Cloud storage providers: the best Dropbox alternatives

So why are good Dropbox alternatives even necessary? This US-based online storage provider remains one of the most popular platforms available today, but for all its advantages, there are some downsides to this market leader.

Dropbox has various different versions available for use. In the free version, the user receives 2 GB of storage space, but this can be extended through certain activities, like recommending Dropbox to friends. But for users who are certain they’ll require a lot more storage capacity, there’s various payment models on offer. There are also models designed for businesses, some of which offer unlimited storage space as part of a subscription package.

Dropbox is in many aspects the best file hosting provider on the market today. The app is technically very advanced. But, despite all its advantages, Dropbox has weak points as well. We’ve summarized its pros and cons in the following overview below:

Advantages

• Tidy and intuitive user interface: using Dropbox is easy, plain and simple. The clear folder structure and drag-and-drop function for moving files and folders make it easy for anyone to use.
• Supports many operating systems: there’s barely another cloud storage facility available that offers such a wide range of apps for different operating systems. Whether it’s Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, or iOS, Dropbox is a solution for almost every device imaginable.
• Big range of functions and extensions: the popularity of the program has led to the development of a wide range of functions, including the creation of work groups, the option to drop office documents directly into Dropbox, and the sharing of files with users who don’t have a Dropbox account themselves. There’s also an extensive list of Dropbox tools available.
• Powerful encryption technology: the files are protection with an AES 256-bit encryption (the strongest of all AES encryptions) before being saved. The transmission of files is also coded with a TLS/SSL.

Disadvantages

• Problems continue to occur with data protection: Dropbox is continuously criticized for the security of its stored files and user data – partly because of its cooperation with the NSA, and partly because hackers have managed to steal e-mail addresses and passwords of users.
• Limited free storage space: the free version of Dropbox only offers users 2 GB of storage space. While you can earn more free cloud space by inviting your friends to join and other similar actions, other cloud file hosting service offer a lot more free storage space as standard.
• No in-browser editing feature: documents like text files or presentations have to be opened with a suitable program already installed on the corresponding computer or mobile device. But in some cases, users may not have the right program installed on their device to allow them to edit. Some other cloud storage providers (including Microsoft OneDrive with Microsoft Office Online) have solved this problem by enabling users to edit documents directly in the browser. Dropbox is yet to provide a function like this.

All files are encrypted (AES 256) and stored in certified data centers in Germany (ISO 27001). TLS transmission and full automatic backups also provide additional protection. 

Amazon Drive (previously Amazon Cloud Drive) lets users choose between a free basic model and various fee-based storage plans. If you choose the free option, you’ll get a total of 5GB of storage space to use for photos, videos, and all other files. Amazon Prime customers can take advantage of unlimited photo storage space (from less than $10 per month) as well as all other Prime advantages such as better shipping conditions for Amazon orders and the use of video and music features. Contracts are valid for one year and start at approx. $20 for 100 GB. The highest-volume storage plan, which grants access to 30 TB of available storage, costs around $3,500.

The Californian company Box has been in existence since 2005 – a full two years longer than Dropbox. In many aspects, the two providers are quite similar: Box also offers the strongest AES encryption with 256 Bit key length and a wide range of functions. And you could argue that operation and intuition on Box are even easier than on Dropbox.

Private users can have up to 10 GB of Box cloud storage space. But despite this generous offer, uploaded files can’t be larger than 250 MB – meaning that big files can’t be uploaded (or not in one piece at least). But for $10 a month, the upload limit rises to 5 GB and at the same time you get 100 GB storage space, which is relatively small compared to what other providers offer for this price. There are other packages on offer for business customers, starting from just $5 for 100 GB of storage and a 2 GB file upload.

Google Drive is one of the world’s most used cloud storage services. All you have to do is create a Google account to receive 15 GB of storage space free of charge, although this 15 GB storage limit does include all files that are stored on the Google servers, including e-mails on Gmail, images on Google Photos, and more). Users who require more online storage than this can receive a further 100 GB for just $2 a month, and 1 TB for $10 a month. And whether you choose the free version or a monthly subscription to Google Drive, your data is still encrypted with AES 128 Bit protection – even when you’re transferring files.

