Google Photos backs up everything, then offers to wipe the phone. Odoa deletes the junk so there’s less to back up. Opposite order, very different bill.
The short answer
Use Google Photos if you want off-device backup with search. Use Odoa first if you want less to back up — deleting 30-50% junk on-device means faster uploads, smaller cloud bills, and a searchable library. They stack: Odoa cleans, Google keeps. Unsure which storage is full? See iCloud vs iPhone storage.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Odoa | Google Photos |
|---|---|---|
| Primary job | Delete junk, free phone space | Back up everything, access anywhere |
| Duplicate / burst handling | Swipe decisions, suggested keeper | Grouping + Storage saver review |
| Sort by size | Yes | Limited |
| Free Up Space | Via deletion + Recently Deleted | Yes, after backup completes |
| Search | iOS Photos search | Excellent AI search |
| Free tier | Free start, no ads | 15GB shared, then Google One |
| Uploads your photos | Never, 100% on-device | Always (that’s the product) |
| Account required | No | Google account |
Google One pricing changes — check Google’s current plans.
The “back up the junk” trap
Backing up 12,000 photos then cleaning means uploading ~30GB of screenshots and blurry shots on hotel wifi. Clean first (camera roll method), back up keepers second (backup guide). Your upload finishes the same evening instead of next week.
When Google Photos wins outright
Cross-platform households, shared partner libraries, best-in-class search (“beach 2023”), Chromebook access. If your life is multi-device, cloud backup is infrastructure, not luxury. Just don’t pay to store the memes — drain WhatsApp auto-saves and screenshots first.
The bottom line
Delete with Odoa, keep with Google. Finish every purge in Recently Deleted. iCloud-side math in buy more iCloud or clean up.