Dropbox Cloud Storage Review and Comparison

Dropbox is a popular cloud storage service that allows users to store and share files online. It was founded in 2007 by Drew Houston and Arash Ferdowsi.

With Dropbox, you can access your files from any device with an internet connection, making it a great option for those who need to collaborate with others or work remotely.

Dropbox offers a generous free plan, which includes 2GB of storage space. However, for most users, the paid plans are more suitable, offering up to 2TB of storage space.

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Dropbox is a cloud storage service that allows you to sync your files across all your devices.

The service is available on both Windows and macOS, and it creates a designated Dropbox folder on your desktop to store your synced files.

You can't include network drives or external drives in your Dropbox folder, but you can select which files and folders to sync to which device.

One of the first options you need to choose when setting up Dropbox is whether to make files 'local' or 'online only'.

By default, your 'Desktop', 'Documents', and 'Downloads' folders are selected to sync with Dropbox, but you can change this during setup.

Dropbox excels at sharing and collaboration, giving you the ability to share files and folders with others and even collaborate on documents in real-time.

Dropbox Paper is a built-in Google Docs clone that allows you to work with others on documents in real-time.

The free plan allows you to search text within documents using the paid-for Dropbox options, but the paid plan offers more advanced search capabilities.

Previous versions of files are stored for up to 30 days on the free plan or 180 days on the paid plan.

Dropbox also offers a file sharing tool called Dropbox Transfer for sharing large files online.

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Dropbox has a lot to offer, and one of its biggest advantages is the abundance of additional features it provides.

Dropbox's integrations with thousands of applications make it a versatile tool for users.

One of the standout features of Dropbox is its fast upload speeds, which can be a game-changer for users who need to transfer large files quickly.

Here are some of the key pros of using Dropbox:

The cloud storage service has a lot to offer. It's packed with file-sharing features, making it easy to collaborate with others. Plus, the advanced selective sync options allow you to choose which files are synced to your device, saving space and speeding up upload times.

You'll also appreciate the fast upload speeds, which make it quick to get your files uploaded and accessible. And with thousands of integrations available, you can connect your cloud storage service to a wide range of applications.

Here are some of the key benefits:

Dropbox has some drawbacks worth considering. Here are a few:

No full device backups are available, which might be a concern for those who need a comprehensive backup solution.

Limited free storage is a drawback, especially for those who need to store large files.

Not the cheapest option on the market means Dropbox might not be the most budget-friendly choice.

Not end-to-end encryption is a security concern for those who prioritize their data's safety.

Dropbox offers a free tier with 2GB of cloud storage, allowing users to try the service indefinitely.

You can earn additional storage by installing the mobile client and referring others to Dropbox, making it a great way to get more space without paying a dime.

However, some advanced features like offline folder access on mobile are not available in the free tier, so you might need to upgrade if you need those features.

For personal use, a 2TB storage plan is priced at $11.99 per month or $9.99 per month when billed annually, which is a great option for those who need a lot of space.

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The Family plan, which allows sharing the 2TB space among up to six users, is priced at $19.99 or $16.99 per month when billed annually, making it a great option for families.

Annual subscriptions offer a 20% saving compared to monthly payments, so it's worth considering if you're looking to save some cash.

Dropbox also offers business plans, starting with the Professional plan, which includes 3TB of storage and limited-access eSign software for $19.99 or $16.58 per month when billed annually.

The Standard plan offers 5TB for $18 per user per month (or $15 per month on the annual plan), while the Advanced plan provides unlimited cloud storage for $30 per user per month or $24 per month annually.

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You can share files from the Dropbox desktop application by right-clicking on any file or folder.

The options for sharing are strong, but only if you have a business-class Dropbox account. With a paid Dropbox Plus account for home users, the options are limited.

You can share files specifically with another Dropbox user, or generate a link that allows anyone to access the file.

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Syncing and sharing files can be a breeze with the right service. Sync is a great option for those looking for a more affordable alternative to Dropbox.

Dropbox's paid plans start at $11.99 per month or $119.88 per year for Plus, which offers 2TB of storage space and removes the device limitation. This is still pricier than the competition.

Google One charges $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year for 2TB of storage, making it a more cost-effective option. Apple's iCloud also charges $9.99 per month for 2TB of storage.

Microsoft charges $99.99 per year for Microsoft 365 Family, which includes 6TB of storage and office apps like Word, Excel, and Outlook. IDrive has one of the best deals available at $79.50 per year for 5TB.

Dropbox Family is another option that gives you 2TB of storage for up to six people, with special sharing features included. This plan costs $19.99 per month or $203.88 per year.

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Sharing files is a key part of syncing and sharing, and Dropbox makes it easy to do so.

You can share files from the desktop application by right-clicking on any file or folder.

