Dropbox vs Microsoft OneDrive

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

Microsoft OneDrive

• People who already pay for Microsoft 365 and its Office apps
• Families: Microsoft 365 Family gives up to 6 people 1 TB each
• Organizations that work in Teams and SharePoint

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.

Microsoft OneDrive

• The free allowance is 5 GB.
• Home plans jump from 100 GB on Basic ($1.99 a month) to 1 TB on Personal ($9.99 a month), with no tier in between.
• Microsoft's system requirements list Windows, macOS, iOS and Android apps but no Linux client.
• Copilot features in the Family and Premium plans apply to the subscription owner only and cannot be shared.

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.

Microsoft OneDrive

Sync and offline files

The plan comparison lists advanced sync between PC, Mac and the cloud, along with files and folders that can be kept available offline.

Windows and camera roll backup

Windows backup and camera roll backup are listed as key features, and the mobile app can automatically back up a phone's photos and videos.

Co-editing in Microsoft 365 apps

Files stored in OneDrive can be edited from anywhere with real-time collaboration in Word, Excel and PowerPoint on the web, desktop and mobile.

Sharing links

Files and folders are shared by link, and the plan comparison lists password-protected and expiring link settings among the OneDrive features.

Version history and ransomware recovery

Version history plus ransomware detection and file restore appear in the plan comparison, and Microsoft 365 Basic names OneDrive ransomware protection as an inclusion.

Copilot in OneDrive

On the business page, Copilot can summarize or compare files and turn them into audio overviews from inside OneDrive. Work accounts can also upload files of up to 100 GB.

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.

Microsoft OneDrive

• Free$0

  5 GB of cloud storage with a free Microsoft account.

• Microsoft 365 Basic$1.99

  per month, or $19.99 per year

  For 1 person: 100 GB of cloud storage, ad-free Outlook email and OneDrive ransomware protection.

• Microsoft 365 Personal$9.99

  per month, or $99.99 per year

  For 1 person: 1 TB of cloud storage and the desktop Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook apps with Copilot, on up to 5 devices at once.

• Microsoft 365 Family$12.99

  per month, or $129.99 per year

  For 1 to 6 people: up to 6 TB of cloud storage (1 TB per person) plus everything in Personal.

• Microsoft 365 Premium$19.99

  per month, or $199.99 per year

  For up to 6 people: everything in Family plus extensive Copilot usage and agentic AI features for the subscription owner.

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.

Microsoft OneDrive

• Annual discount

  About 16% lower with yearly billing

  Paying yearly costs $19.99 for Basic, $99.99 for Personal, $129.99 for Family and $199.99 for Premium, against $1.99, $9.99, $12.99 and $19.99 a month.