云存储(Cloud storage)既适合个人使用(例如在线存储所有照片和视频),也适合商业用途(business use)。如果您在家工作(working from home),存储您的文档并通过 Internet 与您的团队成员共享它们是必不可少的。当您将重要文件保存在云中时,您(time and place)还可以随时随地访问它们。
Box 和 Dropbox(Box and Dropbox)都是出色的云存储客户端,可为用户提供很多服务。让我们探索Box(Box)与Dropbox的优缺点,看看哪一个更适合您。
盒子(Box)
最适合:(Best for:) 商业用途(business use),这要归功于各种面向商业的订阅计划和大量集成选项。
优点:(Pros:)
- 带有免费个人帐户的 10 GB 免费存储空间
- 易于使用的界面
- 第三方应用集成
- 您可以在不共享帐单信息(billing information)的情况下创建帐户
缺点:(Cons:)
- 与其他云存储服务相比,付费帐户要贵得多
- 免费个人帐户的 文件上传限制(upload limit)为250 MB(MB file)
- 用于不同目的的各种桌面和移动应用程序可能会令人困惑
Box是一个易于使用的在线云存储客户端,并且具有干净的初学者友好界面。(cloud storage client)与其他存储服务不同,Box的网站(s website)允许您对文件进行更多操作,而不仅仅是查看、下载和共享它们。
合作(Collaboration)
您可以直接在站点上创建新文档、移动文件、创建新文件夹、注释和书签。您还可以使用基于 Web 的文本编辑器(text editor)Box Notes在(Box Notes)Box中处理文档。
除了Box Notes等原生解决方案外,Box还提供与大量第三方生产力应用程序的集成,可以改善您的工作流程并节省您的时间。例如,Box与 Google 的办公套件(office suite)、Office 365、Trello和Asana集成。您还可以轻松使用可帮助您在线签署文档的工具,例如DocuSign 和 Adobe Sign(DocuSign and Adobe Sign) with Box。
桌面和移动应用(Desktop & Mobile Apps)
Box 桌面(Box desktop)和移动应用程序可能会让人感到困惑。您可以在官方Box 下载(Box Downloads)页面上找到各种应用程序。它们包括我们上面提到的 Box Notes——文档的文本(Box)编辑器,Box (text editor)Tools——(Box Tools)用于编辑其他文件类型的桌面应用程序,如(desktop app)Office、CAD和Photoshop、Box Drive——用于快速访问同步文件的桌面Box 客户端,以及(Box client)Box App –用于从智能手机访问和共享文件的应用程序。
Box 应用程序(Box app)提供了一些独特的功能,例如添加密码以确保文件安全的功能,以及允许您将智能手机上拍摄的所有照片和视频自动备份到云端的自动上传功能。
价钱 (Pricing )
Box有多种面向业务的计划, (Box)Starter 订阅(Starter subscription)计划的起价仅为每位用户每月 5 美元。这些计划中的大多数都提供无限存储、无限数量的外部合作者和数据丢失保护(loss protection)。提供无限存储空间(storage space)的最昂贵的Box 套餐(Box package)每位用户每月 35 美元。
您还可以获得 Box 的个人使用计划之一。免费订阅计划(subscription plan)提供 10 GB 的免费存储空间(free storage)和所有标准功能,Personal Pro 套餐(Personal Pro package)提供高达 100 GB 的存储空间,每月收费 10 美元。
投递箱(Dropbox)
最适合:(Best for:)日常使用,因为它与您使用的几乎所有其他应用程序兼容。
优点:(Pros:)
- 各种有用的原生工具——Dropbox Paper(Dropbox Paper)、Showcase、HelloSign
- 为每台设备免费下载单独的应用程序
- 兼容大量应用和服务(apps and services)
缺点:(Cons:)
- 昂贵的付费订阅计划
- 免费计划仅提供 2 GB 存储空间(GB storage)
Dropbox是一种先驱的云存储服务(pioneer cloud storage service),仍然是许多用户的第一选择。它是一个简单、用户友好且可靠的文件共享客户端,带有内置工具,如Paper、Showcase和HelloSign,无需离开Dropbox即可处理您的文档。
合作(Collaboration)
所有这些工具都是为了协作。Dropbox Paper是一种工具,您可以使用它直接在Dropbox Web应用程序中创建新文档,并允许其他用户向他们添加照片、视频、表情符号,以及对文档的任何部分进行评论。
Showcase是为拥有专业Dropbox帐户的用户提供的一项功能,可让您向其他用户展示您的文档,然后跟踪谁查看或下载了这些文档。
最后,HelloSign是一项数字签名功能(signature feature),可让您在Dropbox中签署您的文档,以及向其他Dropbox用户请求电子签名。
桌面和移动应用(Desktop & Mobile Apps)
