Dropbox vs. Google Drive

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Dropbox
Score 8.2 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
Google Drive
Score 8.7 out of 10
N/A
Google Drive is a cloud file storage, synchronization, and collaboration platform and service, that features Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides for document editing and presentation.
$6
per month
Pricing
DropboxGoogle Drive
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
Basic
$6.00
per month
Business
$12.00
per month
Enterprise
Contact Vendor for Quote
per month
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
DropboxGoogle Drive
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsDiscounts are available for students, educators, and non profit organizations.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
DropboxGoogle Drive
Considered Both Products
Dropbox
Chose Dropbox
On my last test, synching on Dropbox was faster than Google Drive, but the price was much higher. Google Drive gives access to a suite of tools that Dropbox doesn’t.
Chose Dropbox
I am not sure that Google Drive or Dropbox is more intuitive from the experience in our office. It doesn't seem to be very inter-generational.
Chose Dropbox
I used Dropbox more then 10 years now and it's a reliable data storage solution for me.beside Dropbox I used Google Drive and Microsoft storage solution but I can said from my experience it is the great product overall. Flexibility and easy share make it more valuable. So I …
Chose Dropbox
Dropbox is definitely a great competitor to Google Drive. The way it is so easy to send over documents with all of the permission issues is very nice. Google has good integration with all of its products, but Dropbox is easier to use. I would recommend Dropbox over Google Drive.
Chose Dropbox
I prioritize fast syncing and need advanced file-sharing security.
Chose Dropbox
There are certain areas where google still has an edge, especially when it comes to syncing directly to google email accounts and drive, as well as accessing their apps. Dropbox is better in terms of storage and organization when it comes to sharing with teams, Dropbox is …
Chose Dropbox
I've never used another cloud storage software other than dropbox
Chose Dropbox
I prefer Dropbox if the client is comfortable using it!
Chose Dropbox
I think it's very equivalent. The main difference is navigation.
Chose Dropbox
I prefer dropbox compared to other file management companies because of the name and ease of use
Chose Dropbox
I didn't select Dropbox, but I do like how universal it is and how simple the UI is. Brandfolder got really complicated, especially in set up, but Dropbox hasn't behaved similarly
Chose Dropbox
Dropbox was already in use at my organization, so that's really the only reason that I use it now. I am still trying to get more familiar with it, but growing up in a google world makes it a little more difficult to try and get used to yet another platform.
Chose Dropbox
iDrive and Sync don't remove files from your local storage once they've been unsynced, so it's less clear which files are available and which aren't. Plus Dropbox now selectively offloads files when they haven't been used in a while, so it's managing your storage usage for you …
Google Drive
Chose Google Drive
The Dropbox organization system seems confusing and it becomes expensive if it's needed to be used by several different accounts. Also the user interface seems less clear than Google Drive and pricing plans are not so affordable given the functions offered. Also there is no way …
Chose Google Drive
Google Drive and Dropbox have very similar functionality. I liked Google Drive better because it was easier to integrate with my existing Gmail and other Google apps. It also automatically coexists on any Android phone or tablet and can automatically backup your pictures. It …
Chose Google Drive
From Google Drive, we like the simplicity of having a single vendor, and the integration with the rest of Google Apps. From Dropbox, we like the smooth desktop integration and the cheap storage plans.
Chose Google Drive
They can all do the basics equally well, storing and sharing documents. Google Drive is the best from an ease of use perspective. SharePoint is a little better in terms of user management. Dropbox has the best name recognition, but not all the features you will need. If you …
Chose Google Drive
I had similar problems with Dropbox, that's why I switched to Google Drive. But when I think about my recent experience, I see that the Dropbox experience was not so bad. They were at least able to revert the changes and their app, although has problems, was not as ridiculous …
Chose Google Drive
We found in comparing Dropbox with Google Drive it was lacking in ease of use, price to expand was not as attractive. We found sharing files with our clients was more difficult than with Google Drive. Our clients, when they had to shift into using it found it seamless. We did …
Chose Google Drive
Feature-wise, Google Drive is at the bottom of its peers. However, due to its Google Mail user base, Google Drive has wide acceptance and penetration. Its ease-of-use feature is probably somewhere in the middle, lower than Dropbox but higher than OneDrive. It is free but so are …
Chose Google Drive
I have used both Dropbox and Google Drive. In my experience, Google Drive is much more flexible and the seamless integration with our other Google products and even non-Google products makes our processes much easier to set up and much more efficient at the end of the day. It …
Chose Google Drive
Since my official accounts are on Gmail and it has a paid service, So accessing Google Drive is easier. The cost is also less compared to other services.
Chose Google Drive
Google Drive is more feature rich, it has stronger search capabilities and it's simple and intuitive to use.
Chose Google Drive
The most indeed reason is the security provided by Google. Every other company can provide lots of cloud space but my sensitive data is the key so, secure system is my first priority.

