Technology · head to head
Dropbox vs GitHub
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Dropbox the free Basic plan gives 2 GB of storage; GitHub acquired by Microsoft in 2018, reducing pure independence despite operational autonomy
- They diverge on capability: Dropbox covers File synchronization, GitHub covers Git repositories.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Dropbox and GitHub actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Technology).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Dropbox
- File synchronization
- Cloud storage
- File sharing
- Version history
- Offline access
- Microsoft Office
- Google Workspace
- Zoom
Only in GitHub
- Git repositories
- Pull requests
- Code review
- Issues & projects
- GitHub Actions CI/CD
- GitHub Pages
- Security scanning
- Dependency management
Both cover
- Slack
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Dropbox
- File backupnot GitHub
- Team collaborationnot GitHub
- Content sharingnot GitHub
- Remote worknot GitHub
GitHub
- Version controlnot Dropbox
- Code collaborationnot Dropbox
- CI/CD pipelinesnot Dropbox
- Project managementnot Dropbox
- Documentation hostingnot Dropbox
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Dropbox
- The free Basic plan gives 2 GB of storage
- Version history is 30 days on Plus, 180 days on Standard and 1 year on Advanced
- File transfers are capped at 50 GB on Plus and 100 GB on the team plans
- The Advanced team plan requires a minimum of 3 users at $24 per user per month
- eSignature requests are limited to 3 per month on Plus and Standard
GitHub
- Acquired by Microsoft in 2018, reducing pure independence despite operational autonomy
- Primary focus on source control differs from purpose-built project management tools like Jira
- Pricing for enterprise features and private repositories adds up compared to some self-hosted alternatives
Pricing, plan by plan
Dropbox
Free- BasicFree
- 2 GB storage
- File sync
- Mobile apps
- Plus$9.99/month
- 2 TB storage
- Offline access
- Remote device wipe
GitHub
Free- FreeFree
- Unlimited public/private repos
- 2,000 CI/CD minutes/month
- 500MB package storage
- Team$4/month
- Everything in Free
- 3,000 CI/CD minutes/month
- 2GB package storage
- Enterprise$21/month
- Everything in Team
- 50,000 CI/CD minutes/month
- 50GB package storage
Which should you pick?
Choose Dropbox if
- You need file synchronization.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
- You also want cloud storage.
Choose GitHub if
- You need git repositories.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
- You also want pull requests.
Questions people ask
- Is Dropbox or GitHub better?
- Neither clearly leads. Dropbox starts at Free and GitHub at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Dropbox or GitHub?
- Dropbox starts at Free and GitHub at Free.
- Does Dropbox or GitHub run on more platforms?
- Dropbox runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. GitHub runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
- Can I use Dropbox for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Dropbox best used for?
- Dropbox is most often used for file backup, team collaboration, content sharing, remote work. Of those, file backup and team collaboration are not what GitHub is typically brought in for.
- What can Dropbox do that GitHub cannot?
- Dropbox covers File synchronization, Cloud storage, File sharing, Version history. GitHub covers Git repositories, Pull requests, Code review, Issues & projects. Both handle Slack.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
GitHub: What is a Git repository and how does GitHub use it?
A repository is the centralized database that stores the complete collection of files and folders for a codebase, along with the revision history. GitHub uses Git to provide distributed version control access to repositories with version tracking, branching, and collaboration features.
SourceGitHub: How does GitHub authentication work?
When you connect to a GitHub repository from Git, you need to authenticate with GitHub using either HTTPS or SSH. GitHub supports multiple authentication methods including passwords, personal access tokens, SSH keys, and GitHub Apps.
SourceGitHub: How long has GitHub been operating?
GitHub was founded in 2008 and launched publicly on April 10, 2008, making it the dominant git hosting platform for nearly two decades.
SourceGitHub: Who owns GitHub and when did the acquisition occur?
Microsoft acquired GitHub for $7.5 billion USD, with the deal announced June 4, 2018 and completed October 26, 2018. GitHub operates as an independent subsidiary within Microsoft.
Source