The 15 Best Dropbox Alternatives for File Sharing You Need to Know About

Update: 2024-10-12 19:15 IST

Dropbox is a renowned cloud storage service that offers 2 GB of free storage space to let you store, sync, and share your photos, videos, and documents online across multiple devices. Even though it offers automatic backup, seamless file syncing, and robust file-sharing capabilities, it lacks zero-knowledge encryption and has other drawbacks.

That's why you should look for the best Dropbox alternatives in 2024 to keep your files secure and meet your storage needs. In addition, the number of cloud storage and file-sharing services is growing. Therefore, it is worth considering the best option before deciding which service to go for.

Here, we have listed the top 15 alternatives to Dropbox that will help you store and share your files securely.

What is Dropbox?

Dropbox is one of the pioneers in cloud-based file management services, offering 2 GB of storage space in its free Plan. You can use this storage to store, sync, share, and auto-backup your files, including photos, videos, documents, and PDFs, in a single place. Users can extend this 2 GB space to 19 GB through referrals. Both individuals and businesses can use Dropbox for their cloud storage needs and access their files from any device synced up to the cloud.

Pros:

2 GB of free storage

Real-time file collaboration opportunities

Easy-to-use interface

Easy file recovery and version history

Access from any device synced up to the cloud

Integration with over 100 third-party apps

Easily accessible on multiple devices

Cons:

Limited free storage space

Lacks zero-knowledge encryption

Not cost-efficient

Limits on file upload size

Lacks compliance with regulations like HIPAA

Pricing:

Plus Plan offers 2 TB storage at $11.99/month.

Essential Plan offers 3 TB of storage and extra perks at $22/month.

Why Use Dropbox Alternatives? Key Reasons

Though Dropbox is a popular cloud-based file storage service due to its user-friendliness and easy access from any device, several factors or reasons might prompt individuals and users to look for its best alternatives.

The following are some of the reasons why you should look for alternatives to Dropbox:

Security and Privacy Concerns as It Lacks Zero-Knowledge Encryption

Despite its popularity, Dropbox lacks zero-knowledge encryption, which means anyone, including Dropbox itself, can access your data and even share it with other third-party apps. Due to Dropbox's privacy concerns and past data breaches, users may reconsider the security of their files and might look to Dropbox's competitors.

Other services offering zero-knowledge encryption and making user privacy their priority are catching the eye of Dropbox users.

Less Intuitive User-Interface

Although Dropbox is an excellent option for business, it has yet to deliver an A+ user experience due to its less intuitive user interface. Many users find it challenging to navigate from one section to the other in the app and complete easy tasks like file sharing.

Feedback from users shows that transferring a file to Dropbox is not intuitive; this should be easier than sending an email enclosing an attachment.

Not Cost-Efficient

Though Dropbox offers 2 GB file storage free of cost, its premium storage plans are not cost-efficient. Your costs increase as your storage needs escalate, and the jump is quite high as you shift from a Free Plan to a Paid Plan.

Dropbox and similar apps offer more flexible and affordable premium storage plans, allowing users to get the storage that they want without overpaying. These expensive storage plans are also one of the reasons why users look for an alternative to Dropbox.

What Makes the Best Dropbox Alternatives? Key Features

The market is rushed with cloud storage services that offer file management capacities in one way or another. These storage solutions can overwhelm you if you are not sure which storage service to choose as a Dropbox alternative.

The best alternative for Dropbox will be a cloud storage service that offers:

Ease of Use: The service you choose must offer ease of use. The interface should be easy to navigate and not cluttered. Users can efficiently execute different tasks with a few clicks. Thus, choose a tool that fits into your business workflow without the need for an experience of technical knowledge.

Easy File Saving, Syncing, and Sharing: Another thing that makes a Dropbox alternative the best is its capability of easy file saving, syncing, and sharing on the cloud. Its interface should be intuitive and easy to navigate.

File Versioning and Collaboration Features: The alternatives to Dropbox for business needs must ensure easy file versioning and collaboration features, which Dropbox lacks. Users can easily collaborate on different projects on multiple devices with its multi-device support.

Zero-Knowledge Encryption: Apps similar to Dropbox must score high on user security and privacy through zero-knowledge encryption. This means that only users with an account can access their data through an encryption key.

Pricing: Consider a storage solution that is cheaper than Dropbox and offers affordable monthly and yearly plans.

Excellent Customer Support: Similarly, the alternative to Dropbox must outperform it by ensuring robust customer support. They should assist their customer with 24/7 easy contact.