Dropbox拥有适用于几乎所有平台的独立应用程序,包括Windows、Mac、Linux、Android、iPhone、iPad、Kindle和Windows平板电脑。您也可以只使用Web 客户端(web client)而无需安装任何东西。
如果您确实选择在您的计算机上安装Dropbox,您会惊喜地发现该应用程序对您的操作系统(operating system)的影响很小。与其他云服务不同,Dropbox在桌面上没有完整的应用界面(app interface),而是在 Mac 的功能区菜单中显示为一个小图标。
价钱 (Pricing )
无论您是只希望存储个人文件的个人,还是希望每天共享和交换文档的专业团队, (share and exchange documents)Dropbox都有适合您需求的订阅计划。(subscription plan)虽然所有Dropbox应用程序都可以免费下载,但免费存储空间仅限于 2 GB。
使用付费帐户(paid account),您可以获得 2 TB 到无限存储空间,具体取决于您选择的计划。个人使用分为两层——个人(每月 9.99 美元)和家庭计划(family plan)(每月 16.99 美元),专业使用的三层,起价为每月 16.58 美元。提供无限存储空间(storage space)的订阅计划(subscription plan)是Dropbox Business Advanced,如果按年计费,每位用户每月收费 20 美元。
哪种云存储(Cloud Storage)最适合(Best Pick)您?
Box 和 Dropbox(Box and Dropbox)都为在线存储和共享文件提供了强大的功能和工具。虽然Box似乎更面向业务,为专业人士提供大量订阅计划(subscription plan)选项,但如果您打算将 Dropbox用于个人需求,它可能更划算。(Dropbox)
如果您想将这两个云存储(cloud storage)客户端与其他服务进行比较,请查看我们对Dropbox 和 Google Drive(Dropbox and Google Drive)的比较。
你以前用过Box 或 Dropbox(Box or Dropbox)吗?您会为自己选择哪个(Which)云存储应用程序?(storage app)在下面的评论中分享您对云存储服务的体验。
Box vs Dropbox: Which Cloud Storage Option Is Better?
Cloud storage іs great for both individual use like storing all of your photos and videos online, and for business use. If you’re working from home, storing your documents and sharing them with your team members over the internet is essential. When you keep your important files in the cloud, you also get the benefit of being able to access them at any time and place.
Both Box and Dropbox are excellent cloud storage clients that offer a lot to their users. Let’s explore the pros and cons of Box vs. Dropbox and see which one is right for you.
Best for: business use, thanks to the variety of business-oriented subscription plans and a large number of integration options.
Pros:
- 10 GB free storage with a free personal account
- Easy to use interface
- Third-party apps integration
- You can create an account without sharing your billing information
Cons:
- Paid accounts are much more expensive compared to other cloud storage services
- 250 MB file upload limit with a free personal account
- The variety of desktop and mobile apps for different purposes can be confusing
Box is an online cloud storage client that’s easy to use and has a clean beginner-friendly interface. Unlike other storage services, Box’s website allows you to do more with your files than just see, download, and share them.
