Before you upgrade Google One or iCloud+ this Black Friday
Updated November 7, 2026 · 5 min read
Black Friday is when the storage offers arrive: a bigger Google One plan, a cheaper first year of iCloud+, a banner in Gmail that says you are almost out of space. Before you take one, spend ten minutes finding out what is actually filling your storage. For most photo libraries a real share of it is copies: the same picture backed up twice, ten frames of a burst for one moment, photos saved again from a chat. Those can go without losing a single memory. Clear them first, then decide whether you still need a bigger plan. If you do, you will buy it knowing why.
What the plans cost
Storage plans are monthly, so a small price adds up over the years you keep paying it. These are the regular US prices, checked on 7 November 2026. Promotions, including Black Friday offers, can show a lower first-year price, and prices differ by country, so check Google's and Apple's own pages for yours.
| Plan | Storage | Price (US) | One year at the monthly price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google One, free | 15 GB, shared by Gmail, Drive and Google Photos | Free | Free |
| Google One Basic | 100 GB | $1.99 a month or $19.99 a year | $23.88 |
| Google 2 TB plan | 2 TB | $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year | $119.88 |
| iCloud, free | 5 GB | Free | Free |
| iCloud+ | 50 GB | $0.99 a month | $11.88 |
| iCloud+ | 200 GB | $2.99 a month | $35.88 |
| iCloud+ | 2 TB | $9.99 a month | $119.88 |
Google's plan names change often, so check the plan's storage size rather than its name. Apple lists its prices on its iCloud+ plans and pricing page, and Google on the Google One plans page.
Check what is using your space
Start with the numbers, because the fix depends on what is big.
- Google: open your Google One storage page. It splits the 15 GB between Gmail, Drive and Google Photos. If photos are most of it, read on. If Gmail is the big one, Gmail storage full because of photos and Google One 15 GB full cover the other fixes.
- iCloud: on an iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, then iCloud. The bar shows what Photos, backups and messages take. Photos is usually the largest.
Where the copies come from
Duplicates arrive quietly over years of phone backups. A phone and a computer both back up the same folder. A burst captures ten nearly identical frames. A photo shared in a chat gets saved again. A new phone re-uploads part of an old library. An import from a camera or another service adds a second copy of photos you already had. Why Google Photos has duplicates explains each one. None of these copies add anything, and each one takes as much space as the original.
Clear the copies safely, for free
You can hunt for doubles by hand, but near-identical shots on different dates are easy to miss. A duplicate finder does the comparing for you. With Doppelgone:
- Scan your library. The scan is free and unlimited. It finds exact copies, lookalikes and burst shots, and shows how much space they take before anything happens.
- Review each set. Doppelgone keeps the best shot of each set (eyes open, sharp, well lit) and says why. Tap any photo to keep it too. When it isn't sure two photos are doubles, it marks the set "Your call" and selects nothing.
- Approve the clean-up. Nothing is removed until you approve it. Removed photos go to the service's own trash: Google Photos' trash, iCloud's Recently Deleted, the Windows Recycle Bin or the phone's Trash, where they wait 30 days. One click undoes a clean-up.
Favourites, videos and photos shared with you are never touched. Your photos never leave your device. The first 200 clean-ups are free, and Pro is one payment of $9.99 for unlimited clean-ups on up to 3 libraries. It runs as a Chrome extension for Google Photos and iCloud Photos, and as apps for Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone.
When the space shows up
- Google Photos counts its trash against your storage until it is emptied. Items empty themselves after 30 days, or you can empty the trash sooner to get the space back straight away, which also removes the safety net. Google Photos trash explained has the details.
- iCloud does not count Recently Deleted against your storage, so the space comes back as soon as photos move there. They stay recoverable for 30 days. See iCloud Recently Deleted explained.
Then decide
Look at the storage figure again. If you are comfortably under the limit, you may not need a plan at all, at least for now. If you are still close to full, a bigger plan may be the right call, especially if you shoot a lot of video or share an account with family. Pick the size by how fast your library grows, not by what is full of copies today. Doppelgone isn't storage. It just makes sure you aren't paying to store the same photo twice.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Black Friday deal on Doppelgone?
No. Pro is one payment of $9.99, on Black Friday and every other day, and there is no countdown or sale. The scan and the first 200 clean-ups are free, so you can see how much space you would get back before you decide anything.
Will clearing duplicates delete my favourites?
No. Favourites, videos and photos shared with you are never touched, and nothing is removed until you approve it. Removed photos wait 30 days in the service's own trash, and one click undoes a clean-up.
Are my photos uploaded anywhere?
No. Your photos never leave your device.
Does it work on iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac?
Yes. Doppelgone runs as a Chrome extension for Google Photos and iCloud Photos, and as apps for Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone.
Is Pro a subscription?
No. Pro is one payment of $9.99 for unlimited clean-ups on up to 3 libraries. On iPhone and Android it is an in-app purchase at the store's local price.
Should I clean up first even if I'm going to upgrade anyway?
Yes. It takes less than an hour, and it means you choose the plan you need for the photos you want to keep, instead of paying every month to store copies.
What to do next
Check your storage page, then run a free scan to see how much of your library is copies: get Doppelgone for your device. Clear the doubles, look at the figure again, and only then decide about a bigger plan.
Google Photos is a trademark of Google LLC; iCloud is a trademark of Apple Inc. Doppelgone is not affiliated with Google or Apple.