Dropbox allows you to share files specifically with another Dropbox user, or generate a link that allows anyone to access the file.

The options for sharing are strong, but only if you have a business-class Dropbox account.

With a paid Dropbox Plus account for home users, you can still share files, but the options are limited.

You can't set expiration dates on shared links, password-protect shared links, or make files view-only so people can't download them.

Dropbox's File Request feature lets you set up a web page where people can upload files to you, whether they have a Dropbox account or not.

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Connecting can sometimes be a challenge, especially when using Dropbox on Arch Linux. This issue may occur if Dropbox is loaded before an internet connection is established.

The solution to this problem is to ensure that Dropbox is started only after the connection is established. This can be achieved by using #Dropbox on laptops, which will delay the startup of Dropbox until the internet connection is up.

Alternatively, you can delay the startup of Dropbox by following these steps:

Tweak the timeout parameter to your liking, but a good starting point is 3 seconds.

If you need to separate or distinguish your data, personal and work usage for example, you can subscribe to Dropbox with different email addresses and have their directories synced by different Dropbox instances running on a single machine.

You can do this by starting each instance separately, paying attention to use different .../.dropbox-dist/dropboxd binaries.

This is because the /opt/dropbox/dropbox or /opt/dropbox/dropboxd wrappers allow only one instance and will kill the one already running.

To avoid this, you can start each instance with a custom HOME value, but you'll still need to edit the user and any other code.

The above setup will make sure that Dropbox is running only if there is a network profile active.

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If you're setting up Dropbox and want to choose a different location for your Dropbox folder, you can do so by hitting Ctrl+l in the window for changing the path.

You'll then be able to enter the desired location, such as /mnt/data/Dropbox, and click on the Choose or Open button to select it.

This method allows you to bypass the default location of /home/username/Dropbox and choose a different path that suits your needs.

The web version of Dropbox is a competent alternative to the desktop or mobile experience, allowing you to browse and manage all your files, preview hundreds of file types, and easily restore any file you deleted in the past 30 days.

You can do most things in Dropbox using the apps, which is a testament to the product's quality. The web interface is accessible from anywhere, making it a great option for those who need to access their files on the go.

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Dropbox's clean and elegant interface is a joy to use, with a straightforward process for sharing folders, returning files from digital death, and managing syncing settings and bandwidth use. Recent changes to your files are listed, providing a good overview of what you're doing inside Dropbox.

The desktop clients are up to date and have a modern-looking interface, with strong performance all-round. Uploading files using the browser and desktop client provided near identical speeds, which were up to twice as quick as some other services we tested.

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The web experience of Dropbox is surprisingly good, and that's a testament to how well-designed it is. You can do almost everything in Dropbox using the web interface, which is a rare feat in today's software ecosystem.

The web interface is a competent alternative to the desktop or mobile experience, allowing you to browse and manage all your files, preview hundreds of file types, and easily restore any file you deleted in the past 30 days, regardless of your Dropbox plan.

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This means you don't need to use the web interface very often, but it's nice to know it's there if you need it. Dropbox Basic, Plus, and Family plans all get 30 days of version history for all your files.

The web interface is also very user-friendly, with a clean and elegant design that makes it a pleasure to use. You can easily find what you need and get things done quickly.

Uploading files using the web interface is also very fast, with speeds that are up to twice as quick as some other services we tested.

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You can make Dropbox start automatically when your system boots up by checking the "Start Dropbox on system startup" checkbox in the Dropbox preferences under the "General" tab.

For KDE users, no further steps are required as the system will automatically save running applications and restart them.

If you're using Cinnamon, you can configure Startup Applications with a little delay to start Dropbox client, but be aware that it might not work due to some Cinnamon bugs.

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To start Dropbox along with your window manager, add /usr/bin/dropbox & to your xinitrc or ~/.config/openbox/autostart, depending on your setup.

However, this will cause Dropbox to fail to start unless an X session is launched.

To have Dropbox automatically start when you log in, you can simply enable the user service.

Dropbox provides 256-bit AES encryption for your data, but it's not fully end-to-end encrypted, which means Dropbox staff can access your files in a pinch.

However, you can still keep your data secure by using third-party cloud encryption tools like Boxcryptor, which encrypt files locally before upload, making it impossible for Dropbox staff to read your data.

Two-step authentication is another option Dropbox offers to keep your account better protected, and we always recommend using authenticator apps instead of SMS for added security.

A serious data leak did occur in 2012, but the company has focused on security ever since, making your data at least a little more secure now.

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Dropbox provides 256-bit AES encryption for your data, but files aren't fully end-to-end encrypted, which means Dropbox staff can access them in a pinch.

The company claims that any data transmitted between your devices and Dropbox servers is encrypted by SSL/TLS, making it unreadable during transit.

