Happy Valley

Box vs Dropbox

Box and Dropbox are both file storage & sharing tools. Box is aimed at enterprise, while Dropbox is aimed at small businesses and freelancers. Box costs less, from $7/mo versus $11.99/mo for Dropbox. Both have a free plan.

Box

Enterprise content management and collaboration

Dropbox

Cloud storage and file sync pioneer

PricingFreemium · $7Freemium · $12
Starting price$7/mo$11.99/mo
Free planYesYes
Free trial—30 days
Built forEnterpriseSmall businesses, Freelancers
Platformsweb, macos, windows, ios, androidweb, macos, windows, linux, ios, android
CountryUS · 2005US · 2007
Rating——

Choose Box if

Enterprises and regulated industries.

  • Strong security and compliance
  • Enterprise integrations
  • Unlimited storage on Business

Look elsewhere if: Individuals and small teams.

Choose Dropbox if

Creative professionals and teams needing reliable sync across platforms.

  • Best-in-class sync reliability
  • Great for large creative files
  • Suite of add-on products

Look elsewhere if: Teams already paying for Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 storage.

Box vs Dropbox pricing

Box

  • Individual$0Official: 1 user, 10 GB storage, 250 MB upload
  • Business Starter$7/user/mo$5 billed annually; min 3 users, 100 GB storage
  • Business$20/user/mo$15 billed annually; min 3 users, unlimited storage
  • Business Plus$33/user/mo$25 billed annually; unlimited external collaborators
  • Enterprise$47/user/mo$35 billed annually; 50 GB upload, Box AI units

Dropbox

  • Basic$02 GB
  • Plus$11.99/mo$9.99/mo billed yearly; 2 TB, 1 person
  • Standard$18/user/mo$15/mo billed yearly; from 3 TB team storage
  • Advanced$30/user/mo$24/mo billed yearly; 3+ users, from 15 TB, SSO, E2E
  • EnterpriseCustomEnterprise security and dedicated support

Box · Key features

  • Secure storage and sharing
  • Workflow automation
  • Box Sign
  • Box AI
  • Governance and retention
  • 1,500+ integrations

Cons

  • Pricey
  • Sync less loved than Dropbox
  • Complexity

Dropbox · Key features

  • Reliable cross-platform file sync
  • Sharing, file requests and transfers
  • Version history and file recovery
  • Dropbox Dash AI search
  • Replay video review and Sign e-signature
  • Admin controls and security

Cons

  • Small free tier (2 GB)
  • Pricier than bundled alternatives
  • Product sprawl

Box vs Dropbox: FAQ

Which is cheaper, Box or Dropbox?

Box starts at $7/mo and Dropbox at $11.99/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.

Do Box and Dropbox have a free plan?

Yes, both Box and Dropbox have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.

Which is better for small businesses, Box or Dropbox?

Dropbox lists small businesses as a core audience, while Box is aimed more at enterprise.

Not sure yet?