IDrive vs PhotoCircle
IDrive
idrive.comPhotoCircle
photocircleapp.comSide by side
| Figure | IDrive | PhotoCircle |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $0.25/mo | $0.83/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 16 | 10 |
| Spec score · Photo Storage Services | 9.3 (#6) | 7.9 (#43) |
| Product | IDrive backs up computers, mobile devices, servers, and NAS devices to one account. | PhotoCircle is a media-sharing platform for sharing and organizing photos, videos, and documents in private Circles. |
| Security | IDrive says data is encrypted with 256-bit AES in transit and at rest, and private encryption keys are not stored on its servers. | PhotoCircle says it is SOC 2 Type II certified, NIST CSF aligned, and supports GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, PIPEDA, and EU AI Act compliance. |
| Support | IDrive says it offers 24/7 support via live chat, email, and phone. | PhotoCircle lists [email protected] and links to its Help Center for assistance. |
Plans
IDrive
- IDrive Mini$0.25 a month
- IDrive Personal$11.99 a month
- IDrive Team$11.99 a month
- IDrive Business$59.99 a month
- IDrive Mini$3 a year
- IDrive Personal$119.88 a year
- IDrive Team$119.88 a year
- IDrive Business$239.88 a year
- BasicFree
- Microsoft Office 365 Backup$20 a year
PhotoCircle
- Friends & FamilyFree
- PhotoCircle+$1.29 a month
- PhotoCircle+$9.99 a year
- Professionals & Consultants$10 a month
- Business$15 a month
- Business$15 a month
- Professionals & Consultants$80 a year
- Business$120 a year
- Business$120 a year
- Enterprise$180 a year
In their own words
IDrive
IDrive backs up computers, mobile devices, servers, and NAS devices to one account, with apps and access for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and the web. Its free Basic plan provides 10 GB of storage without a credit card; paid plans start at $0.25 per month for IDrive Mini, which includes 100 GB for one user. Backup and restore options cover files, devices, earlier versions, deleted files, disk images, and IDrive Express. The service retains up to 30 earlier versions of each backed-up file, and Snapshots provide point-in-time recovery. True Archiving keeps files in the account until you delete them or run Archive Cleanup. IDrive says it encrypts data in transit and at rest using 256-bit AES, with private keys optional, and that stored versions and Snapshots support recovery after ransomware incidents. Add-ons provide backup for Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Salesforce, Dropbox, and Box. Team and Business plans include multi-user administration. Support is available 24/7 by live chat, email, and phone.
PhotoCircle
PhotoCircle is a media-sharing platform for organizing photos, videos, and documents in private Circles. Members can join through a shareable link, QR code, or in-app invitation. Families can use private albums for events, vacations, weddings, birthdays, and other shared occasions; business users can share up to 20 photos or videos through a web link. The free Friends & Family plan supports mobile apps, videos up to one minute, single-item downloads, and bulk uploads of up to 40 media items. PhotoCircle+ costs $1.29 a month and adds web access, search, web slideshows, videos up to four minutes, and bulk uploads of up to 200 items. Professional and business plans include Canva integration. Business includes custom branding, roles and permissions, and 30-day deleted-data recovery; Enterprise includes 90-day recovery, API integration, archiving, reporting, SSO enforcement, and training. Organizations need a paid seat for each employee or representative, while customers and other audience members may be guests. PhotoCircle runs on Android, iOS, and the web. It says it launched as a family photo-sharing tool in 2012 and describes SOC 2 Type II certification and NIST CSF alignment.