The Box Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Box in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Box
The Insider’s Guide
Business content storage with e-signatures, workflows and AI
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among file storage and sync services, read from Box’s own pages.
Made by Box, Inc. · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05After you payGetting your money back, getting out, and getting help
- 06The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 07Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 08About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Box’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Box’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 8 of the 17 other file storage and sync services we grade
Box is a cloud content platform aimed mainly at businesses. It combines file storage and sharing with built-in e-signatures, workflow automation and Box AI, and it connects to more than 1,500 other apps. A free single-user plan with 10 GB exists, but most plans are sold per user with a three-user minimum.
To get you started, here are 10 things to know about Box, taken from its own pages and our grades.
On a computer, Box Drive puts your Box files in Finder or Explorer, so there's nothing new to learn.
- 1
Best for company files with signing and workflows built in
Box is cloud storage for companies, with e-signatures, workflows and Box AI next to the files and links to more than 1,500 other apps.
- 2
Paid plans start at $5 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $5 per user / month, billed annually (minimum 3 users).
- 3
There is a free plan
Individual plan: one user, 10 GB of storage, a 250 MB file upload limit, 1 file version and 5 Box Sign requests per month.
- 4
It runs on 5 platforms
Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
- 5
Box Drive
A desktop app for Mac and Windows that opens Box files from the computer without taking up much local disk space.
- 6
Box Sign
E-signatures are built in: 5 signature requests a month on the free plan, 10 on Business Starter, and unlimited from the Business plan up.
- 7
Box AI
Box AI is included from the Business plan. Enterprise adds 1,000 AI Units a month and Box Hubs, and Enterprise Plus raises the allowance to 2,000.
- 8
Refunds: no set window
Box's terms are among the less friendly we have read. No refunds for anything already paid.
- 9
A 2.8 GPA, above 8 of 17
That is against the other file storage and sync services we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 10
Keep it
To replace Box you would be making files kept in step across devices without losing one. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Box at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $5 per user / month, billed annually (minimum 3 users)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Free trial offered on Business Starter, Business, Business Plus, Enterprise and Enterprise Plus
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Box, Inc., since 2005
- Category
- File Storage & Sync
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.8 on the App Store, 190,520 ratings
The report card
Best for company files with signing and workflows built in
Box is cloud storage for companies, with e-signatures, workflows and Box AI next to the files and links to more than 1,500 other apps. Every paid plan priced here needs at least 3 users, unlimited storage starts at $15 a user, uploads are capped from 250 MB free to 15 GB on Business Plus, and there's no Linux app.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Storage in this category has a middle price of $5 a month, and the dearest tenth starts at $9.99. Box's entry plan is $5 a user but needs 3 users, so $15 a month minimum for 100 GB. The parts people actually come for, unlimited storage, Box AI and unlimited signing, start at $15 a user. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free for one person with 10 GB, which sounds fine until you read the caps: no file over 250 MB, 1 version kept of anything you edit, 5 signature requests a month. A phone video can breach that upload limit. |
| Features | B | Storage and sharing, plus Box Sign for e-signatures, workflow automation and Box AI, with Box Drive opening files on a Mac or PC without filling the disk. The listing's own upload ceilings, 250 MB free and 2 GB on Starter, keep it off an A. |
| Ease of use | A | 4.8 from about 191,000 App Store ratings. On a computer, Box Drive puts your Box files in Finder or Explorer, so there's nothing new to learn. |
| Platforms and integrations | A | Web, Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, and Box counts more than 1,500 connected apps, Microsoft 365, Salesforce and Slack among them, with API call allowances on the paid plans. No Linux app, mind. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Box is for
- Fits if your company wants unlimited storage priced per user, from 3 users up
- Works for teams that send contracts for signature from where they're stored, or plug files into Microsoft 365, Salesforce or Slack
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you're one person wanting more space, as every paid plan priced here needs at least 3 users
- Pricey if you want the unlimited storage and the AI, which start at $15 a user against a $5 category middle
- Not for you if you're on Linux, since Box Drive is Mac and Windows only
- Tight if you stay free: 10 GB, no file over 250 MB, 1 version kept and 5 signature requests a month
- Watch out: uploads cap at 2 GB on Starter and 5 GB on Business, and Enterprise Plus is billed yearly only
Good to know
Good for
- Companies that need unlimited storage priced per user
- Teams that send documents for signature from where they are stored
- Organizations connecting storage to Microsoft 365, Salesforce or Slack
Worth knowing
- Business and Enterprise plans require a minimum of 3 users.
