Dropbox Plus and Dropbox Professional are two popular plans offered by Dropbox, a cloud storage and file-sharing service.
The main difference between the two plans is the level of storage space and features they offer.
Dropbox Plus offers 2 TB of storage space, which is a significant increase from the 2 GB of space offered by the free plan.
Both plans allow you to store and share files, but Dropbox Professional offers additional features such as advanced security controls and e-signatures.
Pricing and Plans
Dropbox offers a range of pricing plans to suit different needs, from individuals to businesses.
The Plus Plan, which is ideal for individuals, costs $119.88 per year for 1 user, or $11.99 per month (billed annually) with 2TB of storage space.
The Family Plan, designed for households, includes all Plus Plan features, as well as individual accounts for all users, and costs $203.88 per year for up to 6 users.
The Professional Plan, geared towards solo workers, offers all Family Plan features, plus 3TB of storage, and costs $198.96 per year.
Businesses can opt for the Standard Plan, which costs $15 per user per month, or the Advanced Plan, which costs $24 per user per month, both with features like 5TB of storage, external sharing controls, and automatic backups.
Here's a comparison of the Dropbox Plus and Professional Plans:
The key difference between the two plans is the amount of storage space, with the Professional Plan offering an additional TB of storage.
Ultimately, the choice between the Plus and Professional Plans depends on your specific needs and budget.
Features and Benefits
Dropbox Plus and Dropbox Professional offer distinct features that cater to different user needs.
Dropbox Plus provides 2TB of storage, which is a significant upgrade from the standard 2GB of storage offered by the free plan.
One of the key benefits of Dropbox Plus is the ability to restore deleted files for up to 30 days, giving users peace of mind and flexibility.
Sharing Files
Sharing files with Dropbox is a breeze. You can right-click on any file or folder from the desktop application to share it.
To share a file, you have two options: share it specifically with another Dropbox user or generate a link that allows anyone to access the file. The options for sharing are strong, especially if you have a business-class Dropbox account.
However, if you have a paid Dropbox Plus account for home users, 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 is a great way to set up a web page where people can upload files to you, whether they have a Dropbox account or not. This feature is super handy for collecting files from others.
The Web Experience
The web version of Dropbox is a competent alternative to the desktop or mobile experience. You can 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 access this feature regardless of your Dropbox plan, whether it's Basic (free), Plus, or Family. This means you have 30 days of version history for all your files, giving you peace of mind and flexibility.
Extras
Dropbox offers a range of extras that make it a compelling choice for users.
Dropbox Capture is a simple tool for recording videos or taking screenshots on a Windows or macOS computer, and it's included even at the free level.
The only real limitation of Dropbox Capture is the amount of space you have left in your account.
Dropbox Sign allows for legally binding document signatures, and Dropbox Plus subscribers can request three signatures per month.
Dropbox Passwords is a free password manager for all Dropbox users.
Dropbox Paper is a bare-bones alternative to Google Docs that works well for quick notes.
The Dropbox App Center offers hundreds of tools you can connect to Dropbox, allowing you to do things like share Dropbox files in Gmail conversations or automatically send content to any folder using IFTTT or Zapier.
Connecting to any application that can sync with a storage service means you can connect to Dropbox, giving you a powerful advantage over other file-syncing services.
Pros and Cons
Dropbox Plus and Dropbox Professional both offer generous storage capacity, but Dropbox Professional has more to offer. With up to 3 TB of storage, you can store all your files without worrying about running out of space.
Dropbox Plus and Dropbox Professional both support a broad range of platforms, making it easy to access your files from anywhere. This includes Windows, macOS, and mobile devices.
One of the standout features of Dropbox Professional is its integrated e-signature tools. This allows you to sign and send documents electronically, streamlining your workflow and reducing paper waste.
If you're a Microsoft user, you'll appreciate the direct access to Microsoft web apps that both Dropbox Plus and Dropbox Professional offer. This makes it easy to integrate your Dropbox account with other Microsoft tools and services.
Dropbox Professional also offers file version tracking and conflict management, which can be a lifesaver when working with others. This feature allows you to track changes to files and resolve conflicts quickly and easily.
Here are the key benefits of Dropbox Professional at a glance:
- Generous storage capacity (up to 3 TB)
- Broad platform support
- Integrated e-signature tools
- Direct access to Microsoft web apps
- File version tracking and conflict management
Worth and Value
Dropbox Business is a generous plan that offers a fair price for its features. It comes with 3TB of storage per user, which is a significant amount considering the standard 1TB allocated to each user in Microsoft 365 Business.
