File sharing programs are a necessity in this day and age. Whether you want to share family photos with your loved ones or collaborate on a document with your teammates at the office, they make your digital life much, much easier. But, not all file sharing programs are created equal. Some have free options while others charge money. Some are easier to use while others are more feature-rich. In this article, we'll cover 10 of the best file sharing programs you should use in the next year.
File Sharing Programs FAQ
1. What Is a File Sharing Program?
2. What Do I Need File Sharing Programs For?
3. What Are the Benefits of File Sharing Programs?
4. What Are the Drawbacks of File Sharing Programs?
How We Reviewed
The following products were reviewed based on these parameters: available features, pros and cons, and price. We looked at the most popular file-sharing programs and compared everything they offer in-depth to narrow this unbiased list down to the ten very best options.
Overall Price Range of File Sharing Programs
Many of these programs offer free base versions, while feature-rich paid versions with tons of extra storage can cost anywhere from $10 to $20 per user, per month, with a few pushing a little higher.
What We Reviewed:
Dropbox
Features
Dropbox is a cloud-based storage service that allows users to navigate their stored files just as they would on their desktop. It allows you to automatically sync your files so you can access them from any device with the Dropbox app on it. All you have to do is download it and sign in. From there, you'll be able to add files to your Dropbox folders and share files and folders with others. If someone makes a change to a document, you'll be notified via email. With a number of flexible pricing plans, it's suitable for both individuals and businesses of all sizes.
Price
This product can be found on Dropbox's website for around $11.12 per month for the "Plus" version, or $27.81 for the more feature-rich "Professional" version.
PROS
CONS
?Google Drive
Features
Google Drive is the most popular of these file-sharing programs, offering anyone with a Google account 15GB of free storage for documents, photos, videos, and more, as well as word processing, spreadsheet tools, and much more. Because it's linked to your Google account, it will automatically sync with any device you're signed in on. It monitors any changes made to anything stored there for 30 days, allowing users to recover deleted and altered documents with ease. Sharing is also easy as long as those you're sharing with have a Google account. It even plays nice with third-party business apps, making it a popular choice for enterprises.
Price
This product can be found on Google's Drive page at a wide range of prices, from around $1.99 for an additional 100 GB of storage all the way up to $299.99 for 30 TB. It automatically syncs files across all devices, so you can start working on a document in the office and finish at home.
PROS
CONS
?SugarSync
Features
SugarSync is a user-friendly file-sharing and online backup solution that's built for use by both individuals and businesses. In addition to its storage capabilities, it offers collaboration tools that make it easier for team members to collaborate on documents and projects in real-time. The "Magic Briefcase" feature allows users to create and distribute new content as needed, and SugarSync lets all users organize their files however they see fit. Like Google Drive, it also integrates well with third-party business apps.
Price
SugarSync offers new users a 30-free trial, after which they can choose from several pricing tiers. Individuals can choose from plans that cost around $7.49 per month for 100 GB of storage, $9.99 for 250 GB, and $18.95 for 500 GB, while businesses can get a 1 TB plan for around $55 per month. All plans are available for purchase on SugarSync's website.
PROS
CONS
?Box
Features
Box is a popular file-sharing program that enables secure storage, file access, and collaboration across all devices. The company's security is top-notch, with mobile security, granular permissions, customer-managed encryption, and more. The Box Notes feature makes real-time collaboration easy, and a workflow automation tool can speed up the flow of information in any business. Its many business-focused tools make it a very popular choice for major companies, including Pandora, GE, and Gap.
Price
This product can be found on Box's website, with a free version for entry-level individual users and a paid individual version available for around $11.50 per month, which nets you 100 GB of storage. Businesses can choose a starter version for around $5.80 per user per month with 100 GB of storage or a Business version with unlimited storage at about $17.30.
PROS
CONS
?Hightail
Features
Hightail is designed to make it simple to send and receive large files, making it a great pick for those in graphics-intensive fields like architecture and entertainment. Users can securely send files of up to 10 GB, and the service comes with unlimited cloud storage. Its security features, like identity verification and file tracking, give users control over who can see their files. With Hightail, you can also access your files through integrations with popular business software like Salesforce and NetSuite.
