Today's times are volatile. One moment things are going absolutely fine, and the next second, your Twitter and Instagram accounts face the threat of a nationwide ban. Whether or not all those claims are authentic, one thing is definite: You will be charged to use Google Photos from June 1.
Until last year, users were allowed to upload high-quality photos on their Google Drive or Photos up to 15GB. So, to put it simply, your Google Photos will count within the 15GB storage that Google Account provides as of today. This storage usually consists of data from your emails, drive, photos, contacts, apps and the data collected by these apps.
That said, your Google Docs and Sheets that aren't edited after June 1, 2021, also don't take up any space on your account. So, if you find yourself exceeding on any of this data, you might have to buy yourself a Google One storage if you wish to keep uploading. But if you're using a Google Pixel 5 or an earlier device, you are exempted from this digital wrath! Of course, users globally have expressed their anger:
However, it is always a good idea to have a backup for your years worth of pictures. And if you haven't gotten a headstart on the same — don't fret — because you still have a couple of days to go! We've compiled a list of websites and services you can opt for instead of buying Google One. So, scroll and check out what they have on offer:
Yes, we know what you're thinking. Why buy iCloud storage when you can easily buy yourself a Google One storage? But if you're already a part of the Apple ecosystem, you already have easy access to iCloud Photos — which is Apple's equivalent to Google Photos. Even if you haven't purchased additional storage, you still have 5GB worth of storage readily available for you at no extra cost. And it doesn't matter if you use Android or Windows — you can effortlessly sync your iCloud for Android or download iCloud for Windows to access and upload your pictures wherever you are.
We've all used Flickr at some point in our life. Whether it was just to download stock images and licensable photos, Flickr has been handy on several occasions. But we're sure you didn't know that it makes a great photo storage website. The catch here is that it charges you after your first 1,000 photos. But if you're willing to pay for your membership, Flickr also offers stats about your 'trending' photos of the past month. It also offers you discounts on Adobe, SmugMug and other services as a part of its perks within the membership.
Artists are already familiar with DeviantArt — which prides itself as the 'world's largest online art community'. DA has gone from becoming a virtual gallery for its audience to a social networking site for the art fraternity. Unlike other sites, DA surprisingly doesn't charge you for uploading and allows you free unlimited use but does offer you perks for buying its membership. These perks are, of course, if you're interested in art. And if you're from the art fraternity, you could also choose its Core Membership. But either way, we could get used to browsing art whilst uploading our pictures on DeviantArt!
Photobucket has a hassle-free limited plan that allows you to upload 250 photos a day. There's also an unlimited trial plan that enables users to upload endless images for a period. However, beyond that, users can invest in a Beginner Plan that involves 25GB (2,500 photos) and deemed 'Great for Backups', from $6 onwards. It further offers intermediate and expert storage, which you can use to avoid any kind of image compression, along with unlimited storage. What's more, it promises private encryption, visibility controls, and EXIF data removal, along with keeping every image well within your control.
Did you know you could store your photos on Amazon as well? We were also 'today' years old when we discovered this feature that comes with our Prime membership. Amazon Prime offers a plethora of perks to its users. Users can opt for quicker delivery, watch Amazon Prime Video movies -- and also upload pictures on Amazon Photos! An additional advantage is that you can share that unlimited storage with five friends or family members, known as the Family Vault. Of course, there's a catch here! Amazon Photos can only accommodate videos up to 5GB of storage. After which, users have to purchase additional space. It is essential to keep in mind that if you ever decide to end your Prime membership, Amazon clarifies that it can end the subscription for Photos and that "All uploaded photos count toward your Amazon Drive storage limit." The total storage for non-Prime members (stills and video) is 5GB."
