Dropbox vs pCloud

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

pCloud

• People who prefer a one-time lifetime payment to a subscription
• Users who want to choose between EU and US data storage
• Linux users: pCloud Drive runs on Windows, macOS and Linux

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.

pCloud

• Client-side, zero-knowledge encryption is a paid add-on and is not part of the standard storage plans.
• The free account is limited to up to 10 GB.
• Family plans, for up to 5 users, are offered only as lifetime purchases, and Business pricing is shown from 3 users.
• Lifetime prices are shown as promotions against a higher list price, so the amount charged can change.

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.

pCloud

pCloud Drive

A desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux that makes cloud files available as if they were stored locally, without using hard drive space.

Backup and file history

The desktop app backs up folders from a computer, and backups can also be pulled from Dropbox, Google Drive, Google Photos, OneDrive and Facebook.

Sharing and shared folders

Files and folders are shared by link or through shared folders with access levels. Business adds branded links carrying a logo, cover and message.

pCloud Encryption add-on

Optional client-side, zero-knowledge encryption adds a Crypto folder to the account. It is priced separately at $49.99 billed yearly.

Choice of data region

Account holders choose whether their files are stored in a European or a US data center.

Media player, Photos and Docs

Includes an audio and video player, a photo timeline with a built-in editor, and pCloud Docs for creating and editing documents.

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.

pCloud

• Free$0

  Up to 10 GB of storage on a free account.

• Premium 500 GB$4.99

  per month, or $49.99 billed yearly

  500 GB of storage for one person, with pCloud Photos and pCloud Docs.

• Premium Plus 2 TB$9.99

  per month, or $99.99 billed yearly

  2 TB of storage for one person, with pCloud Photos and pCloud Docs.

• Ultra 10 TB$29.99

  per month, or $299.99 billed yearly

  10 TB of storage for one person, with pCloud Photos and pCloud Docs.

• Business$9.99

  per user / month, billed monthly

  Shown as 3 users with 3 TB for $29.97 a month, with teams, access levels, activity logs and a 30-day free trial.

• Business Pro$19.98

  per user / month, billed monthly

  Shown as 3 users with 6 TB for $59.94 a month. New Business Pro accounts get 25% off, which makes it $14.98 per user.

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.

pCloud

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime plans for a one-time payment

  The 500 GB, 2 TB and 10 TB lifetime plans are listed at $279, $709 and $2,799. Promotional prices of $219, $499 and $1,499 were shown when checked.

• Lifetime license

  Family lifetime plans for up to 5 users

  Family 2 TB is listed at $999 and Family 10 TB at $3,499 as one-time payments. Promotional prices of $749 and $1,849 were shown when checked.

• Annual discount

  About 17% lower with yearly billing

  Yearly billing costs $49.99, $99.99 or $299.99, against $59.88, $119.88 or $359.88 for twelve monthly payments on the same plans.