ten pinnacle file-sharing services: Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, OneDrive, and more

Most file-sharing services have evolved into full-diddled collaboration platforms. Nosotros await at 10 online services ranging from basic to enterprise-level.

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Dorsum in the pre-cloud days, sharing files involved using file transfer protocol applications or else copying files to a disc so mailing information technology or walking information technology over to a colleague (affectionately known equally 'sneakernet'). Emails could also exist sent (and many people all the same use email equally their main "file-sharing" option), but size limits on attachments and security concerns discouraged this practice.

Today'southward world of file sharing offers nearly countless options. Giants like Dropbox, Box, Google, Microsoft, and Apple, as well as smaller companies like MediaFire and Tresorit, all offer online deject storage options that include file sharing, synchronization beyond multiple devices, and collaboration features. Once y'all have uploaded a file to ane of these services, file-sharing is as easy as clicking a "share" button and then sending the link to a colleague via email. While nearly offer desktop and mobile applications, users can also upload, shop, sync, and share files via a web browser.

The services we've called are listed here in alphabetical order and cover a range of options, from basic services for consumers to enterprise-level services. This is not an exhaustive list of all services, simply rather a sampling of the big players and some bottom-known vendors.

To bank check file transfer times for each, nosotros uploaded a 245MB Nix file using an internet connection with an average upload speed of 86 megabits/second. (See "How we tested.")

Box

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(Click whatever prototype in this story to enlarge it.)

It's most incommunicable to talk nearly Box without mentioning Dropbox (and vice versa), as the ii are frequently pitted confronting each other. Box has always been geared toward businesses and enterprises, while Dropbox used to exist largely focused on consumers and SMBs. Just both services at present include enterprise collaboration features and deject content management via integrations with Google Workspace, Microsoft 365/Office 365, and many others, along with enterprise-grade security and direction options.

There is a free plan for individudals that lets you kicking the tires — it offers 10GB of storage, a 250MB file upload limit, and the ability to share these files with limited permissions. The file upload size limit is a bit strict if you lot are trying to share video files, just the 10GB storage limit is withal pretty generous. Additionally, all of Box's business plans offer a xiv-twenty-four hour period free trial.

Free account storage infinite: 10GB

Free account max file size: 250MB

Paid accounts : Personal Pro, 100GB storage, $10/month; Business Starter, 100GB storage, $v/user/month; Business, unlimited storage, $fifteen/user/calendar month; Business Plus, unlimited storage, $25/user/month; Enterprise, unlimited storage, $35/user/month; Enterprise Plus, unlimited storage, custom pricing. (All business plans require at least iii users. Prices shown are for almanac payments.)

Paid account max file size: Personal Pro, 5GB; Business Starter, 2GB; Business, 5GB; Business Plus, 15GB; Enterprise, 50GB, Enterprise Plus, 150GB.

Additional features with business concern plans: Born integrations with Slack (as well every bit Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace), plus 1 additional enterprise app integration; Box Sign (unlimited e-signatures via web app); Box Relay (workflow automation); information loss protection; two-factor authentication; SSO; Active Directory integration; other user direction features. Higher-level plans offering additional enterprise app integrations; HIPAA/FedRAMP compliance; document watermarking; AI-powered threat detection; more than.

Time to upload 245MB file: 35 seconds

Citrix ShareFile

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ShareFile, which Citrix acquired in 2011, creates a custom file-sharing site for your business organization, so y'all can share files easily with clients, partners, co-workers, and others. For example, your accountant might use ShareFile to deeply share tax documents with yous. The service offers lots of compelling features and tools for business users, including workflow management, document collaboration, due east-signatures, and integration with Outlook and Gmail.

Security is robust, besides, with enterprise-grade encryption and customizable permissions settings. The ShareFile dashboard makes it easy to add together new users and toggle between personal and shared folders. Full-featured apps are bachelor for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. There is no costless plan, only you can endeavor the Premium version for free for 30 days without having to enter a credit card number. The visitor also offers a virtual data room for 5 employee users, which offers avant-garde security, sharing, and command for sensitive data.

Free account storage space: N/A

Gratis account max file size: N/A

Paid accounts : Standard, unlimited storage, $50/month; Avant-garde, unlimited storage, $77/month; Premium, unlimited storage, $122/month; Virtual Information Room, 5GB storage, $338/month. All plans are for up to 5 employee users (additional employee user fees are $10–$24/user/month) and unlimited client users. (Prices shown are for annual payments.)

Paid business relationship max file size: Standard, Advanced, and Premium, 100GB; Virtual Data Room, 5GB.

Other paid options include: Feedback and approvals workflow; activity logs; versioning; tertiary-party integrations including Microsoft 365/Part 365 collaboration.

Fourth dimension to upload 245MB file: one infinitesimal, 38 seconds

Dropbox

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Every bit previously mentioned, Dropbox and Box are big players in the business marketplace, offering enterprise-level security and direction features as well every bit a healthy ecosystem of integrated tertiary-party apps that make the services more than robust. Both have continually evolved and improved to the point that, for most organizations, either one is a great option.

