Some collaboration features such as tagging and commenting on files
Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2025 9:59 am
4. Collaboration and sharing features
One of the best features of Dropbox is the ability to transfer files from device to device and user to user. All of the programs recommended here also offer sharing features.
5. Scalability
Unless you choose one of the locally hosted open source Dropbox competitors mentioned below, it's quite likely that your business will need an upgrade at some point. Dropbox jumps from free to Dropbox Plus at €99 per year for 1TB of storage. The free Dropbox alternatives I mentioned need to be similarly scalable or provide a completely free system with more than 100GB of storage.
With all these conditions in mind, I compared hundreds of file storage services and finally landed on the eight free or open source Dropbox alternatives that made it to this list. They are listed alphabetically , as each free file storage system offers different benefits.
1st box
2. Cloudup
3. Google Drive
4. hubiC
5. Nextcloud 12
6. pCloud
7. Seafile
8. Zoho Docs
1st box
Alternatives to Dropbox Box
When it comes to file sharing, there's probably no bigger Dropbox competitor than Box. Both products are incredibly similar: both offer intuitive file storage and sharing via a public cloud, both offer strong file security, and both can effortlessly serve as an online business center.
Box's primary customers are businesses, while Dropbox is primarily aimed at consumers. As such, Box sometimes markets itself as a project management solution, including features for tasks and discussions around relevant files. Box also claims to meet the security requirements of various global compliance regulations, including HIPAA , PCI , FINRA 17a-4 and FedRAMP .
Using Box and Dropbox is also very similar: just drag files into the application and they will be uploaded. Unlike Dropbox, however, the free version of Box also offers integration with popular programs such as Google Apps, Office 365 and Outlook, as well as advanced file sharing features such as granular permission settings, custom URLs and various custom add-ons such as Box Capture, Box Assured and Box Notes.
Free storage
10 GB
Security
SSL/TLS, two-factor authentication and 256-bit AES
mobile apps
Android (4.2 stars)
iOS (2.9 stars)
Windows Phone (4.0 stars)
collaboration features
comments
document preview
integrations
note-taking tools
permission setting
file sharing
Tasks
prices
There are two options for the first upgrade tier: Individual users can upgrade to 100GB of storage for €9 ($10) per month. Businesses can also upgrade to 100GB for just €4.50 ($5) per month, but this "starter" package requires a minimum of three users.
Advantages
The focus on collaboration makes Box a top choice for small teams
enterprise-level file security
The free version offers access to standard customer support
Disadvantages
No version control in the free version
No free storage expansion options (Dropbox users can “earn” additional storage space)
Slow and unreliable iPhone and iPad apps
2nd Cloudup
Alternatives to Dropbox CloudUp
If you're looking for an easy-to-use Dropbox alternative that offers plenty of free storage and a focus on file sharing, Cloudup might be right for you.
Cloudup is to Dropbox what instant messaging is to email: it's faster and easier, but it doesn't offer the labeling and infrastructure that many value in Dropbox. Instead, Cloudup automatically creates an image of all the files hosted - whether documents, music files or movies - and displays them in a Pinterest-like overview.
Cloudup uses a simple drag-and-drop upload and allows users to send file links directly while working - a feature that Dropbox does not offer. The file upload size is limited to 200MB, but Cloudup offers its users up to 200GB of free storage, making it one of the largest free file sharing and storage options available.
But that's about it: there are no version controls or commenting features, and no upgrade for more storage, so you'll have to transfer your files to another provider if you ever run out of space. Cloudup is great for freelancers and companies that don't plan on growing beyond five employees, but after that it gets tricky.
