Overall Satisfaction with Box
I own and operate a small IT consulting firm, and I was a very early adopter of the Box cloud offering back when they first started. I was actually grandfathered in with about 25GB of free space, so I've never had the need to upgrade to a paid plan. I think it's fair that I preempt that. Rather than list a problem, I'll just describe how I use Box, and why I've stayed with them. I use Box as the primary repository for client related files, and the general upload spot for use by me when in the field for files and utilities that I need or get from my clients. I also use it with trusted external parties that I collaborate with on client projects. It fits the bill nicely - even at the non-paid version - for my needs.
- Very easy to use with an intuitive website and desktop sync client
- Mobile apps afford the ability to access the account and files form virtually anywhere
- Paid versions have unlimited file sizes and types
- Nice integrations with 3rd party apps
- Offline sync client needs updating to allow for more selective folder and file syncing
- Windows sync client updates quite often - not a bad thing, but also not automatic
- At the free level, I'd like to see the online only option... Right now, there's no way to tell that files actually synced!
- Well - I am using the free version - so I am way into the positive ROI! However - for the paid versions, the ROI is good as they start with a $5 (100GB) per month plan with quite a lot of features, so finding a version in your price range should be easy.
- I think one negative impact thing will be fact that a solution like OneDrive - which is part of Office 365 - or Google Drive (part of Google Apps) - would virtually eliminate the need to go with an outside service.
- Compliance factors might sway a company back. Couple that with an attention paid to the location of data in the Box network (think GDPR) - and you can sway some back to Box.
- Couple a $5 Box account with a free Gmail account and someone can go into business quite easily!
I was (and am) a very early cloud adopter. I've had accounts with all of the major players since their inception - some even on direct invite! That said - I've used most all of the cloud services, and I've found that most offer the same and/or similar services with the main variations being in plan levels; space offered; integration sets; etc. Box has really stepped up their game in regard to overt compliance and GDPR regulations, so for any company that needs these two features as their main ones - Box is the answer.