Is Dropbox or OneDrive better?

OneDrive is better for Microsoft 365 users — it's included in M365 subscriptions (1TB storage), integrates natively with Teams, Word, and Excel. Dropbox is better for cross-platform teams (Windows, Mac, Linux), external collaboration, and advanced sync features like Smart Sync and selective sync.

Is OneDrive free with Microsoft 365?

Yes. Microsoft 365 Personal ($69.99/year) and Family ($99.99/year) both include 1TB OneDrive storage per user. OneDrive also has a free tier with 5GB. Dropbox free gives only 2GB; Dropbox Plus is $11.99/mo for 2TB.

Dropbox vs OneDrive (2026): Which Cloud Storage Should You Choose?

Quick Answer

If you pay for Microsoft 365, use OneDrive — you already have 1TB included, and it integrates perfectly with Office apps. If you need cross-platform file sync that works flawlessly on Mac, Windows, and Linux with external collaborators, Dropbox is the more reliable choice. OneDrive has improved but still lags Dropbox on sync reliability and non-Windows performance.

Dropbox

8.7/10

Best for cross-platform sync reliability

Microsoft OneDrive

8.8/10

Best for Microsoft 365 users

Feature Comparison

Feature	Dropbox	OneDrive
Free Storage	2GB	5GB
Paid Plans	$11.99/mo (2TB) / $19.99/mo (3+ users)	$6.99/mo (100GB) / Included in M365
Microsoft 365	Via third-party integration	Native — real-time Office co-editing
Smart Sync	Yes — files on demand (all plans)	Yes — Files On-Demand
Version History	180 days (Plus), Extended (Business)	30 days (free) / 180 days (M365)
Linux Support	Yes — native client	No native Linux client
External Sharing	Excellent — Dropbox Transfer, Paper	Good — SharePoint integration
Best For	Mixed-OS teams, external collab, creatives	Windows/M365 organisations

Which do you use?

Dropbox

Microsoft OneDrive

Who Should Choose What?

Choose Dropbox if:

Your team uses a mix of Windows, Mac, and Linux. Dropbox's sync engine is battle-tested and consistently outperforms OneDrive on reliability, especially on macOS and Linux. Also choose Dropbox for creative teams sharing large files, or for external collaboration outside your organisation.

Choose OneDrive if:

You're a Windows-first organisation already paying for Microsoft 365. The 1TB included storage, real-time Excel/Word collaboration, Teams integration, and SharePoint connectivity make OneDrive the obvious choice — paying for Dropbox on top is redundant.

FAQ

Is OneDrive as reliable as Dropbox?

OneDrive has improved significantly but Dropbox still edges it on sync reliability, especially on macOS. OneDrive has historically had issues with file conflicts, sync errors, and macOS performance. For pure Windows environments, OneDrive is excellent. For mixed environments, Dropbox remains the more battle-tested choice.

Why is Dropbox so expensive compared to OneDrive?

Dropbox positions as a premium standalone product — $11.99/mo for 2TB vs OneDrive's 1TB bundled into Microsoft 365 Personal at $5.83/mo (when billed annually at $69.99/year). If you need Office apps anyway, M365 + OneDrive is dramatically better value. Dropbox's price premium is justified only by its superior cross-platform sync quality and external collaboration tools.

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Last updated: April 10, 2026