- File upload size is capped by plan: 250 MB on the free plan, 2 GB on Business Starter, 5 GB on Business and 15 GB on Business Plus.
- Enterprise Plus is sold on annual billing only, and Enterprise Advanced is priced through sales.
- The downloads page lists Box Drive for Mac and Windows only, with no Linux app.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$5
A month to start, for each person. There is a free plan too
Box has a free plan. Paid plans start at $5 per user / month, billed annually (minimum 3 users).
A phone video can breach that upload limit.
Individual
$0
Single user with 10 GB of storage, a 250 MB file upload limit and 5 Box Sign signature requests per month.
Business Starter
$5
per user / month, billed annually ($7 billed monthly)
Minimum of 3 users: 100 GB of storage, 2 GB file uploads, 25 file versions and 10 Box Sign requests per month.
Business
$15
per user / month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly)
Minimum of 3 users: unlimited storage, 5 GB file uploads, Box AI, unlimited e-signatures and 50,000 API calls per month.
Business Plus
$25
per user / month, billed annually ($33 billed monthly)
Minimum of 3 users: unlimited storage, 15 GB file uploads and unlimited external collaborators.
Enterprise
$35
per user / month, billed annually ($47 billed monthly)
Minimum of 3 users: 50 GB file uploads, 1,000 AI Units per month, Box Hubs and 100,000 API calls per month.
Enterprise Plus
$50
per user / month, annual billing only
Minimum of 3 users: 150 GB file uploads, 2,000 AI Units per month and support with 24-hour coverage.
The free plan
Individual plan: one user, 10 GB of storage, a 250 MB file upload limit, 1 file version and 5 Box Sign requests per month.
Trying it first
Free trial offered on Business Starter, Business, Business Plus, Enterprise and Enterprise Plus
Read from peony.ink on Oct 5, 2026, where its own pages could not be read.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
About 25% lower with annual billing
Box's pricing page has a monthly or annual toggle that advertises a saving for paying annually. The listed prices put Business at $15 per user annually against $20 monthly.
Stated on box.com
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Personal Pro Annual Subscription”, against $79.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | ₺209,99 | $4.27 | 95% less |
| India | ₹ 4,899 | $50.65 | 37% less |
| Brazil | R$ 259,90 | $51.93 | 35% less |
| Philippines | ₱ 3,990.00 | $63.51 | 21% less |
| United Kingdom | £59.99 | $79.31 | about the same |
| Australia | $124.99 | $87.26 | 9% more |
| Germany | 79,99 € | $89.64 | 12% more |
| South Africa | R1,599.99 | $96.77 | 21% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android
Business content storage with e-signatures, workflows and AI. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, workflow automation, file sync, file sharing.
- Box Drive
- A desktop app for Mac and Windows that opens Box files from the computer without taking up much local disk space.
- Box Sign
- E-signatures are built in: 5 signature requests a month on the free plan, 10 on Business Starter, and unlimited from the Business plan up.
- Box AI
- Box AI is included from the Business plan. Enterprise adds 1,000 AI Units a month and Box Hubs, and Enterprise Plus raises the allowance to 2,000.
- External collaboration
- The Business plan charges for each external collaborator, while Business Plus and the Enterprise plans allow an unlimited number.
- File version history
- The free Individual plan keeps 1 version of each file, Personal Pro keeps 10 and Business Starter keeps 25.
- Integrations and API
- Box lists more than 1,500 apps and AI agents that connect to it, and paid business plans include a monthly allowance of API calls.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Microsoft 365
- Salesforce
- Slack
- Okta
- Workday
- Oracle NetSuite
- Claude
- ChatGPT
Box is made by Box, Inc., and has been around since 2005.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
8/17
Other file storage and sync services it is graded above
Box's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 8 of the 17 other file storage and sync services we grade, and level with 3.
It stands best on ease of use (A, above 13 of 17) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $5 a month for each person, against a middle price of $4.17 for the category: 10 of the 16 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 18 file storage and sync services we grade, cut by the letter each got. Box’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 17
- CFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 17
- BFeaturesAbove 7 of 17
- AEase of useAbove 13 of 17
- APlatforms and integrationsAbove 7 of 17
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 18 file storage and sync services. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Box is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Box you would be making files kept in step across devices without losing one. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $60 a year.
What you could not
- Files kept in step across devices without losing one.
