Dropbox Review 2025: Is the Cloud Storage Pioneer Still Up to Date?

Dropbox made cloud storage popular. Today, many services offer basically the same thing. Dropbox is now just one of many providers. Can it still compete in a market full of alternatives?

We thoroughly tested Dropbox to find out if this cloud storage pioneer still ranks among the best - or if other services have taken the lead.

For more information about how Dropbox works and a setup guide, check here:

Dropbox's apps and interfaces have gone through many changes over the years. The current version looks great: Dropbox stands out with its sleek, modern interface that neatly organizes the platform's impressive range of features.

Like all cloud storage services, you can access your files and tools in three main ways: through the website, desktop app, or mobile app. Let's look at each one.

The web interface lets you access your files directly in your browser and manage your cloud folders. All you need are your login details and an internet connection.

The interface has a modern design that stays organized despite its many features and options. It offers simple navigation that even less experienced users should find easy to use. It's divided into four main areas:

While Dropbox's web app has a lot going on, its clear structure and easy navigation keep it from feeling overwhelming. The main features are easy to reach, and all areas - from navigation to file view - are laid out logically.

One of Dropbox's best features is that you can edit your documents directly in the cloud. With their own platform Dropbox Paper, Dropbox offers a central workspace for teams where you can edit documents together, add media like videos and code, and handle basic project management tasks (more on this later).

Dropbox works great with Microsoft Office and Google Workspace documents too. It even includes an e-signature feature.

You can also open photos and videos right in the cloud storage without downloading them first.

The Dropbox web app is really well-rounded: You can manage your cloud files and edit documents right in the cloud. It runs smoothly too - in our test, the web interface stayed quick and didn't slow down even when opening large folders.

If you want to access your cloud files directly from your computer (and use them offline), you'll need to install the Dropbox desktop app. It's pretty basic and mainly works as a sync tool for your files. It sits in the taskbar and offers just a few features at first glance.

The home screen shows an overview of current sync activities. In the top bar, you'll find a search feature and links to your Dropbox folder and web interface.

You'll mainly manage your files directly in the file manager. Your Dropbox folder works just like any other folder on your computer - you can move, copy, and delete files as usual.

Dropbox stands out with its unobtrusive desktop experience, making cross-device syncing smooth and simple.

Dropbox also offers a mobile app that gives you access to your cloud storage files on the go. It includes all the key features of the web app, with some adjustments and add-ons for mobile use. This includes a scan feature that lets you scan documents and save them directly to your cloud storage.

Here's a list of all platforms that Dropbox supports:

All files you save in your Dropbox cloud storage automatically sync across all your devices. When you edit a file in the web interface, the changes update on your desktop and smartphone app too, and vice versa.

Dropbox uses a "master folder" system for syncing. Instead of syncing files directly from their current location to the cloud, it creates a special local folder where you copy all files and folders you want to sync.

During installation, you'll set up your "Dropbox folder" on your computer:

All files and folders in the Dropbox folder sync with the cloud. In the settings, you can choose between two sync options:

In the sync settings, you'll find a feature called "Selective Sync." This lets you choose which cloud folders you want to show and sync locally.

Only folders you select here will appear in your desktop Dropbox folder. You can access unselected folders only through the web interface. This feature comes in handy when you know you'll only work with specific files on your computer and don't want other cloud folders to distract you (or take up storage space).

Dropbox now includes a backup feature that lets you save your files in the cloud. Unlike regular sync, backup focuses on protecting your data from loss: copies of your files are automatically saved in the cloud, where you can restore them when needed.

By default, backups run every 15 minutes. You can change this to daily or weekly backups, or set up your own schedule. Depending on your plan, you can also back up external hard drives.

Dropbox can't compete with dedicated cloud backup solutions. Files (including previous versions) are kept for 30 days by default, with a maximum of "only" 180 days. Many key features are also limited to individual users: Business plans, for example, only support backups for selected folders - you can't choose just any folder to back up.

A full-featured cloud backup program offers many more options:

Dropbox offers several advanced settings that let you customize how syncing works based on your needs.

You can set limits for upload and download speeds. This comes in handy if you have a slow internet connection and don't want Dropbox using all your bandwidth, or if you want to prioritize other online activities like video calls or streaming.

Dropbox also supports LAN sync, which speeds up file syncing within a local network. If your network uses a proxy server (common in offices or universities), you can manually adjust the proxy settings in Dropbox.

The mobile app doesn't have sync modes - by default, you access files directly from the cloud. However, you can make selected folders and files available offline, but this feature is only available with Dropbox Plus.

Dropbox is also great for storing your photos. You can set up automatic uploads for your photos and videos to your Dropbox storage, and manually upload new photos.

Here's an overview of Dropbox's key sync features compared to other providers:

Speed and reliability are key factors for cloud storage. To measure Dropbox's performance objectively, we looked at three metrics:

To ensure a fair comparison between different providers, we measured all metrics under identical conditions. We created a test folder with exactly the same content for each cloud service and synced it using a PC with a 400 Mbps connection (upload and download).

The test folder included:

Here are the results:

Dropbox's performance was mixed. While download speeds were solid, upload speeds were just average. The most disappointing aspect was CPU usage: Dropbox is one of the most resource-hungry providers in our review - only Icedrive used more system resources.