Dropbox is compatible with third-party cloud encryption tools like Boxcryptor, which let you encrypt files locally before upload, ensuring even Dropbox staff can't read your data.

Two-step authentication is another option Dropbox offers to keep accounts better protected, and we recommend using authenticator apps instead of SMS.

Dropbox has a history of data leaks, including one in 2012 that wasn't publicly disclosed until 2016, but the company has since focused on security.

Encrypting your Dropbox files before uploading is a good idea, especially for sensitive data.

You can use TrueCrypt, EncFS, or gocryptfs to encrypt your files before uploading them to Dropbox.

Here are some options to consider:

To set up EncFS with Dropbox, create a folder and any files you want synced to Dropbox will automatically be encrypted and synced.

To use Dropbox, you need to sign up for an account on Dropbox.com, but be aware that the free Dropbox Basic plan isn't visible on the sign-up page.

The only way to get the free version is to click a tiny link at the bottom of the page, which takes you to Dropbox.com/basic.

The free trial of Dropbox Plus is also hidden, and you won't see the offer anywhere until you start signing up for Dropbox Basic.

After signing up, the site prompts you to download the Dropbox app, which is a straightforward process.

Any files you put in the Dropbox folder are uploaded to the cloud, becoming available on other devices where you've installed Dropbox and from the Dropbox web app.

Depending on your settings, your files may also be available offline.

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If you're experiencing errors with Dropbox, check for available space on your /tmp and /var partitions before launching the app. Make sure there's enough space available to avoid crashing.

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Running out of space on the root partition can also cause issues, so check the available space on partitions with df.

If Dropbox asks for root on startup, it might be because it's trying to fix permissions. This can happen when using btrfs on a partition shared between Arch and Windows, and the Windows driver isn't configured properly to use the correct UID and GID.

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Context menu entries in file managers like Thunar, GNOME Files, or Nemo may not work as expected.

If you're experiencing issues with context menu entries, it's likely because you haven't set the $BROWSER variable, which Dropbox requires.

Some common problems with context menu entries include not being able to open files or folders in Dropbox or share links.

If you're using a file manager with Dropbox extensions, make sure to set the $BROWSER variable to resolve these issues.

Here are some common context menu issues you might encounter:

If Dropbox doesn't start, it's usually because of a permission error. This can happen due to misconfiguration and is often fixed by removing the current configuration folder.

A permission error can also occur if you're using btrfs on a partition that's shared between Arch and Windows, and the Windows driver isn't configured to use proper UID and GID. This can cause Dropbox to ask for root on startup.

In this case, you'll need to fix the permissions and configure your driver properly. This should resolve the issue and the asking for root modal should disappear automatically.

It's worth noting that a permission error can also occur if the permissions on any file inside the Dropbox folder are incorrect, not just the Dropbox folder itself.

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Space exhaustion can cause significant problems with Dropbox.

Running out of space on your /tmp and /var partitions can lead to a crash on startup, with an error message in the log.

This issue can be resolved by ensuring there's enough space available before launching Dropbox.

Another case of space exhaustion occurs when the root partition is full.

Check the available space on partitions using the command df to identify the issue.

For KDE users, you're good to go as KDE saves running applications when logging out and restarts them automatically.

Dropbox will also work for Xfce users since the dropbox.desktop file has been placed in ~/.config/autostart.

If you're a Cinnamon user, you'll need to configure Startup Applications with a little delay due to a Cinnamon issue.

To start Dropbox client along with your window manager, you can add /usr/bin/dropbox & to your xinitrc (or ~/.config/openbox/autostart, depending on your setup).

However, note that with this edit Dropbox will fail to start unless an X session is launched.

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You might've noticed that Dropbox is saying "Downloading files" even though the files are already synced with your account. This problem often appears when your Dropbox folder is located on a NTFS partition whose mount path contains spaces.

To resolve the issue, pay attention to your entry in /etc/fstab. Avoid using spaces in the mount path.

Setting write permissions with the "default_permissions" option can also help.

Dropbox's advanced features and options make it a powerful tool for file sharing and collaboration.

The free plan allows you to go back 30 days to previous versions of files, while the paid plan lets you access files up to 180 days old.

Dropbox Paper, a Google Docs clone, enables real-time collaboration with others, and the built-in search capabilities are incredibly powerful, allowing you to search text within documents.

The paid plan also includes a file sharing tool called Dropbox Transfer, which allows you to share large files online, with a 100GB allowance for Professional and Advanced business plans.

Dropbox Passwords, the company's newest feature, is a password manager available to all subscribers, offering an unlimited number of saved passwords for paying customers and a limit of 50 for free accounts.

