Is Google Drive just not enough for you? You might not be alone, and you also might be in luck. Insync, not to be confused with the boy band NSYNC, is out of beta and offering itself up as a Google Drive alternative on both the Mac and Windows platforms.
Insync was originally “Dropbox for Google users.” This was back when Google Drive was still Google Docs. Once Google relaunched Google Docs as a Dropbox-like client and renamed it Google Drive, Insync made some adjustments of their own. They decided to compete directly with Google Drive and offer functions lacking with the Google service.
Co-founder and CEO Terence Pua states that they started asking users what they needed and found they were looking for “multiple account support and being able to watch any folder outside of the Insync folder’s location.” Designed for power users, it also offers built-in sharing, permissioning, better onboarding, and selective syncing of folders and files. Additionally, users can keep their own folder hierarchy.
But the best part is the pricing. The Insync Pro Plan offers a 15-day free trial, with no credit card and a one-time fee of $9.99 per Google account. A business edition price will be released in a few weeks, and that will include an admin dashboard and centralized billing.
For my own needs right now, I don’t need what Insync is offering. Yet I’m sure there are plenty of power users who do. For my own personal needs, I use a combination of cloud storage services. I have a few things stored in Google Drive that are shared with other users. I store all my articles and things I want to remember in Evernote, and I have all of my iPad files backed up to Dropbox. However, I did try it out with my Make Tech Easier Google account, and I have to say I like how it added a folder with all my MTE Google Drive files to the sidebar of my Finder folder.
I do like the price of Insync, though. Services like Evernote charge their power users monthly, and services like Dropbox and Google Drive are free. Here’s a service offering a one-time fee of just under $10. However, I have four Google accounts. Suddenly $40 isn’t as attractive. What I really like, though is that you aren’t required to leave a credit card number for the trial. I hate trial periods where I have to leave my credit card number, as I know I’m the type to forget to go back and cancel. I appreciate not having to use my credit card until after the free trial is done.
Cloud storage is just in its infancy. It’s only just beginning. There are bound to be other services and companies that will come along and do it better than Google Drive, Evernote, and Dropbox. Each of them offers cloud storage just a little differently than the other. It’s all a matter of finding the right service or combination of services for your needs.
Will you be giving Insync a try? Does what they are offering appeal to you? Let us know in the comments below.
