Brianna ParkerBox Inc.is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that provides cloud-based collaboration, file sharing, content management, and workflow tools for businesses. The company was founded in 2005 by Aaron Levie and Dylan Smith. Based in Redwood City, California, Box went public in Jan 2015 and surpassed70 million registered users five years later.
The platform integrates with more than 1,500 business applications from Microsoft, IBM, Apple, Google, Slack, and Adobe. In fiscal year 2022, Box’s revenue increased by 13% to $874.3 million. The company employs2,172people globally. [1]
Box expanded its platform and cloud services through strategic acquisitions, including Butter AI Corporation in Jun 2018. The company offers free service for individuals andfour tiers: Starter, Business, Business Plus, and Enterprise.
Its services simplify workflows for leading organizations globally, including JLL, AstraZeneca, and Morgan Stanley. In Mar 2022, Box forecasted annual revenue growth of around 17%by 2025.
The software provider also expects sales to increase by 14% in 2023. This surge is driven by an expanded product line. But the company faces stiff competition from Google, Microsoft, Dropbox, FileCloud, Citrix, and Egnyte. [2]
Here is an in-depth analysis of top Box’s competitors and alternatives:
1. Google Drive
Year founded: 1988
Headquarter: Mountain View, California
Google Drive is a cloud storage and collaboration system offered by Google Inc. The platform integrates with Gmail, Google Docs, and other Google apps, allowing users to share and retrieve files and folders via multiple devices. In 2021, Google had around 156,500 employees and made $257 billion in revenue.
Unlike Box, Google Drive caters to personal and business clients. Users can leverage Google Docs to read and write files stored in the cloud. In Dec 2020, Google Photos announced several changes to its online storage policy.
The platform no longer offers free, unlimited photo and video storage. Users get 15GB of free storage and purchase a Google One subscription starting at $1.99/month for an additional 100GB. With over a billion users, Google Drive is a formidable Box competitor. [3]
2. Microsoft OneDrive
Year founded: 1975
Headquarter: Redmond, Washington
Microsoft OneDrive is a cloud-based storage and file-sharing platform operated by Microsoft Inc. The company offers four plans; Basic with 5GB of free storage, 100GB for $1.99/month, Microsoft 365 Personal for $6.99/month, and Office 365 Home for $9.99/month. In 2021, Microsoft had 181,000 employees and accumulated $168 billion in revenue.
The main benefit of using OneDriveis its robust file-sharing features that come with expiry dates and password protection. In 2021, Microsoft OneDrive launched a new integrated admin center to help users manage everything in one place.
The company also simplified storing, syncing, and sharing files in Microsoft 365 and running OneDrive on Apple devices. MicrosoftOneDrive is the best alternative to Box for Microsoft Office users.[4]
3. Dropbox
Year founded: 2007
Headquarter: San Francisco, California
Dropbox is a leading cloud storage provider. It offers file syncing, personal cloud, and software. In 2021, Dropbox had 600 million registered users and generated $2.16 billion in revenue.
The main competitive advantage for Dropbox is its robust syncing feature. Users automatically upload photos and videos from cameras, tablets, SD cards, and smartphones to the “Camera Uploads” folder in Dropbox.
The platform uses a smart sync feature that provides access to cloud files without first syncing them to a computer. Dropbox is one of the best alternatives to Box. [5]
4. FileCloud
Year founded: 2016
Headquarter: Austin, Texas
FileCloud is a hyper-secure content collaboration platform (CCP). The platform offers industry-leading compliance, digital rights management, and data governance and protection. In 2021, FileCloud raised $30 million in a Series A funding round and a $10 million growth capital facility with Avidbank. [6]
FileCloudruns on public, private, and hybrid clouds and provides robust file sharing, sync, and mobile access features. It allows organizations to integrate workflow automation and content management across enterprise platforms into their CCP stack.
Millions of users rely on FileCloud, including top Global 1000 enterprises, institutions, and managed service providers. FileCloud is a worthy Box competitor in content management.
5. Citrix System Inc.
Year founded: 1989
Headquarter: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Citrix is a cloud computing and virtualization technology company. It provides networking, server, apps, Desktop as a Service (DaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS). In 2021, Citrix had around 9,700 employees and generated $3.22 billion in revenue. [7]
Citrix caters to over 400,000 clients globally, including 98% of the Fortune 500 companies. The company offers Citrix Content Collaboration that helps teams store, share, and backup files online.
This platform frees employees from their devices and networks, allowing them to work and collaborate remotely. Citrix Content Collaboration is the best alternative to Box’s cloud-based collaboration service.