The Business tier also integrates well with business essentials like Teams, Trello, and Slack, making it a great option for teams that use these tools. You can collect data and signatures in live documents, and use Dropbox to open documents in the office web apps.
The Business Plus tier, on the other hand, offers an additional 2GB of storage per user, bringing the total to 5GB. It also includes file recovery and versioning for a full year, which is a valuable feature for teams that need to keep track of changes to their files.
Box (Personal)
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. Google One, which adds storage space to individual Google Drive accounts, charges $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year for 2TB of storage.
Terabyte for terabyte, Dropbox charges more than most of its competitors. This is evident when comparing prices to Google One and Apple's iCloud, both of which charge $9.99 per month for 2TB of storage.
Microsoft charges $99.99 per year for Microsoft 365 Family, which includes 1TB of storage each to 6 users, totaling 6TB. This plan also comes with office apps like Word, Excel, and Outlook.
IDrive has one of the best deals available at $79.50 per year for 5TB, making it a more affordable option for those who need large amounts of storage space.
Is It Worth It?
Dropbox Business is a mature and well-known SaaS offering with a wide range of features.
Its pricing is fair, especially considering the generous 3TB of storage per user, which is more than the standard 1TB allocated to each user in Microsoft 365 Business.
You don't get access to a locally installed office suite, but you can still open documents in the office web apps.
Dropbox can also collect data and signatures in live documents, comparable to Adobe Acrobat Standard for teams.
It's supported by a wide selection of third-party apps and can integrate with business essentials like Teams, Trello, and Slack.
The Business Plus tier offers additional security and auditing tools, including automatic tracking and reporting on sensitive data, and end-to-end encryption.
This tier also increases the quantity of files and folders you can send to anyone without a Dropbox account from 100GB to 250GB.
The regular Business plan limits you to 15 templated documents for digital signing, which is a three-fold improvement on what's included in Dropbox Essentials.
Security and Protection
Data security is a top priority for both Dropbox Plus and Dropbox Professional.
Dropbox Business offers robust security measures, including two-step verification and encryption.
Administrators can control user access and monitor file activity to ensure data protection.
Dropbox Professional provides users with features such as password-protected links to safeguard their data.
Remote wipe is also available to Dropbox Professional users, giving them an added layer of protection.
Cloud Storage Needs
To choose the right Dropbox plan, you need to consider your individual or business needs. Individual users typically require less storage and collaboration features than businesses.
The amount of storage space you need depends on how many files you have and how much more you expect to store in the future. Analyze your existing files and consider future growth.
Collaboration features are essential for business users, but not as important for individual users. If you need to share files, edit documents, and track versions, you'll want a plan with these features.
Security features like two-factor authentication and remote wipe are crucial for protecting your data on lost devices. If you're concerned about data security, look for a plan that offers these features.
Cost and Pricing
Dropbox offers a free version called Dropbox Basic, which comes with only 2GB of storage space. You can earn up to 16GB of free storage space by referring people to Dropbox, but this takes work, as you only get 500MB per person you refer.
The free tier of Dropbox is less generous than what you get from much of the competition, with Microsoft OneDrive, Apple iCloud, IDrive, and Sync all offering 5GB, while Google Drive comes with 15GB of storage.
Dropbox pricing can be paid per month or per year. The Plus Plan, for individuals, costs $119.88 per year for 1 user, while the Family Plan, for households, costs $203.88 per year for up to 6 users.
The Standard Plan, for growing teams, costs $18 per user per month, with a minimum of 3 users, while the Advanced Plan, for complex teams, costs $30 per user per month. Here's a breakdown of the prices for the Standard and Advanced Plans:
The Professional Plan, for solo workers, costs $198.96 per year, which is actually more expensive than the Plus Plan. However, the Professional Plan comes with more features, including 3 TB of storage and 180-day file recovery.
Sources
- https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/dropbox
- https://www.itpro.com/cloud-storage/23914/dropbox-for-business-review
- https://revpilots.com/pricing/dropbox-pricing/
- https://www.multcloud.com/tutorials/dropbox-professional-vs-business-1003.html
- https://www.multcloud.com/explore/dropbox-plan-comparison-1003-ac.html
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