---
title: Dropbox
canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/dropbox/
category: Cloud Storage Services
points: 46
rank: 9 of 10
facts_checked: 2026-10-08
---

# Dropbox

File sync with apps for five systems, a 2 TB Plus plan and a family plan for up to six people.

46 points out of 100. #9 of 10 cloud storage services. Vendor: Dropbox, Inc.. Website: https://www.dropbox.com/

- The free Basic plan gives 2 GB of storage [1].
- Plus gives 2 TB for one person at €9.99 a month; no yearly price was shown [1].
- Family shares 2 TB between up to 6 members, each with a private account [3].
- Dropbox says its staff will on rare occasions need to access file content [4].
- Plus and Family keep versions for 30 days; Rewind can undo many changes at once [10][12].

Verdict: Dropbox suits people who need apps on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, files that stay online until opened, and a family plan for six [3][7][8]. Rewind can undo many changes across an account [10]. The catch: Dropbox says its staff may access file content, history on Plus and Family is 30 days, and the free plan is only 2 GB [1][4][12]. Best for: People who want broad app support and account-wide undo, and accept that Dropbox can read files.

## Points

| Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Security and audits | End-to-end encryption | none | 0/10 | Dropbox says staff will on rare occasions need to access file content; end-to-end encryption is listed for the Advanced team plan [4]. |
| Security and audits | Independent security test since 2024 | Not published | 0/6 | Not published on the vendor's security and compliance pages, which name no outside testing firm [4][5]. |
| Security and audits | SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001 | Yes | 5/5 | The trust centre lists ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2 and names a Dropbox ISO 27001 certificate [16]. |
| Security and audits | Open-source apps | Not published | 0/3 | Not published on the vendor's GitHub page, which lists SDKs and tools but no desktop or mobile app code [14]. |
| Security and audits | Security key for two-factor sign-in | Yes | 4/4 | FIDO U2F or WebAuthn security keys work for 2-step sign-in on dropbox.com in Chrome or Firefox [6]. |
| Security and audits | Public bug bounty | Yes | 3/3 | Dropbox points to a public Intigriti bug bounty that lists rewards of $100 to $15,000 [17][18]. |
| Apps and sync | Apps | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | 10/10 | System requirements list desktop apps for Windows, macOS and Linux, and mobile apps for Android and iOS [7]. |
| Apps and sync | Files on demand in Windows | Yes | 6/6 | Online-only files show as placeholders in the Dropbox folder and download when opened [8]. |
| Apps and sync | Choose which folders sync | Yes | 4/4 | Selective sync lets you remove Dropbox folders from your computer; all users have it, including Basic [9]. |
| Recovery and sharing | File version and deleted-file history | 30 | 2/6 | Basic, Plus and Family keep versions 30 days; the 180-day tiers are named Professional, Essentials and team plans [12]. |
| Recovery and sharing | Restore the whole account | Yes | 4/4 | Rewind restores a whole account or a folder; listed for Plus and Family [10]. |
| Recovery and sharing | Password-protected share links | No | 0/4 | Passwords on links are listed for Professional, Essentials, Standard and higher plans; the plan table marks them absent for Plus [11][2]. |
| Recovery and sharing | Edit documents in the browser | Yes | 4/4 | Dropbox says you can co-author Word, PowerPoint and Excel files on the web [19]. |
| Recovery and sharing | Plan for five or more people | Yes | 4/4 | Family shares 2 TB among up to 6 members, each with a private account [3]. |
| Price and plans | Free plan with 5 GB or more | No | 0/5 | The free Basic plan has 2 GB, under the 5 GB needed [1]. |
| Price and plans | Cheapest paid plan with 100 GB or more | $11.17/mo | 0/8 | Plus, 2 TB, €9.99 a month; no yearly price was shown, so the monthly price is used [1]. Converted at €1 = $1.1186 [21]. |
| Price and plans | Cheapest paid plan with 1 TB or more | $11.17/mo | 0/8 | Same Plus plan, 2 TB, €9.99 a month; no yearly price shown [1]. Converted at €1 = $1.1186 [21]. |
| Price and plans | One-time lifetime plan | No | 0/3 | The plans page lists no one-time plan [1]. |
| Price and plans | Refund period of 14 days or more | No | 0/3 | The terms say refunds are issued only if the law requires; the 14-day window applies to EU residents [20]. |

