Dropbox review – Summary
Although there is a long list of cloud storage solutions available today, whether for business or individual use when you hear the words cloud storage one of the first names that come to mind is probably Dropbox, right? As one of the market leaders, Dropbox has certainly done well to carve out a brand for itself and in doing so has secured a large portion of the cloud storage marketplace. We take a more in-depth look at what Dropbox has to offer as a cloud storage solution and whether it is the right choice for you or your business.
Features
So what makes Dropbox the preferred choice of many and one of the first cloud storage solutions? The following features are just some of what this cloud storage solution has to offer.
- Ease of use – an intuitive and friendly layout that is easy for everyone to use.
- Intuitive desktop and mobile version with a really easy-to-use app meaning no need for an internet browser.
- Easy to manage folders such as “Recents” which gives the user easy access to the files used most recently.
- Edit/read PDFs from an iPad, iPhone, or Android device.
- As much storage as needed with the relevant plan from individuals to large organizations.
- Restore deleted files or previous file versions
- Admin dashboard to monitor team activity
- Get quick answers with live support
- Link permissions to password protect your links
- Manage your folders and share them with colleagues
- Organize everything in one easy-to-access place
Ease of Use
It’s certainly easy to use Dropbox from whichever type of device you are using and the intuitive and easy-to-use interface make it a great choice. From the laptop or PC, everything is there on the screen and the various subfolders and links make everything accessible. Whether downloading, uploading, sharing or managing folders it is simple to just drag and drop and organize your data the way you need. If you are using a mobile device the handy app for both iOS and Android is equally user-friendly and you shouldn’t struggle to find your way around the various functions in no time at all. The mobile app means you can download and go with no need for an internet browser. If you are someone who likes taking pics on your phone but find yourself running out of space simply make sure you are connected to wifi and sync your phone with your Dropbox. You can then free up space on your phone for the next lot of pictures or videos that you take.
Pricing
Dropbox is available to individuals who only wish to store their pictures and documents up to 2GB. There is absolutely no charge for this service. Any other plan falls under the Dropbox Business pricing plan of which there are 3 options. Each of these 3 plans is available on a 30-day FREE trial at which point you can choose to cancel or begin paying the monthly charge according to the plan that you choose.
- Pro – Dropbox Pro allows the user to store up to 1TB of data and is available at a cost of $99 per year or $9.99 per month.
- Business – Dropbox Business costs $15 dollars per user per month with a maximum billing charge of $750 per annum. Storage space is unlimited and there are many additional features to those offered with the Pro package.
- Enterprise – to upgrade to an Enterprise package that is reserved for larger organizations you will need to speak to an advisor to tailor the package that is right for you. With Enterprise the storage space is unlimited and you get many more premium features.
Security
One of the primary concerns when choosing a cloud data storage solution is whether your customers’ data is going to be safe and secure. Dropbox uses SSL and AES 256-bit encryptions and is regularly tested for security vulnerabilities. Public files are only viewable by those who have a link to the file.
Since a security scare in 2012, Dropbox has introduced a 2 step verification process for account holders. There are however a small amount of Dropbox employees that have access to the stored files for legal reasons.
The multiple layers of security employed by Dropbox ensure that they remain secure and are less likely to be vulnerable to security threats.
Support
It is not hard to access support, especially when using Dropbox Business. Almost immediately after arriving at the site, you will receive a pop-up chat box from a customer advisor asking whether you need any help.
For specific inquiries when support is needed for your account then business admins have priority email and access to live support at the support center. There is also an admin help center where many questions can be answered.
VERDICT
So when it comes to Dropbox what are the pros and cons of using this as your preferred choice of storage solution? Is it worthy of the brand awareness and recognition that it has received or are there other solutions that offer a better choice of features?
Pros
- Ease of use has to be up there as one of the best features of Dropbox. With its desktop and mobile versions there is no reason you can’t be up and running with Dropbox in minutes and as it syncs with your phone when you are connected to Wi-Fi your data is secure from the outset. The layout is intuitive and it is easy to manage data, arrange folders and upload or download information.
- The variation in plans means that there is something for everyone and the entry-level gives everyone FREE storage facilities up to 2GB which is plenty for the everyday user that wants to store pictures and documents.
Cons
- Some might say the security of Dropbox is an advantage given that it has a multi-layered approach to securing and accessing data however some critics believe that the system isn’t as secure as you may think and that it is, in fact, a vulnerable platform. There is a belief that Dropbox is great for storing information that isn’t sensitive but perhaps not the first choice for businesses storing lots of confidential information. Despite the efforts of Dropbox to allay people’s fears and confidence in the product like anything it is hard to convince everyone once the seed of doubt has been sown.
- There is also the fact that system admins have the right to delete files that haven’t been accessed for some time on active accounts. Apparently, if the user hasn’t used their account for a period of time when they return there is a chance that all of their data will be gone.
Features | |
Ease Of Use | |
Pricing | |
Security | |
Support |