As I am tech person i feel its very easy to use and lot of features that make it better than …
Chose Google Drive
Google Drive works with a Google account. So I don't need to use multiple account credentials. And it is easy to remember one account. And one more thing which motivated me to go for Google Drive is its speed for performing multiple tasks.
Chose Google Drive
In short, Google Drive is better for independent users who store a normal amount of stuff. OneDrive makes more sense for businesses and teams that are doing heavy-duty storage or large-scale syncing. Realistically, though, most users will fall somewhere in between the two, …
Chose Google Drive
The free plan takes Google Drive at the top of the stack, paying nothing you can store data up to 15GB. This could be really important for a startup that has to consider how to manage the initial budget. I selected Google Drive because I had already a Google account, before …
Chose Google Drive
Can't compare, it's faster. It owns several Google platforms. Organization, search, and collaborative work 100%
Chose Google Drive
Google Drive is very useful especially when you are using the entire Google workspace. If you are using Google Docs, Slides, and Gmail, then Google Drive integrates well with those apps. For those working primarily in a Microsoft environment using Microsoft Office and Outlook, …
Chose Google Drive
The best part of Google Drive is that it provides 15 GB of space, free of charge. Moreover, since Google Drive works seamlessly with every other device smartphone, switching from one device to another is very easy and convenient which is a big plus point. Moreover, Google …
Chose Google Drive
I find google drive user friendly as compared to any other app, it's easy to use and all you have to do is save the file you need for future use. I dont have to figure out where I have saved which type of file because I can create folders too.
Chose Google Drive
Google drive is easier to use and integrates well with different applications. It is also less expensive.
Chose Google Drive
For the free version, the storage capacity being offered is by far the greatest as compared to any other collaboration software. However, if your company has the capacity to pay for the software then there are more features being offered by the paid versions of other software …
Chose Google Drive
Google's own data and a word processor is the main factor in choosing Drive. Another thing I like about Google over Microsoft is the shareable link, which is more interpretable and helps me avoid sharing the wrong link.
Chose Google Drive
Both OneDrive and Google Drive give a similar cloud administration identified with capacity and record sharing. The two organizations' answers let you access your documents and envelopes from any place. Thus, our distributed storage examination depends on a few variables which …
Chose Google Drive
Google Drive provides more space in comparison to all the other file storage systems available in the market. Also, it provides a 2-way verification system so it is more secure.
Chose Google Drive
Google Drive is a very simple and practical tool. The others are also, but I really like the Google brand and its products. This one in particular because I have been using it for some time and it has helped me a lot since then. I still have documents for 7 years and are very …
Top Pros
Top Cons
TrustRadius Insights
DropboxGoogle Drive
Highlights

