# FOREVER® vs Google Photos

The clearest difference is rating: Google Photos at 4.8 against FOREVER®'s 4.0. Google Photos also leads on ratings volume (1.6M vs 281) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). FOREVER®'s advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FOREVER® sells 13 one-off in-app purchases and Google Photos sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Google Photos holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Google Photos has 1.6M ratings behind it against 281, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of FOREVER®'s written reviews are positive against 65% of Google Photos's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

FOREVER® ships an update every 3 weeks, Google Photos weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FOREVER® | Google Photos |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (281 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forever/id808235823/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.6M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-photos-backup-and-edit/id962194608/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 281 | **1.6M** |
| Positive reviews | **67.0% of reviews** | 65.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#6** |
| Size | 121 MB | 418 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Forever, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/808235826) | [Google LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) |

## What reviewers say

### FOREVER®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forever/id808235823)

Securely store photos, videos, and documents permanently for your lifetime plus 100 years. Organize, back up, and share memories with guaranteed privacy and no ads. Files are automatically upgraded to industry standards over time.

**Highlights:** Permanent cloud storage, Lifetime + 100 year guarantee, Secure file storage, Organize with tags and albums, Automatic backup and sync, Ad-free experience, Secure sharing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 GB Storage - 50% OFF! | $99.99 | one-time |
| 5 GB Storage | $99.99 | one-time |
| 10 GB Storage - 40% OFF! | $119.99 | one-time |
| 10 GB Storage - 30% OFF! | $139.99 | one-time |
| 10 GB Storage - 20% OFF! | $159.99 | one-time |
| 10 GB Storage - On Sale! | $169.99 | one-time |
| 10 GB Storage | $179.99 | one-time |
| 25 GB Storage - 50% OFF! | $199.99 | one-time |
| 25 GB Storage - 40% OFF! | $239.99 | one-time |
| 50 GB Storage - 50% OFF! | $299.99 | one-time |
| 25 GB Storage | $349.99 | one-time |
| 25 GB Storage - On Sale! | $349.99 | one-time |
| 50 GB Storage | $599.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Permanent storage
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Easy to organize and share photos
- 👍 Automatic photo backup
- 👍 Lifetime access with one-time payment

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Syncing and uploading issues
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and use
- 💰 Expensive storage plans
- 🔍 Missing key features (e.g., offline access, photo editing)

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Inconsistent performance after updates
- Syncing issues with older devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to delete photos from phone after upload
- Improved background syncing
- More customization options for album views
- Integration with other photo services


### Google Photos

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-photos-backup-and-edit/id962194608)

**Currently charting:** #6 Top Free · Photo & Video, #6 Top Grossing · Photo & Video, #37 Top Grossing, #88 Top Free (US App Store)

Effortlessly store, organize, and enhance your photos and videos with AI-powered tools. Automatically back up memories across devices, declutter your gallery, and easily search for specific moments.  Securely store sensitive content and even print your favorite memories.

**Highlights:** 15 GB free cloud storage, AI-powered editing tools (Magic Eraser, Unblur), Natural language photo search, Automatic organization and photo stacks, Secure locked folder for sensitive media, Easy sharing of photos and albums, Free up phone space

**Features:** Family Sharing, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (7)**

| 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 |
| 100 GB of Storage (1 year) | $19.99 | per year |
| 200 GB | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Unlimited storage
- 👍 Seamless backup and organization
- 🎨 Excellent photo editing features
- 💡 Automatic photo enhancements
- 🤖 Powerful search and facial recognition

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches with scrolling and loading
- 🔒 Lack of privacy/security options
- 🔍 Difficulty managing and deleting photos
- 💰 Transition to paid storage model

**Reported bugs**

- Photos disappearing from library
- Syncing issues between devices
- Slow upload speeds for large libraries

**Requested features**

- Selective photo/video backup and deletion
- Duplicate photo detection and removal
- Offline access and editing capabilities
- More granular album and folder organization


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FOREVER® free?

FOREVER® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Google Photos free?

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

### Which has better reviews, FOREVER® or Google Photos?

Google Photos is rated higher. FOREVER® averages 4.0 out of 5 from 281 ratings, while Google Photos averages 4.8 from 1.6M ratings.

### Do FOREVER® or Google Photos have ads?

Google Photos shows ads; FOREVER® does not.

### Which is updated more often, FOREVER® or Google Photos?

FOREVER® ships an update every 3 weeks, and Google Photos weekly. Most recently, FOREVER® was updated on October 29, 2026 and Google Photos on November 1, 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.*