Free storage space
200 GB
Security
SSL/TLS
mobile apps
Android (4.3 stars)
collaboration features
document preview
file sharing
Visual, shareable "streams"
prices
For free
Advantages
Great design and pleasant user experience
Incredibly intuitive: Anyone who knows drag and drop can also use this service
Password protection for “streams” (basically visual folders) available
Disadvantages
File upload size is limited to 200 MB
No scaling options: best suited for freelancers
Support is limited to Twitter and email
3. Google Drive
Alternatives to Dropbox Drive
While some other popular Dropbox competitors like OneDrive and Sync fell through the requirements for this list, Google Drive was allowed to stay. If you already use other Google apps like Gmail, it's often a natural choice to take advantage of its file storage and sharing options as well.
Once you've created a Google account, you can access Google Drive from your browser, phone, or app. You can create folders just like you would on your desktop and use the favorites and tagging system to keep yourself organized. While surprisingly not as robust as Google's search engine, Google Drive also offers a search function in case you ever miss a file.
Users can share files on Google Drive privately or publicly. Each Google file type (like Google Sheets, the free spreadsheet app, or Google Docs, the free word processor) also comes with various extensions, so you can customize everything to suit your needs.
Free storage space
15 GB and unlimited low-resolution photo storage
Security
SSL/TLS, two-factor authentication and 256-bit AES
mobile apps
Android (4.3 stars)
iOS (4.7 stars)
collaboration features
comments
Digital signature
document processing
document preview
note entry
authorization tools
Numerous add-on apps such as WordPress , PandaDoc and MindMeister
file sharing
Tasks
version history
prices
Upgrades starting at €1.99/month for 100 GB storage or 1 TB for €9.99/month
Advantages
Popular systems, easy synchronization with third-party providers
Searchable, user-friendly content management system
Popular mobile apps for Android and iOS
Disadvantages
Files that are not part of Google apps cannot be edited directly
Gmail counts towards the total limited file storage
Lower upload speed than Dropbox
4th hubiC
Alternatives to Dropbox hubiC
If one of the reasons you're looking for a Dropbox alternative is because you want a secure solution outside the United States (and the reach of the NSA), you should check out hubiC. HubiC is a newer French platform and Geek.com calls it "the offshore Dropbox alternative you've been waiting for."
The first thing users notice when comparing hubiC vs Dropbox is the huge amount of free storage that hubiC offers: the free version offers a whopping 25GB with the option to upgrade to 2.5TB of free storage just by inviting friends to the service. That's more than a thousand times more free storage than Dropbox offers. And not only that: hubiC has no limit on the maximum file upload size and can serve as a complete backup for your computer.
While hubiC is undoubtedly an excellent file sharing and storage tool, it is still relatively feature-light. Most notably, every link to user files has an expiration date and hubiC users must create a new link every time a file is modified (the changes are not reflected automatically). No password protection is available, so you should be careful who you share your files with.
Free storage space
25 GB, potentially up to 2.5 TB
Security
SSL/TLS, data is hosted in three data centers
mobile apps
Android (3.7 stars)
iOS (4.0 stars)
Windows Phone (4.2 stars)
collaboration features
Integration into some applications possible, primarily Thunderbird , Swift Explorer , Synology and ExpanDrive
file sharing
prices
Upgrades starting from €1/month for 100 GB storage or 10 TB for €5/month
Advantages
Generous free storage options and incredibly low upgrade costs
No restrictions on file types
No limit on file upload size
Disadvantages
No direct contact with support
Shared links are not automatically updated with new file versions; a new link is required for each change
Although hubiC's link sharing features are secure, it lacks basic security features such as password protection
5th Nextcloud 12
Alternatives to Dropbox Nextcloud
Nextcloud 12 is the tech community's new file sharing darling: it's open source, free, secure, and amazingly user-friendly while offering a wide range of features. Even though the tool was only released in 2016 (as a spin-off of another free Dropbox competitor, ownCloud), numerous tech sites like TechRepublic , ZDNet , and CIO have already written about it positively. I could well imagine Nextcloud becoming as synonymous with file storage as Dropbox within the next few years.