These are some of the prominent features that make the best Dropbox alternative.

The 15 Best Dropbox Alternatives to Look for in 2024

There are the following Dropbox competitors, each with its own unique features and strengths. Let's discuss them one by one.

TeraBox: The Best Dropbox Alternative for All Devices

Looking for a more secure and cost-effective alternative to Dropbox? Look no further than TeraBox.

TeraBox is a leading cloud storage service that offers 1 TB of free cloud storage to let you store, sync, share, and auto-backup your files easily. The service has a user-friendly, intuitive interface, allowing you to perform your tasks with simple clicks. You can upload and download your files, including photos, videos, music files, documents, PDFs, and all other data forms from the cloud.

TeraBox offers easy file-sharing and automatic backup solutions to keep your files safe in case of any device failure, natural disaster, or human error. Its multi-device support lets you access your files from any device, including Android, Windows, iOS, macOS, Linux, and other web-based applications. Similarly, its end-to-end encryption, two-factor authentication, and personal Vault ensure top-notch security of your files from data breaches. Moreover, its cheap premium storage plans make it the best Dropbox alternative.

Pros:

1024 GB of free cloud storage

Automatic backup options

User-friendly interface

Cross-platform compatibility

End-to-end encryption, two-factor authentication

Extra security through Personal Vault

Fast upload and download speeds

Works excellent on Android, Windows, iOS, macOS, Linux, and Web-based applications

Cheap and affordable storage plans

Easy file sharing and synchronization

No ads

Excellent collaboration features

Seamless integration with third-party apps

30-day recycle bin for deleted files

No file size limits on uploads

Cons:

The free version shows adware

Pricing:

2 TB cloud storage at $3.49 per month

Auto-Renewal yearly PlanPlan at $35.99

A 5 TB storage plan is also out now

Google Drive: Best Alternative for Android and Google Workspace Users

Google Drive is a free cloud storage solution that offers 15 GB of free space to let you back up all of your photos and videos at reduced quality. It does not count those files against your free account storage. Google Drive is part of the Google Application Suite called G Suite. It is the best cloud storage solution and Dropbox alternative for users who merely want to back up their personal photos, videos, and work files.

Pros:

15 GB of free cloud storage

Excellent File encryption and safety

Seamless integration with Docs, Sheets, Slack, Microsoft Office, Salesforce, DocuSign, Autodesk, and many other apps

Easy-to-use interface

Automatic file synchronization

Cons:

Lacks zero-knowledge encryption

No plans for unlimited storage

Expensive high-tier plans

Pricing;

Basic Plan: 100 GB storage at $1.99/month

The Standard Plan provides 200 GB storage for $2.99/month

2 TB premium plan costs $9.99/month

Icedrive

Icedrive is a recent cloud storage market entrant that has created a solid first impression by offering 10 GB of free storage space. The service allows you to manage, edit, upload, and delete your files within the cloud. This Dropbox alternative offers excellent features like an unbreakable Tw-fish encryption technique, client-side encryption, zero-knowledge safety, an intuitive user interface, and market-competitive paid storage plans, including a lifetime plan also.

Pros:

10 GB of free storage space

Client-side and zero-knowledge encryption

Password protection for file sharing

Works well on Web, Desktop, Mobile, and Tablet apps

Virtual drive

Cons:

Least collaboration tools

No seamless integration with third-party apps

Free PlanPlan lacks client-side encryption

Pricing:

Lite Storage plan costs $3.99/month when subscribed annually

Pro I cost $5.99/month for 1 TB when subscribed annually

pCloud

pCloud is also among the best cloud storage alternatives. It is known for its zero-knowledge privacy and client-side encryption, thus protecting your files from unauthorized access. The service offers 10 GB of free storage and allows you to manage your digital assets, share files, enjoy versioning, and collaborate with other team members.

Users can access pCloud through mobile apps, including Android and iOS, and Desktop apps like Windows, Mac, and Linux. In addition, it can also be accessed from any web browser.

Pros:

AES 256-encryption

Client-based encryption

10 GB of free storage

Integrated media player

Easy file sharing

Cons:

Expensive pCloud Crypto plan

Limited integration with third-party apps

Pricing:

Premium 500 GB at $199 with one-time payment

Business plan costs $16/user/month for a minimum of 3 users

Internxt

Internxt is one of the best Dropbox alternatives, offering 10 GB of free storage and ensuring top-notch security and privacy. It is an open-source cloud storage solution that is based on a back-chain, and the files you share are end-to-end encrypted, thus securing your information from data breaches. However, it does not offer options for collaboration and productivity and limits the number of downloads.

