Paid Entry Plan
~$10/mo for 2 TB (Plus)
$2.99/mo for 200 GB (Google One)
Team/Business Plan
$15/user/mo (Business Plus)
$6-18/user/mo (Workspace)
Max Single File Size
2 TB (sync), no web limit stated
5 TB via browser upload
Offline Access
Yes, selective sync
Yes, via Docs/Drive app
Version History
180 days (Plus), 1 yr (Professional)
30 days (free), 30-180 days (paid)
Collaborative Editing
Via Paper or Office integrations
Native Docs/Sheets/Slides — excellent
Desktop Sync App
Best-in-class, block-level sync
Good, but has had reliability hiccups
Third-party Integrations
700+ apps including Slack, Zoom, Notion
Huge via Google Workspace Marketplace
End-to-End Encryption (at rest)
AES-256, not zero-knowledge by default
AES-256, not zero-knowledge
Platforms Supported
Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android (no Linux app)
AI Features
Dash AI search (beta)
Gemini AI assistant built-in
Worth knowing
- Dropbox invented the modern cloud sync model back in 2007 — Google Drive didn't launch until 2012.
- Google Drive effectively gives you 15 GB shared across Gmail, Drive, and Photos, so heavy email users see less usable storage.
- Dropbox's block-level sync only uploads changed parts of a file, making large-file edits dramatically faster to sync.
- Google One (Drive's paid tier) starts at just $2.99/mo, making it one of the cheapest ways to expand cloud storage anywhere.
- Dropbox has no native office suite — you must rely on Microsoft Office or Google Docs integrations for document editing.
Dropbox famously rejected a $800M acquisition offer from Steve Jobs in 2009. Jobs reportedly called it 'a feature, not a product.' Google Drive launched three years later and kind of proved his point.
If you wantYou live in Google Workspace / Gmail all day
Drive is already where your files, emails, and docs live — zero friction, native editing, and way more free storage.
→ Pick Google Drive If you wantYou need rock-solid desktop sync for large or frequently updated files
Dropbox's block-level sync is still the gold standard for speed and reliability on desktop.
→ Pick Dropbox If you wantYou're on a tight budget and just need cloud backup
15 GB free and plans from $2.99/mo make Google Drive almost impossible to beat on price.
→ Pick Google Drive If you wantYou need long version history and fine-grained file recovery
Dropbox offers up to 180 days of version history on mid-tier plans vs. Google Drive's shorter windows.
→ Pick Dropbox Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.