Price
This product can be found on Hightail's website with various tiered pricing plans. A free version limits storage space to just 2 GB and file send size to 250 MB. The Pro Plan costs around $12 per month and boasts unlimited storage space, while a Team Plan for business is available with custom pricing.
PROS
CONS
?Apple iCloud
Features
Apple iCloud is, as the name suggests, a cloud-based file syncing and storage tool limited to Mac and iPhone users. It provides online storage for Apple's suite of apps including Pages and Numbers. It automatically syncs and stores music and photos, and changes will migrate to your other Apple devices. For example, adding an event to your iCal on your laptop will make that same event appear instantly on your phone's calendar. It offers a surprising number of easy integrations, too, including Microsoft Office.
Price
This product can be purchased through Apple devices, with all Apple IDs coming with the free 5 GB version. Paid versions include one that costs about $.99 per month that provides 50 GB of storage, about $2.99 for 200 GB, and 1 TB for about $9.99.
PROS
CONS
?Egnyte
Features
Egnyte is popular thanks to its agility and wealth of out-of-the-box features. It boasts intuitive dashboards, the ability for users to create and share files, and an open API that lets you work on any device. This also allows for a near-unlimited number of integrations with CRM, email services, social networks, and much more. With continuous automated backup, SSL-256 bit encryption, and biometric access, it also has great security features.
Price
This product can be found on Egnyte's website with three pricing tiers: Office, which costs about $8 per employee per month for 5 TB of storage, Business for about $15 with 10 TB of storage, or an Enterprise tier available at varying rates depending on your requirements.
PROS
CONS
?SecureDocs
Features
SecureDocs is designed to give organizations a safe and secure way to store their most sensitive files. Their software makes it easy to collaborate on these documents with outside parties like legal teams while remaining secure. It's simple to create new virtual "rooms" with specific access permissions so the people who need to see certain files can access them. With unlimited storage for unlimited users, it's a solution that can work for organizations of just about any size.
Price
This product can be found on the SecureDocs website, with the entry-level plan costing around $100 per data room per month. 3-month and 12-month plans unlock all features at about $400 and $300 per data room per month, respectively.
PROS
CONS
?OneDrive for Business
Features
One Drive for Business is one of the most popular file-sharing programs out there at the moment, providing a simple and secure cloud-based hub for businesses. It's part of the Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Server, which means it has the support of the Microsoft network. Because of this, users have control over things like content approval, document templates, and much more. It has cloud-based storage options, in addition to an on-premises platform that can be installed on servers, as well as mobile apps that allow team members to access documents from anywhere.
Price
This product can be purchased from Microsoft Office's website, with a wide variety of pricing tiers available. About $1.99 per month will get you the Basic version with 50 GB of storage, while plans can reach all the way up to $150 per user per year for the Office 365 Premium plan, which has 1 TB of storage and grants access to Office 365 apps.
PROS
CONS
?Thru
Features
Thru is intuitive, with high-security standards including anti-virus scanning and AES 256-bit encryption to keep your files safe. It also features no size restrictions for file sharing, making it easy to share and store huge files. It integrates with a wide variety of business software as well, making it possible for departments to collaborate with ease.
Price
This product can be found on Thru's website with two plans available: Business, which costs about $15 per user per month for 1 TB of storage, and an Enterprise plan with customized pricing.
PROS
CONS
?The Verdict
Which of these file-sharing programs is right for you will depend on what you need to use it for. If you're an individual looking for a way to store and share personal documents, the free versions of easy-to-use file sharing programs like Google Drive and Dropbox should do the trick. If you need to transfer huge files you should go with one of the file-sharing programs designed to do so, like Thru or Hightail. If you need your files to be ultra-secure, SecureDocs will do the trick. If you and your coworkers are in the Mac ecosystem, iCloud's features will make your jobs a lot easier.
None of these file-sharing programs will disappoint. The one you choose will depend on which features most appeal to you.