Pros:

10 GB of free cloud storage

End-to-end encryption

Open-source cloud storage option

Cons:

New source trying hard to make a mark

No seamless integration with third-party apps

Costly premium storage plans

Pricing:

Monthly paid plans start at $0.95 for 200 GB of storage

500 GB at $2.49/month

1 TB for $4.99/month

Lifetime plan offers 2 TB storage at $199.80

Sync

Sync is one of the Dropbox similar apps that offers 5 GB of free storage and 365-day file versioning. The platform seeks to make cloud storage more affordable for your files.

It works well on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and web-based applications where users can sync and access their files from anywhere. The platform utilizes TLS/SSL encryption and AES 256-bit encryption to protect your data from breaches.

Pros:

5 GB of free storage

Zero-knowledge encryption

365-day file versioning

Offline access

Cons:

Less intuitive user interface

No collaboration features

Pricing:

200 GB space at $4.99/month

2 TB cloud storage at $8/month (One Year Plan)

MEGA

MEGA is one of the best free cloud storage alternatives to Dropbox, offering 20 GB of free storage space. You can get even more space by completing its various tasks. For example, you will get 5 GB of storage for downloading every desktop and mobile app.

MEGA also ensures a high level of security and file versioning by keeping unlimited file versions for 30 days on the free PlanPlan. Users can access MEGA through macOS, Windows, Linux, and web interfaces.

Pros:

20 GB of free storage space

Excellent security via end-to-end encryption

Unlimited file versioning

Transparency reports every year

Cons:

Limited collaboration

not an open-source cloud storage option

Pricing:

Pro Plan starts at $10/month/user for 2 TB cloud storage

Pro-Lite costs €49.99 per year for 400 GB of storage

IDrive

IDrive is one of the best online cloud backup services and an excellent Dropbox alternative that offers easy file syncing and sharing. It works well on Windows, Desktop apps, and Mac devices and has no limitations on the number of devices. Similarly, its zero-knowledge encryption features keep your files safe. In addition, it offers 10 GB of free storage space for storing, syncing, and sharing your data.

Pros:

Auto cloud backup solution

Affordable premium storage plans

10 GB of free storage

Cons:

Lacks multi-device support

No monthly paid plans

No collaboration features

Less intuitive user interface

Pricing:

5 TB storage at $5.81/month (one-year PlanPlan)

Tresorit

Tresorit is another excellent alternative for Dropbox, mainly for businesses, that is an ultra-secure storage and sharing solution. It also facilitates individuals with its diverse services.

Tresorit has an easy-to-navigate user interface that you can access through Desktop apps for Linux, windows, and Mac, as well as mobile apps for iOS and Android devices. The platform gives you complete control over the data you want to store on the cloud.

Pros:

Secure file sharing through advanced structures

Secure servers in multiple continents

End-to-end and zero-knowledge encryption

3 GB free storage

Cons:

Limited free storage plan

Costly advanced features

Expensive storage plans

Pricing:

1 TB storage for $11.99/month (One-year Plan)

NordLocker

NordLocker, from NordVPN, is a secure cloud storage option that offers 3 GB of free storage to let you store and share your important files. The platform keeps your files safe through end-to-end encryption, making it the best alternative to Dropbox. It works well on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices. However, it offers limited collaboration and extensive file management features.

Pros:

3 GB free storage

Add files through local and cloud lockers

30-day refund policy

Cons:

Limited free storage

No plans for limitless cloud storage

Pricing:

500 GB costs $3.19/month

2 TB storage costs $7.99/month (One-year Plan)

Box

Box is another Dropbox competitor that offers 10 GB of free storage for companies and collaborative teams. It uses AES 256-bit Encryption to keep your files safe and secure. The platform ensures easy file uploading and sharing. It also has native apps like Box Notes and Box Canvas, allowing members to collaborate and work on different projects and documents simultaneously.

Pros:

10 GB of free storage

Seamless integration with third-party apps

Offers numerous business tools

End-to-end file encryption

Cons:

Private encryption costs extra

No lifetime storage plans

Costly storage plans

Pricing:

Unlimited storage for $15/month (One-year Plan)

Microsoft OneDrive: Best for Microsoft 365 Users

Microsoft OneDrive is one of the best alternatives to Dropbox, offering 5 GB of free storage space. It is the best option for Microsoft 365 users, as it allows them to share, edit, and collaborate on files easily. The platform keeps your files safe through TLS protocols and AES 256-bit encryption. Users can download OneDrive for Windows and macOS devices.

