As one of the most profitable cloud storage services on the planet, Dropbox is also one of the most popular. While some argue that there are better options available, the unique tools and features really help set Dropbox apart from the competition.
Is it the best cloud storage service for your needs? Join us for our in-depth Dropbox review to find out!
What Is Dropbox?
Dropbox is one of many cloud storage solutions that let you access your selected files from anywhere that you can connect to the internet. Although it is somewhat more expensive than much of its competition, Dropbox offers tools like Paper, a unique digital signature, and Showcase, which we’ll touch more on later.
With direct cloud solutions offered from the big three (Microsoft, Apple, and Google), you might be wondering what makes Dropbox relevant. While it’s true that there is some convenience in having your cloud service directly from your operating system provider, don’t bail out just yet.
Dropbox is continually keeping its software fresh and updated with new services and features. One of its latest is a password management service, and anyone who regularly uses the internet knows how important that can be.
There’s also the Dropbox Vault, which enables PIN protection to keep your files even safer and more secure. HelloSign digital signatures are also present, letting you legally sign documents digitally, further adding to the cloud appeal.
Ease of Use
Dropbox users can easily download all of the available apps, of which there are plenty. These are free, but you’ll need to pay if you want more storage space. Admittedly, storage is limited until you upgrade the free Basic account.
This account gives you just 2GB to work with, so you can see how you could fill that up pretty quickly. It’s worth mentioning that Dropbox doesn’t freely advertise its Basic account. You’ll have to perform a web search if you wish to download it.
Dropbox does have a promotion that lets you get more free storage space, so you aren’t out of options if you’re in a position where you can’t afford to upgrade. This promotion works off of referrals and adds an additional 500MB of storage when you get a friend to join. You can’t do this indefinitely, however, as the promo caps at 16GB.
Dropbox Features
Like other cloud storage software, Dropbox lets you store and access your files from anywhere that there’s the internet. You’ll have the peace of mind that your files are secure. What’s more, you can access these files from not only your computer but your smartphone and tablet, too.
Access
Anytime, anywhere access
Once your files are “in” Dropbox, you can make changes that are affected across your devices. So if you back up your desktop and add a new folder later, it will show up on your other devices when you access Dropbox remotely.
Computer backup
Dropbox also features an option that allows you to edit your work directly from the platform. This helps to reduce the need to switch between multiple applications or search for files. Microsoft Office and cloud content are also supported for added user-friendliness.
Desktop Experience
A desktop experience platform lets you manage all of your shared files from one convenient place. This makes it easier to organize all of your content for streamlined use.
Smart Sync
This feature lets you access all of your Dropbox content directly from your computer desktop without having to use up your hard drive space.
Mobile offline folders
These folders let you access your most crucial work without needing an internet connection. Simply sync the mobile offline folders to your smartphone or tablet and freely manage your files on the go.
Camera uploads
Thanks to this feature, you can automatically upload your smartphone’s pictures and videos to Dropbox for later review and manage your stored media.
Full text search
You can conveniently look for your Dropbox content via a simple text search.
Document scanning
Using the camera on your smartphone, you can scan various materials and save files in PDF format.
Productivity & Sharing Tools
Shared folders and links
This is a handy feature to have, as you can share Dropbox content and links with other users, regardless of whether they have a Dropbox account.
Family Room
Now you and your family can share and access content from a single, shareable, and secured folder.
Dropbox Paper
You and your team can use this feature to share work of all types. This includes pictures and video for collaboration and teamwork.
File requests
Request files from other Dropbox users and non-users for storage in one convenient place. With this option, file requests are only visible to you.
Dropbox Transfer
This feature allows you to securely transfer large files and downloads. You can also track files and protect them using a password. If you only wish for transfers to be available for a limited time, you can simply set an expiration date.
HelloSign eSignatures
This convenient feature lets Dropbox users sign documents digitally, thereby freeing up more time to focus on other projects.
Web previews and comments
Preview web-based files and leave comments relating to specific parts.
Viewer info
This lets you keep a watchful eye on who is able to access your shared files and who is currently viewing them.
Content & Accident Protection
Remote device wipe
In the unfortunate event that your device is lost or stolen, the remote device wipe feature lets you delete data. The good news is that it stays secure on Dropbox. So when you get a new device, you can copy over what you need from Dropbox.
File recovery and version history
Recover files that you have previously deleted. You can also restore older versions if need be.
Account rewind
Either from the content level or account level, you can reverse any unwanted changes that were made, such as from a ransomware attack.
Dropbox Passwords
Store and sync your passwords from all of your devices into one convenient place. Once activated, you can seamlessly sign into your accounts with ease.
Dropbox Vault
The Vault is a place for your most sensitive files. Once in here, only you and those you allow will be able to access your files.
Interface
Perhaps the most compelling aspect of Dropbox is its interface – or lack thereof. Once installed, Dropbox acts nearly invisibly. Its integration into your computer’s operating system and apps make it more of an inconspicuous add-on than a standalone application.