Most cloud storage services now call themselves "collaboration platforms." But only a few providers truly live up to this name. Dropbox is one of them: You can share files and edit them directly in the cloud, working on them in real-time with others - just like with Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive.

Let's start with file sharing. You'll find a prominent "Share" button in all interfaces that lets you share your folders and documents with others:

You have two main options:

Let's take a closer look at both options:

Link sharing is a quick and easy way to share files or folders. This works even for people who don't have a Dropbox account - though they can only preview documents, not edit or share them.

When you share folders and files with other Dropbox users, you can give them editing access (more on this below).

You can set the link to allow anyone to view the files or limit access to invited people only. There are also some advanced link settings, like password protection and expiration dates, but these are only available with the Essentials plan. Link tracking features, like those offered by Sync.com, are not supported.

If you often work on projects or documents with other Dropbox users, it's easier to share entire folders instead of individual files. With Dropbox, you can invite specific users and assign them permissions.

There are three roles:

Dropbox team accounts offer advanced options and additional user roles. There's a distinction between admins and team members, with eight different admin roles that have varying permissions. This allows for detailed access and management rights - but only in team plans.

Here are Dropbox's main sharing features compared:

What makes Dropbox special is that you can not only sync and share your cloud documents but also edit them directly in the cloud - both alone and with others. Dropbox now focuses more on being like collaboration tools such as Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace rather than "pure" cloud storage services like MEGA or Tresorit.

For this purpose, Dropbox has developed its own platform called Dropbox Paper. It combines a powerful document editor with collaboration and project management features.

Dropbox wants you to stay within their cloud storage and handle all your project planning and execution directly in Dropbox Paper.

The platform comes with an impressive set of features. Here are some of the most important ones:

All-in-one platforms often end up feeling bloated or half-baked. However, Dropbox Paper is a useful addition to Dropbox's cloud storage features. While it can't match Google Workspace's ease of use and integration options, it offers smaller teams a simple way to create and organize content together and share feedback.

For large projects and big teams, the features are too limited - and with just a few task management tools, it's not a replacement for proper project management software. Also, the editor could be faster: opening and switching between documents is much smoother in Google's tools.

Here's how Dropbox's collaboration features compare to other providers:

From a privacy perspective, cloud storage can be divided into two categories: those with end-to-end encryption (E2E) and those without. Dropbox was in the second category for a long time but finally introduced an E2E option in 2024. However, this option is only available in team plans.

Dropbox combines both approaches but only offers the E2E option to teams. Business plan users can enable E2E encryption for selected folders with one click. Then, encryption and decryption only happen locally on approved devices.

For all other files (and users outside team plans), Dropbox uses 256-bit AES encryption. This protects files during transfer (via TLS/SSL) and when stored ("at rest") on servers. However, Dropbox keeps the decryption keys and can technically access the data.

Dropbox meets common international security standards and regularly has its systems checked by independent auditors like EY. This includes certifications like ISO 27001 for information security and ISO 27018 for cloud privacy.

The control mechanisms are also audited yearly according to SOC 1 and SOC 2 Type II. Reports like the SOC 3 audit report by EY are publicly available and show an overview of security measures.

Since 2012, Dropbox has published a transparency report twice a year. This report shows how many government requests they receive for data disclosure or content removal, what types of requests they are, and how Dropbox responds to them.

Dropbox claims to be GDPR compliant, but companies are responsible for ensuring their own legal compliance.

Business plans give you more control over your data management and sovereignty. You can choose end-to-end encryption and store your files in data centers. By default, Dropbox uses servers in the USA.

Here's an overview of Dropbox's main privacy features:

Besides the free plan with 2 GB storage, Dropbox offers four standard plans for different users:

Larger companies can use the Enterprise plan, but they need to contact Dropbox's sales team directly for pricing details.

Here's a current overview of Dropbox plans:

Unfortunately, Dropbox is relatively expensive. Even their free plan is pretty stingy: almost all cloud storage providers in our review offer more space – MEGA even offers ten times as much.

Dropbox doesn't look great when comparing premium plans either. This is mainly because of their limited plan flexibility and the lack of an affordable starter plan: the minimum storage starts at 2 TB. While this amount is relatively cheap, you'll end up paying for storage you don't need if you require much less space. Teams can also find much better deals with other cloud storage solutions.

Here's a comparison of monthly costs from providers in our review for different storage sizes and number of users:

Many early innovators fade away over time. Luckily, Dropbox isn't one of them. This cloud storage pioneer keeps up with the times by regularly updating its interface without making it cluttered, and adding useful features to stay competitive.

While Dropbox's Paper collaboration platform can't compete with Google and Microsoft, it helps set Dropbox apart from basic cloud storage services that don't offer document editing.

Dropbox falls short with its pricing: The lack of flexible plans means many users pay more than they need to. They should also take notes from competitors about free storage space. In our review, we were also disappointed by high CPU usage during file syncing.

Overall, Dropbox remains a user-friendly cloud storage service in 2025, and with end-to-end encryption, it's now also appealing to businesses.

What do Dropbox users think about this cloud storage service? We looked at popular review sites and gathered common feedback. On Trustpilot, negative reviews are particularly common:

Not sure if Dropbox is right for you? Check out these alternatives:

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