12 Best Dropbox Alternatives

Rundown of the best Dropbox alternatives that come with better privacy and encryption for storing and sharing files in the cloud

With more than 500 million users worldwide Dropbox is, without doubt, one of the most popular cloud storage providers. But there are good Dropbox competitors out there that provide better security, features, and at a more affordable price.

The best dropbox alternatives for most people are Google Drive (best free alternative) Sync (best secure and feature-rich alternative) and pCloud (best value for money alternative):

Best Dropbox alternatives in 2021

Here are the 12 best Dropbox alternatives right now:

1. pCloud (Best value for money Dropbox alternative)

• Website: https://www.pcloud.com/
• Cheapest alternative to Dropbox
• pCloud Crypto client-side encryption with zero-knowledge privacy
• Free plan with 10 GB of free storage. Premium plans from $3.99 per month

pCloud is one of the cheapest cloud storage options on the market. It offers 10 GB of free storage when you sign up. Not only that, by doing a few simple things like installing the app on your phone and referring a friend, but you can also add 5 GB more to your storage allowance.

pCloud features:

• As a Swiss company, the service offers Swiss zero knowledge privacy and client-side encryption.
• Apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and Adobe Lightroom.
• pCloud comes with dozens of features to make collaboration easy.
• Offers 10 GB disk space for free.
• Much cheaper than most file storage and document cloud storage services.
• pCloud Crypto (paid addon) end-to-end client side encryption with zero knowledge privacy

pCloud pricing plans:

The free plan offers 10 GB storage space. Their premium plans start at $3.99 per month. It offers 500 GB storage and allows 500 GB of data transfer bandwidth for sharing. Unlike most other cloud storage providers, pCloud also offers a lifetime plan for just $175. It’s a one-time cost and you get 500 GB for your whole lifetime.

Why pCloud is a good alternative to Dropbox:

pCloud.com is one of the best options if you are looking for a cloud service to backup all your files. It is much cheaper and more secure than Dropbox and simple to use.

2. Sync.com (Best secure Dropbox alternative)

• Website: https://www.sync.com/
• Cheaper alternative and more features than Dropbox
• Secure zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption
• Free forever plan and premium plans from $5/month ($60/year)

Sync.com is a collaborative cloud storage service based in Canada that aims to make it cheaper for people to store their files on the cloud. Its free plan offers 5 GB of free storage and basic collaboration options.

It offers free apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, so you can sync and access your files on all your devices. Their mobile apps come with a remote device lockout feature that you can use to lock your device from any other device that is logged into your Sync.com account. This increases security and privacy for your device.

Sync.com features:

• Zero knowledge privacy and client-side encryption.
• Cheaper than Dropbox.
• Offers 5GB free storage on their free plan.
• Real time backup, file managemeent and secure file sync for all your devices.
• Apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.
• Remote device lockout to increase security.

Sync.com pricing plans:

Their free plan offers 5GB of free storage but limits the amount of data transfer. Their paid plans start at $60 per year and offer 200 GB in storage and unlimited data transfer among other security and privacy features.

Why Sync.com is a good alternative to Dropbox:

Sync.com is a much cheaper option and is the best Dropbox business alternative. Even on their free plan, they offer 5 GB of free storage unlike Dropbox that only offers 2GB.

3. Google Drive (best free Dropbox alternative)

• Website: https://www.google.com/drive/
• Best free alternative to Dropbox
• Free and premium plans from $1.99 per month

Google Drive is a free cloud storage service that is a part of the Google suite of apps. It comes with 15GB of free storage space and allows you to back up all your images at a lower-quality for free without counting them against your free 15 GB. Google Drive is one of the best options for most users who just want to back up their personal and work files.

Google Drive features:

• Dozens of collaboration tools and features.
• Offers 15 GB in free storage services.
• Back up all your images for free to Google photos.
• Apps for all your devices including Android, iOS, Mac, and others.

