# Google Drive vs Mail

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Mail at none against Google Drive's 14. Mail also leads on device support (5 vs 2) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 17.0). Google Drive's advantage is review sentiment (65% vs 34%) and update cadence (weekly vs every 11 months). On price, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Google Drive sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Mail asks for nothing beyond the download.

Google Drive holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7.8M and 4.4M respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Google Drive's written reviews are positive against 34% of Mail's.

Google Drive ships an update weekly, Mail every 11 months. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Google Drive | Mail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (7.8M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-drive/id507874739/reviews)** | [4.6 (4.4M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mail/id1108187098/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7.8M** | 4.4M |
| Positive reviews | **65.1% of reviews** | 33.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#8** | — |
| Size | 439 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [Apple](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) |

## What reviewers say

### Google Drive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-drive/id507874739)

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Free · Productivity, #15 Top Grossing · Productivity, #53 Top Free, #200 Top Grossing (US App Store)

Securely store, organize, and access your files from any device. Collaborate with others, scan documents, and search for content with ease. Offers advanced features for businesses and individuals.

**Highlights:** Secure cloud storage, File organization, Cross-device access, Document scanning, File sharing and permissions, Offline access, AI-powered insights (Workspace)

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| 200 GB | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient cloud storage
- 🔒 Secure file backup
- 👍 Easy file sharing and collaboration
- 👍 Accessible from any device
- 🚀 Seamless integration with other Google apps

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable uploads and syncing
- 🔍 Difficult file organization and navigation
- 🔍 Limited editing capabilities within the app
- 🔋 High battery drain on mobile devices

**Reported bugs**

- Compatibility issues with older iOS versions
- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Inconsistent file upload and download performance

**Requested features**

- Allow bulk file/folder management
- Improve offline file access and editing
- Integrate more advanced productivity tools
- Enhance search and file organization features


### Mail

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mail/id1108187098)

Consolidate all your email accounts into a single, organized inbox. Prioritize important messages, quickly respond with smart replies, and manage your inbox efficiently with features like scheduling and snoozing. Enjoy enhanced privacy with IP address hiding and read receipt prevention.

**Highlights:** Unified inbox for multiple accounts, Automatic message categorization, Priority Messages and summarization, Schedule send, snooze, and unsend emails, Smart Reply for quick responses, Mail Privacy Protection

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient email management
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 💡 Useful categorization of emails

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent swipe gestures
- 🐛 Unreliable search function
- 🐛 Emails disappearing or not syncing properly
- 🐛 Slow email download and loading times
- 🐛 Buggy performance after updates

**Reported bugs**

- Emails not downloading from server
- Inconsistent behavior when deleting emails
- Notifications not working as expected
- Drafts and sent emails disappearing

**Requested features**

- Add snooze functionality
- Improve email organization and filtering options
- Provide more customization options
- Integrate better with other Apple apps and services


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Google Drive free?

Google Drive is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Mail free?

Mail is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Google Drive or Mail?

Google Drive is rated higher. Google Drive averages 4.8 out of 5 from 7.8M ratings, while Mail averages 4.6 from 4.4M ratings.

### Do Google Drive or Mail have ads?

Neither Google Drive nor Mail shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Google Drive or Mail?

Google Drive ships an update weekly, and Mail every 11 months. Most recently, Google Drive was updated on September 24, 2026 and Mail on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*