Data storage on the cloud is not only cost-effective and straightforward, but it is also something that many businesses, regardless of size or structure, are doing. Dropbox and Microsoft's OneDrive are two cloud data storage services that offer excellent solutions for individuals as well as businesses of all sizes, from tiny firms to major corporations.
While each has advantages, the differences between them can be critical when making a decision for your company.
Storage Costs
When deciding whether to use Dropbox vs OneDrive for your business, there are various factors to consider. The storage is the first and perhaps most significant element. The two services handle storage in slightly different ways. Dropbox for business requires a monthly fee for unlimited storage (there are numerous alternatives), whereas OneDrive for business is substantially less expensive, with a monthly fee for 1 terabyte (1000 gigabytes) of storage and an extra fee for more storage. As a result, the amount of space to be utilized in the drive must be considered.
Pricing Plans
Dropbox pricing Plans (Personal and Business):
OneDrive pricing plans (Personal, Family, and Business):
Integrations
There are, however, issues to consider when it comes to things like OS integration. Because OneDrive is a Microsoft product, it works perfectly with the Windows operating system, making it simple to upload data from a Windows PC to the cloud. OneDrive is compatible with Mac, iOS, and Android devices. Dropbox has similar integrations that are more generally usable, but not as frictionless, because uploads may be done on Linux as well.
Both systems allow you to add a folder to your existing system where you can drag and drop files and folders that will sync to the cloud automatically. After the files and folders sync (which takes basically no time), they are accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.
Overall, this is where Dropbox really excels. Dropbox versus OneDrive has a lot more app integrations. While OneDrive has app connectors, Dropbox has mostly replaced OneDrive as the standard cloud storage option for mobile apps.
Security
Dropbox has faced some security issues in the past, including a hack in 2012. No such intrusion has been recorded from Microsoft's OneDrive as of yet. To protect your data, both OneDrive and Dropbox use encryption (a process of scrambling data to make it nearly hard to see). There are some distinctions to be made, though. Your data is encrypted in transit from your computer to the cloud with both services. It is also used once it has been uploaded to the cloud and is stored on Microsoft or Dropbox servers. OneDrive, on the other hand, has a somewhat different method of data security on its servers.
While Dropbox uses a single "key" to unlock all of the data in a single account, effectively creating one large lockbox, OneDrive separates each file into its own lockbox, each with its own "key," making it more difficult for a potential attacker to unlock all of your data at once, especially if they are looking for something specific.
Two-factor authentication is available on both services. This adds an extra degree of protection to your account and data. With this enabled, gaining access to your account is substantially more difficult.
Both services have different differences that must be considered when deciding which is the best answer for your business. OneDrive may be appropriate for a firm that uses Windows machines and plans to start small and develop larger, whereas Dropbox may be best for a company with a diverse set of systems and a requirement for a huge quantity of storage right away.
If your company uses Office 365, you already have access to OneDrive. To understand how to incorporate it into your workflow, speak with your IT specialist.
If your firm is considering using Office 365 or Dropbox, contact RCS Professional Services. As a Microsoft & Dropbox Business Partner, we provide premier pricing and support on both Microsoft & Dropbox products and licensing. You can also visit our youtube channel for Microsoft Teams Training.
