Google Photos stopped offering free unlimited storage in June 2021, and millions of Australians are now hitting the 15GB shared limit across Gmail, Drive, and Photos. When that limit fills, Google asks you to pay for Google One. Or your photos stop backing up. If you'd rather not pay Google ongoing fees (or want your photos stored somewhere you actually control), here are the real alternatives available in Australia.
In short: The best alternatives depend on what you value: iCloud is the easiest switch for iPhone users; Amazon Photos offers free unlimited photo storage if you have Prime; a NAS eliminates monthly fees entirely for anyone with a large library. There's no perfect universal replacement. Each has tradeoffs.
Why Australian Users Are Looking for Alternatives
The Google One price increase hits Australians differently than US users. Google One is priced in USD. Australians pay the AUD conversion rate, which fluctuates. The 100GB plan is currently AU$3.49/month; the 200GB plan AU$8.99/month. That's after Google already cut off free storage that many Australians assumed was permanent.
NBN upload speeds add another consideration. Australian upload speeds (typically 20Mbps on NBN 100) mean large photo libraries take days or weeks to fully sync to cloud. A household with 10 years of iPhone photos and videos may have 100-500GB to upload. At 20Mbps upload, that's 11-55 hours of continuous transfer even before accounting for network overhead and mobile data caps.
The Alternatives. What Actually Works in Australia
1. Pay for Google One (Keep Using Google Photos)
The path of least resistance. Google Photos remains the best photo management app in terms of search, face recognition, and cross-device sync. If you use an Android phone and are already deep in Google's ecosystem, paying AU$3.49-8.99/month for Google One is likely the simplest choice.
Works well when: You're on Android, use Google's search and album features heavily, and don't want to change workflow.
The catch: USD-priced, ongoing fee, data stored offshore (primarily US data centres), and you're relying on Google not changing terms again.
2. iCloud Photos
The obvious alternative for iPhone users. iCloud Photos integrates deeply with iOS and macOS. Photos sync automatically, the Memories and Shared Albums features work well, and it's the most seamless experience on Apple devices. AU$1.29/month for 50GB, AU$4.49/month for 200GB, AU$14.99/month for 2TB.
Works well when: You're primarily on iPhone and Mac, and the storage tier fits your library size.
The catch: Also USD-priced and converted to AUD. Limited functionality on Windows or Android. If you cancel, photos are inaccessible until you resubscribe or download them first.
3. Amazon Photos (Free with Prime)
Amazon Prime subscribers in Australia get free unlimited photo storage plus 5GB for videos through Amazon Photos. This is genuinely free (included in your AU$9.99/month Prime subscription) and is often overlooked. The app is available for iOS and Android, supports automatic backup, and includes basic album and search features.
Works well when: You already pay for Amazon Prime and mainly want automatic backup of full-resolution photos (not video).
The catch: Video storage is limited to 5GB free (paid tiers available). The app and features are more basic than Google Photos or iCloud. Requires an ongoing Prime subscription. It's not standalone free storage.
4. Microsoft OneDrive
Microsoft 365 Personal (~AU$109/year) includes 1TB of OneDrive storage per user. If you already pay for Microsoft 365, you have 1TB sitting unused. OneDrive has iOS and Android apps with automatic photo backup, and the Photos section has basic organisation features. Not as polished as Google Photos but functional.
Works well when: You already pay for Microsoft 365 and have the 1TB available.
The catch: Not standalone. Requires Microsoft 365 subscription. Photo management features are basic compared to Google Photos.
5. A NAS. Own Your Photos, No Monthly Fee
A NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a small box on your home network that stores photos from every device automatically. Without a monthly fee after the initial hardware purchase. Both Synology (Synology Photos) and QNAP (QuMagie) offer dedicated photo apps with face recognition, timeline views, shared albums, and mobile apps that work like iCloud Photos. But the storage is yours, on hardware in your home.
For a household with a large photo library, a 2-bay NAS with 4-8TB drives (~AU$600-900 all up) provides more storage than most people will ever need, with no ongoing cost. How to replace iCloud Photos with a NAS covers the migration process specifically. What a NAS is and whether it suits your situation is the right starting point if you're new to the concept.
Works well when: You have a large photo and video library, want to eliminate monthly fees over time, and are comfortable with a one-time hardware setup.
The catch: Upfront hardware cost. Setup requires more effort than a cloud app. Remote access depends on your home NBN connection.
6. Immich. Free, Self-Hosted Google Photos Replacement
Immich is an open-source self-hosted photo management application that closely mirrors Google Photos. Including automatic backup, face recognition, search, and a mobile app for iOS and Android. It runs on a NAS or home server and is completely free. If you want the Google Photos experience without Google, Immich is the closest alternative available. It requires a NAS or similar hardware to run on, and some technical comfort with Docker or NAS package installation.
Which Option Is Right for You?
If you have Amazon Prime already, check Amazon Photos first. It's free and most people don't know about it. If you're on iPhone, iCloud is the simplest switch. If you're on Android and already in the Google ecosystem, paying for Google One is likely the path of least resistance despite the cost.
For anyone with a large photo library (100GB+) or who's tired of paying ongoing fees, a NAS is worth investigating. The upfront cost is higher but typically pays for itself within 3-5 years compared to cloud subscriptions. And your photos are under your direct control. The NAS vs Cloud Storage comparison covers the long-term cost difference in detail. For NAS options suitable for photo storage, see the Best NAS Australia guide.
Use our free Cloud vs NAS Cost Calculator to compare cloud storage against owning a NAS.
Is there a free alternative to Google Photos in Australia?
Yes. Amazon Photos offers free unlimited photo storage (plus 5GB video) for Amazon Prime subscribers. Prime costs AU$9.99/month or AU$79/year in Australia. If you already subscribe to Prime, Amazon Photos is already included. Immich is also free but requires your own hardware (NAS or server) to run on.
Can I export all my Google Photos to use elsewhere?
Yes. Google Takeout (takeout.google.com) lets you download all your Google Photos as a zip archive. You can then upload to another service, copy to a NAS, or store on an external drive. For large libraries, exports are split into multiple zip files (2GB each). Allow several hours to days for Google to prepare the export. Download promptly. Export links expire.
Does Synology or QNAP have a Google Photos-like app?
Yes. Synology Photos (on Synology NAS) and QuMagie (on QNAP NAS) both provide mobile apps that automatically back up photos from your phone, face recognition, timeline browsing, and shared albums. Synology Photos is generally considered the more polished of the two. Both work on iOS and Android. Immich (open source) is a third option that runs on any NAS and closely mirrors Google Photos' interface.
What's the best Google Photos alternative for iPhone users in Australia?
iCloud Photos is the most seamless option for iPhone users. It integrates natively with iOS and macOS, syncs automatically, and supports all Apple features (Memories, Shared Albums, iCloud Shared Photo Library). Amazon Photos is a good free backup supplement if you have Prime. For users with large libraries who want to eliminate ongoing fees, a Synology NAS with Synology Photos is the most feature-complete self-hosted alternative.
How much does Google One cost in Australia?
Google One pricing in Australia (as of 2026): 100GB at AU$3.49/month or AU$34.99/year; 200GB at AU$8.99/month or AU$89.99/year; 2TB at AU$24.99/month or AU$249.99/year. Prices are set in USD and converted. They increase when the AUD weakens. The 15GB free tier (shared across Gmail, Drive, and Photos) remains free.
Thinking about replacing cloud photo storage with something you own? See how NAS photo storage compares to cloud on cost and features.
Replace Cloud Photos with a NAS →