Choosing a file sharing platform used to be straightforward: Google Drive for Google users, Dropbox for everyone else. But privacy concerns, rising subscription costs, and per-user pricing have pushed more teams toward open-source alternatives like Nextcloud.
This comparison covers pricing, privacy, features, and use cases so you can pick the right platform for your workflow.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Google Drive | Dropbox | Nextcloud (Managed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | 15 GB | 2 GB | None (paid hosting) |
| 1 TB Price | $10/mo (Google One) | $12/mo (Plus) | €4.99/mo |
| 5 TB Price | $25/mo | N/A (3 TB max on Plus) | €14.99/mo |
| Per-User Pricing | Yes (Workspace) | Yes (Business) | No — unlimited users |
| Data Location | Global (Google chooses) | US by default | EU (Germany) |
| Data Ownership | Dropbox | 100% Yours | |
| GDPR Compliance | Complicated | US entity | EU-hosted, GDPR-ready |
| Desktop Sync | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile App | Yes | Yes | Yes (iOS + Android) |
| Calendar & Contacts | Yes | No | Yes (CalDAV/CardDAV) |
| Collaborative Editing | Google Docs | Paper | OnlyOffice / Collabora |
| App Ecosystem | Google Workspace | Limited | 200+ apps |
| WebDAV Access | No | No | Yes |
Pricing: Where Nextcloud Wins
Google Drive and Dropbox charge per user for business plans. A 10-person team on Google Workspace Business Standard costs $140/month ($14/user). On Dropbox Business, it's $200/month ($20/user).
Nextcloud has no per-user pricing. A managed Nextcloud instance on DanubeData costs €4.99–€29.99/month regardless of how many users you create:
| Scenario (10 users) | Google Workspace | Dropbox Business | DanubeData Nextcloud |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $140 | $200 | €14.99 |
| Annual cost | $1,680 | $2,400 | €179.88 |
| Shared storage | 2 TB pooled | 15 TB (combined) | 5 TB |
That's a 90% cost reduction compared to Google Workspace and Dropbox Business for a team of 10.
Privacy and Data Ownership
Google Drive
Google's terms of service grant them broad rights to process your data. Google Drive files are scanned for various purposes. Data is stored across Google's global infrastructure, with limited control over geographic placement.
Dropbox
Dropbox stores data primarily in the US. While they offer encryption, Dropbox employees have access to your files in certain circumstances. Their privacy policy allows data processing for service improvement.
Nextcloud
With managed Nextcloud on DanubeData, your data stays in Falkenstein, Germany. No third party scans or processes your files. You have full admin access and complete control over who accesses what. If you delete your instance, the data is gone—no lingering copies on someone else's infrastructure.
Features Google and Dropbox Don't Have
Nextcloud is more than file storage. With its app ecosystem, a single instance can replace multiple SaaS subscriptions:
- Nextcloud Talk — Video calls, screen sharing, chat (replaces Zoom/Slack for small teams)
- Nextcloud Deck — Kanban boards (replaces Trello)
- Nextcloud Notes — Simple note-taking
- CalDAV/CardDAV — Calendar and contacts sync with any standard client
- Nextcloud Forms — Create surveys and forms (replaces Google Forms)
- WebDAV — Mount your cloud storage as a network drive on any OS
Where Google Drive and Dropbox Still Lead
Nextcloud isn't perfect for every use case:
- Google Docs real-time collaboration is unmatched in speed and polish
- Dropbox Smart Sync handles large file libraries better than most alternatives
- Google's search across Drive, Gmail, and Calendar is deeply integrated
- Third-party integrations — many SaaS tools integrate natively with Google Drive and Dropbox
- Free tiers — if you need basic storage and don't care about privacy, the free plans work
Who Should Choose Nextcloud?
Choose Nextcloud if you need:
- EU data residency for GDPR compliance
- No per-user pricing — flat-rate storage for your whole team
- Full control over your data and admin settings
- WebDAV access for desktop sync or backup automation
- An extensible platform with 200+ apps
Stick with Google/Dropbox if:
- Your team is deeply embedded in Google Workspace
- You need best-in-class real-time document collaboration
- A free tier is important
- You rely on third-party integrations that only support Google/Dropbox
Try Managed Nextcloud on DanubeData
Get started with 1 TB of storage for €4.99/month. No per-user fees, EU-hosted, and ready in minutes.
Create your account and deploy your first Nextcloud instance today.
