Nippy vs Google Drive
Share a page, not a Drive folder.
A Google Drive link is the default way to share a folder, and for working documents it is hard to beat: 15 GB of free storage, live collaboration, and fine-grained permissions inside the Google ecosystem.
Sharing finished work is where it falls down. The recipient lands in the Drive interface rather than on a page: a file grid with Google chrome around it, the occasional sign-in or “request access” wall when a permission setting is off, and no way to put the folder at an address of its own. Nippy takes the same folder and turns it into a web page: photos become a gallery with a lightbox, documents become a tidy download page, and a website is hosted as an actual site — at an address like portfolio.nippy.site, or a custom domain on paid plans.
Visitors never need a Google account, and there is no permissions dialog to get wrong: anything published is simply on the web, with a password on paid plans when it shouldn’t be public. Keep Drive for drafts, spreadsheets, and team collaboration; use Nippy when the work is finished and the link itself is the presentation — a client gallery, a portfolio, a CV, a download page.
Last reviewed: 11 June 2026
Side by side
The differences, at a glance.
| Nippy | Google Drive | |
|---|---|---|
| What visitors see | A real web page — gallery, download page, or hosted site | The Drive interface: a file grid with Google chrome |
| Address | your-name.nippy.site, or your own domain on paid plans | A long drive.google.com link |
| Access | Public web page — no account, no permission dialogs | Link sharing works, but misconfigured permissions mean “request access” |
| Photo presentation | Thumbnail grid with a full-screen lightbox and zip download | Folder grid with previews |
| Free space | One live site, 25 MB | 15 GB, shared across Gmail, Drive and Photos |
| Collaboration | None — Nippy publishes finished files | Excellent — live editing, comments, suggestions |
Which one?
An honest fork in the road.
Choose Nippy when…
- The link is the presentation: a portfolio, client gallery, CV, or event page
- You want an address worth printing — yourname.nippy.site or your own domain
- Visitors shouldn’t hit Google chrome, sign-in prompts, or “request access” walls
- You’re publishing a website — Drive can’t host one
Choose Google Drive when…
- You’re collaborating on live documents and spreadsheets
- You need lots of free storage for work-in-progress files
- The files change many times a day and stay inside your team
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Why not just share a Google Drive folder?
For collaborators, you should — Drive is built for that. For an audience, a Drive link puts Google’s interface between your work and the viewer, and one wrong permission setting means “request access” emails. A Nippy page is simply on the web at its own address.
Do visitors need a Google account on either?
A public Drive link works without one, though permission mistakes are common. A Nippy page never involves accounts or permissions — anyone with the link can open it, or must enter a password if you’ve set one on a paid plan.
Drive gives 15 GB free — isn’t 25 MB small?
For storage, yes — Drive wins on raw space. Nippy’s free 25 MB is sized for publishing: a CV, a small gallery, a one-page site. Paid plans add the space bigger galleries and client work need.
Can I move things from Drive to Nippy?
Yes — download the folder from Drive, then drag it onto Nippy. Photos become a gallery and documents a download page automatically; nothing needs converting.
Is a Nippy page private like a restricted Drive folder?
A published Nippy site is public by default — that’s the point of publishing. On paid plans you can put it behind a password, and any site can opt out of search engine indexing in its settings.
More questions? Visit the help center or email support@nippy.host
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