iCloud vs Google Photos vs Microsoft OneDrive: How Photo Syncing Really Works
Cloud photo services promise seamless syncing across devices — but they don’t all work the same way.
This guide breaks down how Apple iCloud Photos, Google Photos, and Microsoft OneDrive handle photos taken on an iPhone, how they sync across Macs, iPads, and browsers, and what actually happens when photos are edited or deleted.
Understanding these differences is the key to choosing the right photo cloud for your workflow.
🎓 What You’ll Learn
• How photos sync across Apple, Google, and Microsoft ecosystems
• Why deleting a photo behaves differently (and sometimes surprisingly)
• Which services truly integrate with iPhone, iPad, and Mac
• How cloud storage and device storage are not the same thing
• Pricing differences and hidden tradeoffs
• What to do if you don’t want to use any cloud service at all
☁️ 📸 What “The Cloud” Really Means
At its core, the cloud is just someone else’s computer storing your files.
Every cloud service:
• Uploads your photos from one device
• Syncs them to other devices
• Keeps everything “in sync” — including deletions
The convenience is speed and automation. The tradeoff is control.
🍎 ☁️ How iCloud Photos Works
iCloud Photos treats your photo library as one unified system.
When you:
• Take a photo on your iPhone
• It uploads to iCloud
• Syncs automatically to your Mac, iPad, and iCloud.com
Deleting a photo on any device deletes it everywhere (after Recently Deleted).
This behavior is intentional — iCloud Photos is designed to mirror, not back up.
🔍 🌐 Google Photos Syncing Explained
Google Photos operates alongside Apple Photos, not inside it.
• Photos upload independently to Google’s cloud
• Deleting from Apple Photos does not delete from Google Photos
• Deleting from Google Photos removes it everywhere Google is signed in
Google excels at:
• Smart search
• Facial recognition
• Easy sharing with partners
But on a Mac, Google Photos only works through a web browser.
🧩 ☁️ Microsoft OneDrive for Photos
OneDrive focuses on file storage, not photo management.
• Photos upload to a Camera Roll folder
• Sync works reliably across devices
• Editing tools are minimal
• No true Mac Photos-style app
OneDrive is best viewed as:
• Cloud storage first
• Photo library second
🗑️ 🔁 What Happens When You Delete a Photo
All three services behave similarly:
• Delete once → sync everywhere
• Recently Deleted offers recovery (depending on service)
• No cloud service is “safe” from accidental deletion
This is the most misunderstood part of cloud photo syncing.
💰 📊 Cloud Storage Pricing Overview
• iCloud: 50GB / 200GB / 2TB
• Google Photos: Shared with Google Drive storage
• OneDrive: Included with Microsoft 365 (1TB)
No option is truly “free” long-term.
🚫 ☁️ What If You Don’t Want to Use the Cloud?
Your alternatives are:
• Manual transfers with cables
• Flash drives
• External hard drives
• Local backups only
You trade convenience for control.
🧭 Final Takeaway
The “best” photo cloud depends on:
• Your devices
• Your tolerance for syncing behavior
• How much control you want over deletions
• Whether you value editing, sharing, or storage most
There’s no wrong answer — only informed choices.