Nextcloud attracts three types of users: those who value security, those looking for great scaling potential, and fans of other open source projects like Collabora Online .
Nextcloud can run on most LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) or LAMP equivalent servers. This means you can most likely use your current web host for your Nextcloud installation. If not, you can use one of Nextcloud's managed providers . Home users can use the Nextcloud Box (80 USD + Pi), a low-cost, Raspberry Pi-based solution for easy and secure self-hosting.
Like Google, Nextcloud offers an amazing number of add-ons: for example, your small business can use Nextcloud for communication features like video calling, project management features like task management, and sales features like contact management. While Nextcloud is clearly not an all-in-one solution ( but who wants that anyway? ), its free enterprise-level features pose serious competition to Dropbox.
Free storage
Depending on the hosting plan
Security
SSL/TLS, two-factor authentication and 256-bit AES
mobile apps
Android (4.3 stars)
iOS (4.5 stars)
Windows Phone (no rating available)
Content Management
Private Cloud, Drag-and-Drop File Storage, Folders, Search
prices
Nextcloud offers enterprise support starting at €1,900 per year. This gives you access south africa telegram data to core engineers and security consultants, support for your custom applications, and a three-business-day SLA.
Advantages
Great feature set for a free file sharing and storage service
Deploys resources for enterprise-level security functions
Disadvantages
Apart from forums and IRC chat channels, support is only available to paying Enterprise customers
Although there are numerous add-ons available, only a few are aesthetically pleasing, user-friendly and functional in the Nextcloud mobile apps
6th pCloud
Alternatives to Dropbox pCloud
If you're looking for a true Dropbox doppelgänger with a bit more free storage and maybe a few extra features, pCloud is probably the best you can find. This Dropbox alternative has only been on the market since 2013, but already boasts six million users and a lot of positive press, making it a serious contender for widespread adoption within the next few years.
pCloud has received a lot of attention because of its robust features and high security. For example, free accounts get features such as file versioning, deleted file recovery, audio and video playback, and remote downloads, all of which are only available with an upgrade to Dropbox.
One of the best features of Dropbox is the ability to transfer files from device to device and user to user. All of the programs recommended here also offer sharing features.
5. Scalability
Unless you choose one of the locally hosted open source Dropbox competitors mentioned below, it's quite likely that your business will need an upgrade at some point. Dropbox jumps from free to Dropbox Plus at €99 per year for 1TB of storage. The free Dropbox alternatives I mentioned need to be similarly scalable or provide a completely free system with more than 100GB of storage.
With all these conditions in mind, I compared hundreds of file storage services and finally landed on the eight free or open source Dropbox alternatives that made it to this list. They are listed alphabetically , as each free file storage system offers different benefits.
1st box
2. Cloudup
3. Google Drive
4. hubiC
5. Nextcloud 12
6. pCloud
7. Seafile
8. Zoho Docs
1st box
Alternatives to Dropbox Box
When it comes to file sharing, there's probably no bigger Dropbox competitor than Box. Both products are incredibly similar: both offer intuitive file storage and sharing via a public cloud, both offer strong file security, and both can effortlessly serve as an online business center.
Box's primary customers are businesses, while Dropbox is primarily aimed at consumers. As such, Box sometimes markets itself as a project management solution, including features for tasks and discussions around relevant files. Box also claims to meet the security requirements of various global compliance regulations, including HIPAA , PCI , FINRA 17a-4 and FedRAMP .
Using Box and Dropbox is also very similar: just drag files into the application and they will be uploaded. Unlike Dropbox, however, the free version of Box also offers integration with popular programs such as Google Apps, Office 365 and Outlook, as well as advanced file sharing features such as granular permission settings, custom URLs and various custom add-ons such as Box Capture, Box Assured and Box Notes.
