4 Dropbox Alternatives for Small Business Cloud Storage

[This article was written by Brittany Hall.]

Today, cloud storage is basically everywhere. The majority of apps are built in the cloud, and that’s where many people store their photos, music, and videos. It’s become such a norm, that you probably don’t even think about it. Files can now by synced almost instantly with access from any device thanks to cloud storage services.

Dropbox was among the first of these services that entered the market, and is still one of the biggest cloud storage providers to this day. The platform was designed for individuals, as well as small businesses, to be able to easily share files and access them from anywhere. Dropbox isn’t for everyone, however, and in recent years, there have been a few hacks that resulted in thousands of compromised accounts. Luckily, there are many alternatives to Drobox that offer are reliable, efficient, and provide better security. Here are four Dropbox alternatives for small business cloud storage.

Google Drive

Most people are aware of Google Drive. The cloud storage and collaboration service features Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, and more for editing documents and presentation. It’s also usually one of the first platforms that comes to mind when people think about alternatives to Dropbox. Several people can access the same file all at the same time, and Google’s services allow for commenting and even speech-to-text.

Google Drive provides users with 15 GB of storage initially, which is much more than Dropbox’s 2 GB. However, the 15 GB is shared between all services under a user’s Google Account, such as Gmail, Google Docs, Photos, etc. Google Drive also integrates well with many other apps and tools, giving it an edge over many other cloud storage services. Like Dropbox, the drag-and-drop feature makes it easy to organize your account. You can also set different permissions for the folders or files you share with others, and you can search for files within the platform.

Box

Box was actually founded before Dropbox, and remains as probably its biggest competitor. While Box focuses primarily on cloud services for businesses, it also works for personal storage as well. It also offers more storage space than Dropbox, providing users with 10 GB for free. The functions of the platform are designed with small businesses in mind, making it easy work on and organize files, as well as share them.

Similar to Dropbox, Box offers intuitive file sharing and storage, and a drag-and-drop functionality. Unlike its competitor, however, Box is easily integrated with other often used programs, such as Outlook, Office 365, and Google Apps. The cloud storage app also offers more advanced file-sharing features, including custom links.

ShareFile

The cloud-based storage and file sharing service ShareFile was designed for business. ShareFile is used by some small businesses to create a paperless environment. The cloud storage platform boasts that an entire company can upload and organize all of its files. Files stored on ShareFile can also be easily accessed later on from any device. There is also a plug-in feature that automatically converts files to a smaller size for emails.

Backblaze

Sometimes, all people really want from a cloud storage service is simply peace of mind knowing their files are safe and secure. Backblaze serves as more of a backup system, a very important part of storage for small businesses. One of the strong advantages of the platforms is that it can be installed once and then basically be forgotten. You won’t have to worry about remembering to backup your files every day or having to upload every week.

Cloud storage is widely used these days, and they are maybe hundreds of cloud-based storage and file sharing providers. No longer do you have to rely only on Dropbox for cloud storage. Hopefully one of these four Dropbox alternatives will be just what you need for your small business cloud storage.

Brittany Hall is a digital marketer turned writer. When she’s not planning her next travel adventure, she writes about the latest technology and tools for TrustRadius.