Pros:

Easy to use

Seamless integration with Microsoft 365

Offers block-level syncing

5 GB of free storage

Easy access

Cons:

Limited free storage

Free PlanPlan lacks file recovery

No plans for unlimited storage

Pricing:

1 TB storage for $5.83/month

6 TB storage in Microsoft 365 Family plan that costs $99.99 annually

iCloud Drive

The Apple iCloud Drive is the perfect solution for those who live in the Apple ecosystem of iProducts. iCloud offers 5 Gb of free storage, making it a seamless Dropbox alternative to store, sync, and share files easily. Like all Apple products, iCloud has a user-friendly interface where you can upload and manage files on any device. However, it is tightly integrated with MacOS to back up data and offers no analogous process for Windows users.

Pros:

5 GB free storage

Seamless integration with mobile and Desktop apps

Improved file sharing options

Cons:

No support for Android users

Lacks some advanced features

Limited support for power users

Pricing:

Costs $0.99/month for 50 GB storage

SpiderOak

SpiderOak is another file-sharing Dropbox alternative that takes privacy very seriously. It incorporated blockchain technology to ensure top-notch security. The platform is a multiple-user and device backup solution that offers fast, secure, and reliable data management through zero-knowledge services and end-to-end encryption.

Pros:

Excellent file security and privacy

Multi-device support

Fast download and upload speeds

No device limit

Robust customer support from professionals

Cons:

Expensive paid plans

No plans for unlimited storage

Lacks disk management

Pricing:

21-day free trial

Personal PlanPlan offers 150 GB of space at $69 per year

400 GB space at $115 annually

2 TB space costs $149 annually

5 TB space for a whopping $320 per year

NextCloud

NextCloud is a self-hosting and open-source Dropbox alternative and collaboration tool that is equally useful for individuals and enterprises. The platform seamlessly integrates with other products like Groupware, Talk, and Files and is often suitable for collaborations.

Nextcloud offers apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux users. It allows the host of their files on servers that are physically located. Users can also host files on the servers of third-party providers like AWS.

Pros:

Data control through self-hosting

Open source service

Seamless integration with third-party apps

Excellent collaboration features

Cons:

Not for beginners

Some features heavily rely on third-party apps

Pricing:

Basic PlanPlan starts at $40.50/per user/year

Standard Plan costs $73.10/user/year

Summary

Dropbox is a great cloud storage option with its 2 GB free storage for storing, syncing, and sharing files. However, due to its security and privacy risks, costly paid storage plans, and less intuitive user interface, people look for alternatives to meet their storage and security needs.

Similar apps like TeraBox outperform it with zero-knowledge encryption, cheap pricing, automatic backups, seamless integration with third-party apps, and other excellent features.

Thus, choose any of the 15 best alternatives to Dropbox discussed here and keep your files safe at cheap prices.

FAQs

Is there a free version of Dropbox?

Yes! The free version of Dropbox offers only 2 GB of free space, which is not enough for enterprises with high storage needs. For a better solution, you can try this free Dropbox alternative - TeraBox, which offers significantly more free space to meet your enterprise needs.

Does TeraBox have something similar to Dropbox?

TeraBox is quite different from Dropbox in terms of diversity of features, storage capacities, and free and paid plans. Similarly, in terms of security, TeraBox is far ahead and different from Dropbox. However, some features like an east-to-navigate interface, easy file recovery and version history, seamless integration with third-party apps, and excellent collaboration features make both cloud storage options similar to some extent.

What is the best file sharing platform compared to Dropbox?

TeraBox is the best file sharing platform compared to Dropbox. It ensures safe, secure, and speedy file sharing through end-to-end encryption, two-factor authentication, and personal Vault. Further, TeraBox's multi-device support for sharing files on Windows, Android, macOS, iOS, Linux, and web-based applications outperforms Dropbox.

What is better than Dropbox on a PC?

Our choice, TeraBox, with its multi-device support, works seamlessly on a PC and is considered a better option than Dropbox on a PC. The platform offers an app for Windows or PC users where they can store, sync, share, and back up their files seamlessly. Conversely, Dropbox lacks such diversity and lags behind TeraBox in terms of device support.

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