## Plans

| Plan | Price | Per month (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Free [1] | $0 |
| Plus | €9.99/month [1][2] | $11.18 |
| Family | Price not shown [3][13] | - |

Dropbox's plan page shows euro prices and only a monthly price for Plus. Euro prices are converted to dollars at the ECB rate [1].

## Strengths

- Apps exist for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android [7].
- Online-only files appear in the Dropbox folder as placeholders and download when opened [8].
- Selective sync is available to all users, including the free plan [9].
- Rewind restores a whole account or a single folder on Plus and Family [10].
- Security keys work as a second sign-in step in Chrome and Firefox [6].

## Limits

- Dropbox says its personnel will on rare occasions need to access users' file content [4].
- The free Basic plan has only 2 GB [1].
- Version history on Plus and Family is 30 days [12].
- Password-protected links are listed for Professional, Essentials and team plans, not Plus or Family [11].
- Security keys work only on dropbox.com in Chrome or Firefox, not in the apps [6].

## Concerns

- Dropbox reported unauthorized access to the production environment of Dropbox Sign, its e-signature service, found on April 24, 2024. It says the incident did not affect other Dropbox products [15].

## Sources

1. [Dropbox plans](https://www.dropbox.com/plans), Dropbox, accessed 2026-10-08
2. [Compare Dropbox plans](https://www.dropbox.com/individual/plans-comparison), Dropbox, accessed 2026-10-08
3. [Dropbox Family plan](https://help.dropbox.com/plans/dropbox-family-plan), Dropbox Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
4. [Dropbox security features](https://www.dropbox.com/features/security), Dropbox, accessed 2026-10-08
5. [Dropbox compliance](https://www.dropbox.com/business/trust/compliance), Dropbox, accessed 2026-10-08
6. [Two-step verification with a security key](https://help.dropbox.com/security/enable-two-step-verification), Dropbox Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
7. [Dropbox system requirements](https://help.dropbox.com/installs/system-requirements), Dropbox Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
8. [Make files online-only](https://help.dropbox.com/sync/make-files-online-only), Dropbox Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
9. [Selective sync overview](https://help.dropbox.com/sync/selective-sync-overview), Dropbox Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
10. [Dropbox Rewind](https://help.dropbox.com/delete-restore/rewind), Dropbox Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
11. [Set link permissions](https://help.dropbox.com/share/set-link-permissions), Dropbox Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
12. [Version history overview](https://help.dropbox.com/delete-restore/version-history-overview), Dropbox Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
13. [Dropbox Family](https://www.dropbox.com/family), Dropbox, accessed 2026-10-08
14. [Dropbox on GitHub](https://github.com/dropbox), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-08
15. [A recent security incident involving Dropbox Sign](https://sign.dropbox.com/blog/a-recent-security-incident-involving-dropbox-sign), Dropbox Sign, accessed 2026-10-08
16. [Dropbox Trust Center](https://trust.dropbox.com/), Dropbox, accessed 2026-10-08
17. [security.txt](https://www.dropbox.com/.well-known/security.txt), Dropbox, accessed 2026-10-08
18. [Dropbox bug bounty program](https://app.intigriti.com/programs/dropbox/dropbox/detail), Intigriti, accessed 2026-10-08
19. [Microsoft Office and Dropbox](https://www.dropbox.com/app-integrations/microsoft), Dropbox, accessed 2026-10-08
20. [Dropbox Terms of Service](https://www.dropbox.com/terms), Dropbox, accessed 2026-10-08
21. [Euro foreign exchange reference rates: US dollar](https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/policy_and_exchange_rates/euro_reference_exchange_rates/html/eurofxref-graph-usd.en.html), European Central Bank, accessed 2026-10-08