Dropbox vs. OneDrive

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Dropbox
Score 8.0 out of 10
N/A
Dropbox is a service for file syncing and sharing, or for cloud storage.
$11.99
per month
OneDrive
Score 8.2 out of 10
N/A
OneDrive from Microsoft is a cloud storage and file syncing service.
$5
per month
Pricing
DropboxOneDrive
Editions & Modules
Plus
$11.99
per month
Family
$19.99
per month
Basic
Free
OneDrive for Business Plan 1
$5.00
Per Month (Annual Commitment)
Microsoft 365 Business Basic
$5.00
Per Month (Annual Commitment)
OneDrive for Business Plan 2
$10.00
Per Month (Annual Commitment)
Microsoft 365 Business Standard
$12.50
Per Month (Annual Commitment)
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
DropboxOneDrive
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details—OneDrive can be purchased as a standalone tool, or as part of a Microsoft 365's business suite.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
DropboxOneDrive
Considered Both Products
Dropbox
Chose Dropbox
Google Drive and OneDrive are also professional files hosting and sharing cloud space services, and they were being used in our organization, but They have more chance to hacking and losing your files, especially the main and most important files. So in my view, Dropbox is the …
Chose Dropbox
iCloud lacks the ability to share the files with other non-Apple users. Google Drive and OneDrive do have the ability of collaboration with multiple users but their user interfaces and user experience are not as good as Dropbox.
Chose Dropbox
Dropbox is free and is better to be used on a desktop. OneDrive is also free and it’s better for use on a smartphone. But you can use both on either desktop or smartphone
Chose Dropbox
I started using dropbox first. I didn't see any advantage to moving away from it, so I haven't. I only use the other solutions for people who only use OneDrive or Google Drive
Chose Dropbox
Dropbox has been my preferred compared to the other three. OneDrive is fantastic to use if you have the full Office 365 suite. Box works well but does not integrate as cleanly as Dropbox does. Google Drive can be somewhat of a bear to use when it comes to syncing between google …
Chose Dropbox
I have used Box, Google Drive and MS OneDrive. Honestly, most of the company has trust issues with Microsoft and Google as they have a history of leaks and system hacks. Box is good but not as complete a business solution compared to Dropbox. Dropbox is fast and reliable and it …
Chose Dropbox
Dropbox WAS faster, offered more storage, seemed more reliable six years ago. Today, Amazon, Google, OneDrive are outperforming DropBox. We will probably not renew our subscription and switch to one of the other providers.
Chose Dropbox
OneDrive works well with email servers and adapts well with Microsoft Word, which everyone is well acquainted with. With Dropbox, there is more accessibility where people can use it in a more versatile way. It is available to download without being attached to a whole suite. …
Chose Dropbox
I didn't specifically make the decision at the time- however, when we decided on Dropbox in early 2010's, there weren't many options on the market. Later on, OneDrive and Google Drive really came onto the scene. However, even though we use Microsoft Outlook, and OneDrive might …
Chose Dropbox
Dropbox is similar to OneDrive and although we use OneDrive for our day to day file storage as we are Microsoft based - our partners and collaborators often use Dropbox so we use it for our document storage with those organizations. Dropbox has been better for us that Google …
Chose Dropbox
Dropbox is a good standalone cloud based storage system that works across many different platforms. It is similar to it's counterparts in OneDrive and Google Drive, but doesn't have the need to be a part of any of their suites, or be tied to your Gmail account or Microsoft …
Chose Dropbox
While OneDrive is a similar system to Dropbox, I've had many more syncing issues with that software, including being unable to save certain MS Office documents while using a different machine. It also requires a Microsoft account to use, while Dropbox is platform agnostic. …
Chose Dropbox
OneDrive is clumsy. Google Drive is very decent but we prefer that Dropbox is designed to be a cross-platform offering.
Chose Dropbox
Compared to Google Cloud Storage, the Dropbox app has proven to be more stable and dependable. In the meantime, Google has improved and is a great alternative. But now that we've decided to stick with Dropbox, we'll keep using it. In terms of ease of use, Dropbox appears to be …
Chose Dropbox
Dropbox integrates with Microsoft Office applications more smoothly and allows you to edit the uploaded file on the go. Saving the file is automatic and you do not have to worry about losing the update that you just made. Support is smooth with all communications methods …
Chose Dropbox
Dropbox's web interface is probably the cleanest when compared to their competitors. But once the desktop app is installed, there is very little separating one from the other (in terms of performance and reliability). Security and storage space are obvious concerns, which will …
Chose Dropbox
Dropbox is by far the most user-friendly cloud-storage solution. I do wish the overhead costs were lower though so all of our teams could use it (since when only one department does, it's not as impactful anymore). If Google Drive was a paid tool, I'm sure we would be using …
Chose Dropbox
Dropbox is a bit more user-friendly and more widely accepted with our vendors. It also offers more security than alternatives.
