ZiggSend vs Google Drive · Head to head

ZiggSend vs Google Drive

Drive works. It just makes a file that is ten meters away travel to a data center and back, using up your quota.

What it does well

  • Originals preserved
  • Available on every device
  • 15 GB free, sharing by link

Where it stops

  • Upload on home speeds: a 30 GB camera roll is an evening
  • Counts against 15 GB shared with Gmail and Photos
  • Two steps every time: upload, then download

Side by side

CriterionGoogle DriveZiggSend
DevicesAlliPhone, Android, Mac, Windows
Original qualityYesAlways, verified byte for byte
Size limitYour Drive spaceNone
Needs the cloudYesNo
VerificationNot advertisedSHA-256 on every file
Price15 GB free, then paidFree with 1 phone; Pro $39/year

When to use which

Drive for sharing with other people and keeping files in the cloud. ZiggSend for moving between your own devices, at your Wi-Fi speed, without touching your quota.

Measured, not promised. 22 GB in 184 files with 0 failures from an Android to a Mac over a USB 2 cable (about 28 MB/s); an 806 MB video over home Wi-Fi in 46 s; up to 49.7 MB/s over Wi-Fi from a Mac to an iPhone. Every file is checked against the original on arrival. How we measure.

Free forever with 1 phone. Pro when you need it.

The phone apps are free. So is the computer app, with one paired phone. Pro — several phones, full history, automatic folders, up to 3 computers — is $39 a year, or $19 once for the first 1,000 founders.

Get ZiggSend

Questions people actually ask

Does Google Drive compress photos?

Drive stores the file you upload. Google Photos compresses in “Storage saver” mode; “Original quality” keeps the file. Both modes count against your 15 GB.

Is ZiggSend faster than Drive?

Yes. A direct transfer skips the upload entirely and runs at Wi-Fi speed.

Can I still share by link?

ZiggSend does not do links. Move the file to the computer, then share it however you like.

Related guides

Videos from Android to a Mac or MacBook without compressionVideos from Android to a PC or laptop without compressionVideos from iPhone to a PC or laptop without compression

Compared with

ZiggSend vs AirDropZiggSend vs Phone LinkZiggSend vs LocalSendZiggSend vs Snapdrop and PairDrop