Free storage
10 GB
Security
SSL/TLS, two-factor authentication and 256-bit AES
mobile apps
Android (4.2 stars)
iOS (2.9 stars)
Windows Phone (4.0 stars)
collaboration features
comments
document preview
integrations
note-taking tools
permission setting
file sharing
Tasks
prices
There are two options for the first upgrade tier: Individual users can upgrade to 100GB of storage for €9 ($10) per month. Businesses can also upgrade to 100GB for just €4.50 ($5) per month, but this "starter" package requires a minimum of three users.
Advantages
The focus on collaboration makes Box a top choice for small teams
enterprise-level file security
The free version offers access to standard customer support
Disadvantages
No version control in the free version
No free storage expansion options (Dropbox users can “earn” additional storage space)
Slow and unreliable iPhone and iPad apps
2nd Cloudup
Alternatives to Dropbox CloudUp
If you're looking for an easy-to-use Dropbox alternative that offers plenty of free storage and a focus on file sharing, Cloudup might be right for you.
Cloudup is to Dropbox what instant messaging is to email: it's faster and easier, but it doesn't offer the labeling and infrastructure that many value in Dropbox. Instead, Cloudup automatically creates an image of all the files hosted - whether documents, music files or movies - and displays them in a Pinterest-like overview.
Cloudup uses a simple drag-and-drop upload and allows users to send file links directly while working - a feature that Dropbox does not offer. The file upload size is limited to 200MB, but Cloudup offers its users up to 200GB of free storage, making it one of the largest free file sharing and storage options available.
But that's about it: there are no version controls or commenting features, and no upgrade for more storage, so you'll have to transfer your files to another provider if you ever run out of space. Cloudup is great for freelancers and companies that don't plan on growing beyond five employees, but after that it gets tricky.
Free storage space
200 GB
Security
SSL/TLS
mobile apps
Android (4.3 stars)
collaboration features
document preview
file sharing
Visual, shareable "streams"
prices
For free
Advantages
Great design and pleasant user experience
Incredibly intuitive: Anyone who knows drag and drop can also use this service
Password protection for “streams” (basically visual folders) available
Disadvantages
File upload size is limited to 200 MB
No scaling options: best suited for freelancers
Support is limited to Twitter and email
3. Google Drive
Alternatives to Dropbox Drive
While some other popular Dropbox competitors like OneDrive and Sync fell through the requirements for this list, Google Drive was allowed to stay. If you already use other Google apps like Gmail, it's often a natural choice to take advantage of its file storage and sharing options as well.
Once you've created a Google account, you can access Google Drive from your browser, phone, or app. You can create folders just like you would on your desktop and use the favorites and tagging system to keep yourself organized. While surprisingly not as robust as Google's search engine, Google Drive also offers a search function in case you ever miss a file.
Users can share files on Google Drive privately or publicly. Each Google file type (like Google Sheets, the free spreadsheet app, or Google Docs, the free word processor) also comes with various extensions, so you can customize everything to suit your needs.
Free storage space
15 GB and unlimited low-resolution photo storage
Security
SSL/TLS, two-factor authentication and 256-bit AES
mobile apps
Android (4.3 stars)
iOS (4.7 stars)
collaboration features
comments
Digital signature
document processing
document preview
note entry
authorization tools
Numerous add-on apps such as WordPress , PandaDoc and MindMeister
file sharing
Tasks
version history
prices
Upgrades starting at €1.99/month for 100 GB storage or 1 TB for €9.99/month
Advantages
Popular systems, easy synchronization with third-party providers
Searchable, user-friendly content management system
Popular mobile apps for Android and iOS
Disadvantages
Files that are not part of Google apps cannot be edited directly
Gmail counts towards the total limited file storage
Lower upload speed than Dropbox
4th hubiC
Alternatives to Dropbox hubiC
If one of the reasons you're looking for a Dropbox alternative is because you want a secure solution outside the United States (and the reach of the NSA), you should check out hubiC. HubiC is a newer French platform and Geek.com calls it "the offshore Dropbox alternative you've been waiting for."
