Many people need a solid Dropbox alternative for various reasons. They may not like the way Dropbox works, need more security, or just want to try something different. Whatever the case, there are many options to choose from.
In this guide, we’re sharing the best Dropbox alternatives on the market right now. You’ll get a quick breakdown, learn the key features, and also understand the negatives of each solution. By the end, you’ll have a good idea of which one is a good fit for you.
Best Dropbox alternatives of 2023
Pcloud
Pcloud was founded in 2013 and quickly gained millions of users due to its ease of use and security. It prides itself on going well beyond the bare minimum to secure the files you host on its servers.
It has client-side encryption technology that allows you to create private keys that not even the company has access to.
That means no one but you can get access to the files secured there but that also means if you lose your private keys then no one can recover your data. This is known as zero-knowledge encryption.
In addition to strong security, it offers a generous free plan (up to 10GB) where Dropbox only offers 2GB of storage on its free plan. Finally, it has a robust music player that allows you to listen to your audio files directly within the app.
Key features
- Access files on desktop, web interface, and mobile devices
- Easily share files with a link
- Comment on files/folders
- Set different access levels
- Search the content of documents (not just the name of the file)
- Store files from other platforms
- Option to get a lifetime subscription
- File version tracking
- Music player
Cons
- The encryption is a separate paid add-on service
Pricing
Premium – $3.99/m
Premium Plus – $7.99/m
Business – $9.99/user/m
Sync.com
As the name implies, Sync is a dropbox alternative that excels at helping you pull in and sync your data across multiple devices. It comes with 5GB storage on the free plan and makes sharing your files a breeze. Though it has end-to-end encryption, it doesn’t offer an extra security vault like Pcloud does.
It works with all major operating systems like Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, etc. This makes it easier to use the platform and control all your files from a central location. It’s a fully-featured Dropbox competitor that’s also HIPAA compliant and keeps file versions for up to a year.
Key Features
- Supports multiple users
- Syncs files between connected devices in real-time
- HIPAA and GDPR compliant
- Password-protected files and links
- Limit downloads of specific files
- Custom branding
- Shared folders
- Offline access
- Remote device lockout tools
Cons
- Only has yearly plans
- No special encryption features
Pricing
Basic $8/m
Standard $12/m
Plus $15/m
It also has business plans with unique pricing.
Standard $5/user/month
Plus $8/user/month
Advanced $15/user/month
SpiderOak
Founded in 2007 by Ethan Oberman and Alan Fairless to serve as an encrypted private backup solution, it has since evolved into something more. It has a product known as SpiderOak CrossClave which it describes as a cross between Slack and Dropbox. The main difference is that it’s truly secure.
That’s one of the things that sets this tool apart. It takes your security and encryption seriously. Like Pcloud, it has what’s known as no knowledge security and a zero-trust security framework that requires every device and user plugged into the network to be authorized. In addition to the strong security features, it also has the core file storage tools you’d expect.
Key features
- Chat rooms and direct messages
- Enterprise-grade security
- On-premise deployment
- No knowledge encryption (SpiderOak doesn’t have your encryption keys)
- Distributed tamper-proof logging
- Team management
- Mobile compatible
- HIPAA compliant
Cons
- The interface can be hard to use which makes for a steep learning curve
- More geared towards business users
Pricing
SpiderOak CrossClave has multiple pricing tiers based on the number of users and features provided.
Basic $8/user/month
Pro $15/user/month
Enterprise $30/user/month
Government $50/user/month
iDrive
iDrive is an older player in the cloud storage and backup space. It was founded in 1995 as a simple backup solution but has since added cloud storage and file sharing to its list of features.
It’s ideal for backing up large amounts of data from your computer and making it easy to restore files that were considered lost.
It uses 256 bit AES encryption to ensure your data is secure in transit and it has what’s known as continuous backup. As soon as a file in the sync folder is modified, it’s backed up by iDrive.
Key Features
- Works on multiple devices
- Nearly instant file syncing
- Backup a large amount of data using a physical device for free
- Versioning support
- No knowledge data encryption
- Rapid file upload speeds
- Notification and backup reports
- File sharing
Cons
- Cannot back up files that are open
Pricing
iDrive has multiple pricing options and a free tier that comes with 5GB of storage.
Personal – $52.12 for first year with a single user
Team – $74.62 for the first year and up to 5 users & computers
Business – $149.62 for the first year with unlimited users & computers.
