Productivity & Business · Security, Privacy & Backup

OneDrive

5 GB of OneDrive storage is free with a Microsoft account; Microsoft 365 plans add more, from $19.99 a year for 100 GB (US).

Our take: On Microsoft's US pages, storage is sold inside Microsoft 365 plans: 100 GB in Basic and 1 TB in Personal, with no storage-only plan listed.

Best forMicrosoft 365 file backup
ReviewedPricing: Freemium
Try OneDriveFree 5 GB; 100 GB from $19.99/yr (US)

OneDrive is Microsoft's cloud storage and file sync service, used to back up, open, edit and share files from a PC, Mac, phone or browser. A free Microsoft account includes 5 GB; the personal plans Microsoft lists bundle more storage into Microsoft 365: Basic is 100 GB for $19.99 a year, Personal 1 TB for $99.99, Family 2 TB shared for $129.99 and Premium $199.99 a year (US prices, checked 3 November 2026). Microsoft's plan pages list no storage-only plan, and OneDrive for work or school comes with Microsoft 365 business plans.

The bottom line

A cloud drive with 5 GB free and more storage sold only inside Microsoft 365 plans on the pages read.

Our score

Reviewed by the Conversion Gems editorial team. Hover a facet to focus it; click to pin.Tap a facet to focus it.

What it is, and why we rate it

One line each. Open a row for detail.

What it really isMicrosoft's cloud storage and file sync service: a free Microsoft account includes 5 GB, more personal storage comes through Microsoft 365 plans, and work or school accounts get it with Microsoft 365 business plans.
Our takeOn Microsoft's US pages, storage is sold inside Microsoft 365 plans: 100 GB in Basic and 1 TB in Personal, with no storage-only plan listed.
Decide whether the bundled Outlook and Office apps are worth paying for, and note that Microsoft's own pages disagree on Family and Premium storage.
Why we rate itThe free tier is small and extra storage needs a Microsoft 365 plan, but entry pricing is low and the plan pages state storage and prices clearly, apart from the Family and Premium inconsistencies.
The catchOnly 5 GB is free, extra storage is sold only through Microsoft 365 plans on Microsoft's US pages, subscriptions renew automatically, and Microsoft says all data is deleted when a Microsoft 365 subscription is cancelled.

Best / not good for

Best for
  • Microsoft account holders who want PC, Mac and phone backup
  • People who already pay for Microsoft 365 and get OneDrive with it
  • Organizations on Microsoft 365 business plans
Not good for
  • People who want a large free allowance
  • Buyers who want a plan that lists storage alone, since the pages read list none
  • Anyone who needs OneDrive for home and work accounts merged
Trade-offs

Friction report

Trade-offs to know before signing up.

  1. Time to value
    Sign in with a Microsoft account and install the app for Windows, Mac, iOS or Android; Microsoft lists a one-month Microsoft 365 trial that converts to a paid subscription.
  2. Scale breakpoint
    Free accounts stop at 5 GB; Microsoft lists expandable storage up to 10 TB on Personal, Family and Premium.
  3. Walled garden
    OneDrive for home and OneDrive for work or school are separate accounts: Microsoft Support says you cannot connect them, but you can copy or move files between them.

OneDrive personal plans on Microsoft's US pages

PlanPrice (US)Storage Microsoft showsWho it covers
Free Microsoft accountFree5 GB of cloud storage, plus 15 GB of mailbox storage1 person
Microsoft 365 Basic$19.99 a year or $1.99 a month100 GB of cloud storage1 person
Microsoft 365 Personal$99.99 a year or $9.99 a month1 TB (1,000 GB) of cloud storage; desktop Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote1 person
Microsoft 365 Family$129.99 a year or $12.99 a month2 TB of shared cloud storage on the plan card; the OneDrive FAQ says up to 6 TB1 to 6 people
Microsoft 365 Premium$199.99 a year or $19.99 a monthPlan card: up to 6 TB (1 TB per person); comparison table: 2 TB1 to 6 people

From Microsoft's OneDrive pages (online-cloud-storage and onedrive-plans-and-pricing on microsoft.com/en-us), read with a US-located request and in a browser on 3 November 2026. Microsoft says subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled, that its one-month trial converts to a paid subscription and needs a credit card, and that a footnote on Microsoft's business plans says that when a subscription is cancelled all associated data will be deleted. The pages read list expandable storage up to 10 TB on Personal, Family and Premium; the price of extra storage was not read. Microsoft's own pages differ on Family and Premium storage, as shown above.