Chose Dropbox
Compared to all the file-sharing services I've used, Dropbox is the most reliable and easiest to use. They've also done a nice job of adding features/functionality over the years.

Actually, one thing I've yet to mention: Dropbox has done a great job of compatibility with …
Chose Dropbox
By far the easiest to set up and manage.
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 have free cloud storage accounts for a number of services but dropbox and Google Drive are my go-to's. I use GSuite and Android mobile devices and Drive is heavily integrated, however, all my clients use dropbox. When I start working with new clients, it's the first service I …
Chose Dropbox
Dropbox may be the most expensive against other cloud sharing products, but you get what you pay for. There are free versions of Dropbox, however there are also plenty of other free programs similar that aren't as effective. Dropbox is more secure, simple, reliable, and …
OneDrive
Chose OneDrive
One Drive stacks up well against Dropbox and ShareFile because of its ease of use. With so many people using Microsoft Office Products it is easy to pick up how to use and leverage OneDrive. OneDrive allows quick use of applications like Excel within OneDrive without having to …
Chose OneDrive
I personally like Dropbox more but OneDrive has better support and it is integrated directly into the Microsoft Office environment. You can attach files directly from OneNote or Outlook and the file sharing is really easy. The versioning in OneDrive seems better although not …
Chose OneDrive
OneDrive is overall a strong contender whereas only the cost is more compared to Google Drive. Another additional strength compared to Dropbox or Google Drive is the capability of OneDrive to connect with other Microsoft applications smoothly and seamlessly, thus, allowing …
Chose OneDrive
For me, it is easiest to use One Drive if you are working primarily with Windows, Google Drive if you are working with Android devices or Chrome OS, but Dropbox works well on all platforms and has more business features and control over file access, etc.
Chose OneDrive
We are a Microsoft ecosystem, so IDrive isn't appropriate. Dropbox was more expensive and less integrated to Windows. OneDrive is part of our Office 365 subscription, so the decision-making process was easy.
Chose OneDrive
OneDrive was a perfect fit for our use case. Sharepoint was too robust and complicated, Dropbox too simple. Not an Apple shop fo iCloud was out. Not a Google shop, so less appealing. OneDrive fit the bill perfectly.
Chose OneDrive
After our analysis, we found OneDrive superior to Dropbox and Backblaze, considering our specific scenario of use. We also found OneDrive very similar to Google Drive when comparing features, ease-of-use, etc.(both are in the same level). Google offered more storage space, but …
Chose OneDrive
I believe OneDrive was selected due to Microsoft's proven record on information security. It is easily integrated with other apps that employees use within the office suite. Google and Dropbox services do not seem as secure as Microsoft O365 products. In a highly regulated …
Chose OneDrive
In past organizations, I have utilized Dropbox as a tool for file sharing and document collaboration. In my opinion, OneDrive is a much more comprehensive solution, because OneDrive takes Dropbox one step further by integrating and automatically saving files in the device in a …
Chose OneDrive
I think OneDrive and Dropbox are very compatible, however Dropbox has the advantage of being out in the market earlier. There is also a perception that OneDrive is not compatible across devices especially since Dropbox has apps across different platforms. Lastly there is also a …
Chose OneDrive
I really find them equals in performance. I have used Dropbox for over a decade and it has always been reliable. However, Dropbox is not integrated with Microsoft Teams and it is much more expensive.
Chose OneDrive
Compared to Dropbox, I like it a lot more. The user interface looks cleaner, your files are secure, and collaboration is encouraged with the tools that they offer.
Chose OneDrive
OneDrive is my go to solution because included in the price of OneDrive is full access to the Microsoft Office suite of programs. It also includes all the same features as Google Drive and Dropbox, but includes those programs and even an email account if you want, so its the …
Chose OneDrive
Though Dropbox has been in existence and popular, I found OneDrive to be much more effective in terms of pricing. And app support is better with OneDrive. Also as mentioned the new feature of not downloading all files but showing the names gets my vote for OneDrive. One more …
Chose OneDrive
Dropbox does not have convenient business solutions such as cloud reporting. But One Drive ,It's a platform that virtually everyone already uses to some extent: it's more user-friendly and provides a better browser-based experience.
Chose OneDrive
OneDrive is integrated with O365 and Outlook, as well as Windows is really the game-changer. Dropbox and Google pioneered the way, but Microsoft has a tightly integrated, dead simple solution here that I struggle to find complaint with. Google gives some better options for …
Chose OneDrive
OneDrive feels native is you are a Microsoft 365 user. The integration aspect of being a Microsoft customer and using all platform tools together helps with driving adoption, ease of learning, and overall efficiency. While Google Drive is widely used as well, there is a ramp …
Chose OneDrive
"Describe how OneDrive stacks up against (alternatives) and why you selected OneDrive." It doesn't, except it's more secure than Gdrive. Definitely wouldn't select OneDrive for anything important.
