# Dropbox vs Filen

The clearest difference is rating: Dropbox at 4.8 against Filen's 3.8. Dropbox also leads on ratings volume (907K vs 123) and chart position (#5 vs unranked). Filen's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Dropbox holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dropbox has 907K ratings behind it against 123, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 48% and 48% positive.

Dropbox ships an update every 2 weeks, Filen fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dropbox | Filen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (907K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dropbox-cloud-storage-backup/id327630330/reviews)** | [3.8 (123 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filen-cloud-storage/id1549224518/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **907K** | 123 |
| Positive reviews | 47.6% of reviews | **47.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 229 MB | 103 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Dropbox, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/327630333) | [Filen Cloud Dienste UG (haftungsbeschraenkt)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1549224520) |

## What reviewers say

### Dropbox

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

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Grossing · Productivity, #27 Top Free · Productivity, #39 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


### Filen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filen-cloud-storage/id1549224518)

Securely store photos, videos, and documents with military-grade encryption. Access files on any device, share them easily, and enjoy features like offline access and encrypted notes. Offers a free tier with 10 GB storage.

**Highlights:** 10 GB free storage, Unlimited pro storage, Secure client-side encryption, Offline file access, Cross-device file access, Encrypted notes and chats, Automatic camera upload

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 End-to-end encryption and privacy-focused design
- 💰 Affordable pricing with generous storage tiers
- 🌍 Open-source and transparent service
- 🚀 Fast upload/download speeds
- 👍 Clean and intuitive UI design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes during uploads
- 📸 Photo/video upload failures and inconsistencies
- 🔄 Auto-upload feature unreliable and incomplete
- ⚠️ Data loss issues in Notes feature
- 🔐 Thumbnail cache exposed in Files app (security concern)

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when uploading photos/videos
- Music pauses when app is minimized
- Photo upload stuck at specific file counts (e.g., 42 photos)
- Notes lose data during sync
- Note type conversion deletes text content

**Requested features**

- Video streaming/playback within app
- Read-only file mode option
- Back-sync feature (delete from phone, delete from cloud)
- Multi-select file upload capability
- iPad split-screen view support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dropbox free?

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

### Is Filen free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Dropbox or Filen?

Dropbox is rated higher. Dropbox averages 4.8 out of 5 from 907K ratings, while Filen averages 3.8 from 123 ratings.

### Do Dropbox or Filen have ads?

Neither Dropbox nor Filen shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dropbox or Filen?

Dropbox ships an update every 2 weeks, and Filen fortnightly. Most recently, Dropbox was updated on September 26, 2026 and Filen on September 3, 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.*