Backup & Sync & File Stream: Which Software is Better for Managing Google Drive Files?

Google Drive is undoubtedly the most popular cloud storage service. The service comes by default on all Android devices, and Google offers a generous 15GB of storage initially. Like Dropbox and OneDrive, Google Drive offers a desktop tool called Backup and Sync to access and use Google Drive files on Mac and Windows. The company also offers another File Streaming tool for Google Workplace users.

Recently, Google made Drive File Stream available to general consumers as well. Now we have two options for syncing Google Drive folders to Windows and Mac: Backup & Sync and Drive File Stream. Both serve different audiences with various functions specific to each software.

If you are confused between the two, you have come to the right place. This post will compare Backup and Stream with Drive File Stream and decide which software is more suitable for you. Lets start.

What is Google Backup and Sync?

Backup & Sync is the consumer successor to the Google Photos desktop uploader and Drive sync app and is designed for your gmail.com account. Backup & Sync Safely back up files and photos on Google Drive.

It provides the same functionality as Drive for Mac/PC and backs up any folder on your computer.

What is Drive File Stream?

Originally designed for organizations, Drive File Stream allows you to quickly access all your Google Drive files on demand directly from your computer. This means you’ll use almost none of your hard drive space and spend less time waiting for files to sync. Drive File Stream lets you stream files, similar to how you stream on-demand movies.

You can also choose to keep certain files or folders offline for editing when not connected to the internet. The next time you connect, Google Drive syncs these changes and saves your work to the web.

Installation and Features

The installation process is simple. Download the Backup and Sync software using the link below and install it from scratch. After a successful login, Backup & Sync will prompt you to select folders from your computer to continuously back up to Google Drive.

For example, you can select Desktop, Documents or Pictures folders and these folders will sync and appear on your Google Drive homepage. You can also enable the Google Photos upload option to securely backup all photos and videos to the Google Photos platform.

The third step is to set the Google Drive folders to sync with the computer. Here, you need to understand the difference between the two software. With Backup and Sync, you can choose the entire Google Drive to sync with PC or Mac. That is, the device will download every file in your Google Drive to its local storage. Of course, you can choose private folders and leave other users’ hidden files.

The problem with the current method is if you have low storage on the device and if you accidentally select the entire Google Drive to sync with a laptop, it will take up most of the storage and slow things down for you. That’s where Drive File Stream comes to save the day. Let me explain how.

When installing Drive File Stream, the software will only ask for the default drive letter. Yes, that’s it. You don’t need to select any Google Drive folders to appear on the device. Instead, the software mirrors your entire Google Drive folder to the device. But wait, wait! These folders do not take up a single MB of disk space.

All folders remain in the cloud and you will see a small cloud icon next to each folder and file. These folders function as on-demand files, similar to OneDrive and Dropbox. So you can right click on any file or folder and download it to the device. After dealing with the relevant media and files, you can right click on the file or folder again and just go Online.

Other Differences

Drive File Stream lacks Google Photos integration; that means you can actually use it for photos. On the other hand, Backup & Sync lets you sync photos and videos with Google’s Photos service.

You can also see who is editing in Microsoft Office in real time with Drive File Stream, while Backup and Sync lacks such features.

Use Google Drive on PC or Mac

As for comparison, Drive File Stream and Backup & Sync target different user segments. The Drive File Stream solution from the GT team has a few fans, as it doesn’t take up a lot of space. If you need Google Photos integration and you want Desktop/Documents/Pictures folders to be synced, get Backup & Sync. There is no word on whether Google will combine the two to create a solid Google Drive plugin for PC and Mac users.

Next: Want to choose Drive File Stream instead of Backup & Sync? Read the post below to learn how to set it up from scratch.