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Whether you're looking to use Dropbox personally or professionally, you may have noticed it's more expensive than other cloud storage providers. That's because Dropbox offers premium features that competitors don't.
Dropbox is a great choice if you want to seamlessly edit files offline and online. Read on to learn more about Dropbox features and whether it's worth the extra cost.
What do you get with Dropbox?
Which plan is right for your business?
Top alternatives
Bottom line: Is Dropbox worth it?
FAQs
How much does Dropbox cost?
Dropbox plans are on the pricier side, ranging from $9.99-$24/mo. Google One, for example, offers the same 2 TB plans at the lower cost of $99.99/yr. Total Drive offers 10 TB for $8.25/mo.
So what does Dropbox provide to justify the higher costs? It’s worth it for its real-time synchronization: You can work on documents on your computer and have the changes synced to the documents stored in the Dropbox cloud and other devices. You can also change the settings to store documents on your device, Dropbox, or both.
Dropbox price
| Plan | Plus | Professional | Standard | Advanced |
| Monthly price | $9.99/mo | $16.58/mo | $14/mo per user | $24/mo per user |
| Free trial | ||||
| Storage space | 2 TB | 3 TB | 5 TB | Starts at 15 TB |
| # of users | 1 | 1 | 3+ | 3+ |
| Restore deleted files | 30-day history | 180-day history | 180-day history | 1-year history |
| Transfer file limit | 50 GB | 100 GB | 100 GB | 100 GB |
| End-to-end encryption | ||||
| Customer support | Live chat and email | Live chat and email | Live chat and email | Live chat, email, and phone |
| Details | View Plan | View Plan | View Plan | View Plan |
The Plus plan is great for personal use, as 2 TB of cloud storage will probably cover most needs. Solo freelancers or photographers may appreciate the upgraded 3 TB of storage in the Professional plan.
Families should consider the Standard plan. It allows you to have more than 1 user per account. In addition, you receive 5 TB of storage and the ability to modify permissions on folders. No need to worry that someone will accidentally delete precious family photos. And even if they did, you have 180 days to restore deleted files.
The Advanced plan is best suited for businesses, especially those that need end-to-end encryption and compliance tracking.
What do you get with Dropbox?
You get several premium features with Dropbox. Besides local storage with device synchronization, here are a few other key perks:
- Secure sharing: You can share files with someone even if they don't have a Dropbox account. Some plans also include password protection to further secure files from prying eyes. You can also set a date for the link to expire and for downloads to be disabled.
- Secure file deletion: Since Dropbox is synced across multiple devices, it ensures that deleted files are removed across all devices. If your device gets lost or stolen, you can use the remote wipe to delete files.
- Backup history: Dropbox will remember past versions of a document. You can recover older versions and deleted files from the past 30 to 365 days (depending on which plan you purchase).
- Smart Sync: Save space on your devices with Smart Sync. All Dropbox files are available, but they are downloaded only when you click on them.
- Integrated tools: Built-in PDF editing, video transcripts, e-signatures, and image editing are just a few of the tools included.
- Integrated cloud content: Work on files from Google Drive or Microsoft Office within Dropbox.
- Security focus: Enable HIPAA compliance and end-to-end encryption on premium plans.
- Dropbox Transfer: This feature lets you send large files to anyone (50–250 GB, depending on the plan). Dropbox Transfer is useful for sending media files, sharing deliverables with clients, or sharing files without exposing your full cloud storage.
- Backups: In addition to cloud storage, Dropbox can back up entire computers, external drives, and folders, including Desktop, Documents, and Downloads.
- File requests: You can request files from anyone, such as for onboarding new employees or receiving files from clients.
- Dropbox Paper: This feature is a lightweight collaborative document editor similar to Google Docs. You can create docs, add media and checklists, and collaborate in real time.
- Dropbox Vault: The vault offers PIN-protected storage for sensitive files.
- Dropbox Dash: Dropbox offers a helpful AI-powered search tool that lets you quickly find files, apps, and even browser tabs.
Which plan is right for your business?
With a variety of plans, Dropbox has an option that is right for your business. Let's dive into which plan might be best for you:
- Budget-friendly: Get the Plus plan. It's the most affordable option with tools like e-signatures. Keep in mind that you can only have one user with this option.
- Team management: Managing multiple users requires tools to track their activity and ensure security. The Advanced plan offers the most features for managing a team. If you don't prioritize security tools, the Standard plan is a good choice.
- Photographers: The Professional plan includes 3 TB of storage, password-protected links, and watermarking tools, making it perfect for sharing images with clients.
- Healthcare: If you handle data subject to HIPAA regulations, you'll need the Standard or Advanced plans to ensure compliance.
- Content creators: Dropbox offers creative review and approvals. Collaborators can leave comments and review content, even without a Dropbox account. The Professional plan is your best choice for this feature.
- Security-focused: The Advanced plan is the only option that offers end-to-end encryption, data classification, ransomware detection and recovery, and advanced key management.
Top alternatives
Dropbox isn't the most budget-friendly option. If you're looking for simple cloud storage, take a look at NordLocker or Total Drive.
NordLocker has affordable pricing and makes it easy to organize files in the cloud.
Learn more in our NordLocker review.
Total Drive is a good choice, offering unbeatable 10 TB of storage space.
Learn more in our Total Drive review.
Bottom line: Is Dropbox worth it?
Dropbox is worth it for one feature alone: Real-time syncing across devices and cloud storage. Many other cloud storage options don't have this feature. You never have to worry about whether your files are backed up to the cloud because it happens automatically.
Dropbox also offers plenty of features to help you organize files, share documents, and collaborate with others. It's great for personal or business use.
FAQs
How can I pay for Dropbox?
You can pay for Dropbox using major credit card providers or PayPal.
Is Dropbox free?
Dropbox offers a free Basic plan, but it’s limited to 2 GB of storage and file-sharing.
Is it worth paying for Dropbox?
It's worth paying for Dropbox if you want premium features, like local storage with real-time syncing.