Dropbox vs Google Drive

Dropbox

• Individuals who want 2 TB synced across Windows, Mac and Linux
• Teams that send large media files to clients
• Small teams that need team-owned folders and admin controls

Google Drive

• People who already use Gmail, Google Docs and Google Photos
• Teams that co-edit documents, spreadsheets and slides in the browser
• Organizations standardizing on Google Workspace

Dropbox

• The free Basic plan includes only 2 GB of storage.
• The cheapest paid plan is Plus at 2 TB for one person; the plans page lists no smaller paid tier.
• End-to-end encryption, single sign-on and audit logs are limited to Advanced, which requires at least 3 users.
• Monthly billing costs more: $11.99 for Plus and $18 per user for Standard, against $9.99 and $15 on yearly billing.

Google Drive

• The free 15 GB is shared with Gmail and Google Photos, so mail and photo backups count against it.
• There is no Drive for desktop app for Linux; Google directs Linux users to Drive on the web.
• Shared drives, client-side encryption and third-party app integrations are premium features of some Workspace Business and Enterprise plans.
• Business plans are sold separately through Google Workspace, with pooled storage of 30 GB per user on Starter and 2 TB per user on Standard.

Dropbox

Sync across devices

Files stay in sync between the desktop apps, the mobile apps and the web, and every paid plan allows an unlimited number of connected devices.

File recovery and version history

Deleted files and earlier versions can be restored for 30 days on Plus, 180 days on Standard and 1 year on Advanced.

Large file transfers

Send a copy of files by link: up to 50 GB per transfer on Plus and up to 100 GB on Standard and Advanced, where transfers can also be password protected.

PDF editing and signatures

Edit, annotate and sign PDFs inside Dropbox. The paid plans list unlimited self-signing and 3 signature requests per month.

Team folders and admin console

Standard adds team-owned folders, groups and an admin console. Advanced adds tiered admin roles, audit logs with file event tracking and single sign-on.

Connections to AI tools

Dropbox content can be connected to AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini to find and summarize files and save work back to Dropbox.

Google Drive

Drive for desktop

A desktop app for Windows and macOS keeps Drive files up to date on the computer. Google's help center says there is no desktop version for Linux and points to the web app instead.

Editing Docs, Office files and PDFs

Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, Microsoft Office files and PDFs can be edited and organized in place, and Google says more than 100 other file types can be opened.

Sharing permissions

Files are shared with edit, comment or view permissions. Owners can also block certain actions and set an expiration date on access.

Shared drives

Team-owned spaces for storing and managing files together. Google marks shared drives as a premium feature of some Workspace Business and Enterprise plans.

Gemini in Drive

AI Overviews return cited answers from stored files, and Ask Gemini draws on Drive, Gmail, Calendar and Chat. On Workspace, Gemini in Drive starts at the Standard plan.

Security and admin controls

Ransomware detection in Drive for desktop, client-side encryption, Vault and data loss prevention policies are offered on some Workspace Business and Enterprise plans.

Dropbox

• Basic$0

  2 GB to store and share files.

• Plus$9.99

  per month, billed yearly ($11.99 billed monthly)

  For 1 person: 2 TB of storage, 30 days to restore deleted files and transfers of up to 50 GB.

• Standard$15

  per user / month, billed yearly ($18 billed monthly)

  For 1 person or more: storage starts at 3 TB for the team, 180-day restore, 100 GB transfers, team folders and admin controls.

• Advanced$24

  per user / month, billed yearly ($30 billed monthly)

  For 3 people or more: storage starts at 15 TB, 1-year restore, end-to-end encryption, single sign-on and tiered admin roles.

• EnterpriseCustom

  Custom pricing with integrations for third-party security tools and live support from dedicated staff.

Google Drive

• 15 GB$0

  Included with every Google account. The 15 GB is shared across Drive, Gmail and Google Photos.

• Basic (100 GB)$1.99

  per month (price on the US App Store listing)

  100 GB across Drive, Gmail and Google Photos, with the option to share storage with up to 5 other people.

• 200 GB$2.99

  per month (price on the US App Store listing)

  200 GB of storage, listed as an in-app purchase on the Google Drive listing in the US App Store.

• Google AI Plus (2 TB)$9.99

  per month (price on the US App Store listing)

  2 TB of storage bundled with Google AI Plus, which adds higher Gemini app limits and Gemini in Gmail.

Dropbox

• Annual discount

  About 17% to 20% lower with yearly billing

  Billed yearly, Plus is $9.99 a month instead of $11.99, Standard is $15 per user instead of $18, and Advanced is $24 per user instead of $30.

Google Drive

• Annual discount

  Save up to 16% with annual billing

  Google One's plans page offers a monthly or annual toggle and states a saving of up to 16% on annual billing. Workspace lists a 16% saving for a one-year commitment.

• Nonprofit

  Free Workspace edition for verified nonprofits

  Google Workspace for Nonprofits costs $0 per user with 100 TB shared across all users. Business Standard is discounted to $3.50 per user / month on a one-year commitment.

• Education

  Free Workspace edition for qualifying schools

  Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals is available at no cost to qualifying institutions and includes 100 TB of pooled storage shared by the organization.