Box cloud storage review
Our Verdict
Box brings with it a host of options for businesses looking to leverage their data in the cloud – it's packed with third-party integrations and security protections too. It'due south less appealing for normal consumers, though everything is reliable and well designed.
For
- Uncomplicated, flexible file sharing
- Large integration library
- 2-factor authentication
Against
- 5GB file upload limit
- Confusing desktop clients
Tom's Guide Verdict
Box brings with information technology a host of options for businesses looking to leverage their data in the cloud – it's packed with third-political party integrations and security protections too. Information technology'southward less highly-seasoned for normal consumers, though everything is reliable and well designed.
Pros
- +
Unproblematic, flexible file sharing
- +
Large integration library
- +
Two-factor authentication
- +
Cons
- -
5GB file upload limit
- -
Disruptive desktop clients
- -
Box is one of the more well-established players in cloud, and ranks amongst the all-time deject storage providers. The service has been around since 2005, when it began equally a side project of then-college educatee and founder Aaron Levie. Since and so, Box has grown essentially.
But, has Box kept up with new engineering and irresolute user preferences over the past fifteen years? In our Box review, we'll take a closer look at what this deject storage solution offers, where it succeeds, and where it falls curt of the mark.
Box: Features
Box is designed to sync files between your estimator and the cloud, merely we were struck past how difficult it is to achieve this in a cohesive mode. Strangely, the software has two different desktop clients—Box Sync and Box Bulldoze.
With Box Sync, you can select whatsoever binder in your file system for syncing with the deject. This is overnice because y'all tin can easily cull but specific files or folders for cloud backup or online collaboration.
But, Box Sync doesn't give you a single sync directory on your computer's file system like about other cloud storage providers do. For that, y'all'll demand Box Drive. The catch is that Drive and Sync won't work simultaneously. Then, you substantially need to choose between being able to pick and cull which folders you sync to the cloud or existence able to keep a single, centralized sync directory.
It's perplexing that Box has continued with these two desktop apps instead of combining them into a unmarried client. We also don't love that Box comes with very restrictive file upload limitations. Fifty-fifty expensive concern plans just enable you to upload files upward to 5GB in size. Given how easy it is to generate data in massive quantities today, 5GB is simply likewise small-scale a limit for a huge number of businesses.
Box does live up to its promise a bit more when it comes to file sharing, though. If you use Box Sync (simply not Box Bulldoze), you can easily create a sharing link to a file or folder right from your desktop. There are several different permission options, which we appreciated, and business users have the option to protect shared links with passwords and expiration dates.
The simply matter to watch out for is that paid accounts are limited to 2TB of downloads from shared links per month.
Box: Interface and in apply
The Box browser interface is mod and sleek, in contrast to the desktop user experience. You tin easily reorganize your files on the cloud into folders, and there's a designated sync folder to copy files from the cloud back to your estimator. You can also drag and drop files from your computer to a folder in your cloud space for backup, which is easier than trying to navigate Box's desktop apps if you're not worried near file syncing.
By default, files are displayed as icons corresponding to their file type, and images are displayed as preview icons. This makes it easy to quickly sort through your cloud files to find what you need. However, while Box has a born photograph viewer and sound player, you tin't play videos from the web client.
Box also offers a mobile app for iOS and Android, which thankfully follows the same design as the browser interface. Information technology's relatively easy to access any of your files stored on the cloud from the app, preview files, and get out comments for collaborators. You can also gear up the app to sync from your phone's media folders.
Different many of its competitors, Box includes no built-in tools for document editing. Instead, information technology relies on a library of around 1,400 integrations, which includes extensions for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. These integrations are piece of cake to set upward and they enable you to utilise your favorite discussion processor or spreadsheet editor when working from the cloud.
The integrations also embrace a much wider range of pop productivity and business platforms, including Slack, Salesforce, DocuSign, and more. These integrations aren't entirely unique, just they practise make a huge difference when information technology comes to using Box for business concern.
Box besides expands its productivity footprint with a congenital-in tool called Box Notes, which you can admission from the web customer. Notes includes options to quickly create a note, schedule a meeting, or share a projection workflow.
This tool was functional, and some users may appreciate having note-taking and project workflows right alongside their cloud files. Only the customization options in Notes are relatively limited and we think there are better software options for boosting productivity.
As for security, Box is heart-of-the-route at best. You lot can enable 2-factor hallmark when logging into your account and opt to receive notifications when one of your files is accessed by someone with whom you shared it. But, Box doesn't offer zero-noesis or end-to-end encryption, so information technology's difficult to believe that your files are truly secure during transfer betwixt your computer and the cloud.
Box: Pricing
Considering that Box has some serious kinks to work out, we were hoping to at least find that it offers relatively cheap plans. But, Box is actually one of the more expensive cloud storage providers we've seen.
There is a free program, simply it only comes with 10GB of storage and limits your maximum upload size to 250MB. A Personal Pro programme costs $10 a month for 100GB of storage, which all the same isn't much.
Business options start at $five per user a calendar month for 100GB of storage, but require a minimum of iii users. Unlimited storage costs $15 per user a calendar month for a Business organization plan, or $25 per user a month for a Business Plus plan. The latter offers additional enterprise app integrations as well as some extra administrator and auditing tools.
Box: Final verdict
Box seems to trip over itself in trying to provide everything nether the sun for deject storage. The platform'due south desktop clients are contradictory and incompatible, security is mediocre, and you can't upload files greater than 5GB in size.
While we liked Box's spider web interface and app integrations, the platform is also priced at a premium compared to many of its more user-friendly competitors.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/box-review
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