What parts are available for you to access are very clean well-designed. There aren’t a bunch of convoluted menus to cycle through, as everything is brilliantly laid out for easy operation.
Almost every app on your computer is going to be integrated with Dropbox. This included web services, too. So you can look forward to Dropbox being at the ready to serve your needs. What’s more, compatibility is unlikely to be an issue, as most users find Dropbox to offer minimal demands
Dropbox Pricing Overview
Let’s segue for a moment and discuss the Dropbox Plus review and all that it includes. For $9.99 a month, your storage is immediately upgraded to 2TB of data. Still for just one user, you get a wealth of additional features that trump Dropbox Basic, as outlined above.
If you require more users than just yourself, Dropbox Family includes a sharing option that allows up to six users to access your files and folders. Also providing you with 2TB of storage, this plan costs $16.99 a month. Both plans give you the option to pay either monthly or yearly.
And then there’s Dropbox Business. This is ideal for companies with teams that need to share files across different devices. There are three plans available for Dropbox Business: Standard, Advanced, and Enterprise.
Standard costs just $12.50 a month and gives up to three users access to your storage. You get 5TB of cloud storage, with tools that allow for easy sharing and collaboration. A handy backup option ensures that you can safely recover your files for up to 180 days.
With Dropbox Business Standard, you get the following services and features:
- API access to security & productivity platform partners (unlimited)
- One million API calls per month (data transport partners)
- Single admin login for managing multiple teams
- 180-day Dropbox Rewind account recovery
- Send 2 GB files via Dropbox Transfer
- 256-bit AES & SSL/TLS encryption
- Two-factor authentication (2FA)
- File recovery for up to 180 days
- Microsoft Office 365 integration
- Admin tools for Dropbox Paper
- Business-hours phone support
- Granular sharing permissions
- Company-managed groups
- Admin console & audit log
- Document watermarking
- User-managed groups
- Remote device wipe
- Priority chat & email
- Computer backup
- Branded sharing
- Smart Sync
- File locking
For $20 a month, you get Dropbox Business Advanced. This package starts at support for three users and gives you unlimited storage. It also includes everything from Standard, as well as the following additional services and features:
- Send up to 100 GB files via Dropbox Transfer
- Advanced user management tools
- Single sign-on (SSO) integration
- Customized file sending options
- Advanced administer controls
- Tiered administer roles
- Domain verification
- Traffic and insights
- Invite enforcement
- File event tracking
- Device approvals
Lastly, Dropbox Business Enterprise offers the most robust option, with everything from Standard and Advanced included, as well as:
- View & manage your teams at once with a centralized admin console
- Advanced training (end-users & admins)
- Enterprise mobility management (EMM)
- Real-time alerts & notifications
- 24/7 phone support
- Account Capture
- Domain Insights
- Network control
You’ll have to contact Dropbox for pricing if you’re interested in Enterprise. You may try out Dropbox Business Standard and Advanced for 30 days if you’d like to see if it meets your company’s needs.
As for trying out Enterprise, you will again have to contact Dropbox to discuss this. Billing is performed either monthly or annually for all business packages.
For students and faculty, Dropbox Education provides teams with 15GB of storage. The big advantage here is that each user on the team gets their own 15GB of data to use. Pricing for the Education plan depends on several factors, such as the number of users on a team. As such, you will need to contact Dropbox directly to discuss pricing.
Security and Privacy
Files are transferred over Dropbox via SSL/TLS. Any data that’s at rest benefits from 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). Furthermore, you have the option to choose between two-factor SMS text message authentication and an authenticator app, such as Microsoft Authenticator.
Privacy, on the other hand, is handled in a way that ensures your files are safe from prying eyes. However, Dropbox does reserve the right to look at your data whenever it is legally necessary.
Essentially, this means that if you are suspected of storing illegal documents or pictures on your Dropbox storage, the company can go in and examine your files. With that said, Dropbox is serious about your security and privacy. Its employees are expressly prohibited from accessing any user account without legal permission to do so.
Moreover, Dropbox utilizes electronic and physical security measures to ensure that your files stay safe and protected from unauthorized access. This includes not selling your information to third-party companies or advertisers.
Being based in the United States, Dropbox complies with the Department of Commerce’s Privacy Shield framework. This program provides a guaranteed level of protection for your data privacy.
Speed
Dropbox works intelligently when it uses your bandwidth. By default, Dropbox only uses the amount of bandwidth necessary without interfering with your usage. This ensures that you can enjoy your normal usage without interruption.
As such, uploads are automatically throttled by Dropbox. By doing this, you are less likely to experience slowdown as you browse and use the web.
Downloads, on the other hand, utilize the maximum amount of bandwidth possible to ensure quick access to content. In addition, Dropbox lets you manually customize settings as they pertain to bandwidth and usage.