The first thing users notice when comparing hubiC vs Dropbox is the huge amount of free storage that hubiC offers: the free version offers a whopping 25GB with the option to upgrade to 2.5TB of free storage just by inviting friends to the service. That's more than a thousand times more free storage than Dropbox offers. And not only that: hubiC has no limit on the maximum file upload size and can serve as a complete backup for your computer.
While hubiC is undoubtedly an excellent file sharing and storage tool, it is still relatively feature-light. Most notably, every link to user files has an expiration date and hubiC users must create a new link every time a file is modified (the changes are not reflected automatically). No password protection is available, so you should be careful who you share your files with.
Free storage space
25 GB, potentially up to 2.5 TB
Security
SSL/TLS, data is hosted in three data centers
mobile apps
Android (3.7 stars)
iOS (4.0 stars)
Windows Phone (4.2 stars)
collaboration features
Integration into some applications possible, primarily Thunderbird , Swift Explorer , Synology and ExpanDrive
file sharing
prices
Upgrades starting from €1/month for 100 GB storage or 10 TB for €5/month
Advantages
Generous free storage options and incredibly low upgrade costs
No restrictions on file types
No limit on file upload size
Disadvantages
No direct contact with support
Shared links are not automatically updated with new file versions; a new link is required for each change
Although hubiC's link sharing features are secure, it lacks basic security features such as password protection
5th Nextcloud 12
Alternatives to Dropbox Nextcloud
Nextcloud 12 is the tech community's new file sharing darling: it's open source, free, secure, and amazingly user-friendly while offering a wide range of features. Even though the tool was only released in 2016 (as a spin-off of another free Dropbox competitor, ownCloud), numerous tech sites like TechRepublic , ZDNet , and CIO have already written about it positively. I could well imagine Nextcloud becoming as synonymous with file storage as Dropbox within the next few years.
Nextcloud attracts three types of users: those who value security, those looking for great scaling potential, and fans of other open source projects like Collabora Online .
Nextcloud can run on most LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) or LAMP equivalent servers. This means you can most likely use your current web host for your Nextcloud installation. If not, you can use one of Nextcloud's managed providers . Home users can use the Nextcloud Box (80 USD + Pi), a low-cost, Raspberry Pi-based solution for easy and secure self-hosting.
Like Google, Nextcloud offers an amazing number of add-ons: for example, your small business can use Nextcloud for communication features like video calling, project management features like task management, and sales features like contact management. While Nextcloud is clearly not an all-in-one solution ( but who wants that anyway? ), its free enterprise-level features pose serious competition to Dropbox.
Free storage
Depending on the hosting plan
Security
SSL/TLS, two-factor authentication and 256-bit AES
mobile apps
Android (4.3 stars)
iOS (4.5 stars)
Windows Phone (no rating available)
Content Management
Private Cloud, Drag-and-Drop File Storage, Folders, Search
prices
Nextcloud offers enterprise support starting at €1,900 per year. This gives you access south africa telegram data to core engineers and security consultants, support for your custom applications, and a three-business-day SLA.
Advantages
Great feature set for a free file sharing and storage service
Deploys resources for enterprise-level security functions
Disadvantages
Apart from forums and IRC chat channels, support is only available to paying Enterprise customers
Although there are numerous add-ons available, only a few are aesthetically pleasing, user-friendly and functional in the Nextcloud mobile apps
6th pCloud
Alternatives to Dropbox pCloud
If you're looking for a true Dropbox doppelgänger with a bit more free storage and maybe a few extra features, pCloud is probably the best you can find. This Dropbox alternative has only been on the market since 2013, but already boasts six million users and a lot of positive press, making it a serious contender for widespread adoption within the next few years.
pCloud has received a lot of attention because of its robust features and high security. For example, free accounts get features such as file versioning, deleted file recovery, audio and video playback, and remote downloads, all of which are only available with an upgrade to Dropbox.