people 1 TB of their own OneDrive space.
The free 5 GB doesn't expire and doesn't require a subscription to keep. You can use OneDrive indefinitely on the free tier as long as you stay under the storage limit.
Key Takeaways
- OneDrive's free plan includes 5 GB of storage with no expiration date or subscription required.
- Microsoft 365 Basic ($1.99/month) adds 95 GB more storage but does not include Office apps.
- Microsoft 365 Personal ($6.99/month) bundles 1 TB of OneDrive storage with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- Microsoft 365 Family ($9.99/month) gives six people each 1 TB of storage and access to Office apps.
- Once you reach your storage limit, OneDrive stops accepting uploads until you delete files or upgrade.
How the free 5 GB compares to paid tiers
The free tier is genuinely useful for light use: a few hundred documents, some photos from a phone, or a backup of your desktop. But 5 GB disappears fast if you photograph in high resolution or keep video files. A single 4K video can be 1 to 2 GB. A year of phone photos at default quality is often 3 to 5 GB.
The jump from free to paid is steep in percentage terms but small in dollar terms. Microsoft 365 Basic ($1.99/month) gives you 100 GB total—20 times the free amount—for less than $25 a year. That's the cheapest way to get more storage if you don't need Office apps. Microsoft 365 Personal ($6.99/month) adds Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Publisher, plus 1 TB of storage. For most people who use Office regularly, the $6.99 plan is the better value than buying Basic storage and Office separately.
| Plan | Storage | Office Apps | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 5 GB | No | $0 |
| Microsoft 365 Basic | 100 GB | No | $1.99/month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | 1 TB | Yes | $6.99/month |
| Microsoft 365 Family | 1 TB per person (up to 6) | Yes | $9.99/month |
What happens when you run out of free storage
OneDrive doesn't delete your files when you hit 5 GB. Instead, it stops accepting new uploads and syncing changes from your devices. Files you've already stored remain there, and you can still read or view them. But you can't add anything new until you make room.
If you're syncing OneDrive folders to your computer, the sync will pause and show a warning. Your phone will stop backing up photos. Web uploads will fail. The only way forward is to delete files you no longer need or pay for more storage. There's no grace period or temporary overage—the limit is hard.
Whether you should pay for OneDrive or use an alternative
The free 5 GB is worth using even if you never pay. It's a safe place to store important documents and gives you access to your files from any device. Many people keep the free plan and only upgrade when they genuinely need the space, which is a reasonable approach.
If you use Microsoft Office regularly, Microsoft 365 Personal ($6.99/month) is usually the best choice because the Office apps alone cost more than that if bought separately. If you only need storage and don't use Office, Microsoft 365 Basic ($1.99/month) is the cheapest paid option. If you're part of a family or share a household, Microsoft 365 Family ($9.99/month) spreads the cost across six people and gives each person their own 1 TB, which often works out cheaper per person than individual plans.
Google Drive offers 15 GB free (more than OneDrive), and iCloud offers 5 GB free (the same as OneDrive). Both have paid tiers if you need more. The choice between them usually comes down to which ecosystem you already use—Microsoft, Google, or Apple—rather than which is objectively best.
How to check your OneDrive storage and manage it
Open OneDrive on the web or in the app and look for the storage meter, usually shown as a bar or percentage near your account name. It tells you exactly how much you've used and how much is left. If you're close to the limit, the easiest fix is to delete files you no longer need—old downloads, duplicate photos, or archived projects.
OneDrive also shows you which files and folders are taking up the most space. In the web version, go to Settings and look for "Storage" to see a breakdown. This helps you find large files or folders you might have forgotten about. Clearing out old backups or large video files can often free up several gigabytes without losing anything important.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use OneDrive free storage forever?
Yes. The free 5 GB doesn't expire and doesn't require you to upgrade or pay anything to keep using it. You can store files there indefinitely as long as you stay under the 5 GB limit and keep your account active.
Do I lose my files if I don't pay for more storage?
No. Your files stay in OneDrive even after you hit the storage limit. You just can't upload new files or sync changes until you delete something or pay for more space. Your existing files won't be deleted.
Is Microsoft 365 the only way to get more OneDrive storage?
No. You can buy OneDrive storage separately through Microsoft 365 Basic ($1.99/month for 100 GB), or you can bundle it with Office apps through Microsoft 365 Personal or Family. Some older plans like Office 365 subscriptions also include OneDrive storage.
What's the difference between Microsoft 365 Basic and Personal?
Microsoft 365 Basic ($1.99/month) gives you 100 GB of OneDrive storage only. Microsoft 365 Personal ($6.99/month) gives you 1 TB of storage plus Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Publisher. If you use Office apps, Personal is usually the better value.
Can a family share one OneDrive account?
You can share individual files or folders with family members, but each person should have their own OneDrive account for privacy. Microsoft 365 Family ($9.99/month) is designed for this—it gives six people each their own 1 TB of storage and their own Office apps.