Dropbox vs. ShareFile

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Dropbox
Score 8.3 out of 10
N/A
Dropbox is a cloud storage solution, equipped with features that help users to save time, improve productivity, and collaborate with others. Users can edit PDFs, share videos, sign documents, and collaborate with stakeholders without leaving Dropbox.
$9.99
per month
ShareFile
Score 8.4 out of 10
N/A
ShareFile is a cloud-based file sharing and storage service built for business. The product was acquired by Citrix Systems in 2011.
$10
per month per user, per month, minimum of 3 users
Pricing
DropboxShareFile
Editions & Modules
Plus
$9.99
per month
Essentials
$18
per month
Business
$20
per month per user
Business Plus
$26
per month per user
Basic
Free
Standard
$10
per user, per month, minimum of 3 users
Advanced
$16
per user, per month, minimum of 3 users
Premium
$25
per user, per month, minimum of 3 users
Virtual Data Room
$67.50
per user, per month, minimum of 5 users
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
DropboxShareFile
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
DropboxShareFile
Considered Both Products
Dropbox
Chose Dropbox
Dropbox is the most user-friendly when compared to similar software applications. It also seems to have the most functionality built into one program with the exception of maybe ShareFile, however, ShareFile comes at a much higher cost. I am skeptical of the security provided …
Chose Dropbox
I essentially only used Avionte as a database to store info for payroll purpose only. The interface is not as user friendly as Dropbox and it doesn't save documents. I use ShareFile(Rightsignature) to send potential applicants on-boarding documents. It stores all the documents …
Chose Dropbox
Dropbox is way easier to use than OneDrive, which I consider more complicated. Google Drive is limited in its basic options. ShareFile is time-limited, which is annoying. Plus, Dropbox has better direct team share features. Plus, Dropbox is more transparent.
Chose Dropbox
I like Dropbox better, just more use to Dropbox and those others are a little harder to figure out. Dropbox is more user friendly
Chose Dropbox
Dropbox is a more trusted source that I feel comfortable using for so many important documents. Other websites tend to crash and create corrupted or missing documents.
Chose Dropbox
The firm chose to use Dropbox.
Chose Dropbox
Dropbox customer support and availability worldwide is better, it is more compatible with other programs and browsers and it rarely stops working.

There is plenty of space on Dropbox that you can use from Dropbox and it takes lesser steps to upload or download or even to share …
Chose Dropbox
Both tools are very good. ShareFile has more security, but Dropbox is more user-friendly. We actually have been back and forth on which platform to use. Many of us use Dropbox personally, but understand the business value add of ShareFile with healthcare clients.
ShareFile
Chose ShareFile

Switched from Dropbox - ran out of space and changed pricing.

Citrix is about the same - App is better, but autosyncs too much and need to restrict timing/data usage.