Google Drive plans:

The free plan that you start offers 15GB of free storage. Moreover, they don’t count images against your storage if you backup a low-quality version. The premium plan starts at $1.99 per month and offers 100 GB in storage. 200 GB is $2.99/month, and 2 TB is $9.99/month.

Why Google Drive is a good alternative to Dropbox:

Google Drive is a good alternative that offers superior collaboration tools and comes with free access to their suite of office apps such as Google Docs, Sheets, etc.

4. Icedrive

• Website: https://www.icedrive.net/
• Generous 10 GB free storage
• Cheap monthly, annual and lifetime plans

Icedrive was founded in 2019 but despite being new on the market, they have already made an impressive first impression. Icedrive comes with great features such as file synchronization options, intuitive interface design, Fort-Knox-like security, and cheap prices.

One of Icedrive’s best features is its cloud storage and physical hard drive integration. This makes cloud storage feel like a physical hard drive, where no syncing is needed nor any bandwidth is consumed.

Mounting the cloud+physical storage is simple. You download the desktop software (on Windows, Mac & Linux), then access and manage your cloud storage space as if it were a physical hard disk or USB stick directly in your operating system.

Icedrive features:

• Client-side, zero-knowledge encryption
• Seamless cloud storage + physical hard drive integration
• Twofish encryption (more secure than AES/Rijndael)
• Client-side, zero-knowledge encryption

Icedrive plans:

Icedrive offers a generous 10 GB free plan, and three premium plans; Lite, Pro, and Pro+.

Icedrive vs Google Drive:

The same applies to the previous cloud storage hosts listed, you should consider choosing Icedrive instead of Dropbox if security, encryption, and privacy are things you care about.

5. NordLocker

• Website: https://www.nordlocker.com/
• Cloud storage from from the makers NordVPN
• Get 3 GB of cloud storage for free
• Unlimited end-to-end encryption

NordLocker is an end-to-end encrypted cloud storage service available on Windows and macOS. NordLocker is developed by Nord Security (the company behind NordVPN).

NordLocker uses a strict zero-knowledge policy and is powered by state-of-the-art encryption. To guarantee ultimate security to your data, only the most advanced ciphers and elliptic-curve cryptography (ECC) is used with XChaCha20, EdDSA, and Poly1305, plus Argon2, and AES256.

NordLocker features:

• NordLocker syncs your files via a private cloud, so they’re accessible from anywhere.
• NordLocker encrypts and back ups your cloud locker data automatically.
• The most trusted encryption algorithms and state-of-the-art ciphers (AES256, Argon2, ECC).
• Strict zero-knowledge policy, no logging ever.

NordLocker plans:

The free plan offers 3 GB storage space. The annual price is $3.99 a month for 500 GB of storage, or $7.99/mo if you don’t like to commit for a whole year.

NordLocker vs Dropbox:

Choose NordLocker if you care about state-of-the-art encryption that encrypts the files you store locally or in the cloud. NordLocker also uses the most advanced algorithms and ciphers: Argon2, AES256, ECC (with XChaCha20, EdDSA, and Poly1305).

6. Box

• Website: https://www.box.com/
• Best cloud storage provider for collaboration and teams
• Free plan and paid plans from $10 per month

Box is a cloud storage service designed for businesses and collaborative team members. It offers dozens of tools and features to improve your workflow and easily collaborate with others in your team. It is made for collaboration.

Box features:

• Offers 10 GB storage on the free plan.
• Apps for all your devices.
• MS Office 365 home integrations.
• User management tools.

Box plans:

The free plan offers 10 GB storage space. Box only offers one paid plan for individuals, which offers 100 GB storage for $10 per month. Their starter business plan requires a minimum of 3 users.

Why Box is a good alternative to Dropbox:

Box.com is one of the best cloud storage providers for businesses and collaborative teams. They offer a lot more collaboration tools and security features than Dropbox.

