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Cloud storage software · head to head

Box vs Dropbox

Sebastiaan Smits Editor Sebastiaan Smits · Published November 14, 2026 · Updated November 14, 2026

Box sells to organizations: a free single-user tier with 10 GB, then team plans that start at three users and climb to very large upload limits. Dropbox lists a 2 GB free tier, a team plan open to one person and a published per-user price in euro. Box looks stronger for managed company content, Dropbox for small groups that want to start immediately.

Side by side

BoxDropbox
What it isContent cloud with governance and 1,500 integrationsThe original sync folder, now with AI search and signing
Best forRegulated firms needing admin controlMixed-device teams sharing large folders
HeadquartersUnited StatesUnited States
Pricing modelPer user / monthPer user / month
PricingFree Individual plan at 10 GB; Business Starter at $5 per user monthly with 100 GB, then Business and Business Plus with unlimited storage, with a three-user minimum on business plans and Enterprise tiers quoted.Free Basic at 2 GB, Plus for individuals at 9.99 euros a month for 2 TB, and team plans from 12 euros per user monthly (Standard) and 18 euros (Advanced).
Free optionFree planFree plan
List price
as listed on November 14, 2026		From $5 per user per month, as shown in the Box pricing page header; plan amounts not confirmedEUR 12 per user per month (Standard); EUR 18 per user per month (Advanced)
Place in our cloud storage software ranking#11 of 13#7 of 13
Websitebox.comdropbox.com

Both are reviewed in full in Best Cloud Storage Software in 2026. Vendors can pay for more visibility, and commercial relationships can affect which products we feature and how prominently. Placement disclosure.

Which one to choose

Choose Box if

you are an organization of at least three people that wants a larger free tier to test with, large file uploads on higher plans, and written terms that give you a window to retrieve content after the contract ends.

Box, #11 in the ranking · Visit Box →

Choose Dropbox if

you are a freelancer or a very small team that needs a paid plan for one person, wants a per-user price printed on the page, and values a documented 180-day or one-year restore window.

Dropbox, #7 in the ranking · Visit Dropbox →

Where they differ

10 GB against 2 GB before paying

Box Individual is free for a single user and includes 10 GB, while Dropbox Basic includes 2 GB. On paper that favors Box for anyone testing the service with real files. The limits matter, though: the Box free tier caps uploads at 250 MB and keeps one version of each file. Dropbox publishes no such cap in the pages we read. For plain capacity, Box gives more.

Edge: Box

Starting a team with one person or three

Box Business, Enterprise and the tiers between them require a minimum of three users, so a two-person firm pays for a seat it does not use or stays on the single-user free plan. Dropbox Standard is listed for one person or more, with Advanced aimed at three or more. A freelancer who wants shared folders and a paid plan can start on Dropbox without a headcount condition.

Edge: Dropbox

Reading the price before talking to anyone

Dropbox prints EUR 12 per user per month for Standard and EUR 18 for Advanced on its business plans page. Box advertises a starting point of $5 per user per month in the page header, but the plan-by-plan amounts were not readable in the copy we could open, and its top tiers lead to a sales conversation. Because the currencies differ and Box's figures are unconfirmed, we call this one level.

Edge: even

Getting files out after the contract ends

Box's terms say you may request access to your content after termination, and that the request must come within fourteen days. After that Box has no obligation to keep it. Dropbox's terms say that once access is suspended or terminated you cannot access or export your files, although it offers a chance to export before termination for most breaches. A written retrieval window, even a short one, is better than none.

Edge: Box

Which company you contract with

Both are US-founded companies with California law for American customers. Box contracts through Box.com (UK) Ltd. outside the US and Japan, under English law, and through a Japanese entity in Japan. Dropbox contracts through Dropbox International Unlimited Company outside North America but states California law without regional variants, adding only that EU consumer protections may apply. Box offers more local legal options by region.

Edge: Box

Tally: Box 3, Dropbox 1, even 1.

When neither fits

Neither is the right choice for a buyer who wants an independent European provider with euro billing and VAT included in the printed price. Koofr lists its plans in euro with 22% VAT included, and Sync.com sells per-user team storage at a flat monthly rate.

See Koofr and Sync.com among the 13 products in Best Cloud Storage Software in 2026.

Questions and answers

Does Box or Dropbox have the bigger free plan?

Box does: Individual gives a single user 10 GB, against 2 GB on Dropbox Basic. The Box free tier also limits uploads to 250 MB and keeps one version per file, so it suits testing and light personal use rather than large media or heavy collaboration.

What is the minimum team size on Box and Dropbox?

Box requires at least three users from Business Starter upward, while Dropbox Standard is listed for one person or more. Dropbox Advanced is aimed at groups of three or more. A one- or two-person business therefore fits Dropbox's paid tiers more easily than Box's.

How much do Box and Dropbox cost per user?

Dropbox Standard is EUR 12 per user per month and Advanced is EUR 18, as shown on its business plans page. Box shows a starting price of $5 per user per month in its page header; we could not read each plan's exact amount, so check the live pricing page before budgeting.

Can I get my files back after cancelling Box or Dropbox?

Under Box's terms, yes, for a short time: you may request access to your content within fourteen days after termination. Dropbox's terms say you cannot access or export files once access is terminated, so export before you cancel or before any suspension takes effect.

Sources

Prices, plan limits and product facts on this page were checked against the vendors' own pages on November 14, 2026. Vendors change both without notice, so treat the figures as of that date.