zcrypt vs Dropbox
Dropbox is convenient.
zcrypt is private
Dropbox is polished, but it holds the keys and can read what you store. zcrypt locks everything on your device first.
No card. No trial. There's nothing to upgrade to.
Why switch
What you get that Dropbox won't give you
You hold the keys
Your passphrase derives the encryption keys on your device with PBKDF2 (600k iterations). We never see them. Lose the passphrase and even we can't recover your files, that's the point.
Locked before it leaves
Files are encrypted with AES-256-GCM before they leave your device. Even folder names are sealed, so the server stores opaque ciphertext and nothing else.
Bring your own storage
Point zcrypt at a GitHub, GitLab, Hugging Face, or Telegram account you already own. No per-gigabyte fees from us, and no artificial caps.
Open source, run it yourself
Read the code, audit the crypto, or run the whole thing yourself. Nothing about how your files are handled is hidden behind a proprietary client.
Side by side
zcrypt and Dropbox, row by row
An honest look at where each one fits. Dropbox wins on polish and ecosystem; zcrypt wins on privacy, ownership, and openness.
| zcrypt | Dropbox | |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption model & who holds the keys | zcryptAES-256-GCM, keys derived on your device (PBKDF2, 600k iterations). Only you hold them. | DropboxEncrypted in transit and at rest, but Dropbox manages the keys and can decrypt your files. |
| Zero-knowledge | zcryptYes, by default. File contents are zero-knowledge, and folder and file names are encrypted client-side (a legacy plaintext name column is being retired). | DropboxNo. Dropbox can technically access file contents for previews, search, and scanning. |
| Storage model | zcryptBring your own: GitHub, GitLab, Hugging Face, or Telegram accounts you already control. | DropboxDropbox-hosted storage on their infrastructure. Simple, but you don't own the backend. |
| Free tier & pricing | zcryptFree. You supply the storage, so there's no per-gigabyte fee from us. | DropboxLimited free tier (a few GB); meaningful capacity requires a paid Plus/Professional plan. |
| Open source | zcryptFully open source: audit the client and server yourself. | DropboxProprietary, closed-source clients and backend. |
| Self-hostable | zcryptRun the entire stack yourself. | DropboxHosted service only. |
| File organization & folders | zcryptReal nestable folders with encrypted folder names and per-folder passwords. | DropboxMature, polished folders and sync. Excellent organization, but names are visible to Dropbox. |
| In-browser previews | zcryptImages, video, audio, PDFs, docs, and code: decrypted in your browser, never on the server. | DropboxRich previews and editing, generated server-side because Dropbox can read the files. |
| File sharing | zcryptEncrypted share links with expiry. Shared vaults are in beta. | DropboxVery mature sharing, links, and collaboration: at the cost of provider access. |
| Vendor lock-in | zcryptMinimal. Your data lives in your own accounts and the format is open. | DropboxHigher. Data and workflows live inside Dropbox's ecosystem. |
Comparison reflects each product's standard offering as of 2026. Dropbox is a trademark of Dropbox, Inc.; we're not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
The honest part
When Dropbox is the better choice
We're not going to pretend zcrypt wins for everyone. Dropbox is genuinely excellent at what it does, and there are real situations where it's the right tool.
If you need real-time collaborative editing, deep integrations with Office or Google Workspace, or a decade-mature desktop sync client that just works across every device your team owns, Dropbox is hard to beat. Its previews, commenting, and version history are more polished than ours today.
If you specifically want the provider to host and manage storage for you (no accounts to connect, no keys to remember) Dropbox removes that responsibility entirely. With zcrypt, if you lose your passphrase, your data is unrecoverable. That trade-off is the price of zero-knowledge, and it isn't for everyone.
And if you need polished mobile apps today, zcrypt's native mobile apps are still on the roadmap. We ship web, desktop, and an Android beta right now. Dropbox's mobile experience is mature and complete.
zcrypt is the better fit when privacy is non-negotiable: when you want to be the only party who can read your files, keep them in storage you already own, and verify exactly how the encryption works.
Get started today
The drive you actually own.
Connect your own account. Encrypted on your device. No artificial limits, no vendor lock-in.