Comparison

Dropbox vs Google Drive

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Dropbox

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
Read full description

Dropbox lets you upload, save, and transfer photos and files to the cloud. Backup and sync your pictures, videos, documents, and other files to cloud storage and access them from any device, anywhere. With advanced sharing features, it’s easy to share and send photos or files to family, friends, and co-workers. Features: • Automatically upload videos and photos from your camera roll to cloud photo storage - all in the background - for easy video sharing and photo sharing. • Access any file in your account - even offline - and preview over 175 different file types with no special software required. • Easily send large files by copying and pasting a link you can give to anyone, even if they don’t have a Dropbox account. • Scan documents, receipts, IDs, photos, and more using your mobile device and transform them into high-quality PDFs, so you can view and send anywhere. • Sync folders on your PC or Mac to Dropbox with computer backup, and recover older versions or restore deleted files with version history and file recovery. Sign up now for your free Dropbox Plus trial. You’ll get 2 TB (2,000 GB) of storage space - that’s enough room to save files from all your linked devices. And with Dropbox Rewind, you can roll back any file, folder, or your entire account, up to 30 days. Before starting a trial or completing payment, you’ll see the plan price. This amount will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase and on renewal and will vary by plan and country. Dropbox subscriptions renew monthly or yearly, depending on your plan. Your account will be charged for renewal 24 hours before the end of your current billing period. To avoid auto-renewal, turn it off within at least 24 hours before your subscription renews. You can turn off auto-renewal anytime from your Apple ID account settings. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your account settings on the App Store after purchase. Dropbox is a secure cloud solutions leader trusted by Fortune 500 companies for their most sensitive data. Over 14 million paid users choose Dropbox because they know they can count on a company that’s also dedicated to their security and privacy—no matter what they do or where they are. Let Dropbox be your all-in-one file storage, file organizer, file transfer, and file sharing solution for all your devices. We’d love to hear from you! Join the Dropbox community: https://www.dropboxforum.com Terms of Service: https://www.dropbox.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.dropbox.com/privacy

About

Google Drive

Securely store, organize, and access your files from any device. Collaborate with others, scan documents, and search for content with ease. Offers advanced features for businesses and individuals.

Highlights
  • Secure cloud storage
  • File organization
  • Cross-device access
  • Document scanning
  • File sharing and permissions
  • Offline access
  • AI-powered insights (Workspace)
Features
Read full description

Google Drive lets you securely store, intelligently organize and collaborate on files and folders from anywhere, on any device. With Drive, you can: • Safely store and access your files anywhere • Edit and store 100+ file types, including PDFs, Office files, videos and more • Scan and upload paper documents using your device’s camera • Quickly access recent and important files • Search for files by name and content • Filter files by type, last modified date and more • Share and set permissions for files and folders • View your content on the go while offline • Receive notifications about important activity on your files Google Workspace subscribers have access to additional Drive functionality, including: • Using AI to summarize information, retrieve quick facts, and surface insights from your files • Security and management controls for admins to help meet data compliance needs • Sharing files and folders directly with groups or teams within your organization • Creating a shared drive to store all of your team’s content • Requesting electronic signatures and manage vendor agreements, customer contracts, and more Learn more about Google Apps update policy: https://support.google.com/a/answer/6288871 Google accounts get 15GB of storage, shared across Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos. For additional storage, you can upgrade to Google Workspace or Google One as an in-app purchase. Storage subscriptions purchased from the app will be charged to your iTunes Account, and automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Subscriptions and auto-renewal may be managed by going to iTunes Account Settings after purchase. Google Privacy Policy: https://www.google.com/intl/en_US/policies/privacy Google Drive Terms of Service: https://www.google.com/drive/terms-of-service Follow us for more: X: https://x.com/googleworkspace and https://x.com/googledrive LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/googleworkspace Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/googleworkspace/

Screenshots

Dropbox4 screens
Google Drive4 screens

Verdict

The call

Dropbox and Google Drive both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 65% of Google Drive's written reviews are positive against 48% of Dropbox's. Google Drive also leads on ratings volume (7.8M vs 907K). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Dropbox sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Google Drive sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Dropbox against 4.8 for Google Drive. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Google Drive has 7.8M ratings behind it against 907K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 48% of Dropbox's written reviews are positive against 65% of Google Drive's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dropbox ships an update every 2 weeks, Google Drive weekly. Both last shipped on October 6, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
Dropbox versus Google Drive: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDropboxGoogle Drive
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (907K ratings)4.8 (7.8M ratings)
Positive reviews48.1% of reviews65.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings907K7.8M — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#5 — better#10
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size229 MB445 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperDropbox, Inc.Google

Customer experience

Dropbox

All ratings907,159 ratings
Positive95.5%
Neutral1.7%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews2,106 reviews
Positive48.1%
Neutral6.3%
Negative45.6%

Google Drive

All ratings7,839,809 ratings
Positive95.0%
Neutral2.0%
Negative3.0%
Written reviews4,349 reviews
Positive65.0%
Neutral6.0%
Negative29.0%

User reviews

Dropbox

From 907K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Google Drive

From 7.8M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Convenient cloud storage
  • 🔒 Secure file backup
  • 👍 Easy file sharing and collaboration
  • 👍 Accessible from any device
  • 🚀 Seamless integration with other Google apps

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Unreliable uploads and syncing
  • 🔍 Difficult file organization and navigation
  • 🔍 Limited editing capabilities within the app
  • 🔋 High battery drain on mobile devices

Bugs and requests

Dropbox

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

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

Google Drive

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Compatibility issues with older iOS versions
  • Frequent app crashes and freezes
  • Inconsistent file upload and download performance

Requested features

4 requests
  • Allow bulk file/folder management
  • Improve offline file access and editing
  • Integrate more advanced productivity tools
  • Enhance search and file organization features

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Dropbox

Subscriptions9
  • Dropbox Simple - Monthly1 Month trial$6.991 Month
  • Dropbox Plus - Monthly$11.991 Month
  • Dropbox Plus - Monthly1 Month trial$11.991 Month
Show 6 more
  • Dropbox Plus - Monthly14 Days trial$11.991 Month
  • Dropbox Professional - Monthly$19.991 Month
  • Dropbox Professional - Monthly1 Month trial$19.991 Month
  • Dropbox Family - Monthly1 Month trial$19.991 Month
  • Dropbox Plus - Annual2 variants$119.991 Year
  • Dropbox Plus - Annual1 Month trial$119.991 Year
9 purchases

Google Drive

Subscriptions9
  • 100 GB1 Month trial4 variants$1.991 Month
  • 100 GB$1.991 Month
  • 200 GB2 variants$2.991 Month
Show 6 more
  • 200 GB1 Month trial$2.991 Month
  • Google AI Plus (2 TB)2 variants$9.991 Month
  • Google AI Plus (2 TB)1 Month trial$9.991 Month
  • 100 GB1 Month trial$19.991 Year
  • 100 GB$19.991 Year
  • 200 GB$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Dropbox free?
Dropbox is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Google Drive free?
Google Drive is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Dropbox or Google Drive?
Dropbox and Google Drive are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 907K and 7.8M ratings respectively.
Do Dropbox or Google Drive have ads?
Neither Dropbox nor Google Drive shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Dropbox or Google Drive?
Dropbox ships an update every 2 weeks, and Google Drive weekly. Most recently, Dropbox was updated on October 6, 2026 and Google Drive on October 6, 2026.
Which is more popular, Dropbox or Google Drive?
Dropbox currently peaks at #5 in the App Store charts, and Google Drive at #10. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

Other comparisons