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Best for Secure Collaboration
Best Free Dropbox Alternative
Best for Budget Storage
Proton Drive is the best alternative to Dropbox. It features robust security tools and adheres to strict Swiss privacy laws to safeguard your files against data breaches.
Other alternatives include NordLocker, which is a good choice for encrypted cloud storage that isn't directly linked to your devices. People looking for a simple cloud storage solution with high limits will appreciate Total Drive.
Our cloud storage survey found that 62% of respondents pay for cloud storage. Strong security features are a must for safely storing your photos, videos, and personal files.
Dropbox is known for its great features and ease of use. But data breaches over the years may make you pause.[1] Other cloud storage providers have no history of security breaches and provide more robust security tools.
Let's take a deeper look at how Dropbox compares to its competitors.
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End-to-end encryption keeps your files truly private — not even Proton can read them
Clean, easy-to-use interface across web and mobile apps
Higher-tier plans bundle extra Proton services — including VPN, Mail, and Pass — for added value
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End-to-end encryption included on every plan — even the free tier
Clean, clutter-free interface makes managing files simple and stress-free
Can bundle with NordVPN and NordPass for a fuller security suite
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Offers a whopping 10 TB of cloud storage for one low price
Files are secured using military-grade, end-to-end encryption
Easily share files with anyone
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Dropbox |
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Proton Drive |
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NordLocker |
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Total Drive |
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| View deals | Get Dropbox | Get Proton Drive | Get NordLocker | Get Total Drive |
| Best for | Business workflows | Secure collaboration | Free Dropbox alternative | Budget storage |
| Data breaches | Yes – 2012, 2016 | |||
| Starting price | From $9.99/mo | From $2.99/mo | From $2.99/mo | From $8.25/mo |
| Free plan | ||||
| Storage space | 2 TB/15 TB | 200 GB/2 TB | 500 GB/2 TB | 10 TB |
| Encryption | Advanced plan only | |||
| Local storage | ||||
| Secure sharing | ||||
| Secure file deletion | ||||
| Device syncing | ||||
| File organization | ||||
| Extras | Deleted file restoration, collaboration tools, workflow integrations, and AI-powered search | Spreadsheet editing and can bundle with other Proton services, like Proton VPN and Proton Mail | Can bundle with other Nord services, like NordVPN and NordPass | Built-in photo gallery, photo editing, and Family Sharing space |
| Learn more | Read Dropbox Review | Read Proton Drive Review | Read NordLocker Review | Read Total Drive Review |
End-to-end encryption keeps your files truly private — not even Proton can read them
Clean, easy-to-use interface across web and mobile apps
Higher-tier plans bundle extra Proton services — including VPN, Mail, and Pass — for added value
Strong encryption: Proton Drive includes end-to-end encryption (E2EE) across all its plans. Unlike Dropbox, you won't need to pay extra for E2EE. The cloud storage provider also has a zero-knowledge architecture, which is fancy tech that prevents Proton from viewing your content. Proton has no known history of data breaches that exposed user files, making it a compelling choice for anyone unsettled by Dropbox's security incidents.
Bundles with other Proton services: You can get Proton Drive as a standalone product, but you can get even more value by bundling it with other Proton services: Proton VPN, Proton Mail, and Proton Pass make a robust security suite. Unlike Dropbox, which focuses solely on storage and collaboration, the bundle plans offer a more comprehensive privacy setup at a similar price.
Document editing and collaboration: Proton Drive includes Proton Docs and Proton Sheets — browser-based document and spreadsheet editors that support real-time co-editing, similar to Google Docs and Sheets. Unlike Dropbox's native editing tools, these are end-to-end encrypted, making Proton Drive a strong alternative for users who want collaborative features without sacrificing privacy.
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Not as much storage space: Proton Drive's cloud storage ranges from 5 GB to 2 TB. In comparison, Dropbox cloud storage starts at 2 TB and goes up to 15 TB. For users with large storage needs — especially teams storing photos, videos, or large project files — Proton Drive may simply not offer enough headroom.
Limited third-party integrations: Dropbox is built for business workflows, with deep integrations for Slack, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and more. Proton Drive doesn't offer comparable integrations, which could be a dealbreaker for teams that rely on those tools day-to-day.
Proton Drive received a high star rating of 4.9 thanks to its industry-leading security, clean interface, and competitive feature set. We especially appreciate that higher-tier plans bundle Proton VPN, Proton Mail, and Proton Pass, making it a strong all-in-one privacy suite.
That said, the cost-to-storage ratio and limited live chat support keep it from a perfect score.
| Decision factor | Weight | Verdict |
| Our experience | 30% | 5.0 |
| Prices and value | 5% | 5.0 |
| Features | 15% | 4.5 |
| Storage | 30% | 5.0 |
| Security | 15% | 5.0 |
| Compatibility | 5% | 5.0 |
End-to-end encryption included on every plan — even the free tier
Clean, clutter-free interface makes managing files simple and stress-free
Can bundle with NordVPN and NordPass for a fuller security suite
Independent cloud storage: NordLocker doesn't offer local storage, so it's a great choice if you aren't interested in automatic syncing with your devices. It also includes end-to-end encryption across all plans. Unlike Dropbox, which offers end-to-end encryption only on its most expensive tier, NordLocker includes it across all plans — even the free one.
Clear interface: Our expert reviewer, Steph Trejos, said that the clear interface was noticeable immediately after signing up. NordLocker has a dashboard to keep track of all your files, so you won't have to worry about losing them in a messy cloud storage provider. Compared to Dropbox, which has accumulated a lot of features over the years, NordLocker's simplicity is refreshing.
