Technology · head to head
GitHub vs Dropbox
The short version
- Each has a real cost: GitHub acquired by Microsoft in 2018, reducing pure independence despite operational autonomy; Dropbox the free Basic plan gives 2 GB of storage
- They diverge on capability: GitHub covers Git repositories, Dropbox covers File synchronization.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which GitHub and Dropbox 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 GitHub
- Git repositories
- Pull requests
- Code review
- Issues & projects
- GitHub Actions CI/CD
- GitHub Pages
- Security scanning
- Dependency management
Only in Dropbox
- File synchronization
- Cloud storage
- File sharing
- Version history
- Offline access
- Microsoft Office
- Google Workspace
- Zoom
Both cover
- Slack
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
GitHub
- Version controlnot Dropbox
- Code collaborationnot Dropbox
- CI/CD pipelinesnot Dropbox
- Project managementnot Dropbox
- Documentation hostingnot Dropbox
Dropbox
- File backupnot GitHub
- Team collaborationnot GitHub
- Content sharingnot GitHub
- Remote worknot GitHub
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
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
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Dropbox
Free- BasicFree
- 2 GB storage
- File sync
- Mobile apps
- Plus$9.99/month
- 2 TB storage
- Offline access
- Remote device wipe
Which should you pick?
Choose GitHub if
- You need git repositories.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
- You also want pull requests.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is GitHub or Dropbox better?
- Neither clearly leads. GitHub starts at Free and Dropbox at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, GitHub or Dropbox?
- GitHub starts at Free and Dropbox at Free.
- Does GitHub or Dropbox run on more platforms?
- GitHub runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. Dropbox runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android, Web.
- Can I use GitHub for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is GitHub best used for?
- GitHub is most often used for version control, code collaboration, ci/cd pipelines, project management. Of those, version control and code collaboration are not what Dropbox is typically brought in for.
- What can GitHub do that Dropbox cannot?
- GitHub covers Git repositories, Pull requests, Code review, Issues & projects. Dropbox covers File synchronization, Cloud storage, File sharing, Version history. 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