Introduction
OneDrive and Dropbox are two competitive cloud storage picks which seem quite similar at first glance. They both provide excellent options not only for individual use but also for all kinds of small and large businesses. Lets compare the features of Dropbox vs OneDrive.
Why do we need the cloud storage picks?
Online cloud storage service is the best platform especially for the businessmen as it does not require a huge investment or vast knowledge to use it. It also provides you supreme benefits less supervision, automatic organization of folders and faster information deployment. Cloud storage service gives you a great opportunity to connect and expand your business by collaborating with clients and employments. Following are a few points to elaborate on the reasons for having cloud storage.
To save the device storage
The inevitable reason to get any cloud storage service is at some point, we surely would face storage problems. Whether we are a businessman, an educationist, a photographer or run a large company, data grows too quickly on the mobile or desktop. Ultimately, we need to get the cloud system to save our previously stored data and making space for the new one work.
To secure all data
Another reason is the security system. What if you run out of the luck and your computer just stopped working. There are chances to lose all data. So, for good backup, we need cloud system where our data would be secured in such sudden situations.
Convenience
Cloud storage system provides convenience by saving, storing, syncing and updating the data automatically so it saves you to handle the data and files manually and you can track information with just simple one click. The cloud storage service, thus, enables the users especially the novice one to concentrate on the work and consignments without getting worried about data loss,
Dropbox
Dropbox is an American personal cloud storage service which also refers to an online backup service. It provides client software, documents synchronization, personal cloud storage for the pictures and videos. It was launched by Arash Ferdowsi and Drew Houston in Sans Francisco, California in 2007. Dropbox is currently considered the most valuable startup in the United States of America.
OneDrive
OneDrive provides an online synchronization service. It was previously called SkyDrive. It was founded by Microsoft in 2007. OneDrive allows the users to save the photos, documents or important files from multiple devices, it also allows users to automatically sync on different or other devices. This means that the user can get access from multiple devices. It offers 5 GB free of cost storage to the people who have Microsoft account.
Characteristics of Dropbox
The main advantage of Dropbox is it allows the user simple and easy startup by just downloading the app, creating the account and you are ready to share your pictures, documents and files within minutes.
Another amazing thing about Dropbox is the group/community it creates after making an account. Once the user has decided to share the folder in Dropbox, all selected people with the right credentials would be able to view it instantly.
Another unique thing of Dropbox that it is the best platform to store and to retrieve files by using any device even while you are on the go. Dropbox is powered with technology as it automatically backs up all the pictures from your computer, laptop or mobile. It stores all the pictures in chronological order which is easier to find any specific picture you required immediately. Moreover, if you mistakenly deleted pictures from your phone, you would be able to regain them within 30 days. It also allows you to share your pictures to the one who does not have a Dropbox account.
Dropbox supports all kinds of devices which help the user to use the account from anywhere without getting worried about privacy, terms and conditions.
Feature Summary of Dropbox
- Operative syncing
- Offline access to the account
- Deleted files, documents and pictures recovery
- File storage
- Two-factor authentication
- Automatic updates
- Easy and simple to use
- Encryption security of 256-bit AES
- Online backup
- Mobile application
- Accessibility to any device
Characteristics of OneDrive
OneDrive is the major and famous component of Microsoft 365. It is most popular in the market due to its demand in business. It offers personal online hard drive where the user can upload, edit and share the file. It is more or like similar to Microsoft Applications which make things easier for the users to learn it quickly.
OneDrive also offers OneDrive for business which is the advancement in today’s world. It is the most advanced app to share the document at the moment. It enables the users to keep classified documents and files and these are always safe and sound in it. OneDrive offers extremely flexible charges which are super affordable for the business work. It provides multiple offers according to the suitability of the users.
Another unique aspect of OneDrive is that it caters different kinds of customers. It is best for small business, large enterprises, medium business and an amazing app, especially for freelancing.
OneDrive always displays the status icon when you log in to the app or web browser. An icon having two circular arrows draws your attention by informing you that the data has not been synced into your account. This definitely alerts the user and he syncs all holdup files. The icon with a cloud shows that the data is transferred and saved in the cloud account. The white checkmark with the green circle, on the other hand, indicates that the user has marked the particular file as an important document. Finally, the green checkmark shows confirmation that the data has been a store and synced in the cloud account.