Chose ShareFile
ShareFile is cheaper than the other file sharing services, and it has better security. Having to pay additional for Active Directory integration is a serious downfall. Dropbox had poor security flaws. ShareFile iOS integration severely pales to other services, especially Dropbox
Chose ShareFile
We have used Dropbox and evaluated other file sharing services before getting ShareFile, but we found that ShareFile was more secure and more cost-efficient than other services.
Chose ShareFile
Dropbox was sufficient, but it required downloading Adobe Acrobat. And I'll tell you this - many people in our organization aren't the best with installing the 'right' software (i.e., they do a Google search, click a link, click the wrong download button and install some other …
Chose ShareFile
The only comparison that I can think of is Dropbox. I liked the user interface and features better with Citrix Sharefile compared to Dropbox. The price was also more reasonable for business than Dropbox. We've used ShareFile for years and have no plans of switching to another …
Chose ShareFile
Dropbox and Box are both great file-sharing services as well but offer minimal integration features for the programs. The UI for both is simpler but the workflow features of Citrix make it a win for us as it gives us the ability to automate many things we used to manually do, …
Chose ShareFile
I think Citrix ShareFile is more secure and reliable than Dropbox. It definitely projects an aura of professionalism to use ShareFile rather than Dropbox. It's like the difference between a lawyer having an email address from his own domain versus a lawyer using a Gmail …
Chose ShareFile
Google Drive and Dropbox have been out a long time but I think that ShareFile takes the best part of those software and then adds some. If you are looking for something more manageable that is so easy to implement company-wide, then ShareFile would be a great option. While …
Chose ShareFile
Cost is the main reason that we went with Citrix ShareFile. Both have the functionality that we need. Dropbox is more robust (though Citrix ShareFile is catching up), but we have no need for the more robust features. We were essentially able to have 1 additional user for free …
Chose ShareFile
Dropbox Business makes it really difficult to share individual folders collaboratively with a PASSWORD with outside users. I didn't realize this until I was locked in for a year, so I was mad. Citrix allows for storage that is useful to me and secure for the clients.
Chose ShareFile
Cost, ease of use, and reliability make this the far superior product. Dropbox performs well but has had quirks like constant disconnects, file syncs not showing up in a timely manner, etc. OneDrive is just overall invasive and frustrating until properly set-up.
Chose ShareFile
  • Dropbox--I don't believe it has the robust encryption capabilities as does ShareFile package that we use; I think it has electronic signing, but I don't know to what extent that feature is legally authenticated for HIPAA standards.
  • Apricot--purpose can be similar, but Apricot is …
Chose ShareFile
First and foremost we are both a Citrix and Microsoft partner so we will always recommend their products. 3 years ago we found ShareFile's biggest selling point was the ease of setup, administration, and ease of use while still being an enterprise-grade product. We also enjoyed …
Chose ShareFile
Dropbox for Business coming further along and could surely offer the FTP like functionality we are looking for as well as the centralized admin piece but there were two main things Dropbox could not help us with. They did not offer the Outlook plugin capability nor did they …
Chose ShareFile
I think Dropbox is a plague to the world of cloud storage. It sucks. ShareFile doesn't suck.
Chose ShareFile
Other platforms allow you to share information but without the security and confirmation guarantees that ShareFile offers. Although they provide fewer features, they are often less intuitive and less easy to work with. To date we do not consider trying other options, as we do …
Chose ShareFile
All have their strengths but we've been with Citrix for so long it only makes sense we are using Sharefile. We also use Citrix GoToMeeting a lot.
Chose ShareFile
One of the main issues we had with other file storage software in the past has been the ability for users to accidentally delete data from the entire company account and not just their specific user access or profile. There were not enough safeguards and warning messages in …
Chose ShareFile
Our main determination of moving to Citrix ShareFile is the recognized security features. ShareFile was created with this in mind and went out of their way in the sales process to help us understand their features. We also work with many large healthcare organizations so this …
Chose ShareFile
Functionally, they're on the same level as ShareFile. However, my experience with each of these was from a personal account perspective. From a corporate level, knowing that my data lives in my data center and not having to go through the hassle of negotiating a BAA makes …
Chose ShareFile
ShareFile has a more native feel which is helpful for the “older” employees. The search feature in ShareFile.com is fast and searches document text along with tags and keywords.
Chose ShareFile
Citrix ShareFile has the workflow capabilities and collaboration features that others don't. This made the solution more appealing to us.
Chose ShareFile
I perceive ShareFile to be a more secure solution for real estate than the others. And easier to transmit documents to and from. And Citrix is based here in Raleigh, so I do enjoy supporting a local business.
Chose ShareFile
Citrix Sharefile does a better job at managing very large files.
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
DropboxShareFile
File Sharing & Management
