3 Ways: Move Files from Dropbox to Google Drive in 2023
Would like to migrate from Dropbox to Google Drive? Here in this article, we gather 3 methods you can try to transfer Dropbox to Google Drive. Look them through and choose the one that suits your requirements most.
February 8, 2023 | 6 minutes read
Quick Search:
"Can I drag and drop from Dropbox to Google Drive?"
"I have used Dropbox for the past 5 plus years, mainly for easily accessible file storage across devices and to backup my hard drive. As time passes, I am becoming more entrenched in Google Drive and prefer their collaboration tools with Docs, Sheets, Slides etc. It's just easier to work on something in a Google Doc than it is a Microsoft Word doc. And not to mention I don't like Dropbox increasing pricing on me recently.
I don't have terribly much data (19GB), but only want to make the switch if it's not difficult. Many of my files are .doc and .xls. Will this be an issue or is it a simple drag and drop?"
- Question from Reddit
Although Dropbox is a practical cloud service that offers users a convenient platform to store and manage different kinds of data, Google Drive is superior on collaboration tools. So, many people are wondering if they could switch from Dropbox to Google Drive, or directly drag Dropbox files and drop into Google Drive. Yes, you can directly drag and drop from Dropbox to Google Drive. Besides, you can also use the download-and-upload method or an excellent third-party service, MultCloud. Here in this post, we will show you how to migrate Dropbox to Google Drive by these 3 methods in detail. Please read further.
Way 1. Move Files from Dropbox to Google Drive via "Drag & Drop"
First of all, we would like to share you with the "Drag and Drop" method to transfer Dropbox to Google Drive. You’ll need the desktop applications for both cloud services.
Step 1. Download Dropbox and Google Drive desktop app.
Step 2. Open Windows File Explorer and find both the Dropbox and Google Drive folders in the quick access menu on the right.
Step 3. Open Dropbox folder and Google Drive folder in separate windows.
Step 4. With both folders open, select all of the files in Dropbox and simply drag and drop them over to Google Drive.
Way 2. Migrate from Dropbox to Google Drive via "Download & Re-upload"
Secondly, most people would like to download files from one cloud and upload them to another cloud when they need to move files between cloud services. So, when you intend to migrate Dropbox to Google Drive, this method is also worth trying.
Step 1. Log in your Dropbox account and click "All Files". Select files you want to download and click the "Download" button to download these files to your local PC.
Step 2. Log in your Google Drive account, and click the "My Drive" button.
Step 3. Click "Upload Files" to upload these files downloaded from Dropbox to your Google Drive.
Note: If your data size is not very large, you can use this way to achieve how to transfer files from Dropbox to Google Drive. However, this way may take a lot of time because the download-and-upload speed depends on the file size and the speed of the Internet.
So, is there any way that can bypass this problem? Luckily, here we will introduce a more effective way to help resolve this problem.
Way 3. Directly Move Files from Dropbox to Google Drive without Downloading
If you want to transfer files from Dropbox to Google Drive without downloading or as quickly as possible, you can follow the method below to turn to a pracitcal cloud transfer service - MultCloud. This free service can help you move data from Dropbox to Google Drive easily and quickly.
- Cloud Transfer: migrate one cloud data to another without downloading.
- Online: move data across clouds without going through computers.
- Automatic: set a schedule to run cloud transfer task automatically.
- Filter: exclude or include files with specific extension for cloud transfer task.
- Versatile: support 30+leading cloud drives.
With it, how to transfer Dropbox to Google Drive will be a particularly simple matter. Just 3 steps can make it done.
Step 1. Let’s create one account with MultCloud.
Step 2. Add Dropbox account and Google Drive account to MultCloud by clicking the "Add Cloud" button.
Step 3. Create a Cloud Transfer task, select Dropbox as the source, select Google Drive as the destination, click “Transfer Now”, wait for the process to complete and you will find that the files are transferred from your Google Drive to the target position.
If you want to view the transfer process intuitively, here is a YouTube video that can guide you step by step on how to transfer Google Drive to Dropbox directly.
Notes:
- This video teaches you to transfer from Google Drive to Dropbox. To transfer all files from Dropbox to Google Drive, you need to select Dropbox as the source and select Google Drive as the destination.
- If you do not want to transfer the whole of Dropbox to Google Drive, you can select the directory you need to transfer under Dropbox as the source.
- If you have a lot of files to move, after the process starts, you can close the page because MultCloud supports the offline transfer.
- As you want to move Dropbox to Google Drive, when creating the task, you can enable "Delete all source files after transfer is complete" through "Options".
Likewise, if you want to transfer S3 bucket to another account, you can follow the same steps above. The only difference is that you need to re-select the original and target directories. Anyway, MultCloud can work it out quickly and efficiently.
Can You Sync Dropbox to Google Drive?
