Google Workspace is a comprehensive productivity suite with integrated cloud storage, email, and collaboration tools, while Dropbox is primarily a file storage and synchronization platform with limited productivity features. Google Workspace suits teams needing integrated workflows; Dropbox excels for file-centric users who prefer simplicity and cross-platform compatibility.
Google Workspace vs Dropbox — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Cloud-based productivity suite with integrated email, documents, storage, and video conferencing.
Cloud storage and file synchronization platform with smart sync and cross-platform support.
Primary Function. Storage Capacity (Basic Plan). Real-time Collaboration. Video Conferencing Included. Cross-Platform File Access. Email Integration. Starting Price (Business Plan)
Choose Google Workspace if your team needs an integrated productivity ecosystem with email, document collaboration, video conferencing, and cloud storage in one platform—ideal for organizations wanting to reduce tool sprawl. Choose Dropbox if your priority is reliable file storage with best-in-class sync reliability, cross-platform support, and platform-agnostic compatibility with existing productivity tools.
Google Workspace: ~250M (estimated) | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: Gemini (free with promo through July 2026) | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 77% report lower overhead | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: Web-first, limited desktop | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: Faster, optimized | Dropbox: N/A
Enterprise Security (Intune/Advanced Tools)
Google Workspace: Strong (DPDP compliant) | Dropbox: N/A
Annual Cost for 100 Users (Standard Plan)
Google Workspace: 2,000 GB (Business Standard) | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: Limited (requires third-party tools) | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: Limited offline features | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 15 GB (shared account) | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 100 GB (Business Standard) | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: Yes (Gmail) | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: No (Sheets only) | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 30 days (standard), 180 days (Business Standard+) | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: FedRAMP Authorized (Moderate) | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 30 GB (Business Starter plan) | Dropbox: 2 GB (free)
Monthly Cost per User (Annual Commitment)
Google Workspace: $6/month (Business Starter) | Dropbox: $11.99/month (Plus plan with 2 TB)
Google Workspace: Unlimited (14-day free trial for full Workspace) | Dropbox: 1 user (free plan, 30-day trial for paid)
Google Workspace: Native (Docs, Sheets, Slides) with real-time co-editing | Dropbox: Third-party integration only (Microsoft Office, Google Docs)
Google Workspace: Yes (Google Meet, 24-hour group calls) | Dropbox: No (integrate Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams)
Google Workspace: 30 days (trash retention) | Dropbox: 180 days (on Plus plan)
Google Workspace: 2000+ via Google Marketplace | Dropbox: 3000+
Google Workspace: Advanced (SSO, DLP, HIPAA, FedRAMP, SOC 2 Type II) | Dropbox: Robust (SSO, DLP, HIPAA, SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001)
Google Workspace: $6.00 (Business Starter) | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: Unlimited | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 15 GB shared | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 6 major platforms | Dropbox: 6 platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web)
Google Workspace: 100+ versions available | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: Limited—requires internet for most features | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 6+ million organizations | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: Duet AI with Gemini (all plans) | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: $12/month (Business Standard tier) | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: Sub-second (<500ms) | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 5+ (stable, certified) | Dropbox: Not applicable
Google Workspace: Full Gmail client with inbox management | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: Manual setup in Sheets; no native support | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 50+ REST API endpoints | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: $18 USD | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 50+ apps | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 1,000+ integrations | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 25 templates | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 5+ editors | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 15 options | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 8 native apps | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 6 methods | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 100 users | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 14 days | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: 6 platforms (Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chromebook) | Dropbox: N/A
Monthly Cost per User (Minimum Paid Plan)
Google Workspace: $6 (Business Starter) | Dropbox: N/A
Google Workspace: Duet AI with writing, analysis, formatting assistance | Dropbox: N/A
Business Plan Starting Price (Annual per User)
Google Workspace: $72/year | Dropbox: $180/year
Google Workspace: 30 days (standard) | Dropbox: 180 days (Dropbox Plus)
Google Workspace: Native with presence indicators, 100+ simultaneous editors | Dropbox: Basic comments only; requires integrations
Google Workspace: Google Meet (unlimited on Business plans) | Dropbox: No native conferencing
Google Workspace: Windows, Mac (Drive for Desktop) | Dropbox: Windows, Mac, Linux
Google Workspace: Yes (Gmail on all plans) | Dropbox: No
Google Workspace: 5 GB (web), unlimited (desktop) | Dropbox: 20 GB (all methods)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: $11.99/month
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 250 GB (Business Plus)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 30-365 days (plan dependent)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: Yes, with expiry dates
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: $24/user/month
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, GDPR
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: $11.99 (Dropbox Plus)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: Not available
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: Zero-knowledge optional (paid add-on)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: Unlimited
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: Yes (Dropbox Spaces, Team Spaces)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: $120/year