TrustRadius
Research Team Insight
Published

Features
DropboxGoogle Drive
File Sharing & Management
Comparison of File Sharing & Management features of Product A and Product B
Dropbox
7.7
887 Ratings
9% below category average
Google Drive
8.5
209 Ratings
1% above category average
Versioning7.6714 Ratings8.8184 Ratings
Video files8.0697 Ratings7.9178 Ratings
Audio files8.2623 Ratings8.3172 Ratings
Document collaboration7.5780 Ratings9.0206 Ratings
Access control7.5828 Ratings8.9204 Ratings
File search7.2855 Ratings7.7208 Ratings
Device sync8.0814 Ratings8.9194 Ratings
Cloud Storage Security & Administration
Comparison of Cloud Storage Security & Administration features of Product A and Product B
Dropbox
7.7
848 Ratings
12% below category average
Google Drive
8.3
203 Ratings
4% below category average
User and role management7.6778 Ratings8.4191 Ratings
File organization8.0837 Ratings7.8202 Ratings
Device management7.5730 Ratings8.799 Ratings
Cloud Storage Platform
Comparison of Cloud Storage Platform features of Product A and Product B
Dropbox
8.0
836 Ratings
7% below category average
Google Drive
8.7
202 Ratings
2% above category average
Performance7.8829 Ratings8.6200 Ratings
Reliability8.2834 Ratings9.0202 Ratings
Storage Reports7.8636 Ratings8.587 Ratings
Best Alternatives
DropboxGoogle Drive
Small Businesses
SugarSync
SugarSync
Score 7.0 out of 10
SugarSync
SugarSync
Score 7.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Druva Security Cloud
Druva Security Cloud
Score 9.7 out of 10
Druva Security Cloud
Druva Security Cloud
Score 9.7 out of 10
Enterprises
Druva Security Cloud
Druva Security Cloud
Score 9.7 out of 10
Druva Security Cloud
Druva Security Cloud
Score 9.7 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
DropboxGoogle Drive
Likelihood to Recommend
7.8
(911 ratings)
8.7
(210 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
7.2
(31 ratings)
9.9
(5 ratings)
Usability
7.7
(65 ratings)
8.4
(40 ratings)
Availability
7.6
(3 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Performance
6.3
(8 ratings)
9.0
(7 ratings)
Support Rating
6.2
(34 ratings)
8.0
(48 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(1 ratings)
Online Training
8.2
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
8.1
(4 ratings)
8.0
(3 ratings)
Configurability
6.4
(1 ratings)
6.0
(1 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
5.0
(1 ratings)
Product Scalability
7.2
(4 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
DropboxGoogle Drive
Likelihood to Recommend
Dropbox
It works very well for my particular role in book design, where I manage multiple projects simultaneously and need to link to hundreds of images nested within other folders. At times, though, it seems my computer folders will change which files are kept in the cloud vs. my desktop.
Read full review
Google
It is possible to share files and folders with up to 200 email addresses, as well as with persons outside the company.Use the drop-down arrow to select who may see, comment on, or change the file or folder before sending out an invitation.I am very much impressed with this feature
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
Google
  • Any user with access can store a file using different platforms like Android, IOS, Windows, or Ubuntu (Desktop version)
  • You can share files with any number of different users with different access rights or you can even keep it public by providing the access link and assign different rights for public access
  • You can open Excel/Word files using google software Sheets/Docs in the browser environment without having to install software like Microsoft Office etc on your Windows OS
Read full review
Cons
Dropbox
  • One issue is when the preview of the video will sometimes play at the same time when watching it in full screen, where the two videos overlap each other.
  • Faster import time when inserting multiple files
  • It will be easier and faster to have a section to delete files under the folder tab
Read full review
Google
  • Having a little bit more control and clarity over what is shared and how it is shared would be a useful improvement.
  • Could be more robust and flexible as far as assigning restrictions.
  • Google Sheets could be enhanced because Excel really is not there yet as a product with equal capabilities as there are still quite a few limitations to the functionality.
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
Google
For its compatibility, easiness, quick responses, user interface, storage capacity, files management and file listings. These are some of the reasons for giving higher ratings and Google Drive has become an integral part of my professional life. We use this software on daily basis and most of the time saving lot of time.
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
Google
It's easy enough to use for computer users of all ages and skill levels. I am an advanced user, and I think the hardest part might be showing someone how to download and set up the app on their device if they weren't too familiar with computers, but overall it is very easy to understand.
Read full review
Reliability and Availability
Dropbox
No answers on this topic
Google
Always available
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
Google
The documents load fairly quickly and also update in real time, especially given the fact that multiple people can be using it at once. The "Offline" feature works great to allow the user to make edits and access the document without access to the internet, and then sync changes later once they're back.
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
Google
It takes a few days for customer support to get back to you. Although, I have not had to use support too often. Once you get an email back, they are very thorough and work hard to fix the problem quickly. It is a really great resource and a great way to get the help you need if you're stuck. A phone call also works quickly but you have to call during specific times.
Read full review
In-Person Training
Dropbox
No answers on this topic
Google
The effective google workspace using training that my organization received and was conducted by me (as a team lead of the ICT team) was mind-blowing and as a result, our staff is performing well in terms of using the application for their daily jobs than before. Now, in my institution, all teachers and all the administrative personnel are very much interested in cloud storage facilities, in previous my institution was afraid of losing all important documents in the cloud storage. But, after having received the training they are now realized that if anyone has only one google account then he or she can use 15GB of cloud storage freely and they are now happy because now it is not necessary for anyone to carry the traditional pen drive.
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
Google
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
Google
It's an extremely easy software to implement, once you sign up for a google account you automatically have access to google drive with a set amount of storage space. The business or Google Suite accounts have more storage space than a regular free account, but setting up and accessing google drive is very easy in both cases
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
Google
In short, Google Drive is better for independent users who store a normal amount of stuff. OneDrive makes more sense for businesses and teams that are doing heavy-duty storage or large-scale syncing. Realistically, though, most users will fall somewhere in between the two, where either platform would meet their needs.
Read full review
Scalability
Dropbox
bc i think box.com is better and more affordable
Read full review
Google
I have always been able to access
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
Google
  • It has given our operation remote capabilities
  • Easier to access and understand client's need through collaborative enviroment
  • availability to digital resources fast and easy
  • saved our operation hundreds of dollars in physical storage (both investment and maintenance)
  • our operation became easier for new staff to get onboard: small learning curve to use it
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.

Google Drive Screenshots

Screenshot of Google Drive PriorityScreenshot of Comment on Microsoft Files in Google DriveScreenshot of Shared drives