You can choose to save space on your hard drive by keeping files only in the cloud, and you can select which files and folders are synced to which device.

The Dropbox app is incredibly quick to install, taking less than 20 seconds to download and set up on Windows.

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Dropbox's performance and speed are top-notch, with files syncing in real-time across all devices.

This means you can access your files from anywhere, at any time, without worrying about delays or interruptions.

According to Dropbox's own testing, files can be uploaded and downloaded at speeds of up to 100 Mbps.

This is especially useful for large files, which can be uploaded and shared with others in just a few minutes.

Dropbox's cloud infrastructure is designed to automatically scale to meet the needs of its users, ensuring that performance remains consistent even during periods of high usage.

This means you can rely on Dropbox to get the job done, no matter how many files you're working with or how often you access them.

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You can access your Dropbox files without installing a sync client by using the web interface at https://www.dropbox.com/, making it a viable alternative to running a Dropbox daemon.

The rclone package provides a command-line interface to many cloud storage services, including Dropbox, giving you another option for accessing your files.

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If you want to store sensitive data in your Dropbox, you should encrypt it before doing so, as syncing to Dropbox is encrypted but files are stored on the server unencrypted.

Here are some options for encrypting your Dropbox files: Dropbox works with TrueCrypt, which has good performance after the initial upload due to Dropbox's binary diff.EncFS is another possibility, allowing files to be encrypted separately and growing/shrinking with the content.Gocryptfs is similar to EncFS but uses authenticated encryption for protecting both confidentiality and integrity of the data.

You can access your Dropbox files without installing a sync client by using the web interface at https://www.dropbox.com/. This is a viable alternative to running a Dropbox daemon and mirroring all the files on your own machine.

The web interface allows you to upload and download files to your Dropbox directly from the browser.

The rclone package provides a command-line interface to many cloud storage services including Dropbox, giving you another option for accessing your files without a sync client.

This can be especially useful if you're working on a project that requires access to your Dropbox files but you don't want to clutter your computer with unnecessary software.

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If you use Dropbox on your laptop, be aware that it can have problems reconnecting between different network environments.

Restarting Dropbox is a good first step to resolve connectivity issues.

If restarting doesn't work, you may need to restart your laptop.

The problem often arises if you don't restart Dropbox after changing networks.

Try making Dropbox scripts executable and owned by root if restarting doesn't resolve the issue.

You can access your files on the go with Dropbox's mobile application. It's available for Android devices, iPhones, and iPads.

The application lets you browse all files in your Dropbox, as well as any computer folders you may have backed up. You can decide to make any file or folder available offline if you like.

You can edit certain files using the appropriate applications, such as editing a spreadsheet stored in Dropbox using the Excel app on your phone. This feature is super convenient for staying productive on the go.

Dropbox also has the option to automatically store in Dropbox all the photos and videos you take using your device. This means your memories are safe even if your phone is lost, stolen, or broken.

For free users, installing the Dropbox app on your phone counts as using up one of your three devices. But don't worry, you can get around this by using the web app in a mobile browser instead.

Dropbox is an indispensable part of our digital toolbox, making it easy to share documents between devices, upload photos directly from our camera, and email large files to friends.

We appreciate how little we have to think about Dropbox, as it all just works seamlessly and effortlessly. It's a testament to the app's reliability and user-friendly interface.

Dropbox excels at syncing files and folders between devices running different operating systems, making it the top choice for this task. Its desktop, mobile, and web apps are also top-notch, leaving many rivals in the dust.

The lack of client-side encryption isn't unusual for a major cloud storage provider, and Dropbox is compatible with several cloud-encryption products for added security.

Dropbox is an indispensable part of our digital toolbox. It's a cloud-storage app that seamlessly integrates with our devices, making it easy to share documents between devices and upload photos directly from our camera.

We appreciate how little we have to think about Dropbox - it just works.

Dropbox is a cloud drive solution that works seamlessly everywhere you need it. It's a great option for syncing files across devices.

Dropbox occupies only one location on your desktop, making it easy to manage your synced files. This is a big plus compared to cloud backup services that sync all content across your hard drive.

Dropbox continues to add new features on a regular basis, ensuring it stays up-to-date and efficient.

Dropbox is the best in the business when it comes to syncing files and folders between devices running different operating systems.

It excels at what it does, offering intelligent, reliable, secure file syncing and cloud storage that anyone can use.

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Dropbox has more than succeeded with its mission to make USB flash drives redundant.

Its desktop, mobile, and web apps are top-notch, leaving many of its rivals in the dust.

The lack of client-side encryption isn't unusual for a major cloud storage provider, but Dropbox is compatible with a number of cloud-encryption products for added security.

Dropbox is so popular that it's compatible with a variety of cloud-encryption products, making it a great option for those who prioritize security.