10 summit file-sharing services: Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, OneDrive, and more than

Most file-sharing services have evolved into full-blown collaboration platforms. We look at ten online services ranging from basic to enterprise-level.

Table of Contents

Show More

Back in the pre-deject days, sharing files involved using file transfer protocol applications or else copying files to a disc and and then mailing it or walking it over to a colleague (affectionately known as 'sneakernet'). Emails could also exist sent (and many people nevertheless use email as their chief "file-sharing" option), but size limits on attachments and security concerns discouraged this do.

Today'southward world of file sharing offers nearly countless options. Giants similar Dropbox, Box, Google, Microsoft, and Apple tree, besides as smaller companies like MediaFire and Tresorit, all offering online deject storage options that include file sharing, synchronization across multiple devices, and collaboration features. In one case you have uploaded a file to one of these services, file-sharing is as like shooting fish in a barrel as clicking a "share" button and and so sending the link to a colleague via email. While most offer desktop and mobile applications, users tin also upload, store, sync, and share files via a spider web browser.

The services we've chosen are listed here in alphabetical guild and cover a range of options, from bones services for consumers to enterprise-level services. This is not an exhaustive listing of all services, but rather a sampling of the big players and some lesser-known vendors.

To check file transfer times for each, we uploaded a 245MB ZIP file using an internet connectedness with an average upload speed of 86 megabits/second. (See "How nosotros tested.")

Box

file sharing apps box IDG

(Click any paradigm in this story to enlarge it.)

It's nearly impossible to talk about Box without mentioning Dropbox (and vice versa), as the 2 are frequently pitted confronting each other. Box has always been geared toward businesses and enterprises, while Dropbox used to be largely focused on consumers and SMBs. Merely both services now include enterprise collaboration features and cloud content management via integrations with Google Workspace, Microsoft 365/Office 365, and many others, along with enterprise-grade security and management options.

In that location is a complimentary plan for individudals that lets you kick the tires — it offers 10GB of storage, a 250MB file upload limit, and the ability to share these files with express permissions. The file upload size limit is a bit strict if y'all are trying to share video files, but the 10GB storage limit is still pretty generous. Additionally, all of Box'due south business plans offer a 14-twenty-four hour period free trial.

Free account storage space: 10GB

Complimentary account max file size: 250MB

Paid accounts : Personal Pro, 100GB storage, $10/calendar month; Concern Starter, 100GB storage, $5/user/calendar month; Business, unlimited storage, $15/user/calendar month; Business organization Plus, unlimited storage, $25/user/month; Enterprise, unlimited storage, $35/user/month; Enterprise Plus, unlimited storage, custom pricing. (All business organisation plans crave at to the lowest degree 3 users. Prices shown are for almanac payments.)

Paid account max file size: Personal Pro, 5GB; Business Starter, 2GB; Business, 5GB; Business Plus, 15GB; Enterprise, 50GB, Enterprise Plus, 150GB.

Additional features with concern plans: Built-in integrations with Slack (besides as Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace), plus 1 additional enterprise app integration; Box Sign (unlimited east-signatures via spider web app); Box Relay (workflow automation); data loss protection; two-gene authentication; SSO; Active Directory integration; other user management features. Higher-level plans offer additional enterprise app integrations; HIPAA/FedRAMP compliance; document watermarking; AI-powered threat detection; more than.

Time to upload 245MB file: 35 seconds

Citrix ShareFile

file sharing apps citrix sharefile IDG

ShareFile, which Citrix caused in 2011, creates a custom file-sharing site for your business, and so yous tin share files hands with clients, partners, co-workers, and others. For case, your accountant might use ShareFile to deeply share tax documents with y'all. The service offers lots of compelling features and tools for business organisation users, including workflow management, certificate collaboration, e-signatures, and integration with Outlook and Gmail.

Security is robust, too, with enterprise-class encryption and customizable permissions settings. The ShareFile dashboard makes information technology like shooting fish in a barrel to add new users and toggle between personal and shared folders. Full-featured apps are bachelor for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. There is no free program, but you can endeavor the Premium version for free for 30 days without having to enter a credit card number. The visitor as well offers a virtual data room for 5 employee users, which offers advanced security, sharing, and command for sensitive data.

Gratuitous account storage space: Northward/A

Gratuitous account max file size: Due north/A

Paid accounts : Standard, unlimited storage, $l/month; Advanced, unlimited storage, $77/month; Premium, unlimited storage, $122/month; Virtual Data Room, 5GB storage, $338/month. All plans are for upwardly to v employee users (additional employee user fees are $ten–$24/user/calendar month) and unlimited customer users. (Prices shown are for annual payments.)

Paid account max file size: Standard, Advanced, and Premium, 100GB; Virtual Data Room, 5GB.

Other paid options include: Feedback and approvals workflow; activeness logs; versioning; third-political party integrations including Microsoft 365/Office 365 collaboration.

Time to upload 245MB file: i minute, 38 seconds

Dropbox

file sharing apps dropbox IDG

As previously mentioned, Dropbox and Box are large players in the concern market, offering enterprise-level security and management features as well as a healthy ecosystem of integrated third-political party apps that brand the services more robust. Both have continually evolved and improved to the point that, for almost organizations, either ane is a smashing option.

