You may be wondering what the difference is between Google Docs vs Google Drive. The differences are actually pretty simple. What gets confusing is that Google Docs is a feature of Google Drive, but Google Drive came after Google Docs. That’s the main difference between the two Google services. There are other differences though, and a lot of features you may be missing out on if you don’t fully understand them.
Google Docs Explained
With Google Docs you can import, create, edit, and update documents in various fonts and file formats, combining text with formulas, lists, tables, and images. All this is done in your web browser. No applications or software is required. The two most notable, key features of Google Docs are that your text documents are stored online, so there’s no risk of losing everything if your computer kicks the bucket and you can save space on your hard drive. The other notable feature is that you can share files with other individual users who can work on them simultaneously from their computers. This real-time collaboration lends itself well to work from home companies and productivity in general.
If you are a business owner managing and collaborating with a small team, Google Docs are very beneficial. I love that my team and I can all edit files and see each others changes. I used to hate sending Microsoft Word Documents back and forth via email. Trying to keep track of which was the most current version was a pain. All you need to use Google docs is a Google account. You can simply sign up for one with your email address.
Google Docs is a powerful online word processor.
These features give this online word processor a significant advantage over traditional programs like MS Word. Google Docs is available to everyone for up to 15GB of free storage space. The free plan can be upgraded within Google Drive, which we’ll get to soon. Google Docs files save automatically while you work and has saved me many times when I’ve forgotten to plug my dying laptop into its charger and it died mid-work session.
The Google Docs web interface is user-friendly and the program is available in a desktop app for macOS and Windows users as well as a mobile app for iOS and Android users. It also works with or without an internet connection. With offline mode, you can create new documents as well as open and edit documents already existing in your account. You just have to make sure you enable the “available offline” on the documents you want to be able to use and it will save their version history as you update them.
Google Drive Explained
If Google Docs were a book, you can think of Google Drive as the shelf that book sits on. Along with other “books” like Google Sheets and Google Slides. Which are Google’s versions of Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint. Google Drive is a cloud storage service that houses all of your online projects. Anything you create using Google products will be saved in your Google Drive.
Google Drive is great for personal use as well as large or small business use. It allows team members to connect on what they’re working on in real time with a chat/comment box within each file. And just like Google Docs, you can use Google Drive on your desktop or mobile device with Google apps for quick access.
Are Google Docs and Google Drive Free to Use?
Like Google Docs, your storage options in Google Drive range from a free service to a monthly subscription for up to 85 GB of space. You can work in any Google application separately and then find your work all stored together in the Google Drive application where you can open and organize all types of files. No matter the type of file, you can create a new folder. for each project and store that project’s Google Slides presentation, spreadsheets, and documents in one place and give your entire team access to that folder, or even just specific files within the folder. Team collaboration is one of the key, advanced features of Google Drive that makes it a next level service. Google Drive will sync files across all of your devices as well, which is one of those extra features that make project management so much easier.
Main Difference Between Google Docs vs Google Drive
In summary, Google Docs is a feature of Google Drive. Google Drive can store your Google Docs as well as other files. A different, but related tool is Google Docs, a shareable, live edit format to replace Word documents. Google Drive allows us to store and share our important files and documents. It also helps us organize them in customizable folders that are easy to find and store and share.
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Hi, I’m Jessica! I am wife to Chris, and mom to Kaiper, Alana and Koa. I am a graphic designer, website developer and aspiring author. In this space, I share about everything from parenting, working from home, food we cook, and lots of things for kids! Learn more about me here.