7. Backblaze

• Website: https://www.backblaze.com/
• More affordable than Dropbox with unlimited storage space
• Free trial and premium plans from $6 per month

Backblaze is a leading computer backup and cloud storage company based in San Mateo, California. With millions of gigabytes of backed up data under the sleeve, Backblaze is one of the best Dropbox alternatives around. Even on their free trial, they offer you unlimited data storage to backup your computer.

Setting up and using Backblaze is astonishingly easy; I was up and running in no time. The backup process starts automatically, and you don’t have to choose files individually. Your Backblaze backup tool works in the background, uploading your data to the cloud quickly.

If need be, you can have a USB Hard or Flash Drive (up to 8 TB) with all your data FedExed to you. Return the drive within 30 days for a full refund 🙂

Backblaze Features

• More affordable than Dropbox
• 15-day free trial to test the waters
• iOS and Android apps to access files on your mobile devices
• Keep old file versions for 30 days, 1 year or forever
• Hundreds of integrations to suit your workflow needs
• 99.99% uptime
• Enterprise-level security
• Locate missing or stolen computer

Backblaze Plans:

Backblaze offers you three plans. The Personal Backup that’s perfect for individuals offers you unlimited storage at just $6 per month, and comes with a 15-day free trial.

Business Backup is ideal for businesses, costs $60 per year per computer, and also features the free trial. Then there is the B2 Cloud Storage plan that costs $0.005/GB/month for storage, and $0.01/GB to download your data. B2 Cloud Storage offers you 10 GB of free storage.

Why Backblaze is a good alternative to Dropbox:

If you’re looking for a great computer backup and cloud storage solution, you’ll fall head over heels in love with Backblaze. They are cheaper than Dropbox, offer unlimited storage, and have no traffic restrictions. On top of that, Backblaze offers you more beginner-friendly defaults than Dropbox. Their service is more secure, too, making Backblaze a great alternative to Dropbox.

8. Amazon Drive

• Website: www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=15547130011
• Cheaper than Dropbox with more plans to suit bigger storage needs
• Free plan for all Amazon users and premium plans starting at $19.99 per year

Amazon Drive is a cloud storage application managed by e-commerce behemoth Amazon. They offer you secure file backups, file sharing, cloud storage, and on-demand photo prints via their Amazon Prints service. It’s a great cloud storage service to save all your beautiful memories.

All you need to enjoy unparalleled cloud storage is an Amazon account. Whenever the need arises, you can easily access your videos, photos, and files on a wide range of devices, including your computer and mobile devices. They offer you a great line up of plans ranging from 100 GB to 30 TB, meaning there are plenty of options to meet your storage needs.

Amazon Drive Features

• Free plan offering you 5 GB of free storage
• iOS and Android apps to access your files on the go
• One-time or scheduled uploads
• Easy set up process
• Ability to upload entire folders
• Unlimited photo storage with Amazon Prime membership
• Integration with Fire TV, so you can view a slideshow of your photos on your television
• Plenty of sharing options including link, email, Facebook and Twitter
• Custom photo albums and keepsakes

Amazon Plans:

If the 5 GB that comes with the free plan isn’t enough, you can upgrade to any of the premium plans. Amazon Drive offers you up to 13 paid plans. The smallest plan offering you 100 GB of storage space costs just $19.99 per year.

The biggest package that comes with 30 TB of storage space will set you back about $1,800 per year. To get the most bang for your bucks, I recommend going for the $59.99/year plan that offers you 1 TB of storage space.

Why Amazon Drive is a good alternative to Dropbox:

For starters, Amazon Drive offers you more plans than Dropbox, which means you have more leeway to choose a storage solution that’s perfect for your needs. Secondly, Amazon Drive is cheaper and more versatile than Dropbox, offering you a better way of storing and accessing your files. Thirdly, it’s pretty straightforward and easy to set up, plus you get 5 GB of free space to store away your photos.