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- Storing and serving files for other people.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Box’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Refunds
After you pay
Getting your money back, getting out, and getting help
What happens once you have paid: whether you can get your money back, how to leave, and how to reach a person when something goes wrong. Each is graded from Box’s own terms and help pages.
Refunds and cancelling
Weak · checked Oct 18, 2026
Box's terms are among the less friendly we have read. No refunds for anything already paid. You cannot end a plan from your own settings: you email Box and wait for a representative to confirm it. You must do that at least three business days before the renewal date, monthly or annual. And on an annual plan you cannot cancel, cut seats or downgrade at all until the anniversary. Box even warns you in its own terms to pick monthly if you are not sure. A D.
- Refund window
- No set window
- How you cancel
- By writing to them
- Getting your money back
The terms say that if you cancel, your service ends at the end of the current payment period and no refunds for previously paid services will be issued. The same applies once a trial converts: you may cancel before the next billing cycle, but no credits or refunds are available. The one exception is a legal right to cancel early, which Box says it processes within three business days with a prorated refund.
Stated on box.com- How to cancel Box
The terms say you cancel by email to Box's cancellation address, with cancellation confirmation from a Box representative. A monthly plan must be cancelled at least three business days before the renewal date, and so must an annual one. Under the annual plan you are not permitted to cancel, reduce the number of seats or downgrade until the anniversary date.
Stated on box.com- What you keep afterwards
The terms say the service runs to the end of the period you have paid for. After termination you may request access to your content, which Box says it will make available unless the account was terminated for breaking the terms, but the request has to come within 14 days: after that Box says the content may not be retrievable and it has no obligation to keep it.
Stated on box.com- Renewals
Box says that if you do not cancel in line with the terms, the subscription renews automatically at the then-current price and term length, and that it charges the card on file on the first day of the renewal period. A monthly plan renews each month and an annual one each year on the anniversary. No reminder before a renewal is mentioned.
Stated on box.com
In your favour
- A free trial is offered on the paid plans, and the terms say you can cancel until the last day of it.
- You keep the service to the end of the period you have already paid for.
- The terms are unusually frank, warning you to choose monthly billing if you are not certain.
Watch out for
- No refunds for anything already paid, on any plan, whatever is left of the term.
- You cannot cancel in your own settings: it is an email, and you need a Box representative to confirm it.
- Cancel at least three business days before the renewal date, or you are into another period.
- On the annual plan you cannot cancel, cut seats or downgrade until the anniversary comes round.
Customer support
Good · checked Oct 18, 2026
Every Box customer, free ones included, can raise a ticket, and Box says it answers during local business hours. A person on a phone or in a chat window is another matter: that comes with Premier Support or with Enterprise Plus and above, which also brings round-the-clock cover. Tickets for everyone and live help held back for the dearer plans is a B.
Ways to get help
Live chat
Box lists chat as part of Premier Support, alongside a shared HelpDesk setup and phone support. Its page does not say when the chat is staffed or how quickly an agent joins.
Stated on box.comPhone
Phone support is listed under Premier Support rather than as standard. Box does not publish hours for it on this page.
Stated on box.comContact form or ticket
Box's support site takes cases through a submit-a-request form, and says you need to sign in to submit one and to see which support channels you are entitled to. Box describes ticket support as free for every customer.
Stated on support.box.comHelp centre
Box Support holds a searchable knowledge base for users and administrators, with sections on getting started, admin fundamentals and common tasks. Product guides have moved to Box's separate documentation site.
Stated on support.box.comCommunity or forum
The Box Community is a public forum linked from the footer of Box's own pages, where customers and Box staff discuss the product.
Stated on community.box.com
- When people answer
Box says Standard Support gives access to general and specialist help during local business hours, without naming those hours or a time zone. Enhanced Support, which it says comes with Box Enterprise Plus and above, is described as 24/7/365.
Stated on box.com- How fast it says it replies
Its pages do not say.
- What depends on your plan
Box describes three levels. Standard Support is free to every customer: tickets, answered during local business hours. Premier Support adds chat, phone, a shared HelpDesk setup and prioritised ticket response. Enhanced Support comes with Enterprise Plus and above and adds 24/7/365 cover, ticket prioritisation and multi-channel agent access.
Stated on box.com
In your favour
- Every customer, including free ones, can raise a ticket with Box's product support team.
- Box states that Standard Support covers both general and specialist help, not just the basics.
- Enterprise Plus and above get 24/7/365 cover and prioritised tickets as part of the plan.
