File sharing is a common operation in any business, especially if you have branch offices or remote teams working from different locations. In such situations, file sharing is essential for collaboration and productivity. That said, the sharing process must also be secure to prevent unauthorized access to business-critical and sensitive information.
The good news is many file-sharing tools enhance collaboration and provide security during the file transfer process. In this article, we will compare two file-sharing tools, Files.com and Dropbox Business, to help you decide which of the two is a better fit for your needs. Before we delve into the comparison, let's briefly see what each of these tools can do for your business.
What is Files.com?
Files.com is a popular file-sharing platform that can be deployed as a SaaS or on-premises and is used to securely share and transfer files within and outside an organization.
Key Features:
Here's a look at some of the features of Files.com.
- Supports any workflow, and doesn't require coding or scripting.
- Easy to onboard partners and employees.
- Supports standard file transfer protocols.
- If you choose the SaaS version, no installation or maintenance is required.
- Comes with many out-of-the-box integrations for Microsoft, AWS, and Google.
- Works well with most popular third-party apps. It even has APIs for custom apps.
- Complies with many leading standards such as SOC-2, HIPAA, and more.
In all, Files.com is a versatile and flexible file-sharing tool that comes with advanced automation features to enhance collaboration and communication in your organization. Click here for a free trial.
What is Dropbox Business?
Dropbox Business is a cloud-based file-sharing, document-tracking, and backup service that empowers organizations to securely store and share documents. The higher plans also allow your employees to digitally sign important contracts. It also comes with built-in data validations and templates for commonly used contracts.
Key Features:
Here are some of the salient features of Dropbox Business.
- Easy to share files securely and in real-time. All that you need is a browser and an Internet connection.
- No limits on file sizes. Depends only on your cloud storage limits.
- Sends updates in real-time when someone opens or changes your files.
- Supports the use of shared folders for remote team collaboration.
- You can create a group, add members, and invite the group to access shared folders.
- Makes it easy to manage permissions.
- Supports watermarking and password protection for additional security.
- Integrates well with most popular third-party apps.
Moreover, you can upload files of any size or format, create a link, and share the link with your recipients. This way, transfers are quick and easy and require only minimal bandwidth.
Overall, Dropbox Business is a simple and convenient way to share files and folders and have granular control over their access. Click here to get started.
Now that you have a basic understanding of the two file-sharing apps, let's compare them in detail.
Files.com vs. Dropbox Business – A Detailed Comparison
Files.com and Dropbox Business may seem similar, given that both of them are cloud-based and enable the secure and quick transfer of files between two entities. However, a closer look shows that both these services cater to different audiences and have varying features. Let's now see how they differ, so you can decide which of the two is a better fit for your organization.
- Audience Both tools cater to different audiences, and this is a key difference. Files.com is often used for sharing business-critical files among businesses and is often seen as a B2B tool. On the other hand, Dropbox Business is more of a cloud storage platform that also supports the easy sharing and collaboration of different files among individuals. In this sense, Dropbox Business is more suited for internal collaboration and sharing by employees rather than sharing critical files with outside entities.
- Security Files.com and Dropbox Business are secure services, but the way they implement security is different. Files.com uses encryption to protect your data and uses multi-factor authentication to ensure that only authorized employees have access to the relevant files. Dropbox Business also uses AES 256-bit encryption to protect your files. However, it doesn't use multi-factor authentication. Instead, the owner of a file can decide what level of access must be granted to another employee, and based on that, the recipient can only view or have permission to edit or delete the file. Both services are secure in their respective ways, though it's hard to say which one is more secure. Again, this boils down to the varying purpose and audience segments these platforms cater to.
- Storage With Files.com, you can store up to 100 GB for free and the entire storage is encrypted. Dropbox Business, on the other hand, offers varying storage plans and the cost depends on the storage plan you choose. The key difference here is that Files.com is a platform that facilitates the secure transfer of files and offers storage as an add-on, while Dropbox Business offers storage as the central platform and supports sharing as an add-on.
- Additional Services Other than storage and file sharing, Dropbox Business also offers additional services such as team management and the varying levels of visibility and collaboration that come with it. In particular, it gives control to the owner/creator/admin of the file to decide who can access it and what they can do with it. You can also leverage the workflow optimization feature of Dropbox Business to integrate it with your team.
None of the above features are available on Files.com because the mechanism of working doesn't require them. With Files.com, you can apply an organization-wide security policy for sharing and collaboration. Also, the encryption feature of Files.com is a huge plus.
Final Verdict
Now comes the big question. Which of the two services is better? The answer depends on what you're looking to do.
If you want your employees to store files in cloud storage and share them easily with others for improved collaboration and the resulting productivity, Dropbox Business can work for you. On the other hand, if you're looking for a secure way to transfer business-critical files to other organizations and external and internal shareholders, Files.com is your best bet. It comes with advanced encryption features that ensure your files are safe both during transit and at rest. Plus, you get 100 GB of free storage when you go for a Files.com subscription.
Bottom Line
In all, secure file storage and transfer have become easy due to the availability of tools such as Files.com and Dropbox Business. That said, both these tools are different and serve different purposes in the realm of cloud storage and secure transfer. It's a good idea to evaluate your needs and, accordingly, decide which of the two is a better fit for your organization.
We hope this was an insightful article. We welcome you to browse through www.ittsystems.com for more such comparisons.