Is Microsoft OneDrive Free? (All You Need To Know)

If it is not in your budget to have cloud storage space, but you are in need of some, you are most likely trying to find a service that will work best for you, which is why you have decided to do a little research on Microsoft OneDrive.

If this sounds like you, and you are wondering if you can get some cloud storage space, free of charge, you will want to keep reading this article as it explains whether or not you can get OneDrive for free, and so much more!

Is Microsoft OneDrive Free In [currentyear]?

Microsoft OneDrive does offer a free version of its services in [currentyear]. Furthermore,  with this free version, you can get up to 5 GB of cloud space, but that’s all. However, if this amount of storage space does not suit your needs and you want extra perks, OneDrive does have some other plans that might work great for you. 

If you would like to learn more about whether or not you can use Microsoft OneDrive for free, how much its plans cost, and more, you’ll want to read on!

Do You Need To Have A Subscription To Be Able To Use Microsoft OneDrive?

In order to use Microsoft OneDrive, you will need to have an account, however, with its free account, you can get 5 GB of cloud storage space.

So, technically, you do need to be subscribed in order to use it, though, this subscription won’t cost you anything.

Additionally, you can subscribe to one of the payment options in order to get more perks and more cloud storage space, but that is completely up to you.

Furthermore, if you are interested in learning more about the plans that MS OneDrive has available, you will want to read on until later in this article. 

Can You Use Microsoft OneDrive For Free?

As mentioned previously, Microsoft OneDrive does offer a free version of its services and with this plan, you can get 5 GB of free cloud storage space. 

Of course, you can also opt to purchase a plan that you can pay for monthly, or yearly. 

Additionally, these plans give more storage space and come equipt with more features and services.

How Much Does Microsoft OneDrive Cost?

How Much Does Microsoft OneDrive Cost?

As mentioned previously, you can use Microsoft OneDrive completely free of charge. However, this is a very limited option.

Therefore, if you need to use more space on OneDrive, you will want to consider upgrading your subscription from the free version to a paid version.

Additionally, your options vary on whether you are using OneDrive for your business or your family at home.

However, the below chart breaks down the home plans for Microsoft OneDrive, and makes it easier to choose the right plan for you!

Plans

Microsoft 365 Family

Microsoft 365 Personal

OneDrive Standalone 100GB

OneDrive Basic 5 GB

Price

$109.00/ year (annual subscription-auto renews)

Or buy at $11 per month 

$79.00/ year (annual subscription-auto renews)

Or buy at $8.00 per month

$19.00/ year (annual subscription-auto renews)

Or buy at CAD $2.00 per month

Free

Amount Of Space

OneDrive Premium Features 

6 TB total (1000 GB per person)

OneDrive Premium Features

1 TB (1000 GB)

Storage Only

100 GB

Storage Only 

5 GB

Services Included

OneDrive

Skype

OneDrive 

Skype

OneDrive

OneDrive

Office Apps Included

Outlook

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Outlook

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Not Included

Not Included

         

Furthermore, this chart shows the different options for Microsoft OneDrive business plans:

Plans

OneDrive for Business (Plan 1)

OneDrive for Business (Plan 2)

Microsoft 365 Business Basic

Microsoft 365 Business Standard

Price

$6.40 user/ month

(annual subscription-

auto renews)

$12.80 user/ month

(annual subscription- auto renews)

$7.70 user/ month

(annual subscription- auto renews)

$16.00 user/ month 

(annual subscription- auto renews)

Extras Included

File sharing and OneDrive storage.

File sharing and OneDrive storage with advanced security and compliance capabilities.

Microsoft Teams and cloud storage. Desktop versions of Office apps not included.

Business-class email, Office apps, and services like OneDrive.

Services Included

OneDrive

OneDrive

OneDrive

Exchange 

SharePoint

Teams

OneDrive

Exchange 

SharePoint

Teams

Yammer

Office Apps Included

Not included

Not included 

Web and mobile versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Outlook 

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

OneNote

Access (PC only)

Publisher (PC only)

What Is Microsoft OneDrive?

Microsoft OneDrive is a cloud storage service that works alongside the Microsoft 365 suite of software. 

However, if you do not have this software, it is completely possible to get a standalone account.

Furthermore, with MS OneDrive, you will be able to save all of your files, including photos, music, and videos to your account and access them on multiple devices.

Plus, if a cloud storage solution is not in your budget, and you do not need very much of it, you can get OneDrive for free with the software’s free version.

This free version, as mentioned previously, does not come with any added perks, but you will however get 5 GB of free cloud storage for any of your devices.

To know more, you can also read our posts on Microsoft Blend, Microsoft Cortana, and Microsoft Intune.

Conclusion 

It is completely possible to use Microsoft OneDrive for free, as long as you are using its free version plan. Furthermore, this plan works great if you are only in need of a very small amount of cloud space as this one only gives you access to 5 GB.

However, if you are in need of more space, other features, and extra services, you can choose a plan that will better suit your needs. Additionally, these plans are paid for annually or monthly and come with much more storage space and features than the free version.

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Cara Suppa

Cara Suppa has been freelance writing for over a decade and holds a BA in English and an MS in Integrated Marketing Communications. Outside of work, she is an avid cook, gardener, and discount shopper.

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