In recent years, Dropbox has been calculation features aimed at boosting productivity and collaboration, such as the ability to create Microsoft Office or Google Docs/Sheets/Slides files from within Dropbox and a new shared Spaces interface for squad collaboration.

To try before you buy, Dropbox's free Basic plan for individuals offers 2GB of storage. A 30-twenty-four hours free trial is available for all business plans.

Free business relationship storage space: 2GB

Free account max file size: No limit, but must exist smaller than your storage space quota.

Paid accounts : Personal plans include Plus (1 user, 2TB storage, $10 per calendar month) and Family unit (upward to 6 users, 2TB shared storage, $17/month). Piece of work plans include Professional (1 user, 3TB storage, $sixteen.60/calendar month); Standard (3+ users, 5TB storage, $12.fifty/user/month); Advanced (3+ users, unlimited storage, $xx/user/month). For enterprise plans, contact Dropbox Sales. (Prices shown are for almanac payments.)

Additional features with business organization plans: 180 days of file recovery and version history, 180-day history for Dropbox Rewind (recover from accidents/ransomware past reversing changes at binder or account level), remote device wipe, two-factor authentication, certificate watermarking, shared link controls, file locking, branded sharing, priority email support, and live chat back up. Higher-level plans offer HIPAA compliance, an admin console, SSO integration, audit logs, more.

Time to upload 245MB file: 56 seconds

Google Drive

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If you lot're already invested in the Google ecosystem, Google Drive is a no-brainer, since it integrates with Google's productivity apps, such equally Google Docs. Even if you don't use other Google services, Google Drive is worth considering, as information technology gives users 15GB of free storage (shared with other Google services). Its rates are likewise competitive — 200GB costs individuals merely $30/year.

With the Backup and Sync desktop client, you lot can choose which of your Windows or macOS figurer folders to continually sync to Google Bulldoze — yous don't have to go along files in a designated folder, as you exercise with some services. Permissions on shared files can get complicated — nosotros've oftentimes shared a link with colleagues only to become a response maxim that they can't access the file. But in one case you can admission a file, collaborating on documents in real time through Google's other productivity apps is every bit good as it gets.

Beyond the 15GB free plan, Drive is available to individuals through a Google Ane plan. Businesses tin can opt for either a Google Workspace plan, which includes Drive, Gmail, Agenda, Docs, and other productivity/collaboration apps, or Workspace Essentials, which includes all of the above except Gmail and Calendar. A 14-day gratis trial is bachelor for business plans.

Complimentary account storage space: 15GB

Free account max file size: 5TB (with some exceptions)

Paid accounts: Google One plans for individuals: 100GB, $2/month; 200GB, $3/month; 2TB, $10/month; 10TB, $l/month; 20TB, $100/month; 30TB, $150/month. Google Workspace Essentials plans for businesses: 100GB per user/2TB pooled cloud storage, $eight/user/calendar month. Google Workspace plans for businesses: Business Starter: 30GB storage per user, $6/user/month; Business Standard: 2TB storage per user, $12/user/month; Business Plus: 5TB storage per user, $18/user/month; Enterprise (300+ users): unlimited storage, contact sales for pricing.

Boosted features with business plans: Security and direction controls, 24/7 telephone and email support, centralized admin console, audit and reporting. Higher-level plans offer advanced endpoint management, information loss prevention, context-enlightened access, more.

Fourth dimension to upload 245MB file: 48 seconds

iCloud Drive

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Anyone who owns a Mac, iPhone, or iPad likely already has the free 5GB of online storage via iCloud that comes with the creation of an AppleID, and those users can share folders and documents with other iCloud users. Although Apple does offering an iCloud app for Windows, information technology's likely that this mainly benefits Apple tree users who also utilise a Windows PC; we don't really see people who are primarily Windows users signing upward for an iCloud account to utilize the service, particularly because iCloud does non take an Android app. Android device users could access iCloud via the web app, simply they would likely utilise Google'south online cloud storage to back up their photos and videos anyway.

As with other online storage services, users can prepare up iCloud to automatically dorsum upward and sync specific folders from their computer to their iCloud account, such as the Documents binder, Desktop binder, or others. Photos and videos from an iPhone or iPad can also be automatically synchronized. Using this feature tin quickly swallow up the 5GB of free infinite, and then it's probable that anyone using iCloud for such purposes would upgrade to a paid account. At $iii per month for 200GB, it's still a relatively good bargain for the Apple faithful.

While iCloud users can utilise their personal accounts to share files with colleagues (and those files are encrypted in transit and at rest), this is substantially a consumer service.

Free account storage infinite: 5GB

Gratis business relationship max file size: 5GB in theory, as long as it doesn't exceed storage limits.

Paid accounts : 50GB, $1 per month; 200GB, $3/month; 2TB, $10/month. Apple allows these plans to exist shared with family unit members (upwards to five other members). Those who subscribe to Apple tree services such as Apple tree Music or Apple Goggle box+ may also be able to save money through Apple One bundling.

Paid business relationship max file size 50GB, every bit long as it doesn't exceed storage limits.

Additional features with paid plans: Upgrading your storage amount doesn't requite yous boosted features, different with other online storage services.

Time to upload 245MB file: 1 minute, 56 seconds