Collaboration
You can create new documents right on the site, move your files around, create new folders, notes, and bookmarks. You can also work with your documents in Box using its web-based text editor Box Notes.
Aside from its native solution such as Box Notes, Box offers integration with a huge amount of third-party productivity apps that can improve your workflow and save your time. For example, Box integrates with Google’s office suite, Office 365, Trello, and Asana. You can also easily use tools that help you sign documents online like DocuSign and Adobe Sign with Box.
Desktop & Mobile Apps
Box desktop & mobile apps are where it can get confusing. There’s a variety of apps that you can find on the official Box Downloads page. They include Box Notes that we mentioned above – a text editor for your documents, Box Tools – a desktop app for editing other file types, like Office, CAD, and Photoshop, Box Drive – a desktop Box client for quickly accessing your synced, and Box App – an app for accessing and sharing your files from your smartphone.
The Box app offers a few unique features, like an ability to add a password to keep your files safe, and an auto-upload feature that allows you to automatically backup all of the photos and videos that you take on your smartphone in the cloud.
Pricing
Box has a variety of business-oriented plans, starting only at $5 per user per month for a Starter subscription plan. Most of these plans offer unlimited storage, unlimited number of external collaborators, and data loss protection. The most expensive Box package that offers unlimited storage space costs $35 per user per month.
You can also get one of the Box’s individual use plans. The free subscription plan comes with 10 GB of free storage and all of the standard features, and the Personal Pro package offers up to 100 GB of storage and costs $10 per month.
Best for: everyday use, as it’s compatible with almost every other app that you’re using.
Pros:
- A variety of useful native tools – Dropbox Paper, Showcase, HelloSign
- Separate apps for every device free to download
- Compatible with a large number of apps and services
Cons:
- Expensive paid subscription plans
- The free plan comes with only 2 GB storage
Dropbox is a pioneer cloud storage service that is still the #1 choice for many users. It’s a simple, user-friendly, and reliable file-sharing client that comes with built-in tools like Paper, Showcase, and HelloSign for working with your documents without leaving Dropbox.
Collaboration
All of those tools are meant for collaboration. Dropbox Paper is a tool that you can use to create new documents right inside the Dropbox web app and allow other users to add photos, videos, emojis to them, as well as comment on any part of your document.
Showcase is a feature available for those with professional Dropbox accounts that allows you to present your documents to other users and then track who’s viewed or downloaded them.
Finally, HelloSign is a digital signature feature that allows you to sign your documents in Dropbox, as well as request electronic signatures from other Dropbox users.
Desktop & Mobile Apps
Dropbox has separate apps for pretty much any platform, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone, iPad, Kindle, and Windows tablets. You can also just use the web client without having to install anything.
If you do choose to install Dropbox on your computer, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the low impact of the app on your operating system. Unlike other cloud services, Dropbox doesn’t have a full app interface on the desktop and appears as a little icon in your Mac’s ribbon menu instead.
Pricing
Whether you’re an individual only looking to store your personal files, or a team of professionals looking to share and exchange documents on a daily basis, Dropbox has a subscription plan that will suit your needs. While all Dropbox apps are free to download, the free storage is limited to just 2 GB.
With a paid account, you can get from 2 TB to unlimited storage depending on the plan you choose. There are two tiers for personal use – individual ($9.99 per month) and a family plan ($16.99 per month), and three tiers for professional use starting at $16.58 per month. The subscription plan that offers unlimited storage space is the Dropbox Business Advanced and costs $20 per user per month if billed annually.
Which Cloud Storage Is the Best Pick for You?
Both Box and Dropbox offer great features and tools for storing and sharing your files online. While Box seems to be more business-oriented with a large number of subscription plan options for professionals, Dropbox might be a better bang for your buck if you’re planning to use it for personal needs.
If you want to compare these two cloud storage clients with other services, check out our comparison of Dropbox and Google Drive.
Have you used Box or Dropbox before? Which cloud storage app would you choose for yourself? Share your experience with cloud storage services in the comments below.