9. Microsoft OneDrive

• Website: https://onedrive.live.com/
• Great free alternative to Dropbox, and includes free Office 365
• Free and premium plans from $69.99 / year

OneDrive is an easy to use cloud storage solution offered by Microsoft. Its free plan comes with 5 GB storage space. The best part about OneDrive is that if you also use Microsoft Office, you can get 1TB of storage and a free subscription to MS Office for only $69.99 per year per user.

OneDrive features:

• Offers 5 GB free file storage.
• Get a complimentary subscription to Office 365 on the paid plans.
• Apps for secure cloud file storage, file management and file sharing on all your devices.
• Offline access letting you work without an active internet connection and access.
• Multi-factor authentication, built-in compliance standards, ransomware detection and file recovery (for business plans).

OneDrive plans:

One Drive premium plans start at $1.99 per month. It offers 100 GB storage space. Their professional plans offer a free subscription to Microsoft Office apps. OneDrive users also have the option to purchase an additional 50 GB of storage for $1.99 per month.

Why OneDrive is a good alternative to Dropbox:

OneDrive offers 5GB in free storage unlike Dropbox’s only 2GB free storage space. Plus paid plans come with a free subscription to Office 365; Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.

10. Tresorit

• Website: https://tresorit.com/
• Best security and privacy alternative to Dropbox
• Free and paid plans from $10.42 per month (200 GB)

Tresorit market their service as an “ultra-secure” place to share files online. Their target customers are businesses and collaborative teams. Their service is used by SAP, Canon, Emirates, and some other big brands around the world.

Tresorit features:

• As a Swiss company, the service offers Swiss zero knowledge privacy.
• Apps for Linux, Microsoft, Mac, iOS, and Android.
• GDPR Compliant.
• One of the most secure document and file cloud storage providers.

Tresorit plans:

The free pricing plan allows you to share large files up to 5GB with other people. Their paid plans start at $10.42 per month and offer 200 GB storage.

Why Tresorit is a good alternative to Dropbox Business plans:

Tresorit is not the best option for individuals. If you just want to store a few files or backup your family photos, Dropbox may be a better option. But if you want the best you can get in security and privacy, Tresorit is the best option.

11. SpiderOak

• Website: https://spideroak.com/
• Generous 21-day free trial but no free pricing plan
• Paid plans from $6 per month

SpiderOak is a suite of cloud storage apps for businesses. Although their service is made for businesses, they do offer a cloud storage backup service called SpiderOak One. The best part about SpiderOak is that their apps are built with privacy and security in mind.

SpiderOak features:

• File sharing built with privacy in mind.
• SpiderOak One backup to protect your files from data loss and ransomware.
• Apps for Linux, Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS.
• Dozens of collaboration tools.
• 21-day free trial.

SpiderOak plans:

Unlike other services on this list, SpiderOak doesn’t offer plans that are free. But they do offer a 21-day free trial. Their starter plan offers 150 GB storage space for $6 per month.

Why SpiderOak is a good alternative to Dropbox:

SpiderOak.com offers a lot of advanced features and security benefits that Dropbox lacks.

12. iDrive

• Website: https://www.idrive.com/
• Best cloud storage for enterprises
• Free and paid plans from $59.12 per year

iDrive offers dozens of cloud storage solutions to cater to the needs of entreprises, resellers, professionals, and businesses. Their plan that is free comes with 5GB free storage space.

iDrive features:

• Apps for iOS, Mac, Android, and Windows.
• File sharing and collaborative tools and features.
• Backup or retrieve all your data in physical form once every year for free.
• Dozens of privacy and security features.

iDrive pricing plans:

The free pricing plan offers 5GB free storage space. Their paid plans start at $59.12 per year for the first year. It offers 2TB storage space and costs almost half what Dropbox does.

Why iDrive is a good alternative to Dropbox:

iDrive.com free plans offer 5GB of storage space and their premium plan offers 2TB storage for only $59.12 dollars for the first year.

Whether you need to collaborate with your editor on the book you are writing or you need someone to quickly send a document for review to your boss, cloud-based file management and document management tools let you do it with just an internet connection.

