# Dropbox vs pCloud

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Dropbox at 900K against pCloud's 8.1K. Dropbox also leads on chart position (#5 vs unranked). pCloud's advantage is review sentiment (62% vs 48%) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, 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 and pCloud sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Dropbox against 4.7 for pCloud. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dropbox has 900K ratings behind it against 8.1K, 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 62% of pCloud's.

Dropbox ships an update every 2 weeks, pCloud every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dropbox | pCloud |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (900K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dropbox-cloud-storage-backup/id327630330/reviews)** | [4.7 (8.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pcloud-cloud-storage/id692002098/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **900K** | 8.1K |
| Positive reviews | 47.6% of reviews | **62.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 228 MB | 112 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dropbox, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/327630333) | [PCLOUD LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/692002101) |

## 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


### pCloud

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pcloud-cloud-storage/id692002098)

Securely store and access your photos, videos, and documents from any device.  Automatically back up media to free up phone space and stream content on the go. Share large files easily with others.

**Highlights:** Up to 10 GB free storage, Automatic photo and video backup, Stream HD videos and music, Send and receive large files, Offline file access, Military-grade encryption

**Features:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| pCloud Encryption | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Plus | $9.99 | per month |
| Ultra 10TB Monthly | $29.99 | per month |
| Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| pCloud Encryption | $49.99 | per year |
| Premium Plus | $99.99 | per year |
| pCloud Encryption | $149.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $199.99 | one-time |
| Add Extra 2TB Lifetime Storage | $279.00 | one-time |
| Premium Plus | $399.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast uploads and downloads
- 🔒 Secure and encrypted storage
- 👍 Convenient app integration across devices
- 💰 Affordable lifetime plans
- 📂 Flexible file organization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable auto-upload feature
- 🔍 Lacking advanced search and organization tools
- 🔇 Subpar media player functionality
- 🔒 Encryption features behind paywall
- 🤔 Confusing free storage limits

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Inconsistent file syncing across devices
- Issues with downloading and sharing files
- Missing metadata and HEIC file support

**Requested features**

- Improved photo/video management and viewing
- Background sync and auto-upload
- Sorting and filtering options for files
- Built-in text editor and note-taking
- Gapless audio playback


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dropbox free?

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

### Is pCloud free?

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

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

Dropbox is rated higher. Dropbox averages 4.8 out of 5 from 900K ratings, while pCloud averages 4.7 from 8.1K ratings.

### Do Dropbox or pCloud have ads?

Neither Dropbox nor pCloud shows ads.

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

Dropbox ships an update every 2 weeks, and pCloud every 3 weeks. Most recently, Dropbox was updated on September 24, 2026 and pCloud on September 24, 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.*