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 4.5/5 (2.2M reviews)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: In-transit AES-256 + optional client-side encryption
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 180 days
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: Advanced (@mentions, comments, Paper documents, 300+ integrations)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: Server-side (TLS 1.2+)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 500+ million
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: United States
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 2.5 billion
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: $119.88
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: No inclusion
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 4 regions
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: $199.99
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 2000 GB
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: Dropbox Business (3TB+ per user, admin console)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: Optional via third-party or manual import
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 6 platforms (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: Advanced (view-only, download blocks, expiring links, password protection)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: No automatic photo backup
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: Dropbox Sign, Spaces, Paper, task management
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 30 days
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 700 million (2024)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 2 TB ($11.99/month)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: No (storage-focused)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: All file types (universal)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: Not optimized
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: $17.99 + seat fees (~$120 estimated)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: All file types via sync
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: Yes, in Dropbox Spaces
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 2000GB (2TB)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 22 levels
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: $179.88/year
Microsoft Office Co-authoring Integration
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: Limited (basic sharing, no native co-editing)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 180 days (Plus), 1800 days (Professional)
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 2-5 MB/s average
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: Role-based access, expiring links, password protection, IP restrictions
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: Third-party add-ons and basic integration
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 3000GB (3TB) Dropbox Professional
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: $119.99
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: 85 Mbps
Google Workspace: N/A | Dropbox: Yes (comments, @mentions, file requests, Dropbox Transfer)
How to choose between Google Workspace and Dropbox
Google Workspace vs Dropbox — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Google Workspace vs Dropbox. Contains 152 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Google Workspace vs Dropbox — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Google Workspace vs Dropbox.
Can I use Google Workspace and Dropbox together?
Yes, absolutely. Many organizations use both—Google Workspace for email and document collaboration, and Dropbox for file storage and sync. Google Drive integrates with Dropbox, allowing you to store Google Workspace exports in Dropbox. However, this adds complexity and cost; evaluate if one solution better meets your needs first.
Dropbox excels at offline access through its native desktop sync client, which automatically syncs files locally and works seamlessly when offline. Google Workspace requires Google Drive for Desktop or manual downloads; however, Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides have offline editing modes once cached in the browser. For file-centric offline work, Dropbox is superior.
Is Google Workspace or Dropbox more secure for businesses?
Both offer enterprise-grade security (encryption, SSO, 2FA, audit logs). Google Workspace provides Advanced Security & Investigation Tools on higher plans with threat intelligence. Dropbox emphasizes ransomware protection and file recovery with its Rewind feature. For security alone, they're comparable; your choice depends on other factors like compliance requirements (HIPAA, SOC 2, etc.).
How much storage do I actually get with each?
Google Workspace Business Starter provides 30 GB per user ($6/month). Dropbox Plus offers 2 TB for $9.99/month (individual) or 3 TB for Dropbox Family ($19.99/month). For teams, Google Workspace offers better value; for individual power users needing massive storage, Dropbox Plus is more economical.
Which is better for small teams: Google Workspace or Dropbox?
Google Workspace is generally better for small teams because it combines email, docs, storage, and video conferencing at $6/user/month, eliminating the need for separate tools. Dropbox is better if your team already uses Slack, Microsoft Teams, or other productivity platforms and only needs superior file storage/sync. Calculate your total tool cost to decide.
How to Choose Between Google Workspace and Dropbox
Primary Function: Google Workspace has All-in-one productivity suite (Docs, Sheets, Gmail, Drive, Meet), while Dropbox has File storage and sync platform with limited productivity tools.
Storage Capacity (Basic Plan): Google Workspace has 15 GB free (Business Starter: 30 GB per user), while Dropbox has 2 GB free (Dropbox Plus: 2 TB).
Real-time Collaboration: Google Workspace has Native in Docs, Sheets, Slides with presence indicators and commenting, while Dropbox has Basic comments; requires third-party integrations for true co-editing.
Video Conferencing Included: Google Workspace has Google Meet included (unlimited on Business plans), while Dropbox has No native video conferencing; integrates with Zoom, Slack.
Cross-Platform File Access: Google Workspace has Web-based with Android/iOS apps; desktop client required for offline sync, while Dropbox has Desktop sync clients for Windows, Mac, Linux plus web and mobile apps.
Email Integration: Google Workspace has Gmail included on all Business plans, while Dropbox has No email service; requires separate email provider.
Consider: Starting Price (Business Plan)
Starting Price (Business Plan): Google Workspace has $6/user/month (Business Starter), while Dropbox has $9.99/month (Dropbox Plus individual) or $180/user/year (Dropbox for Business).