Free plan available: NordLocker offers up to 3 GB of free storage with end-to-end encryption. It's a bit more space than Dropbox's free plan, with 2 GB of storage. And unlike Dropbox's free tier, NordLocker's includes encryption.
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No local storage: NordLocker disabled local storage in 2025. You won't have offline access to your files, no control over any servers, and it could get costly over time. Dropbox, by contrast, lets you store files locally and access them without an internet connection.
Fewer features than Dropbox: NordLocker is intentionally minimal — there's no document editing, no deleted file recovery, and no workflow integrations with tools like Slack or Microsoft 365. It's a great fit if you just want secure storage, but it's not a like-for-like Dropbox replacement for power users.
NordLocker received a solid star rating of 4.5 for its strong security at a good price. It even encrypts shared files.
However, NordLocker is missing some features, like email encryption, local storage, deleted file recovery, and a file editor.
| Decision factor | Weight | Verdict |
| Our experience | 30% | 4.75 |
| Pricing and value | 5% | 5.0 |
| Features | 15% | 3.0 |
| Storage | 30% | 4.5 |
| Security | 15% | 5.0 |
| Compatibility | 5% | 5.0 |
Offers a whopping 10 TB of cloud storage for one low price
Files are secured using military-grade, end-to-end encryption
Easily share files with anyone
Reasonable pricing: Total Drive offers a single plan: 10 TB of storage for $8.25/mo. Dropbox offers a plan with 15 TB of storage for $15/per user/mo. Even against Dropbox's entry-level 2 TB plan at $9.99/mo, Total Drive's cost per gigabyte is dramatically lower.
Simple features: Total Drive focuses on personal cloud storage needs. It has essential features such as file sharing and organization. The Mac desktop app integrates directly with Finder, so you can manage files the same way you already do — no learning curve required.
End-to-end encryption: Total Drive offers end-to-end encryption for its cloud storage. Encryption ensures that only you can see your files. This puts it ahead of Dropbox's standard plans, which only offer full end-to-end encryption on the Advanced tier.
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Outdated interface: Total Drive's simplicity is a double-edged sword. It lacks sophistication in its interface and some features. During testing, reviewer Dave Schafer found the interface outdated and quirky. Some files didn't appear in logical places. The overall vibe felt dated, especially online, and I agree.
No offline syncing: Total Drive doesn't allow you to pin files for offline use. Instead, you'll need to download the file, work on it, and then upload it again. It's not as seamless as Dropbox's auto-syncing feature, which I prefer.
Total Drive received a solid star rating of 4.5 thanks to its generous storage offering, with a single plan offering 2 TB.
We wish that Total offered a free plan like most competitors. We also marked down our experience due to the inability to mark specific files as offline. That means you can download files to keep local copies, but you can’t pin files for offline use and have them sync automatically when you're back online.
| Decision factor | Weight | Verdict |
| Our experience | 30% | 3.75 |
| Pricing and value | 5% | 3.0 |
| Features | 15% | 5.0 |
| Storage | 30% | 5.0 |
| Security | 15% | 4.5 |
| Compatibility | 5% | 5.0 |
Overall, Proton Drive is the best Dropbox alternative in 2026. It offers end-to-end encryption across all plans, local storage options, and encrypted collaborative editing tools with Proton Docs and Proton Sheets. While Proton Drive doesn't offer as much storage as Dropbox, it still provides a generous amount for the average person.
End-to-end encryption keeps your files truly private — not even Proton can read them
Clean, easy-to-use interface across web and mobile apps
Higher-tier plans bundle extra Proton services — including VPN, Mail, and Pass — for added value
NordLocker is the best free Dropbox alternative, with encrypted cloud storage that isn't connected to your devices. Total Drive is a reasonable choice for budget-conscious users who need a lot of storage without paying for collaborative tools they don't need.
We use our proprietary grading rubric in all of our testing. For cloud storage, this considers ease of use, pricing and value, storage capacity, features, compatibility, and security, among other metrics.
Our testing process focuses on ensuring the service is straightforward to set up and use, stores and protects your files as it claims, and offers a meaningful amount of storage at a reasonable price. We sign up for and install each service on our own computers on home networks, just like you would.
Our ratings reflect the real-world performance of each cloud storage product. This ensures we can recreate a similar experience for you and give our best advice on whether it's worthwhile.
To learn more about how we test, read our full testing methodology here.
The best free alternatives to Dropbox are Proton Drive and NordLocker. Proton Drive has up to 5 GB of storage and includes local storage and device syncing. NordLocker offers up to 3 GB of storage, but it doesn't support local storage. Both providers offer end-to-end encryption.
Dropbox is so expensive compared to alternatives due to its generous storage capacity and real-time synchronization, making it ideal for teams. Dropbox plans start at 2 TB of storage and go up to 15 TB. In comparison, NordLocker plans start at 500 GB, and Proton Drive starts at 200 GB.
The most secure Dropbox alternative is Proton Drive. It has end-to-end encryption, a zero-trust architecture, and is backed by Swiss privacy laws. Unlike Dropbox, you don't need to pay extra to access encryption tools.
You can transfer files from Dropbox to another service by downloading the files to your device. From there, you can transfer files to another service. For large amounts of files, you might want to use a third-party migration service, like MultCloud.
End-to-end encryption keeps your files truly private — not even Proton can read them
Clean, easy-to-use interface across web and mobile apps
Higher-tier plans bundle extra Proton services — including VPN, Mail, and Pass — for added value
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