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Dropbox vs LINE WORKS

Dropbox logo

Dropbox

Technology

Cloud storage and file synchronization service

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
LINE WORKS logo

LINE WORKS

Communication

Business chat built on the LINE interface, aimed at Japanese firms whose staff and customers already use LINE

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Dropbox the free Basic plan gives 2 GB of storage; LINE WORKS the external LINE bridge, which is the main reason to choose it, only matters where LINE has consumer penetration, so buyers outside Japan, Taiwan and Thailand are paying for a feature they cannot use.
  • They diverge on capability: Dropbox covers File synchronization, LINE WORKS covers External LINE messaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dropbox and LINE WORKS actually diverge.

Attributes where Dropbox and LINE WORKS differ
AttributeDropboxLINE WORKS
Pricing modelfreemiumPer user per month
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, WebWeb, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
CategoryTechnologyCommunication
Founded2007Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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
  • Slack

Only in LINE WORKS

  • External LINE messaging
  • Chat and channels
  • Voice and video calls
  • Shared address book
  • Calendar and bulletin board
  • Drive
  • Business email

Both cover

  • Admin controls

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Dropbox

  • File backupnot LINE WORKS
  • Team collaborationnot LINE WORKS
  • Content sharingnot LINE WORKS
  • Remote worknot LINE WORKS

LINE WORKS

  • A Japanese retail or service chain whose customers expect to book and enquire over LINE rather than emailnot Dropbox
  • A clinic, dealership or estate agency that needs customer conversations on LINE but under corporate retention and auditnot Dropbox
  • A Japanese SME under 30 staff that wants managed business chat at no licence cost on the free tiernot Dropbox
  • The Japanese subsidiary of a foreign group that needs a local tool for front-line staff alongside the group standardnot 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

LINE WORKS

  • The external LINE bridge, which is the main reason to choose it, only matters where LINE has consumer penetration, so buyers outside Japan, Taiwan and Thailand are paying for a feature they cannot use.
  • The free tier caps total storage at 5GB across the whole organisation, not per user, so a team sharing photos or documents exhausts it within weeks and is pushed onto a paid plan.
  • Business email is only on the Advanced plan at 800 yen per user, so an organisation wanting both chat and mail pays nearly double the Standard rate for every seat including staff who only chat.
  • Developer documentation, support and the integration catalogue are strongest in Japanese, which makes it awkward to administer from a non-Japanese IT function.
  • It has no serious developer or engineering workflow story, so organisations that also run Slack or Teams for technical teams end up maintaining two chat systems and two directories.

Pricing, plan by plan

Dropbox

Free
  • BasicFree
    • 2GB storage
    • File sharing and storage
  • Plus$9.99/month
    • 2TB storage
    • File transfer up to 50GB
    • PDF editing
  • Standard$15/month
    • 3TB for team
    • 180-day file recovery
    • 100GB transfers
  • Advanced$24/month
    • 15TB for team
    • 1-year file recovery
    • End-to-end encryption

LINE WORKS

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 30 users
    • 5GB total storage
    • Chat, calls, calendar and address book
  • Standard$450/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 1TB shared storage
    • Annual contract price, 540 yen monthly
  • Advanced$800/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Business email
    • 100TB shared 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.
Dropbox review

Choose LINE WORKS if

  • You need external line messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want chat and channels.
LINE WORKS review

Questions people ask

Is Dropbox or LINE WORKS better?
Neither clearly leads. Dropbox starts at Free and LINE WORKS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dropbox or LINE WORKS?
Dropbox starts at Free and LINE WORKS at Free.
Does Dropbox or LINE WORKS run on more platforms?
Dropbox runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web. LINE WORKS runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS.
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 LINE WORKS is typically brought in for.
What can Dropbox do that LINE WORKS cannot?
Dropbox covers File synchronization, Cloud storage, File sharing, Version history. LINE WORKS covers External LINE messaging, Chat and channels, Voice and video calls, Shared address book. Both handle Admin controls.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Dropbox: How much does Dropbox cost?

Dropbox offers a free 2GB plan. Plus is $9.99/month (2TB), Standard is $15/user/month (3TB team), and Advanced is $24/user/month (15TB team).

Source
LINE WORKS: Can LINE WORKS really message ordinary LINE users?

Yes. That is its core differentiator and the reason Japanese customer-facing businesses buy it.

Dropbox: Is Dropbox free?

Yes, Dropbox Basic is free with 2GB of storage for personal use and file sharing.

Source
LINE WORKS: Is there a free plan?

Yes, up to 30 users with 5GB of total organisation storage.

Dropbox: What is the difference between Dropbox Plus, Standard, and Advanced?

Plus at $9.99/month offers 2TB personal storage. Standard at $15/user/month offers 3TB for teams with 180-day recovery. Advanced at $24/user/month offers 15TB with 1-year recovery and single sign-on.

Source
LINE WORKS: Does the Standard plan include email?

No. Business email is Advanced only, at 800 yen per user per month on an annual contract.

LINE WORKS: Is it worth buying outside Japan?

Generally no. Without the consumer LINE bridge it competes poorly against Slack, Teams or Lark on features and ecosystem.

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