Comparison of File Sharing & Management features of Product A and Product B
Dropbox
7.6
804 Ratings
11% below category average
ShareFile
8.9
64 Ratings
5% above category average
Versioning7.4644 Ratings8.150 Ratings
Video files7.8633 Ratings9.042 Ratings
Audio files8.0568 Ratings9.439 Ratings
Document collaboration7.6706 Ratings8.358 Ratings
Access control7.4750 Ratings10.061 Ratings
File search7.1778 Ratings9.061 Ratings
Device sync7.8741 Ratings8.753 Ratings
Cloud Storage Security & Administration
Comparison of Cloud Storage Security & Administration features of Product A and Product B
Dropbox
7.5
768 Ratings
15% below category average
ShareFile
9.1
60 Ratings
4% above category average
User and role management7.3706 Ratings9.357 Ratings
File organization8.0757 Ratings10.060 Ratings
Device management7.2662 Ratings8.048 Ratings
Cloud Storage Platform
Comparison of Cloud Storage Platform features of Product A and Product B
Dropbox
7.9
759 Ratings
8% below category average
ShareFile
8.6
62 Ratings
0% above category average
Performance7.9753 Ratings9.061 Ratings
Reliability8.2757 Ratings9.562 Ratings
Storage Reports7.6582 Ratings7.449 Ratings
Best Alternatives
DropboxShareFile
Small Businesses
SugarSync
SugarSync
Score 10.0 out of 10
SugarSync
SugarSync
Score 10.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Druva Data Resiliency Cloud
Druva Data Resiliency Cloud
Score 9.7 out of 10
Druva Data Resiliency Cloud
Druva Data Resiliency Cloud
Score 9.7 out of 10
Enterprises
Druva Data Resiliency Cloud
Druva Data Resiliency Cloud
Score 9.7 out of 10
Druva Data Resiliency Cloud
Druva Data Resiliency Cloud
Score 9.7 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
DropboxShareFile
Likelihood to Recommend
7.8
(827 ratings)
8.9
(87 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
6.4
(30 ratings)
9.1
(8 ratings)
Usability
8.2
(28 ratings)
9.1
(19 ratings)
Availability
7.7
(3 ratings)
9.1
(1 ratings)
Performance
6.4
(7 ratings)
9.1
(14 ratings)
Support Rating
6.1
(34 ratings)
1.0
(14 ratings)
Online Training
8.2
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.1
(3 ratings)
9.1
(3 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
5.1
(2 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
1.0
(1 ratings)
Product Scalability
7.7
(3 ratings)
1.0
(1 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(1 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
DropboxShareFile
Likelihood to Recommend
Dropbox
Dropbox has been greatly suited for sharing video files when working on our final thesis of a short film. It is easier to share files to multiple colleagues while also keeping the resolution the same. It also allows us to use the source to store our footage for safekeeping and to have it accessible to all
Read full review
ShareFile
Sometimes we just need to send a single large file, and compressing it is easier than using ShareFile. But generally, we use ShareFile to exchange or send anything over 20 MB. A problem that we have not had [yet], but wonder about is this: Are ShareFile and its e-mailed links safe for transmission to/from U.S. Government computers? All of our public-sector clients are state and locality-based. We haven't had any interacton with U.S. entities. U.S. entities, especially DOD, are rather particular about these type of file-sharing sites and links embedded inside e-mails.
Read full review
Pros
Dropbox
  • Shared data among all peoples who have access to certain folders.
  • Data stored online so it frees lots of space from the personal computer.
  • Updates really fast.
  • You can access all the information on a file on your computer and on the Dropbox online platform.
Read full review
ShareFile
  • Authenticated electronic document signatures--self-signing, and sending out for signatures. This is a robust feature that also allows for additional information to be added to documents being sent for signatures, such as dates, notes, and items omitted but needed.
  • Encrypted emails through ShareFile, Citrix apps for Outlook, Gmail, and Mac email systems. Encrypted email messages cannot be cut/pasted, nor forwarded without encryption. If only the attachments need to be encrypted, the email message can be unencrypted. Also, two options for securely opening an encrypted email (one with less credentials, one with more).
Read full review
Cons
Dropbox
  • Not a fan of "Suggested from your activity" on every page.
  • Annoying when you upload something and it opens the preview with every upload.
  • Sad to see the integration with Google Sheets go as we use that.
  • I would love for there to be training included in our paid subscription.
  • I wish there were a way to set as admin a company-wide template for naming files and folders.
Read full review
ShareFile
  • Users grow quickly (each client gets a separate account). Automated pruning would be nice.
  • I'm not aware of integration with Office365 online (only the outlook app). This could make it harder for some users.
  • It would be nice to have something that auto-scans emails and attachments for PII and would require Sharefile for those emails.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
Dropbox
Dropbox is a user-friendly, easy tool which requires little to no skill and they offer a free version with a good amount of storage available. There are other file sharing tools available however at a cost. Dropbox free version I have used for years and it serves every purpose I need.
Read full review
ShareFile
The cost is fair and the program does what it has promised to do. Customer service is attentive. I'm not aware of any better-sounding file sharing systems out there that would tempt us to discontinue ShareFile.
Read full review
Usability
Dropbox