- The knowledge base and the public community are open without signing in.
Watch out for
- Chat and phone are not standard: they come with Premier Support or Enterprise Plus and above.
- Local business hours is as precise as Box gets about when Standard Support answers.
- No reply time is stated for any level, only that higher ones are prioritised.
- You have to sign in before you can even see which support channels you are entitled to.
What these two grades rest on. Read on 18 October 2026: Box's Terms of Service, in particular the sections on trials, fees, billing and the subscription period, its Product Support page describing Standard, Premier and Enhanced Support, the Box Support knowledge base and its submit-a-request page, and the pricing page. Several of Box's pages refused our plain reader and were read in a browser. Nobody here cancelled a plan or contacted its support. They are graded apart from the five that make the GPA. How we grade refunds and support.
Part 06 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Tresorit and Sync.com
The 5 tools Box is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Dropbox
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Cloud storage and file sync with transfer and signing tools.
- Only Dropbox lists a Linux app.
- Box also covers workflow automation.
- Dropbox also covers documents.
- 3.6GPA
Google Drive
Free plan · from $1.99/mo
Cloud storage tied to Google Docs, Gmail and Photos.
- Box also covers workflow automation.
- Google Drive also covers AI search.
- 3.4GPA
Microsoft OneDrive
Free plan · from $1.99/mo
Microsoft's cloud storage, bundled with Microsoft 365 plans.
- Box also covers workflow automation.
- 2.4GPA
Tresorit
Free plan · from $4.75/mo
End-to-end encrypted file storage and sharing for businesses.
- Only Tresorit lists a Linux app.
- Tresorit is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Box also covers workflow automation.
- 2.4GPA
Sync.com
Free plan · from $6/mo
End-to-end encrypted cloud storage and file sharing for teams.
- Sync.com is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Box also covers workflow automation.
Part 07 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
19
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Box free?
Box has a free plan. Individual plan: one user, 10 GB of storage, a 250 MB file upload limit, 1 file version and 5 Box Sign requests per month.
How much does Box cost?
Box lists 6 plans. Individual: $0.
What platforms does Box work on?
Box is available on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
Does Box offer any discounts?
Box publicly lists the following: About 25% lower with annual billing.
How is Box rated?
Box's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 out of 5 from 190,520 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Box have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Box is listed for Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
Is Box open source?
Box is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Box have an API?
Yes. Box offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Box integrate with?
Box's listing names Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Slack, Okta, Workday, Oracle NetSuite, Claude and ChatGPT.
Does Box have a free trial?
Yes. Free trial offered on Business Starter, Business, Business Plus, Enterprise and Enterprise Plus.
Who makes Box?
Box is made by Box, Inc. It dates from 2005.
What are the alternatives to Box?
The closest alternatives to Box in our directory are Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Tresorit and Sync.com.
Does Box give refunds?
The terms say that if you cancel, your service ends at the end of the current payment period and no refunds for previously paid services will be issued.
How do I cancel Box?
The terms say you cancel by email to Box's cancellation address, with cancellation confirmation from a Box representative.
What happens to my data if I cancel Box?
The terms say the service runs to the end of the period you have paid for.
How do I contact Box support?
Box's pages list these ways to get help: live chat, phone, contact form or ticket, help centre and community or forum.
How does Box compare with other file storage and sync services?
Box's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 8 of the 17 other file storage and sync services we grade, and level with 3.
Is Box good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Box D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $5 a month for each person, against a middle price of $4.17 for the category: 10 of the 16 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Box?
To replace Box you would be making files kept in step across devices without losing one.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Box’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Box's own pages on 5 October 2026, except the prices, which the listing takes from a third-party roundup and an archived copy of Box's pricing page. The live pricing page would not load for this card. Its App Store rating was read too. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-04-13.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Box, Inc. Prices change, so check box.com before you buy.
Part 08 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Box, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/box
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Box: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/box
Know someone choosing between file storage and sync services?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/box/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded file storage and sync services after Box, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- File Storage & Sync Insider's GuideEvery one of the 18 file storage and sync services we grade, compared
- Google Drive Insider's GuideCloud storage tied to Google Docs, Gmail and Photos3.6 GPA
- Filen Insider's GuideEnd-to-end encrypted cloud storage from Germany with open source apps3.4 GPA
- Microsoft OneDrive Insider's GuideMicrosoft's cloud storage, bundled with Microsoft 365 plans3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Box’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Box is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Box, Inc. Prices and plans change: check box.com before you buy.