6. Egnyte Platform
Year founded: 2007
Headquarter: Mountain View, California
Egnyte is a software company that offers cloud-based security, compliance, and collaboration tools for businesses. Its solutions enable seamless and secure collaboration between coworkers and third parties. In 2021, Egnyte had around 900 employees globally and more than $150 million in annual recurring revenue. [8]
Egnyte provides robust collaboration features, including cloud storage and co-editing files in Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. In 2021, the company opened a new office in India and added more than 200 employees.
The platform uses machine learning to automatically cache and categorize files quickly and accurately. It integrates with Box, OneDrive, Dropbox, Slack, AWS, and Salesforce. These integrations increase Egnyte’s competitive advantage over Box.
7. ZohoWorkDrive
Year founded: 1996
Headquarter: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
ZohoWorkDrive is a cloud-based document management solution offered by India’s Zoho Inc. The platform helps businesses and teams store, share, and manage files of any size and collaborate on workloads.In2021, Zohohad 12,000 employees and generated $690 million in revenue.[9]
ZohoWorkDrive and Box help users streamline collaborations and content storage, management, and sharing. Zoho also offers Zoho Office Suite, Zoho Docs, and Zoho Social used by more than 80,000 businesses. These products increase Zoho’s competitive advantage over Box. ZohoWorkDriveis one of the best alternatives to Box for SMBs.
8. Axway Software
Year founded: 2000
Headquarter: Puteaux, France
Axway Software is an IT company that provides enterprise-grade solutions. It offers application integration, analytics, activity monitoring, mobile app development, and web API management. In 2021, Axway had 1,888 employees and generated €285.5 million in revenue. [10]
Axway’sAMPLIFY Syncplicity competes with Box’s cloud-based content management solution. It secures enterprise content collaboration and enables app integration, business analytics, activity monitoring, and administrative control.
WithAMPLIFY Syncplicity, users can establish a digital workplace quickly and efficiently. Axway’s AMPLIFY Syncplicity is the best Box alternative for managing collaborative online workspaces.
9. Amazon WorkDocs
Year founded: 1994
Headquarter: Seattle, Washington
AWS is a cloud computing, storage, and infrastructure platform operated by Amazon Inc. It offers Amazon WorkDocs, Amazon Photos, and Amazon Drive. All three cloud storage services require an Amazon Prime membership. In 2021, AWS generated $62.2 billion in revenue. [11]
Amazon WorkDocs is a robust solution for creating, sharing, and editing documents. Amazon Photos offers unlimited photo storage, while Amazon Drive comes with 5 GB of storage for videos. These services compete against Box’s offerings across the board.
In 2021, the company introduced AWS Private 5G to help clients deploy networks based on 5G technology and AWS Mainframe Modernizationfor cloud migration. AWS is one of the top alternatives to Box.[12]
10. Cloudian
Year founded: 2011
Headquarter: San Mateo, California
Cloudianoffers a leader in data management software for the hybrid cloud. The company’s S3-compatible object storage allows users to optimize data access and cut costs by consolidating data in a single platform. In 2021, Cloudian had 247 employees.
Both Cloudian and Box help businesses streamline data management. Cloudian users can rely on its geo-distributed architecture to manage data at the edge, core, and the cloud.
In Dec 2021, CloudianHyperStore’s object storage was certified with VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid (TKG).HyperStoreoffers enterprise-grade persistent storage and military-grade security for cloud-native apps in TKG customers’ environments. It is 70% cheaper than the public cloud and delivers S3 compatibility and limitless scalability. Cloudianis an innovative Box competitor. [13]
11. SugarSync
Year founded: 2004
Headquarter: San Mateo, California
SugarSync is a cloud storage and syncing service owned by J2 Global that provides active file synchronization across PCs and other devices. It enables file backup, access, syncing and sharing from Android, iOS, Mac OS X, and Windows operating systems. In 2021, SugarSync had 132 employees and generated around $25 million in revenue.
SugarSync allows users to sync folders and mark any file in their system for syncing. But it lacks advanced collaboration features and offers fewer sharing options than its competitors. SugarSync is also overpriced compared to Box.
The company charges $9.99 for 250GB, about eight times higher than the equivalent tier on Box. But SugarSync’s innovative syncing capabilities can poach some customers from Box. [14]
12. eFileCabinet
Year founded: 2001
Headquarter: Lehi, Utah
eFileCabinetwas founded as an accounting business and later expanded into content management. Its proprietary software helps businesses store and manage documents on-premises and in the cloud. In 2021, the company had 33 employees and generated around $4.5 million in revenue.