Mega
Launched in 2013 by Kim Dotcom, Mega has gotten a reputation as a platform that allows users to share pirated or illicit content around the interwebs. I cannot confirm or deny that sentiment but as a cloud storage application, it delivers the goods.
It has solid security tools to keep your data safe but they don’t intrude on the user interface. Your password serves as your root encryption key and Mega doesn’t have access to your data, it supports two-factor authentication, and there’s a backup key in case you lose your password.
Key features
- Password protect links
- File versioning and recovery
- Two-factor authentication
- Zero-knowledge encryption
- No account file sharing
- Desktop and mobile client
- Chat room collaboration
- SMS contact verification tools
- Team permissions
- Folder permissions
Cons
- Weak customer support
Pricing
Pro – 4.99€ for 400GB storage
Pro I – 9.99€ for 1TB storage
Pro II – 19.99€ for 8TB storage
Pro II – 29.99€ for 16GB storage
Google Drive
You may be familiar with Google Drive. We use it for collaborating with outside contributors on content and other things because everyone seems to have a Gmail address. This is one of the many pros of the platform.
It’s designed for both individuals and teams but teams will get the most use out of it when managing documents and tasks. It integrates directly with its popular suite of tools including Google Docs, Google Sheets, etc. It also has a free plan with up to 15GB of storage.
Key features
- Generous free plan
- Link sharing
- Permission levels
- Google Sheets, Docs, Presentations, etc.
- Multiple native apps
Cons
- It’s Google so privacy may not be 100%
Pricing
It has transparent pricing at $8/user/month.
Box
Box may be the Dropbox alternative that most closely resembles Dropbox. The main difference is that it caters to a more professional customer base. There’s a clear emphasis on team collaboration and it has the features to back this up.
It has the cloud storage tools you’d expect in the security and file sharing department. It sets itself apart with its ability to automate repetitive workflows like employee onboarding or document management.
Key features
- API for developers
- Administrative controls for teams
- Large app ecosystem
- Strong team collaboration features
- Workflow automation
- File audit trail
- Industry-standard encryption
- Zero-knowledge encryption keys
Cons
- Doesn’t work the same with external drives
Pricing
There’s a free plan that comes with 10GB of storage and an individual plan that’s $11.50/m for 100GB of storage. The main business plans charge per user.
Starter $7/m/user
Business $20/m/user
Business Plus $33/m/user
Enterprise $47/m/user
Mediafire
Mediafire is a cloud storage platform that has a free forever plan supported by serving ads to its users. This raises the question of privacy and security so proceed with caution. It offers 10GB free and 4GB of file transfer bandwidth.
Key features
- Generous free plan
- Expiring or one-time links
- Upload multiple files simultaneously
- No bandwidth limits
- Password-protected files
- Customize the branding
- Up to 100 users
- Others can upload to your account without needing permissions
Cons
- Add supported so privacy may be an issue
Pricing
In addition to the free plan, it has a personal plan at $5/m and a business plan at $50/m.
Icedrive
Icedrive is a newer platform when it comes to cloud storage but it’s proving itself as a viable Dropbox alternative. It bills itself as next-generation cloud storage and has a few solid features that help set it apart.
An always-on virtual mounted drive functions like another hard drive but it doesn’t take up any space. It also claims that you don’t need to sync it for files to be uploaded. It comes standard with a web, mobile, and tablet application so your files are with you everywhere.
It’s still a new platform so it’s lagging behind other tools on this list but it does have an ambitious roadmap and inexpensive pricing plans.
Key Features
- File sharing
- Virtual mounted hard drive
- Share link expiration
- Twofish encryption (considered by some as more secure than 256 bit AES)
- Zero knowledge encryption
- Aggressive product roadmap
Cons
- Currently, it only has a handful of features
Pricing
It has monthly, yearly, and lifetime pricing but the lowest plan is unavailable on the monthly billing cycle.
Lite $19.99/year
Pro $49.99/year
Pro+ $179.99/year
Conclusion
Dropbox is a solid cloud storage tool but it’s not for everyone. This guide has shared multiple Dropbox alternatives that you can take advantage of to secure your files. If security is a big concern then SpiderOak is the gold standard and if it’s ease of use you need then Pcloud has you covered.
Let me know what you think in the comments and don’t forget to share.