To do this, you will need to perform the following steps:
- First, open Dropbox desktop’s app preferences
- Then, click bandwidth (if you’re using Windows or Linux)
- For Mac users, click Network, then click Change settings (in the Bandwidth section)
- You can then manually adjust Dropbox’s bandwidth settings by clicking the button next to “Limit to.” This is located under the sections “Download rate” or “Upload rate.”
- To continue, enter the bandwidth rates that you prefer. If you need the fastest rate possible, just click the button next to “Don’t limit.”
Customer Service
Dropbox offers lots of online support for users to access. The Dropbox Help Center and Community Forums are excellent resources for helpful information. If you can’t find the answer that you’re looking for, Dropbox has a chat and email support available.
From there, you can get direct assistance for technical support covering a wide range of topics. You will first need to log into your Dropbox account to access chat and email services.
If you are part of a Dropbox Business team, you can access Dropbox’s phone support service for customers. You will need to be a business admin to request a call from Dropbox support. This service is available during normal business hours.
If you need to request a call, you will first have to sign in to your Dropbox account. On the left sidebar is an area called “Admin console.” Once accessed, click on “Help” and then “Phone.”
Enter your phone number and click on “Request a call.” Within a matter of seconds, you should receive a phone call from a Dropbox customer service support member.
This process is quick and easy and ensures that business teams have access to the support they need.
Pros
Dropbox has apps available for nearly every operating system. If you’re using one of the big three (Microsoft, Apple, or Google), you can look forward to a wide variety of software to complement Dropbox’s cloud storage service.
Having access to digitally signing documents is another big plus. Digital signatures are the future, so being able to take advantage of this feature is most welcome. In fact, this feature often seals the deal for many Dropbox customers, as digital signatures are mostly unique to the service.
Dropbox is ideal for collaborating on work and projects. Being able to share and work together with other people is a big deal, ensuring that you’ll have far more flexibility.
Lots of features are present on the Plus plan, making Dropbox worth the price of admission for many users.
Cons
As we’ve touched on already, Dropbox is pricier than much of its competition. Of course, you do get perks and features that are exclusive to Dropbox. Still, if you’re on a tight budget and trying to save money, Dropbox may not be the best option for you.
Furthermore, Dropbox Basic is extremely limited in what you can do with it. Whereas other free cloud storage services offer huge storage, Dropbox appears to be rather greedy with its free offerings.
You get just 2GB of storage in Basic. Similar free services offer five times as much. You’re also severely limited on features. If you want to get the most from this software, you’re going to have to upgrade.
Conclusion
As you’ve likely gathered from out Dropbox Pro review, there are better deals out there in the cloud storage industry. But Dropbox simply has too many exclusive features that you can’t get anywhere else. At least, not in a cloud storage service.
For this reason and the fact that Dropbox works really well, we recommend that you give it some serious consideration. Once you have it downloaded and start using it, we’re confident that you won’t be disappointed.
FAQ
Is Dropbox legit?
Quite so. Dropbox offers users a unique experience that you’re sure to appreciate. If you’re interested in exclusive content and features, Dropbox is sure to please you.
It offers stellar security that takes steps to ensure your personal privacy and safety. As such, you can count on Dropbox to keep your personal files and data free from prying eyes.
Is Dropbox any good?
Dropbox works almost flawlessly. It integrates into your existing operating system and apps to provide users with a seamless experience. The overall design of Dropbox is vastly different from the competition, but that’s a good thing in this case.
Its user interface, although limited, works like a dream. Dropbox designed its interface to be user-friendly and easy to navigate, ensuring that you can easily manage your account and settings without any hiccups along the way.
Is Dropbox worth the money?
Considering that you get exclusive features, yes, it is. However, it’s important to ask yourself whether you need these features. For the people that will benefit from them, Dropbox is worth every penny.
But if you don’t think you’ll ever use this exclusive content, you can find better deals on cloud storage elsewhere.
Is there a free version of Dropbox?
Yes, Dropbox Basic gives you 2GB of cloud storage to use free of charge. You can increase your storage in 500MB increments if you get friends to sign up with Dropbox. However, you can only do this until you reach 16GB of extra storage.
It’s important to keep in mind that Dropbox Basic is extremely limited in what it offers. Most of the best features are missing, so you’ll need to upgrade if you require greater flexibility.
Is Dropbox safe to use?
Yes, Dropbox takes considerable steps to ensure the safety and protection of your personal data and information. As such, you can trust your files to this cloud service.
What happens if you cancel Dropbox?
As soon as you cancel your Dropbox subscription, your account will automatically get downgraded to Dropbox Basic. This change will become effective at the end of your billing cycle.
In the event that you change your mind and wish to go back to your paid subscription, Dropbox hangs onto your paid account for 30 days. As such, you can get back any files that may have been deleted when you downgraded to the Dropbox Basic account.
Does Dropbox offer a refund?
There is currently no refund policy offered by Dropbox.