One of the biggest plus points for Google Drive is its integrated Office Suite. This allows you to work on text documents (Google Docs), tables (Google Sheets), and presentations (Google Slides) directly in your browser. Documents can also be worked on easily as part of a team – changes are automatically saved and a complete version history of every document is provided (for up to 30 days). With the various commentary and chat functions, individual users can communicate quickly and easily with one another to resolve issues.

iCloud Drive is a component of the overall iCloud package and offers users 5 GB of free storage that can be expanded at any time. With a monthly subscription costing just 99 cents, you can receive 50 GB of storage. There are other price plans too: 200 GB will cost you $2.99 a month, and 1 TB is $9.99 a month. This cloud storage from Apple isn’t reserved exclusively for Apple users either: iCloud Drive works on Windows computers as well. But iCloud Drive does represent a good option for Apple users, as you’ll already have an iCloud account on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad and so can use this to get started with your online storage right away. Lastly, iCloud Drive features iWork, the Apple version of an office application, which allows you to work directly within the browser.

Users of Microsoft’s cloud storage get access to 5 GB of free storage space and can expand that to 50 GB for just $1.99 a month. Documents can be edited in the browser with Microsoft Office Online too. Group work is also possible using this alternative to Dropbox and is supported by a wide variety of functions.

For a monthly subscription of $6.99, you can enjoy not only 1 TB of storage space, but also access to Microsoft 365, giving you access to all of the most famous Microsoft Office applications, like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more. The special feature here is that (unlike the office programs on Google Drive) you can use theseOffice applications offline as well. For $9.99 a month, up to 5 users can access the same Microsoft OneDrive account (with 1 TB of storage space per person) and all 5 get the Microsoft 365 package too. There are other price models for businesses to explore too – please refer to our article for a complete overview of the different license models of the OneDrive Microsoft 365 combination.

The cloud solution from SecureSafe is especially designed for businesses who want the highest level of protection for their data. All files are stored on a server in Switzerland and strongly encrypted. A triple redundancy backup and a user authentication feature via Secure Remote Password Protocol (SRP) ensures that data is very secure. The Dropbox alternative functions not only as online storage for your files, but also as a manager for your personal passwords, including practical import and export functions.

For private users, there’s a free package – but it only allows you to store 100 MB of data and 50 passwords. You can acquire more storage space of course, but it comes at a price: 100 GB for around $13 a month. For companies, the offer is particularly interesting since from three colleagues onwards, it’s only $10 per head and you receive 100 GB of team storage for up to ten separate working areas.

SpiderOak is considered the safest of all the US providers when it comes to encryption of files – which is part of the reason that the former CIA employee and famous whistleblower Edward Snowden has endorsed SpiderOak as a cloud solution. The encryption here doesn’t just start with the first data transfer: it’s already in action the moment your computer connects to the cloud. This is the only way for the account owners to access the files – SpiderOak has ensured that even they can’t see the files on the cloud. But this high security comes at a price: SpiderOak can only be used for free during a set trial period. After this, you’ll have to decide on one of their price packages, which are mainly aimed at business customers and are considerably more expensive than other online cloud storage providers listed in this article.

Your Secure Cloudn also attaches a great deal of importance to security. Here, the data is encrypted on the user’s computer. The Dropbox alternative’s chat functions, group managements, and the possibility of creating a Wiki page, all make project work with several employees easier. In the activity overview, you can also see changes to the individual libraries in which Your Secure Cloud stores your files.

Access to your personal “Your Secure Cloud” online storage is possible either via the web application or via the clients allocated by the provider for macOS, Linux, Windows, iOS, and Android. After a 14-day trial period, you need a paid subscription in order to continue using the service. Private customers therefore get 10 GB of personal storage space for approx. $3 a month (or they can increase to 100 GB for approx. $10 per month). For teams of 2 to 10 people, you pay from $5 per user per month for 50 GB of storage in the business model.