[Its] functionality and usability are very good, however[,] on every computer that I have ever installed the app on, Dropbox assumes I want it to update the files every time I start the system up. That's not always true, but the app assumes it is. I can switch that function off, but I would rather that function default to "Off" and then I can decide to turn it on as needed.
Read full review
ShareFile
ShareFile is so easy to use I was able to download all of my projects files and have them set up to sync before my supervisor could even come over to explain the process to me. It is a neatly organized and intuitive software that allows even the less tech-savvy to become power users.
Read full review
Reliability and Availability
Dropbox
No answers on this topic
ShareFile
The software has never been down when I needed to use it.
Read full review
Performance
Dropbox
Dropbox is really useful, you can access any file from anywhere and you can upload and even edit files online, but, sometimes it can be slow. Downloading, uploading, and syncing is a bit slow, it can take several minutes. Furthermore, the search engine for large amounts of data can be slow too and it is not powerful.
Read full review
ShareFile
Easy to use, easy to integrate with Outlook. I only gave it a 9 because I have found that sometimes it does not play nicely with Outlook and can slow it down. But, when that happens (not frequent), I restart Outlook and all is well again
Read full review
Support Rating
Dropbox
They immediately responded like in an example that I gave where one of our staff members accidentally deleted the whole Special Hope Network Dropbox, we immediately contacted Dropbox they walked us through the steps of how to retrieve the information and luckily enough we were able to retrieve the entire Dropbox and we have had back and forth with Dropbox on what to do when an employee leaves how to remove them how to add another employee.
Read full review
ShareFile
Typically the support is very knowledgeable and interested in following an issue until it is fully resolved. I have not had any issues working with their staff as they are all polite and easy to communicate with. If the first or second level tech does not fix the concern then it is escalated until we get to someone who can close the case.
Read full review
Online Training
Dropbox
I did not personally take any training for Dropbox so I am self taught but I know when our Vice President selected Dropbox, he personally did do some training modules on it and I'm assuming it was very easy and simple to understand since he now acts like he is a pro at it!
Read full review
ShareFile
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
Dropbox
I needed to stay current in improving my daily operations. Dropbox
was suggested to me by a former colleague two-years ago and I've been using it just fine ever since.
Read full review
ShareFile
Good documentation for the API. With a little help from RS tech staff, any competent programmer should be able to integrate RightSignature with an existing system in a week or three. That help is easy to get as well
Read full review
Alternatives Considered
Dropbox
Google Drive has similar features, but the security functions of Dropbox allows our institution to save our sensitive and regulated data in a more protected way on Dropbox. This gives administrators, decision makers and policy makers additional piece, especially during a time and living in a world where data breaches are much more frequent and common.
Read full review
ShareFile
ShareFile is easier and does what you need. I have moved a few organizations from SharePoint to ShareFile. Just easier. You can setup different areas for different departments, setup their permissions and it is easy enough for them to do what they want in their zones. The mobile app works great as well. So you can all the features you really use from SP, but just easier to setup and use.
Read full review
Scalability
Dropbox
No answers on this topic
ShareFile
I am a one person office. I have no idea how this software would scale to a larger office.
Read full review
Return on Investment
Dropbox
  • Negatively impacted my ROI as it's rather expensive.
  • Many of my freelancers were having issues accessing Dropbox because they already had other clients with Dropbox, so I requested Google Drive instead.
  • Wish the collaboration was easier.
  • A lot of times, people on my team can't access photos.
Read full review
ShareFile
  • It's been huge in allowing our freelancers to upload a doc or email comp into the system and initiate a workflow so that those inside the organization can provide feedback without the need of staying on top of emails/messages. It's all located in one place.
  • The time suck from the previously-mentioned annotations issue has caused me to lose some productivity as I have to 'wait my turn' to drop in an annotation, then have it removed, and re-attempt multiple times. Not a huge impact on ROI, but it does affect productivity.
  • From the product side, it is helpful for me to reference what the content will be on our website before the page goes up, as well as the copy we send to our retailers who resell our products. Our marketing lingo stays even across all touch-points because of ShareFile.
Read full review
ScreenShots

Dropbox Screenshots

Screenshot of the action bar, that sits across the browser page can be used to record the screen, edit PDFs, upload files, create folders, get signatures, or send and track documents.Screenshot of Dropbox Replay, that lets collaborators leave frame-accurate feedback and markups directly on project files.Screenshot of Dropbox Capture, which can be used to take screen recordings, screenshots, and GIFs with one click and share them with a link.Screenshot of the interface where Dropbox lets users upload, edit, send, and sign PDFs in one place.

ShareFile Screenshots

Screenshot of ShareFile dashboardScreenshot of ShareFile Outlook PluginScreenshot of ProjectsScreenshot of Link sharing optionsScreenshot of ShareFile e-signature