It’s a tough call to decide which cloud service is best. Because all of these three have their own pros and cons, however, to make your job easier, in this article, we’ll compare Dropbox vs Google Drive vs Onedrive to make your selection process easier.
Need to mention, cloud storage services are the best storage solution to store your files at a central location and to access them from anywhere. This is a great way to have all your important documents and data with you, no matter where you go.
Many businesses are turning toward cloud storage services because it allows them instant access to the information when they need it without any location issue.
Furthermore, Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive are top cloud storage services with great features that you can use for your business. Check out what they’re offering and see if any of these is a good fit for your business’s needs.
Dropbox vs Google Drive vs OneDrive
Security and privacy policy of Google Drive
It is a safe secure cloud storage service that uses the best encryption algorithms to protect your data. For example, your data is encrypted using AES256 bit encryption before it’s sent to Google’s cloud servers and remains encrypted on their network.
However, by default, Google keeps an encryption key at their end. It means Google still has control to decrypt your encrypted files. But it also allows adding Zero-knowledge encryption with 3rd party services like Boxcryptor.
Further, Google Drive also offers 2-Step Verification as an extra level of security so that no one else can access any of your files even if they know your username or password. Although, you can securely share files or folder links with anyone. However, there is no option to set up the password links, you shared.
Plus, Google has a privacy policy that guarantees your data will be kept private and not be shared with third parties. And need to mention, when you upload any data on the Drive, it scans uploaded files. However, it only scans for viruses, copyright volition, and other illegal content.
But still, there is no guarantee; it will use your data for target marketing because Google has some privacy flaws. For example, according to the CBN report, it leaked more than 1000 personal conversions.
Security and privacy policy of Dropbox
Dropbox is also secure cloud storage. It uses SSL/TLS and AES 128-bit encryption to protect your files while they are in transit between you and Dropbox. And they encrypt all your files with AES-256 before storing them in their data centres. And no one can read and access the file without a secret key.
But here is not the story end of Dropbox security. It has had some serious data breaches in the past. For example, in 2012, 68M email and passwords of Dropbox users were leaked. Although specific issues with Dropbox have been fixed, it is still deemed an unsafe service for storing sensitive data. And there are better secure cloud storage services like PCloud, IDrive, IceDrive for storing private data.
Furthermore, like Google Drive, Dropbox also does not offer zero-knowledge encryption. And again, to say you can use Boxcryptor as an alternative for secure encryption. It also protects links with a password but only a Professional and Business subscription.
Dropbox also has a privacy policy that states how your files are protected and how your information is used. For example, Dropbox only collects your personal account information, device information, cookies to improve its service. However, it does not access your stored data on their server.
But still, it has some real concerns about privacy, like its data centre, which is located in the USA. And it is not the best place to store sensitive data if you have a real concern about privacy. According to Patriot Act law, USA authorities can ask Dropbox to access your stored data.
OneDrive Security and Privacy
Although it is not the best secure cloud storage service like Sync.com, SpiderOak provides the best zero-knowledge level encryption. But still, Microsoft’s OneDrive is considered relatively safe compared to Dropbox and Google drive because it takes several high-standard security measures to protect user data.
These measures include 256-bit AES encryption for data at rest and in transit, Personal Vault, setting an expiration date on links, protecting from Ransomware attacks, password-protected link sharing, and two-step verification. All of these features are crucial to secure data on cloud storage.
But Personal Vault is the best security feature in One Drive regarding security that I like most. This feature allows to lock and unlock any folder with different solid authentication methods like fingerprint, PIN, or with the help of an authorization code.
However, most of these security features are only supported with personal and family plans except Personal Vault. With a free program, it allows protecting 3files with Personal Vault. Like Google Drive and Dropbox, it also has a privacy policy that states Microsoft only collects basic information and will not sell user data to third parties.
But again to say, it is also USA based service and has the same privacy threats as Google and Dropbox. But there have been no severe data breakage issues related to its security and privacy in the past. Additionally, Onedrive also provides an option to use European Union data centers instead of the USA, which are more secure places to store data.
File Sharing and Collaboration
These features can be great for teachers or businesses who want to share lesson plans or projects with students or with employees to provide files access in real-time. You could even work on a project together with your students to teach or with employers on the same document!
Google Drive Sharing and Collaboration
Google Drive is the best file sharing and collaboration cloud service with a ton of features. You can share any type of file or folder with others, and they will be able to view or edit the files as needed. You can also collaborate on documents in real-time so that everyone can work together on the same file simultaneously.
Dropbox Sharing and Collaboration
It provides many options to share files on different services directly like what’s app, Zoom, Canvas, email, etc. Further, you can give access to specific files or even files of a particular size as determined by the file uploader when assigning permissions for individual team members or groups of people.
