Introduction
Long before Google Drive, there was Dropbox. Dating all the way back to the misty days of 2007, Dropbox was one of the earliest pioneers of cloud storage, and remains a major player to this day. The concept is simple – rather than lugging around clunky flashdrives and external hard-drives, why not make use of the bounteous space the internet provides to store your files? But with so many other cloud services out there, can Dropbox still compete?
Main Features
In addition to cloud storage and file synchronization, Dropbox offers a number of other features that mark it out from the pack. These include:
- Smart Sync
Smart Sync is a lifesaver when it comes to freeing up storage space on your hard-drive. Essentially all of your files are stored in Dropbox’s cloud. When you access one, it downloads to your computer, allowing you to edit it to your heart’s content before uploading it again. With everything stored in Dropbox’s cloud, you can access all your files anywhere with an internet connection.
- Dropbox Paper
Dropbox Paper is a highly useful collaborative document-editing service. Essentially one endless document, you and your team can add text, images, video and whatever other media you may need. So far so Google Drive, but Dropbox Paper includes a number of other nifty features that help it stand out from the pack. These include the checklist block, which allows you to assign tasks, or the ability to insert Trello cards.
- Rewind
Major virus infection corrupted all your files? Kids got in and wreaked havoc on your carefully-constructed projects just hours before deadline? Dropbox’s Rewind feature has you covered. You can rollback any changes made in your files as far back as 30 days (or 180 days with Business/Professional Accounts), allowing you to painlessly rectify any major malfunctions.
Plans and Pricing
Dropbox offers a number of different price plans for both individual and business users. The business plans come with the option of a free 30-day trial of you’d like to try them out first.
For individual users, there are three plans available – the free Basic Plan, Plus and Professional. They break down as follows:
– Basic
- Free
- 2 GB of Storage
- Up to 100 MB Dropbox Transfer
- 30 Day File Recovery
- No Remote Wipe
- Camera Upload (with Desktop Client installed)
- Dropbox Paper
- No Smart Sync
- Anywhere Access
– Plus
- $11.99 Per Month ($9.99 Annually)
- 2 TB (2000 GB) of Storage
- Up to 2 GB Dropbox Transfer
- 30 Day File Recovery
- Dropbox Rewind
- Remote Wipe
- Camera Upload
- Dropbox Paper
- Smart Sync
- Anywhere Access
– Professional
- $19.99 Per Month ($16.58 Annually)
- 3 TB (3000 GB) of Storage
- Up to 100 GB Dropbox Transfer (with Customization Options)
- 180 Day File Recovery
- Dropbox Rewind
- Remote Wipe
- Camera Upload
- Dropbox Paper
- Smart Sync
- Anywhere Access
For business users, there are also three plans available – Standard, Advanced and Enterprise. They break down as follows:
– Standard
- $15 Per Month Starting with 3 Users ($12.50 annually)
- 5 TB of Storage Space
- Up to 2 GB Dropbox Transfer
- 180 Day File Recovery
- 180 Day Dropbox Rewind Recovery
- No Remote Wipe
- Camera Upload (with Desktop Client installed)
- Dropbox Paper
- No Smart Sync
- Single Admin Log-in for Multiple Teams
– Advanced
- $25 Per Month Starting with 3 Users ($20 annually)
- Unlimited Storage Space
- Everything in Standard, plus:
- 100 GB Dropbox Transfer
- Advanced User Management Tools
- Tiered Admin Roles
- Domain Verification
- Device Approvals
– Advanced
- Price Negotiable (contact Dropbox)
- Everything in Advanced, plus:
- Centralized Admin Console
- Network Control
- Enterprise Mobility Management
- Domain Insights
- Advanced Training for End Users & Admin
- 24/7 Phone Support
Pros:
Easy to Use
Dropbox founder Drew Houston has stated that one of his goals in creating the service was to avoid the trap many prior storage services had fallen into of making the user ‘think too much‘. And Dropbox has admirably perservered with this philosophy to this day. Its clear and simple interface has been aped by just about every other competitor since, and for good reason – it’s hard to find anything out there quite as user-friendly.
Faster Than Most
Dropbox’s block-level file copying system makes it one of the fastest providers for file syncing out there. The system is pretty simple to understand – rather than transferring the whole file every time you make an edit, Dropbox isolates your changes as individual ‘blocks’ and sends them instead, allowing near real-time collaboration. Upload and download speeds also compare favourably with competitors.
Great Customer Service
With 24-hour support available from Monday to Friday via both email and live chat, Dropbox has you covered when it comes to customer support. Live chat agents are generally quick to respond and helpful, and the service boosts a robust community willing to tackle just about any problem you may have.
Cons:
Not the Best Provider for Security
Dropbox lacks zero-knowledge cloud storage, instead opting for the less secure two-factor authorisation, making it a less than ideal option if privacy is a big deal for you. Dropbox has also been victim to hacking attacks in the past. On the flipside, its looser encryption requirements allow it much more freedom to integrate with the likes of Office and Google.
Paid Accounts are Pricey – And You Don’t Get Much for Free
It has to be said that Dropbox doesn’t offer the best bang-for-your-buck in the cloud storage market. Box, for example, offers a whopping 10 GB for free, compared to Dropbox’s rather paltry 2 GB. This means you’re likely to have to use the paid accounts if you’re a frequent user, and they don’t come particularly cheap either compared to the competition – iDrive, for instance, is offering a hefty 5 TB for just $52.12 per year, compared to $198.96 per year for a mere 3 TB at Dropbox.
Wrap-up:
The venerable Dropbox might be looking a bit creaky nowadays compared to its competitors, but its ease-of-use, speed and excellent collaboration features show that there’s still some life in the old dog yet. Lingering security issues and a lack of value-for-money might be a bit off-putting for some, however.