Since its founding, eFileCabinet has perfected its approach to intelligent organization. It is a leader in document management, workflow automation, and file-sharing.
In 2021, eFileCabinetexpanded its global footprint with a new point of presence in Canada. This new PoP will help meet the growing customer demand for its solutions in Canada.eFileCabinetis one of the best alternatives to Box for document management. [15]
13. ownCloud
Year founded: 2010
Headquarter: Lexington, Massachusetts
ownCloud is an open-source file sharing and syncing platform. It offers a suite of client-server software for creating and using file hosting services. Unlike Box, ownCloud is primarily server software.
ownCloudworks with several organizations, such as Australia’s Academic and Research Network (AARNet). AARNet stores data for more than 100,000 users. In 2021, the company introduced its ownCloud Infinite Scale (OCIS).
This ownCloud version is an open-source enterprise file sharing and syncing software stack. OCIS delivers 10 times better performance thanownCloud’s PHP, database, and POSIX filesystem. ownCloudis an innovative Box alternative. [16]
14. Kiteworks
Year founded: 1999
Headquarter: Palo Alto, California
FormerlyAccellion Inc., Kiteworks is a tech company that offers solutions to help organizations secure sensitive content and communications. It is a leading platform for ensuring regulatory compliance and effectively managing risk in users’ email, file share and transfer, web forms, and application programming interfaces. In 2021, Kiteworks had around 200 employees.
Both Kiteworks and Box streamline content sharing. But Kiteworks empowers organizations to effectively manage risk and secure every send, share, receive, and save sensitive content. The platform delivers content governance, compliance, and protection to customers.
In Jan 2022, the company announced that customers can use its platform to upload, share, and store vaccine-related protected health information (PHI). Kiteworks is a user-friendly alternative to Box. [17]
15. TeamDrive
Year founded: 2008
Headquarter: Hamburg, Germany
TeamDrive is a cloud storage platform hosted in Germany. It allows organizations to store client-sensitive and business-oriented information on the cloud. In 2021, TeamDrive had 45 employees.
TeamDrive allows users to create storage spaces, convert any document into a team drive doc, and save it in the cloud. They can store data from any location globally and edit or collaborate using any device, such as mobiles or web applications.
The platform grants access to cloud storage spaces to users based on their roles. In Aug 2021, TeamDrivewonthe “Company of the Year” award in the “Collaboration” category from the European CIO Review Magazine.TeamDriveis a worthy Box competitor. [18]
16. Atlassian
Year founded: 2001
Headquarter: Sydney, Australia
Atlassian is a software company that offers workflow automation, communication, collaboration, and content management solutions. The company owns renowned brands, including Trello and Jira. In 2020, Atlassian had 5,752 employees and generated $2.08 billion in revenues.
Atlassian competes with Box across the board. Its Jira software integrates with Trello, allowing users to manage projects and software development in a single platform.
This project management app streamlines workflows, communication, and collaboration. Atlassian is one of the most comprehensive alternatives to Box for project managers and IT teams. [19]
17. Nextcloud Files
Year founded: 2016
Headquarter: Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Nextcloud Files is a cloud storage service. It allows users to store files and folders on its cloud-based server. According to Gartner ratings and reviews, Box is rated higher than Nextcloud Files in service and support, integration and deployment, and evaluation and contracting.
Unlike Box, businesses can use Nextcloud for free. Users can collaborate via video link and share information retrieved from the cloud with other team members.
In 2022, Nextcloud introduced the concept of Group Folders to bridge the gap between the old structure and the new flat sharing. Nextcloud Files is one of the best free alternatives to Box. [20]
18. Apple iCloud
Year founded: 2011
Headquarter: Cupertino, California
iCloud is a cloud storage service offered by Apple Inc. Apple is the world’s most valuable brand, with a market cap of $2.6 trillion. In 2021, Apple had around 154,000 employees and generated a record $365.82 billion in revenue. The tech giant has 785 million paying subscribers for services, including iCloud. [21]
The main competitive advantage for iCloud over Box personal cloud storage is its integration with Apple devices. Users can store images, documents, and music on remote servers and download them to iOS, Windows, and macOS.
They can also share photos, music, and games with other Apple users. iCloud is the best alternative to Box for Apple users.
19. Sync.com
Year founded: 2011
Headquarter: Toronto, Canada
Sync.com is a cloud storage provider that offers one of the best zero-knowledge cloud services. The platform provides a safe space for organizations to store their data and collaborate. In 2021, Sync surpassed 1.9 million business and individual users worldwide.