You can also decide how much access your team members have over the files you’ve shared with them in question (so if they’re just an observer, they can only see what’s going on and not edit things which is good!).
Additionally, Dropbox provides more control over shared files, letting you set expiration dates, protect files with passwords and disable the download option. Furthermore, Dropbox “paper collaboration feature” allows you to work with others in real-time.
Onedrive Sharing and Collaboration
OneDrives also has similar sharing features such as allowing users to set expiration dates for invitations, locking down invitations with a password that only the file owner could access, and even sharing files with specific users. This tool also allows users to work on document files in real-time.
Google Drive Web Interface
Google Drive provides a great interface for its users to make it easy to access files quickly. The menu text and the color scheme are clear and bolded that are clearly visible and easy to understand. Navigation is relatively straightforward, too – on the left side, there are main menus that contain different menus options like My Drive, Shared with Me, and Starred.
My Drive contains all of your folders, including all new or previously created ones you’ve made, as well as Stared with me, which shows any files that you’ve been given access to or have shared with others in turn.
Further down is recent items – a list of filenames that have been recently opened; on the right side finds Trash where deleted items are stored for 30 days before they’re permanently deleted.
Furthermore, file, folder, or creating any document files is pretty simple and easy, just one click away by clicking the plus sign (New). Google Docs also allows users to display content in either a list or grid view.
Furthermore, the search feature is compelling, with advanced functions that can get exactly what you’re looking for when searching their database.
OneDrive Web Interface
OneDrive has a very easy-to-use interface that is much like Google Drive. Even beginners with zero experience can use OneDrive with ease and convenience! For example, on the left-hand side of OneDrive, you can find all important menu options including My Files, Recent, Photos etc. And this menu section is very similar to Google Drive.
Moreover, OneDrive lets you set up display views in three formats list, tiles, or compact list. Additionally, you can quickly sort the files in any order, such as name, size, or date uploaded.
Lastly, I would like to add, making a new file and folder from OneDrive is also straightforward. Overall it is a user-friendly interface where you can manage your files smoothly.
Dropbox Web interface
Again, the Dropbox interface is similar to Google Drive and OneDrive, which is relatively fast and clean to navigate. There is a main menu on the left side with many folders and a search bar like Home, Recent, Shared and Deleted Files, etc.
Also, the upload process is drag-and-drop making it more straightforward than I’d imagine. Also, the search feature is the advanced level that helps to find more specific files in one’s account much more accessible, which also has a clickable thumbnail that makes it easy to access any file with one search. Likewise, I did not notice any clutter in the menu bar!
Google Drive Storage and Pricing
Google drive offers three different storage subscriptions, including Basic, Standard, and Premium. Basic provides 100GB in 1.99$/month and while standard subscription offer 200GB in 2.99$/month. And Premium subscription gives 2TB storage for 9.99$/month.
Also, each subscription includes other great features like support for five members, special customer support. It also supports VPN for Android phone users with a premium plan. Furthermore, Google gives 15GB free limited storage without any other feature.
Dropbox Storage and Pricing
Dropbox offers two types of main plans, including personal and family. Personnel include plus and family, plus gives 2GB of storage space $9.99 / month for one user. And family subscription offers the same storage for $16.99 / month, but it supports more than six users.
While the business category offers further three sub plans, including professional 3TB for $16.58, standard 5TB for $12.50 per month, and advanced with custom storage space is $20 per user for one month. Additionally, each plan of Dropbox includes other great features that are difficult to mention. Further, Dropbox also gives 2GB of free storage space.
OneDrive Storage and Pricing
Like Dropbox, OneDrive also offers several different subscriptions, which are affordable for each user.
Home subscription
It includes three plans that are Standalone, personal, and family. Standalone provides 100GB storage for 1.99$/month, but it only includes Onedrive storage. Personnel and subscription give 1TB and 6TB in 9.99$ and 9.99$ per month respectively.
Additionally, both plans have office 365 and a business Skype account. But, personnel are only allowed to add one user while the family supports up to 6 members. And also, the family plan offers a one-month free trial.
Business subscription
Onedrive offers four exclusive packages for business users. Plan1 provides 1TB storage for 5$ per month. At the same time, plan2 gives unlimited storage for a single user for 10$. However, both subscription does not include office 365 support.
Furthermore, basic and standard business packages provide 1TB per user for 5$ and 12$ per month, respectively. Additionally, both include Microsoft Exchange, Sharepoint, and teams services.
But Basic only supports web apps for office 365. While standard provides both web and desktop versions of office 365, it also includes a social-networking tool (Yammer), excellent communication software for businesses.