Apart from transferring Dropbox to Google Drive, the MultCloud also offers the "Cloud Sync", which allows users to sync data between two different clouds. Among all the sync modes, the "Real-Time Sync" is the most popular. That means the sync process will be triggered automatically when any modification happens in the source directory. Quite convenient and effective for those who always forget to maunally sync data from one cloud to another.
Bonus Tips: Dropbox VS Google Drive
We’ve learned how to move files from Dropbox to Google Drive. In reality, most users take advantage of both cloud services for different uses. And we notice that some people are struggling with utilizing which one to be their priority. Both Dropbox and Google Drive are the most famous cloud storage services in the world today, and they are both efficient for backup and provide users with the opportunity to synchronize with many other platforms.
Regarding Dropbox or Google Drive which is better, no one can give an accurate answer. It can only be said that if the function or pricing provided in which cloud drive is more suitable, which one may be your best choice. Before we compare these cloud storage services in-depth, we need to understand enough what they can do:
1. Cloud file backup: Files on mobile devices can be backed up to the cloud in time to free up local storage capacity.
2. Sync files across devices: Whether you are using a mobile phone, a computer, or a MAC device, as long as there is network access, you can access or synchronize files at any time.
3. Share files with others: Both provide file-sharing functions, you can easily share interesting photos or work documents with other users.
Obviously, when considering these benefits, it is difficult for you to choose between the two. In addition to the above similarities, we can pay more attention to the differences between Dropbox and Google Drive, so that you can make choices based on your needs.
Storage and Pricing
Dropbox allows you to get 2GB of storage space through its free account. Google Drive is among the best by providing you with 15GB of space, even if 15GB of space will be shared between Google One programs. This means that your Gmail messages and saved files will consume this 15GB of free space.
To get more storage space on either platform, you need to pay. On Dropbox, $120 a year, gives you 2TB. Google Drive is cheaper because it can provide you with the same space for just $100. The paid version of Google is a bit richer because it offers a variety of plans. There are several plans on Google that can provide you with 15GB to 2TB of space, up to 30TB of space, and cost $300 per month.
To help you get more storage space, Dropbox has launched a referral program. It allows you to send invitations to colleagues and friends via email. If a new invitee registers for a Dropbox account, you and the invitee can all enjoy an extra 500MB. However, this referral program has certain restrictions, and a free account can only have 32 referrals.
Sync
This is the real difference between Google Drive and Dropbox. When you open and edit the file, these changes are automatically saved. The files and documents are then synchronized in the program so that they can be accessed from any device or browser.
Google Drive will download the complete file first, and then upload it to complete the synchronization. Therefore, there may be delays in accessing documents from different devices. Assuming you use a computer to make changes when you open the same document with your phone, the changed content may not be displayed immediately, which is not efficient.
Dropbox uses block synchronization, instead of downloading files and uploading them, it only synchronizes changes made to the document. This means that the platform will save the changes and sync them immediately. When you access Dropbox from your device or browser, you don’t need to wait a long time to see the changes.
Additional Functions
These platforms are not just a safe place for storing files. Although both can process text or create certain items with tools, there are still some differences.
The basic document creation tool on Dropbox is called “Paper”, and this tool allows you to embed images, media files and calendars when creating Word documents, or create tables and merge other files. And, it allows you to create tables and merge them with other files on Dropbox. In addition, Dropbox also includes a spell checker, but it is not as effective as the spell checker on Google.
In response to the points mentioned above, Google Drive is much more efficient. This is why you may need to move files from Dropbox to Google Drive. On Google Drive, you have Google Docs as a word processor, and there are many other tools that support you to do file processing, such as slides, tables, drawings, and tables. In addition, you can use links to other services (such as Gmail, YouTube, maps, and translation) to perform other operations.
| Cloud Storage Service | Dropbox | Google Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Advantages | ♦ Referral plan ♦ Block synchronization ♦ Synchronize with zoom |
♦ 15 GB storage space ♦ Access to Google One apps ♦ Sync with Google Hangouts Meets |
| Disadvantages | • Less storage space • Does not support native spreadsheets |
• Slow synchronization • Shared storage space |
Summary
Following any way above, you can move files from Dropbox to Google Drive easily. If you want to make it as easy as ABC, the third method is more recommended. When the "Cloud Transfer" task starts, you can close the website and even shut down your PC because MultCloud can process this task in the background.
Currently, MultCloud supports more than 30 clouds including Google Drive, SharePoint, Dropbox, OneDrive, MEGA, G Suite, etc. In addition to "Cloud Transfer", "Cloud Sync" and "Cloud Backup", MultCloud also has other amazing functions such as "Copy to" , "Remote Upload", "Share", "Team Transfer", etc. If you want to manage your business clouds and migrate all domains from one business cloud to another, the "Team Transfer" might be a good choice.