OneDrive for work or school: Microsoft 365 business plans that list it

PlanPrice (US)Cloud storage per userNotes
Microsoft 365 Business Basic$7.00 per user a month, paid yearly ($5.40 without Teams)1 TBWeb and mobile apps only
Microsoft 365 Apps for business$10.00 per user a month, paid yearly1 TBDesktop apps; the comparison lists no Teams or Exchange in this plan
Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Copilot$23.50 per user a month, paid yearly ($20.30 without Teams)1 TBDesktop, web and mobile apps; Copilot built in

From Microsoft's Compare OneDrive Business plans page (microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/onedrive/onedrive-business-plans-and-pricing), read with a US-located request and in a browser on 3 November 2026. The plans are for 1 to 300 employees. Microsoft says annual subscriptions auto renew, gives a 7-day cancellation window for a prorated refund, and says all associated data is deleted when a subscription is cancelled. Microsoft's page lists no standalone OneDrive-only plan. Microsoft's personal OneDrive page also lists Microsoft 365 Business Premium with Copilot at $32.00 per user a month, paid yearly, which the business plans page does not. Microsoft Support says OneDrive for work or school was formerly called OneDrive for Business and that Microsoft 365 gives at least 1 TB depending on the plan.

Standalone or bundled with Microsoft 365?

QuestionWhat Microsoft's pages show
How much is free?5 GB of cloud storage with a free Microsoft account
How do I get more personal storage?Microsoft's FAQ says upgrade to Microsoft 365 Basic (100 GB), Personal (1 TB) or Family; Premium is listed on the plans page
Is there a storage-only personal plan?Not on the personal plans pages read: they list the free account and Microsoft 365 Basic, Personal, Family and Premium
Is there a storage-only work plan?Not on the business plans page read: it lists Microsoft 365 plans, each with 1 TB per user
Does OneDrive for work or school differ from OneDrive for home?Yes: it uses a work or school account, is managed by your organization and is a separate account from OneDrive for home

Wording from Microsoft's OneDrive FAQ, plans pages and Microsoft Support article What is OneDrive for work or school?, read on 3 November 2026. The pages read do not say whether a storage-only plan is sold elsewhere or was sold before.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is OneDrive and do I need it?

OneDrive is the Microsoft cloud service for storing, protecting, sharing and reaching your files from any device, according to Microsoft Support. Whether it suits you depends on whether you want files backed up to the cloud: Microsoft's FAQ says OneDrive supports backing up your Windows PC, folders on PC and Mac devices, and photos on iOS and Android phones.

Is OneDrive free?

Partly: a free Microsoft account includes 5 GB of OneDrive cloud storage, and Microsoft sells more through Microsoft 365 plans such as Basic, which is $19.99 a year for 100 GB in the US. Microsoft says its one-month Microsoft 365 trial converts to a paid subscription after the month and needs a credit card (checked 3 November 2026).

How much does OneDrive cost?

On Microsoft's US pages, personal plans are Basic at $19.99 a year or $1.99 a month for 100 GB, Personal at $99.99 a year or $9.99 a month for 1 TB, Family at $129.99 a year or $12.99 a month for 2 TB shared by up to six people, and Premium at $199.99 a year or $19.99 a month. For work, Microsoft 365 Business Basic is $7.00 per user a month paid yearly with 1 TB of cloud storage per user (checked 3 November 2026).

What is the difference between Microsoft 365 and OneDrive?

OneDrive is the cloud storage and sync service, while Microsoft 365 is the subscription family Microsoft sells with it. On Microsoft's pages the paid personal plans bundle OneDrive storage with other items such as Outlook, and with desktop Word, Excel and PowerPoint on Personal, Family and Premium. Microsoft's FAQ says Personal and Family subscribers already have OneDrive, and the pages read list no storage-only OneDrive plan.

What are the downsides of OneDrive?

From Microsoft's own pages, the catches are a 5 GB free tier, automatic renewal of subscriptions, and a footnote saying all associated data is deleted when a Microsoft 365 subscription is cancelled. Microsoft's pages also state different storage for Family and Premium, and Microsoft Support says OneDrive for home cannot be connected to a Microsoft 365 business account, though files can be copied or moved between them.

How do I sign in to OneDrive?

Conversion Gems is a review site and cannot sign anyone in. For a personal account, the Sign in button on Microsoft's OneDrive page redirects to onedrive.live.com, and Microsoft Support says to sign in with your Microsoft account to use OneDrive for home. For a work or school account, Microsoft Support says to sign in to Microsoft 365 or your SharePoint site, select the app launcher, then OneDrive.

OneDrive alternatives

Other cloud storage services in our reviews, each with its own free allowance and plans:

Conversion Gems independently reviews every tool.

Tags

#OneDrive#CloudStorage#Microsoft365#FileSharing