In contempo years, Dropbox has been adding features aimed at boosting productivity and collaboration, such equally the ability to create Microsoft Role or Google Docs/Sheets/Slides files from within Dropbox and a new shared Spaces interface for team collaboration.

To attempt before y'all buy, Dropbox'south gratuitous Basic plan for individuals offers 2GB of storage. A xxx-day free trial is bachelor for all business plans.

Gratuitous account storage space: 2GB

Gratis account max file size: No limit, simply must be smaller than your storage space quota.

Paid accounts : Personal plans include Plus (i user, 2TB storage, $10 per month) and Family (up to vi users, 2TB shared storage, $17/month). Work plans include Professional (1 user, 3TB storage, $xvi.60/month); Standard (iii+ users, 5TB storage, $12.50/user/month); Advanced (3+ users, unlimited storage, $20/user/month). For enterprise plans, contact Dropbox Sales. (Prices shown are for annual payments.)

Additional features with business plans: 180 days of file recovery and version history, 180-mean solar day history for Dropbox Rewind (recover from accidents/ransomware by reversing changes at folder or account level), remote device wipe, two-factor authentication, document watermarking, shared link controls, file locking, branded sharing, priority email support, and live chat support. Higher-level plans offer HIPAA compliance, an admin console, SSO integration, inspect logs, more than.

Fourth dimension to upload 245MB file: 56 seconds

Google Bulldoze

file sharing apps google drive IDG

If you're already invested in the Google ecosystem, Google Drive is a no-brainer, since it integrates with Google's productivity apps, such equally Google Docs. Even if you don't use other Google services, Google Drive is worth considering, every bit it gives users 15GB of free storage (shared with other Google services). Its rates are likewise competitive — 200GB costs individuals merely $xxx/year.

With the Backup and Sync desktop client, you can choose which of your Windows or macOS reckoner folders to continually sync to Google Drive — you don't have to continue files in a designated folder, every bit you do with some services. Permissions on shared files tin get complicated — we've often shared a link with colleagues only to go a response saying that they tin't admission the file. Just once you tin admission a file, collaborating on documents in real time through Google's other productivity apps is as good as it gets.

Across the 15GB free plan, Drive is bachelor to individuals through a Google One plan. Businesses can opt for either a Google Workspace plan, which includes Drive, Gmail, Calendar, Docs, and other productivity/collaboration apps, or Workspace Essentials, which includes all of the higher up except Gmail and Agenda. A 14-day free trial is available for business plans.

Free account storage infinite: 15GB

Free account max file size: 5TB (with some exceptions)

Paid accounts: Google Ane plans for individuals: 100GB, $2/month; 200GB, $3/calendar month; 2TB, $10/calendar month; 10TB, $50/month; 20TB, $100/month; 30TB, $150/month. Google Workspace Essentials plans for businesses: 100GB per user/2TB pooled cloud storage, $8/user/calendar month. Google Workspace plans for businesses: Business organisation Starter: 30GB storage per user, $vi/user/calendar month; Business Standard: 2TB storage per user, $12/user/month; Business Plus: 5TB storage per user, $xviii/user/month; Enterprise (300+ users): unlimited storage, contact sales for pricing.

Boosted features with business plans: Security and management controls, 24/7 telephone and electronic mail support, centralized admin panel, audit and reporting. Higher-level plans offering avant-garde endpoint direction, data loss prevention, context-enlightened access, more.

Time to upload 245MB file: 48 seconds

iCloud Drive

file sharing apps icloud drive IDG

Anyone who owns a Mac, iPhone, or iPad probable already has the costless 5GB of online storage via iCloud that comes with the creation of an AppleID, and those users can share folders and documents with other iCloud users. Although Apple does offer an iCloud app for Windows, it'south likely that this mainly benefits Apple tree users who also utilise a Windows PC; we don't really run into people who are primarily Windows users signing upwardly for an iCloud account to use the service, peculiarly because iCloud does not take an Android app. Android device users could access iCloud via the web app, only they would probable employ Google's online cloud storage to back up their photos and videos anyway.

Equally with other online storage services, users can prepare up iCloud to automatically back up and sync specific folders from their computer to their iCloud account, such every bit the Documents folder, Desktop folder, or others. Photos and videos from an iPhone or iPad tin also be automatically synchronized. Using this feature tin speedily eat upward the 5GB of free space, so it's likely that anyone using iCloud for such purposes would upgrade to a paid business relationship. At $3 per month for 200GB, information technology'south still a relatively good bargain for the Apple faithful.

While iCloud users can use their personal accounts to share files with colleagues (and those files are encrypted in transit and at rest), this is essentially a consumer service.

Gratuitous account storage space: 5GB

Gratis account max file size: 5GB in theory, every bit long equally information technology doesn't exceed storage limits.

Paid accounts : 50GB, $ane per month; 200GB, $3/month; 2TB, $10/calendar month. Apple allows these plans to be shared with family members (up to five other members). Those who subscribe to Apple tree services such as Apple Music or Apple TV+ may as well be able to save money through Apple 1 bundling.

Paid account max file size 50GB, as long as information technology doesn't exceed storage limits.

Boosted features with paid plans: Upgrading your storage amount doesn't requite y'all additional features, unlike with other online storage services.

Time to upload 245MB file: ane infinitesimal, 56 seconds