Collaborate without the per-seat tax. The Dropbox Alternative.
Dropbox revolutionized personal file sync in 2007. But for modern teams, "sync" often means conflict. Why it's time to upgrade to a true cloud-native workspace.
We believe in being radically objective. Fast.io is the best Dropbox alternative for teams because it solves the "sync" problem at scale.
Dropbox is excellent for individuals. But when you add 20 people to a shared folder, the "magic" of sync turns into a nightmare of conflicted copies, hard drive limits, and expensive per-user licensing. Fast.io offers the instant access of the cloud without the local storage tax.
The Cost of Legacy
Dropbox charges for every user, even if they only need to view a few files. Fast.io charges for what you use—storage and bandwidth—so you can invite your entire team for free.
The "Sync" Trap
Dropbox was architected to synchronize a folder on your computer with the cloud. This works brilliantly for one person. But for a team? It means everyone needs enough hard drive space to hold everyone else's work.
Fast.io is "Cloud Native." Files live in the cloud and are streamed to you instantly. You can browse petabytes of data without taking up a single byte on your laptop until you decide to download it.
The Dropbox Way
- • "Conflicted Copy" file clutter
- • Files tied to personal accounts
- • Expensive per-user licensing
- • Progressive download (buffering)
The Fast.io Way
- • Centralized Workspace ownership
- • Unlimited free seats
- • Instant HLS media streaming
- • No local storage requirements
When Dropbox Might Be the Better Choice
Dropbox is a titan of the industry for a reason. There are specific workflows where their model is superior:
- Deep Desktop Integration If your team works exclusively in Finder/Explorer and needs files to feel exactly like they are on the local disk (with complex background syncing), Dropbox's desktop client is the industry standard.
- Offline-First Workflows If your team is frequently without internet and needs to work on thousands of files offline, Dropbox's sync model is designed for this.
- Specific Integrations Some legacy apps only backup to Dropbox. If you have a critical dependency on a "Save to Dropbox" button, sticking with them makes sense.
Why Creative Teams Leave Dropbox
Dropbox uses "progressive download" for video previews. This means if you want to watch the end of a video, you have to wait for the whole thing to download. Fast.io streams it instantly.
Instant Playback
Fast.io automatically transcodes video to HLS. Click play and it starts immediately, with HLS adaptive quality.
Unlimited Guest Access
Share workspaces with clients without forcing them to create a Dropbox account or paying for their seat.
Your Brand, Front and Center
Feature-by-Feature
| Feature | Fast.io | Dropbox |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Usage-based (Credits) | Per-user / Per-month |
| Team Seats | Unlimited (Free) | $15 - $25 / user |
| Mental Model | Shared Workspaces | Personal Folders |
| Video Previews | HLS Streaming (1080p) | Basic Progressive Download |
| AI Integration | Native Search & Summaries | Limited / Add-on only |
| File Ownership | Organization-owned | User-owned (Personal) |
| External Sharing | Unlimited guest access | Counts against seat limits |
| Storage Scaling | Pay for what you use | Fixed tiers with overages |
Making the Switch
Moving from Dropbox is easier than you think. Because we're built on the same cloud primitives, specific data transfer is fast.
Export Data
Use Dropbox's bulk export or sync to a local drive to get your data out.
Drag, Drop & Process
Upload to Fast.io workpsaces. We'll automatically index and transcode everything.
Invite Everyone
Invite your team and clients. Remember, seats are free.
Common Questions
Is Fast.io a good alternative to Dropbox for teams?
Yes. Unlike Dropbox's per-user pricing, Fast.io offers usage-based pricing that keeps costs low as your team grows. Plus, our organization-first model prevents file ownership issues when people leave.
How much does Fast.io cost compared to Dropbox?
Fast.io charges for storage and bandwidth, not seats. A typical 25-person team with 5TB of data pays ~$60/mo on Fast.io vs ~$450/mo on Dropbox.
Calculate your savings
Compare usage-based billing against Dropbox's per-seat tax.
Estimate your savings
Affects Dropbox Business pricing. Fast.io includes unlimited seats.
Monthly Usage
Your Monthly Cost
Ready to upgrade your workflow?
Join thousands of creative teams who have switched to Fast.io for speed, simplicity, and sane pricing.