Security and audits12 of 31
Apps and sync20 of 20
Recovery and sharing14 of 22
Price and plans0 of 27
cloud storage service · Dropbox, Inc.
Dropbox
File sync with apps for five systems, a 2 TB Plus plan and a family plan for up to six people.
In short
- The free Basic plan gives 2 GB of storage1.
- Plus gives 2 TB for one person at €9.99 a month; no yearly price was shown1.
- Family shares 2 TB between up to 6 members, each with a private account3.
- Dropbox says its staff will on rare occasions need to access file content4.
- Plus and Family keep versions for 30 days; Rewind can undo many changes at once10,12.
Dropbox suits people who need apps on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, files that stay online until opened, and a family plan for six3,7,8. Rewind can undo many changes across an account10. The catch: Dropbox says its staff may access file content, history on Plus and Family is 30 days, and the free plan is only 2 GB1,4,12.
Best for: People who want broad app support and account-wide undo, and accept that Dropbox can read files.
Where the points come from
Security and audits 12 of 31 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encryption | noneDropbox says staff will on rare occasions need to access file content; end-to-end encryption is listed for the Advanced team plan4. | 0 / 10 |
| Independent security test since 2024 | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's security and compliance pages, which name no outside testing firm4,5. | 0 / 6 |
| SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001 | YesThe trust centre lists ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2 and names a Dropbox ISO 27001 certificate16. | 5 / 5 |
| Open-source apps | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's GitHub page, which lists SDKs and tools but no desktop or mobile app code14. | 0 / 3 |
| Security key for two-factor sign-in | YesFIDO U2F or WebAuthn security keys work for 2-step sign-in on dropbox.com in Chrome or Firefox6. | 4 / 4 |
| Public bug bounty | YesDropbox points to a public Intigriti bug bounty that lists rewards of $100 to $15,00017,18. | 3 / 3 |
Apps and sync 20 of 20 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Apps | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, AndroidSystem requirements list desktop apps for Windows, macOS and Linux, and mobile apps for Android and iOS7. | 10 / 10 |
| Files on demand in Windows | YesOnline-only files show as placeholders in the Dropbox folder and download when opened8. | 6 / 6 |
| Choose which folders sync | YesSelective sync lets you remove Dropbox folders from your computer; all users have it, including Basic9. | 4 / 4 |
Recovery and sharing 14 of 22 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| File version and deleted-file history | 30Basic, Plus and Family keep versions 30 days; the 180-day tiers are named Professional, Essentials and team plans12. | 2 / 6 |
| Restore the whole account | YesRewind restores a whole account or a folder; listed for Plus and Family10. | 4 / 4 |
| Password-protected share links | NoPasswords on links are listed for Professional, Essentials, Standard and higher plans; the plan table marks them absent for Plus11,2. | 0 / 4 |
| Edit documents in the browser | YesDropbox says you can co-author Word, PowerPoint and Excel files on the web19. | 4 / 4 |
| Plan for five or more people | YesFamily shares 2 TB among up to 6 members, each with a private account3. | 4 / 4 |
Price and plans 0 of 27 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan with 5 GB or more | NoThe free Basic plan has 2 GB, under the 5 GB needed1. | 0 / 5 |
| Cheapest paid plan with 100 GB or more | $11.17/moPlus, 2 TB, €9.99 a month; no yearly price was shown, so the monthly price is used1. Converted at €1 = $1.118621. | 0 / 8 |
| Cheapest paid plan with 1 TB or more | $11.17/moSame Plus plan, 2 TB, €9.99 a month; no yearly price shown1. Converted at €1 = $1.118621. | 0 / 8 |
| One-time lifetime plan | NoThe plans page lists no one-time plan1. | 0 / 3 |
| Refund period of 14 days or more | NoThe terms say refunds are issued only if the law requires; the 14-day window applies to EU residents20. | 0 / 3 |
The rule behind each line: how we score cloud storage services.
Plans and prices
As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.
| Plan | Price as listed | Per month | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic1 person | Free1 | $0 | 2 GB of storage |
| Plus1 person | €9.99/month1,2 | $11.18 | 2 TB of storage; no yearly price shown |
| FamilyUp to 6 members | Price not shown3,13 | Quote | 2 TB shared; each member has a private account |
Dropbox's plan page shows euro prices and only a monthly price for Plus. Euro prices are converted to dollars at the ECB rate1.
Strengths
- Apps exist for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android7.
- Online-only files appear in the Dropbox folder as placeholders and download when opened8.
- Selective sync is available to all users, including the free plan9.
- Rewind restores a whole account or a single folder on Plus and Family10.
- Security keys work as a second sign-in step in Chrome and Firefox6.
Limits
- Dropbox says its personnel will on rare occasions need to access users' file content4.
- The free Basic plan has only 2 GB1.
- Version history on Plus and Family is 30 days12.
- Password-protected links are listed for Professional, Essentials and team plans, not Plus or Family11.
- Security keys work only on dropbox.com in Chrome or Firefox, not in the apps6.
Concerns on record
- Dropbox reported unauthorized access to the production environment of Dropbox Sign, its e-signature service, found on April 24, 2024. It says the incident did not affect other Dropbox products15.
Other cloud storage services
- 1
Proton DrivePeople who want every file encrypted by default and open-source apps73/100$3.99/mocheapest paid plan with 100 GB or more - 2
pCloudPeople who want a one-time lifetime plan or a virtual drive instead of a monthly subscription69/100$4.66/mocheapest paid plan with 100 GB or more - 3
FilenPeople who want every file end-to-end encrypted, open-source apps and a low entry price59/100$1.12/mocheapest paid plan with 100 GB or more - 4
iCloud DrivePeople who mainly use iPhone and Mac and want a Windows PC to reach the same files59/100$2.99/mocheapest paid plan with 100 GB or more
Sources
- Dropbox plans, Dropbox. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Compare Dropbox plans, Dropbox. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Dropbox Family plan, Dropbox Help Center. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Dropbox security features, Dropbox. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Dropbox compliance, Dropbox. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Two-step verification with a security key, Dropbox Help Center. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Dropbox system requirements, Dropbox Help Center. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Make files online-only, Dropbox Help Center. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Selective sync overview, Dropbox Help Center. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Dropbox Rewind, Dropbox Help Center. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Set link permissions, Dropbox Help Center. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Version history overview, Dropbox Help Center. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Dropbox Family, Dropbox. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Dropbox on GitHub, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- A recent security incident involving Dropbox Sign, Dropbox Sign. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Dropbox Trust Center, Dropbox. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- security.txt, Dropbox. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Dropbox bug bounty program, Intigriti. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Microsoft Office and Dropbox, Dropbox. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Dropbox Terms of Service, Dropbox. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates: US dollar, European Central Bank. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Website: www.dropbox.com · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Dropbox, Inc..