The main competitive advantage for Sync.com is its free zero-knowledge encryption. The cloud storage provider uses the TLS protocol and AES 256-bit encryption to protect files in transit and at rest.
In 2021, Sync introduced unlimited storage and Apple Silicon Support to optimize the Sync desktop app for Apple silicon.It also offers excellent versioning and reasonable prices, increasing its competitive advantage over Box. [22]
20. IceDrive
Year founded: 2019
Headquarter: Cardiff, UK
IceDrive is a cloud storage solution enabled by revolutionary drive-mounting software. Users can access their cloud storage like a physical hard drive.
IceDrive offers robust file synchronization options, interface design, and security protocols. The company provides monthly, annually, and lifetime subscriptions under Lite, Pro, and Pro+.
Icedrive is cheaper than Box and other competitors. Users can sync folders on their computers through the “context” menu. IceDrive is an affordable Box alternative in the cloud storage service. [23]
21. MSP360
Year founded: 2011
Headquarter: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
MSP360 is a software and application service. The company offers MSP360 Backup and MSP360 Explorer for personal use in a “freemium” model. It also provides online backup, remote desktops, and IT management solutions for MSPs.
MSP360 offers cutting-edge backup and file management solutions. Unlike Box, MSP360caters to MSPs and IT departments worldwide. The MSP360 platform integrates with more than 20 cloud storage providers and combines several easy-to-use features to deliver reliable data protection.
In Oct 2021, the company added immutable storage for AWS and about a dozen new features to MSP360 Managed Backup Service (MBS). MSP360is one of the top Box alternatives for MSPs and IT. [24]
References & more information
- Box Inc. (2022, Mar 2). Box Reports Strong Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2022 Financial Results. Box Press
- Williams, J. (2022, Mar 16). Box Forecasts Annual Sales Growth of up to 17% in 2025. Bloomberg
- Tech Desk (2020, Dec 5). Google storage policy changes from June 1, 2021: What you need to know. The Indian Express
- Kirti, A. (2022, Jan 6). Top five: Looking back at OneDrive in 2021. Microsoft Tech Community
- Vlajin, B. (2022, Mar 1). Top 10 Best Dropbox Alternatives in 2022: Which is the most secure? Cloud Wars
- Industry News (2021, Dec 15). FileCloud raises $30M to accelerate innovation and global market expansion. Help Net Security
- Citrix Systems, Inc. (2022, Jan 31). Citrix Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2021 Financial Results. Business Wire
- Egnyte (2022, Jan 31). Egnyte Announces Record-Breaking Year of Growth. PCR Online
- DT Next Editor (2022, Feb 16). Zoho’s profit soars to Rs1,918 crore in FY21. DT Next
- Axway Software (2021, Jan 19). Axway Software 2021 Full-Year Results. Business Wire
- Sujay, L. V. (2022, Mar 22). Amazon Web Services: Annual revenue 2013-2021. Statista
- Rist, O. (2021, Dec 1). The Future of Amazon Web Services. CRN
- Cloudian (2021, Dec 16). Cloudian Announces Object Storage Certification with VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid. Globe Newswire
- Muchmore, M. (2021, Oct 21). SugarSync Review. PC Mag
- eFileCabinet, Inc. (2021, Oct 5). eFileCabinetExpands Document Management and Workflow Automation Footprint into Canada. Business Wire
- Loschwitz, M. (2021, Feb 11). What’s new in OpenStack in 2021. Opensource
- Kiteworks (2022, Jan 19). Kiteworks Protects Employee and Contractor PHI; Enables Compliance with HIPAA and Vaccine Mandates. Globe Newswire
- TeamDrive (2021, Aug 17). TeamDrive is named “Company of the Year.” TeamDrive Press
- Morpus, N. (2021, Jan 29). What Is Jira: An Overview of a Unique Project Management Tool. The Motley Fool
- Poortvliet, J. (2022, Mar 8). How Nextcloud brings Access Control Lists to the modern file sync and shares world. Nextcloud Blog
- Spangler, T. (2022, Mar). Apple Powers to Record $124 Billion Year-End 2021 Quarter. Variety
- Donovan, V. (2022, Jan 18). Sync 2021 in Review. Sync Blog
- Faulds, J. (2021, Jan 14). IceDrive Review. TechRadar
- MSP360 (2021, Oct 26). MSP360 Adds Immutable Storage for AWS. PRNewswire
- Featured image by Austin Distel
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