# Dropbox vs Google Cloud

The clearest difference is rating: Dropbox at 4.8 against Google Cloud's 3.4. Dropbox also leads on ratings volume (900K vs 100) and review sentiment (48% vs 29%). Google Cloud's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dropbox sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Google Cloud asks for nothing beyond the download.

Dropbox holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dropbox has 900K ratings behind it against 100, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 48% of Dropbox's written reviews are positive against 29% of Google Cloud's.

Dropbox ships an update every 2 weeks, Google Cloud weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dropbox | Google Cloud |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (900K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dropbox-cloud-storage-backup/id327630330/reviews)** | [3.4 (100 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-cloud/id1005120814/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **900K** | 100 |
| Positive reviews | **47.6% of reviews** | 29.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 228 MB | 118 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dropbox, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/327630333) | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) |

## What reviewers say

### Dropbox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dropbox-cloud-storage-backup/id327630330)

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Grossing · Productivity, #28 Top Free · Productivity, #31 Top Grossing (US App Store)

Securely store, sync, and share your files and photos across all your devices. Easily upload, access, and send documents, videos, and more from anywhere, even offline. Offers robust backup and recovery features for peace of mind.

**Highlights:** Automatic photo and video upload, Offline file access, Large file sharing via links, Document scanning to PDF, Version history and file recovery, Cross-device synchronization

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dropbox Simple - Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Dropbox Plus - Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Dropbox Plus - Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Dropbox Plus - Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Dropbox Professional - Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Dropbox Professional - Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Dropbox Family - Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Dropbox Plus - Annual | $119.99 | per year |
| Dropbox Plus - Annual | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Reliable cloud storage
- 🔒 Secure file sharing
- 📁 Convenient file management
- 💻 Cross-device accessibility
- 📸 Automatic photo backups

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app updates
- 🔍 Confusing file navigation
- ⚠️ Unreliable upload/sync
- 💰 Expensive paid plans
- 🔋 High battery drain

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing on login screen
- Duplicate file uploads
- Incorrect file timestamps
- Incompatibility with iOS updates
- Disappearing recent files

**Requested features**

- Select all option for uploads
- Background upload support
- Integrated media player
- Increased free storage
- Flexible paid plan options


### Google Cloud

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-cloud/id1005120814)

Manage your Google Cloud services on your iPhone or iPad. Monitor billing, status, and critical issues. Create custom dashboards, access Cloud Shell, and SSH into VMs for direct control.

**Highlights:** Cloud service management, Billing and status monitoring, Customizable dashboards, Compute Engine/App Engine monitoring, SSH access to VMs, Cloud Shell access, Incident and error response

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick access to cloud resources on mobile
- 👍 Good UI/UX design with Material Design
- 🔐 Useful SSH functionality for VM management
- 📊 Helpful for quick monitoring and status checks
- ⚡ Cloud Shell access for command-line operations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Cloud Shell frequently disconnects
- ❌ Missing critical features (Cloud Run, Cloud Tasks, Cloud Build)
- 🔒 Persistent permission errors and access issues
- 💸 Confusing billing display and hidden charges
- 📉 Limited dashboard and monitoring capabilities

**Reported bugs**

- Cloud Shell stuck on 'preparing to connect' screen
- Cloud Shell disconnects when switching apps
- SSH authentication failures
- App crashes when viewing error console details
- Logs page continuously refreshing

**Requested features**

- Cloud Run service support
- Cloud Tasks management
- Cloud Build integration
- Custom dashboard access from mobile
- Dark mode for iPad


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dropbox free?

Dropbox is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Google Cloud free?

Google Cloud is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Dropbox or Google Cloud?

Dropbox is rated higher. Dropbox averages 4.8 out of 5 from 900K ratings, while Google Cloud averages 3.4 from 100 ratings.

### Do Dropbox or Google Cloud have ads?

Neither Dropbox nor Google Cloud shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dropbox or Google Cloud?

Dropbox ships an update every 2 weeks, and Google Cloud weekly. Most recently, Dropbox was updated on September 24, 2026 and Google Cloud on September 17, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*