# Dropbox vs Proton Drive

The clearest difference is rating: Dropbox at 4.8 against Proton Drive's 4.1. Dropbox also leads on ratings volume (927K vs 1.3K) and chart position (#5 vs #207). Proton Drive's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dropbox sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Proton Drive sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Dropbox holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dropbox has 927K ratings behind it against 1.3K, 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 37% of Proton Drive's.

Dropbox ships an update every 2 weeks, Proton Drive fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dropbox | Proton Drive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (927K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dropbox-cloud-storage-backup/id327630330/reviews)** | [4.1 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/proton-drive-cloud-storage/id1509667851/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **927K** | 1.3K |
| Positive reviews | **47.8% of reviews** | 37.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | #207 |
| Size | 229 MB | 235 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | +12 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dropbox, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/327630333) | [Proton AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/979659484) |

## 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, #38 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


### Proton Drive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/proton-drive-cloud-storage/id1509667851)

**Currently charting:** #207 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

Securely store and back up your files and photos with end-to-end encryption. Access your content across devices, share securely with password protection, and enjoy peace of mind with Swiss privacy laws. Offers free storage with upgrade options.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encrypted storage, Automatic photo and video backup, Secure link sharing with passwords, PIN/biometric protection, Offline file access, File version history

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Drive Lite 1 month | $0.99 | per month |
| Drive Plus 1 month | $4.99 | per month |
| Drive Plus 1 TB (1 month) | $9.99 | per month |
| Proton Unlimited 1 month | $14.99 | per month |
| Drive Plus 1 year | $47.90 | per year |
| Drive Plus 1 TB (1 year) | $95.99 | per year |
| Proton Unlimited 1 year | $119.00 | per year |
| Drive Plus | $59.99 | one-time |
| Proton Unlimited | $149.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Simple and intuitive UI
- 💡 Integrated with iOS Files app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 📥 Slow upload/download speeds
- 🗂️ Lacking key features like search and sorting

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and errors
- Inconsistent file syncing across devices
- Unable to access files uploaded from desktop
- Issues with offline file access

**Requested features**

- Automatic photo/video backup
- Ability to edit documents within the app
- Seamless integration with other apps for file sharing
- Linux desktop client


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dropbox free?

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

### Is Proton Drive free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Dropbox or Proton Drive?

Dropbox is rated higher. Dropbox averages 4.8 out of 5 from 927K ratings, while Proton Drive averages 4.1 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do Dropbox or Proton Drive have ads?

Neither Dropbox nor Proton Drive shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dropbox or Proton Drive?

Dropbox ships an update every 2 weeks, and Proton Drive fortnightly. Most recently, Dropbox was updated on October 30, 2026 and Proton Drive on October 30, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Dropbox or Proton Drive?

Dropbox currently peaks at #5 in the App Store charts, and Proton Drive at #207. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*