Feature Summary of OneDrive
- Business Collaboration
- Cheaper than Dropbox
- Cross-platform syncing
- Two-factor authentication
- Huge storage
- Accounts are protected with 256-bit AES
- Data loss protection
COMPARISON BETWEEN DROPBOX & ONEDRIVE
| DROPBOX | ONE DRIVE | |
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DIFFERENCES OF DROPBOX & ONEDRIVE |
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PRICING OF DROPBOX & ONEDRIVE |
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| Dropbox offers 2 GB free storage service to its users which legs behind OneDrive | OneDrive basic grants 5 GB free of cost storage service. | |
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SYNCHRONIZATION OF DROPBOX & ONE DRIVE |
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| Dropbox allows sync files, pictures and documents across any device like mobile, PC, laptop, notebook and tablet on which the app of Dropbox is installed. | OneDrive is already installed on Windows 10 devices. | |
| Dropbox supports a wider range of platform, unlike OneDrive. It supports Windows, Linux (Fedora, Ubuntu), and Mac OS. | OneDrive supports Android, iOS, windows phone and Blackberry. However, unlike Dropbox, OneDrive does not support Linux at all. | |
| The great thing about Dropbox it limits the file size upload up to 20 GB with there is no limitation if users upload from PC or mobile phone. | OneDrive, unlike Dropbox, limits the file size uploads to only 10 GB. This impacts most of the users as it limits their uploading range. | |
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THE COST OF STORAGE |
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| Dropbox offers two kinds of plans with different prices. The first plan is Dropbox plus which offers 2000 GB with two different billing plan.
The first is a monthly payment which cost around $11.90 per month however, it also offers yearly billing around $119.88 (which costs $ 9.99 per month). |
Apart from the 5 GB free storage, OneDrive offers six different packages for its users keeping in mind their needs.
The first package is OneDrive 100 GB which costs only $1.99 per month. The other package offers 365 personal 1000 GB space in two different payment options. One is $6.99 per month and another offer is 17% save in $69.99 per year ($5.83 per month). The 3rd package allows the user to have a family account with 5000 GB storage in only $9.99 per month. This package also offers a yearly $99.99 with 17% off i.e. $ 8.33 per month. The other three plans are for business users. Plan 1 allows them to have 1000 GB in $5.00/ month. OneDrive for Business Plan 2 offers unlimited GB storage in $ 10.00/ month i.e. $120.00 yearly. Microsoft 365 Business standard plan provides 1000 GB in $15.00/ month. It also offers a yearly plan with 17% off i.e. $150.00/per year means $12.50/ month. |
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| The problem with Dropbox pricing is they offer only two kinds of payment to the premium users. They do not provide smaller or larger allocations to the users. This lack of flexibility towards the policies put them at odds with OneDrive. | The inclusion of the 100 GB plan is $ 1.99 per month is the good-to-go option for the novice business and for personal use. OneDrive provides a variety of options with different allocations you can select any according to your needs. | |
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SECURITY OF DROPBOX AND ONEDRIVE |
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| Dropbox has a history of being hacked in 2012 however, Dropbox encrypts the data of its users. It uses only one lockbox for keeping all the data in one account. | OneDrive data, on the other hand, are encrypted to ensure the confidentiality of its users. Moreover, for OneDrive business accounts are protected with 256-bit AES. OneDrive also keeps the data in each individual “Lockbox” with the different key to provide all security to its users. This strategy would make it nearly impossible for the attacker to access your specific data. | |
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CONTROL ON CONTENT AND ITS SHARING |
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| The content Sharing on Dropbox is executed with the help of the web interface. The user can just highlight the object or objects and by clicking the share button. | OneDrive is the finest web interface cloud service. It exhibits a crispy design and allows the user to share multiple objects at a time. | |
| The user also creates a link attached to the content and can easily share on Facebook, WhatsApp, Text message or Slack. Dropbox is the best option for Slack as it allows users to access the file and can comment on it directly. | The user can share the content by just creating a URL link to give out the link manually. The file/ folder can also be sent through email or can be shared on different social platforms like Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. | |
| The folder shared with the person will be limited to view only the accessible person and invitees will remain restricted to view the shared folder. | However, when the user shares something, OneDrive creates URL links that can be shared with anyone you want. OneDrive does not generate any expiry or password on the shared link. It means those with whom the user has shared the link can forward to others without your consent and knowledge. | |
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SIMILARITIES OF DROPBOX AND ONEDRIVE |
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BOTH ALLOW ACCESS TO MICROSOFT 365 |
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| Dropbox and OneDrive are somewhat similar as they both tie to the Microsoft platform. Dropbox is integrated with Microsoft 365, so Microsoft benefits the Dropbox files to sync with the program they already use. | OneDrive is also a Microsoft 365 product so it syncs with its products like PowerPoint, Excel and Word. | |
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MOBILE ACCESSIBILITY |
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| Dropbox allows its users to connect with it with different mobile devices. | Similarly, OneDrive also allows its users to connect with the different mobile device and provides easy access from any location. | |
The Final Verdict
Dropbox and OneDrive are two competitive and intuitive storage service systems. They both are similar in all their main functions but have distant differences which set them quite apart if it comes to their storage, privacy and monthly payment. They both are highly-efficient and provide solid storage at reasonable prices. Considerations should be made to see which cloud storage service would be best for the business or for the company. Dropbox may be good for those companies which have a varied system on the other side, OneDrive may be best for those businesses which expect to begin from smaller and extend to the larger one.
The users are suggested to choose any one of this keeping in mind his specific needs, suitability, budget and uses. To sum up all, we can say that everything which is powered by technology has flaws and strengths. One should go for the one thing which provides him more reliability, much convenience and extra credibility.