Chose OneDrive
OneDrive stands out above these services in the integration it has with other Office 365 applications. There is no cloud storage solution that integrates as well with these applications that most users use on a daily basis. OneDrive has also made it easy for users to …
Chose OneDrive
I would not recommend OneDrive to anyone. Buggy and unreliable. Frequently corrupts files.
Chose OneDrive
OneDrive is included in our Microsoft suite of products so there was no additional cost for us to use it. We use OneDrive for that reason mainly. For the most part, it does what you expect a cloud storage system to do, and it does it fairly well. For a larger group (10 or more …
Chose OneDrive
All of these products require a document storage system or are a document storage system. All of them get you to replicate what you are currently doing and paying for with Office 365 and OneDrive as a packaged feature. It’s just as robust and is native to your operating system …
Chose OneDrive
Tight integration with Office 365 is the main reason. Besides, Microsoft has a good reputation for supporting enterprise customers. Smartsheet does not have that reputation. We also have a long, stable relationship with Microsoft. Microsoft provides 1 TB of storage for each …
Chose OneDrive
OneDrive was firstly integrated into our Office 365 license and integrates very well with our Microsoft Windows and Office environment. It provides good integration with Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. Having the ability to allow multiple users to edit the same Word, Excel files …
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
DropboxOneDrive
File Sharing & Management
Comparison of File Sharing & Management features of Product A and Product B
Dropbox
7.1
113 Ratings
14% below category average
OneDrive
7.1
112 Ratings
14% below category average
Versioning6.997 Ratings7.388 Ratings
Video files6.9105 Ratings6.299 Ratings
Audio files7.2101 Ratings6.693 Ratings
Document collaboration7.5104 Ratings7.6106 Ratings
Access control7.1111 Ratings7.1107 Ratings
File search7.2112 Ratings7.9112 Ratings
Device sync6.8108 Ratings6.9110 Ratings
Cloud Storage Security & Administration
Comparison of Cloud Storage Security & Administration features of Product A and Product B
Dropbox
7.2
109 Ratings
17% below category average
OneDrive
6.8
107 Ratings
22% below category average
User and role management6.9101 Ratings6.895 Ratings
File organization7.7108 Ratings7.0107 Ratings
Device management7.194 Ratings6.690 Ratings
Cloud Storage Platform
Comparison of Cloud Storage Platform features of Product A and Product B
Dropbox
7.3
113 Ratings
14% below category average
OneDrive
7.2
111 Ratings
15% below category average
Performance7.5113 Ratings7.8110 Ratings
Reliability7.7113 Ratings7.5111 Ratings
Storage Reports6.687 Ratings6.385 Ratings
Best Alternatives
DropboxOneDrive
Small Businesses
SugarSync
SugarSync
Score 10.0 out of 10
SugarSync
SugarSync
Score 10.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
IBM Cloud Block Storage
IBM Cloud Block Storage
Score 9.2 out of 10
IBM Cloud Block Storage
IBM Cloud Block Storage
Score 9.2 out of 10
Enterprises
IBM Cloud Block Storage
IBM Cloud Block Storage
Score 9.2 out of 10
IBM Cloud Block Storage
IBM Cloud Block Storage
Score 9.2 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
DropboxOneDrive
Likelihood to Recommend
7.2
(132 ratings)
7.4
(112 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
4.5
(21 ratings)
9.0
(5 ratings)
Usability
8.6
(23 ratings)
8.0
(12 ratings)
Availability
9.0
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
8.8
(10 ratings)
9.0
(2 ratings)
Support Rating
7.3
(60 ratings)
7.9
(69 ratings)
Online Training
9.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
10.0
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
8.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
DropboxOneDrive
Likelihood to Recommend
Dropbox
Well-Suited Scenarios: Large Design Files: Dropbox is well-suited for architects who work with large design files, such as blueprints, CAD files, and 3D models. Dropbox's large file sharing capabilities make it easy to share these files with team members and clients, while its version control features allow architects to track changes over time. Limited Customization: Dropbox may be less appropriate for me who require a high level of customization in my workflow or project management.
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Microsoft
I'll start with what I would not use OneDrive for! I would not use it as a primary source for code repository, there are other more robust tools out there that can help you with storing and making available code repos. Where I would use OneDrive is in a platform for managing files, and with that I mean any file that can be saved offline and access a OneDrive access point, share, or mount. This could be personal, business, or data from a system that is saved in a standard file format. The OneDrive platform is great for documents collaboration as well, with the ability to allow for share and links to be provided to for easy access and collaboration. I would also recommend if you are someone who likes to use cloud services and rely less and less on offline storage. OneDrive excels in this area!