Even if you do most of your work offline, you should still be backing up your work to a cloud storage service website like Dropbox to prevent losing important data.

What is Dropbox?

Dropbox started as a platform to allow users to backup their files online and access them from all their devices. But now it has become a lot more than that. It allows you to work collaboratively with others and make sure your work is always accessible to you no matter where you go or what device you use.

Their services are used by teams, freelancers, and consumers around the world and are trusted by many big brands. Their service is available on all platforms including desktop and mobile, which allows you to access your files on any device from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.

Dropbox features and plans

Dropbox offers different plans for different use cases. Some offer more features than others. If you are someone who just needs a place to back up your files, they offer a free plan that allows up to 2 GB in storage and syncs across up to 3 devices.

If you are a professional, you will want to go with their Plus plan which offers up to 2TB (terabytes) of storage, sync across unlimited devices, 30-day file recovery, and much more for just $10 per month. They also offer plans for teams that come with many additional features such as single-sign-on, administration tools, and live chat support.

Dropbox Business starts at $12.50 per user per month and is aimed at companies and enterprises and offers more storage (from 5 TB) and comes with advanced collaboration and team features.

Dropbox also offers tools such as Dropbox paper to help you easily collaborate with other people online on documents.

Pros and cons of Dropbox

The best part about using Dropbox is the simplicity that is inherent to all their services and tools. Unlike most other cloud storage providers on the market, Dropbox believes in keeping things simple and making everything easily accessible. Even if you aren’t good with computers, you can easily learn the ropes in a few seconds. Yes, it is that easy.

Dropbox offers an app for almost all devices including Android, Windows, Mac, and iOS, which makes it easy to access and sync files between all your devices.

Although Dropbox offers a lot of features, its service is not suitable for all use cases. For example, Dropbox only offers 2 GB storage on their free account plan while some of the other services on our list offer as much as 15 GB for free.

Moreover, although they do offer easy collaboration with Dropbox Paper, they don’t have as many tools and options as others on this list for collaborating with others. Another downside with Dropbox is that it doesn’t offer zero-knowledge encryption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the pros of Dropbox?

Ease of use and the ability to access files anytime, anywhere. Integrates with Microsoft Office Online. Fast and smart file syncing. History feature allowing access to previous versions of files.

What are the cons of Dropbox?

Pro version is expensive. It could be more privacy-focused. The free version is limited (only 2GB storage). No folder upload and no collaboration.

What are the best Dropbox alternatives?

The best-paid alternatives to Dropbox are Sync.com and pCloud.com. The best free alternative is Google Drive.

What is Dropbox?

Dropbox is the most popular cloud storage provider on the market, where you can save, share files and access documents, photos, videos, and other files in the cloud from any device.

What is Dropbox Business?

Dropbox Business starts at $12.50 per user per month and is aimed at companies and enterprises and offers more storage space (from 5 TB) and comes with advanced collaboration and team features.

Dropbox alternatives: Summary

Dropbox, with its high pricing and limited free storage, is (I think) no longer the best option for cloud storage.

If you are just looking for some free space to backup your personal files, I recommend Google Drive. It comes with free 15GB of space and allows you to share files back up lower-quality versions of your pictures for free without it counting towards your storage quota.

For businesses and work files, and if you want collaboration for your whole team, I recommend going with Sync.com as their service is built for collaborative teamwork.

Sync’s free plan offers 5GB of free storage, although the amount of data transfer is limited. Paid plans are also not expensive, starting at $49 a year, with 500GB of storage.

Sync.com the best alternative to Dropbox out there.

The runner-up top Dropbox alternative is pCloud. It is a secure and easy-to-use cloud storage that gives you 10GB of free storage and offers affordable lifetime plans for up to 2TB.

All of these Dropbox competitors come with apps for almost all devices and platforms including Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, so you can easily sync files and access your secure files from anywhere on any device you own.