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Pros
Dropbox
  • We are transferring large files and multiple files with various internal and external parties due to the ease of sharing files and folders.
  • Smart sync, so you don't have to worry about device space and search large file batches quickly.
  • Synchronizing a data file across organizations without the user having to do anything other than work is a significant benefit of cloud computing.
  • Allowing only the people who need it to have access is a huge perk and works well with other enterprise software.
Read full review
Microsoft
  • Sync functions allow to access work virtually anywhere
  • Collaboration options make working with others easier, increasing productivity
  • It works seamlessly in different devices
  • The one drive online functions allows to use office programs like work and excel without having them installed in a device
Read full review
Cons
Dropbox
  • At one point 2 gigs [were] deemed enough for the "Free" version of Dropbox and its competition. However as even the most simple picture from a phone gets larger, 2 gigs might no longer be enough. Might want to increase the free size to adjust for file size inflation.
  • Dropbox's app is very presumptive of updating itself every time you log on to a system that it's installed on. I know that's a feature you can turn off, but the assumption to turn that feature on by default is annoying.
  • Dropbox could use a phone app function that would initiate a download to a designated computer hard drive. It would eliminate having to see the file on your phone, go to your computer, turn it on and then download the file.
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Microsoft
  • I wish OneDrive would allow you to sync multiple personal/individual accounts to your computer. At this time, you can only sync one account at a time. That means that my personal OneDrive and individual corporate OneDrive can't be synced to my computer at the same time.
  • OneDrive has a file size limitation of 15 GB. I know that that is a very large amount, but I have several files that are larger than 15 GB that I wish I could get to sync. I'm hoping that file size limitation changes in the future.
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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.
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Microsoft
Due to its tight integration into the Microsoft ecosystem and its bundling into the Office 365 service, continued use of the product is all but guaranteed. Unless there's a shift away from Microsoft, I can see no competing product offering the same ease of use and integrations taking the place of OneDrive
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Usability
Dropbox
Dropbox is dead simple to us since right out of the box, it creates a folder on your PC and anything added to it gets synced to the cloud and any other device signed into that account. You can then dive deeper into permissions, version history, etc. Overall though, the minimalist approach is welcome since not everyone we work with is highly technical and that itself saves us time and money. Many of our colleagues already use Dropbox for their personal cloud so no training is required when using it at work other than going over our own company guidelines and best practices.
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Microsoft
Using OneDrive is very intuitive and has been improved over the years. It's just like using native file management on either your Mac or PC. It's drag and drop functionality is easy and it clearly shows when files are uploaded to the cloud or if there are errors
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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.
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Microsoft
It has a good performance, the pages load normally, access to the files, management, reports, everything is working well. With regard to integration with other systems, we have not done so yet.
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Support Rating
Dropbox
It has not been necessary to go to customer support lately, since everything works perfectly. However, I must add that at the beginning when I started using Dropbox, and I had any doubts about how it worked, customer support was always attentive and found the best solutions effectively.
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Microsoft
It's a Microsoft product so there is a wealth of information online both from Microsoft directly and from millions of users but as a corporate user we also have access to direct Microsoft support through a variety of avenues (phone, email, etc.). This makes finding answers to issues more accessible, however, it does also mean that any new feature requests will get buried.
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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.
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Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
Dropbox
Compared to Google Cloud Storage, the Dropbox app has proven to be more stable and dependable. In the meantime, Google has improved and is a great alternative. But now that we've decided to stick with Dropbox, we'll keep using it. In terms of ease of use, Dropbox appears to be the better option. It has all of the features that we require and more. It's easier to use for simple tasks, making it more convenient.
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Microsoft
Box is another file-sharing application that is very similar to OneDrive. Box falls short of OneDrive in its syncing capabilities. OneDrive is very quick with syncing so you never have to be concerned that you are not using the most up-to-date materials. Box was always a bit delayed and did not always accurately sync across systems. OneDrive benefits from being backed by Microsoft, so you expect the connection across applications that it allows. OneDrive also provides consistency for use and intuitive understanding because of that Microsoft consistency. I'd prefer OneDrive over Box.
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Scalability
Dropbox
I can add and add a tin files large files and Dropbox is still working great!
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Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
Dropbox
  • Dropbox has a very generous free option. Once surpassed, the cost is relatively inexpensive, which makes it a low cost option for file sharing.
  • It allows us to easily share files with clients without needing to pay for other services that are email based.
  • It's wide usage and wide acceptance in the business world makes it easy to work with other individuals and companies, speeding up collaboration.
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Microsoft
  • OneDrive allows us to save much time on creating and archiving backup copies of our data. Microsoft gives a guarantee on the possibility of recovery of files or folders even from 30 days ago. It provides a great comfort of work.
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ScreenShots