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How Can I Transfer Files from Google Drive to Dropbox Directly?
"I have one Google Drive and Dropbox account, and I want to migrate files from Google Drive to Dropbox quickly. But I don't want to download files manually from my Google Drive account and upload them manually to Dropbox. Is there any way that can transfer Google Drive to Dropbox directly?"
We all know that both Google Drive and Dropbox offer you the ability to store your files in cloud storage. These two are some of the most famous platforms for storing files in the cloud. However, each cloud has its own advantages and disadvantages. If you want to directly migrate files from Google Drive to Dropbox without downloading and uploading, you will find the way to get it done in this article.
Why Transfer Google Drive to Dropbox?
As we all know, Google Drive is generous for its free users as it starts with 15 GB of free space. Even though it's known for being able to support a large variety of files, many people turn to Dropbox for the following reasons:
⭕ The way Google Drive handles version control is that it stores up to 100 revisions of a file, or 30 days of each file, which counts towards your total storage. Dropbox stores unlimited versions of your files for 30 days and it doesn't count towards the total storage space you are allowed.
⭕ Your Google Drive storage is full and don't want to upgrade now. Migrating Google Drive to Dropbox is your best choice to get more free cloud space.
⭕ Create a backup for your Google Drive files in case of data loss.
If you need to sync from time to time to back up your files, then Dropbox will be better for you. Besides, you might be interested in how to transfer files between Dropbox and Google Drive.
Solutions Overview:
| Way 1. Transfer All Google Drive Files to Dropbox via Cloud Transfer | MultCloud Solution; Automatic & Selective; Best for Personal and Business |
| Way 2. Sync Google Drive with Dropbox in Real Time via Cloud Sync | MultCloud Solution; Automatic & Selective; Best for Personal and Business |
| Way 3. Copy Google Drive to Dropbox via Copy to | MultCloud Solution; Manual & Selective; Best for Personal |
| Way 4. Migrate Google Drive to Dropbox via Google Takeout | Google Takeout; Limited Export; Best for Personal |
| Way 5. Move Files from Google Drive to Dropbox via Add from Google Drive | Dropbox built-in add-on; Not flexible to choose; Best for Personal |
| Way 6. Download from Google Drive and Upload Them to Dropbox | Manual way; Time-consuming; Suitable for a few files |
| Way 7. Move Google Drive Files to Dropbox via the Apps | Manual way; Time-consuming; Suitable for a few files |
3 Quick Ways to Transfer Files from Google Drive to Dropbox Directly
To move files from Google Drive to Dropbox, the most traditional way is to manually download them to the local disk from Google Drive and then upload them to Dropbox again. However, this will cost a lot of time and energy. So you may want to seek a way to transfer from Google Drive to Dropbox without downloading.
To make the direct transfer as easy as possible, we recommend you try a FREE multiple cloud storage manager, MultCloud. Why? Check the following benefits:
- Move files such as documents, images, photos, music, and videos from one cloud to another directly, like Dropbox to Google Drive, and vice versa.
- Sync files across clouds seamlessly, up to 10 sync modes you can enjoy, real-time sync, two-way sync, one-way sync, and more.
- Manage all clouds in one place, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Photos, SharePoint, Amazon S3, iCloud Drive, iCloud Photos, Google Workspace, OneDrive for Business, etc.
- MultCloud does not have a limit on the individual file size you transfer.
- Keep the folder structure and modification date. Overwrite the existing file or not.
- You're able to delete all source files automatically after the Google Drive to Dropbox migration is complete to free up space on Google Drive.
So, with these merits, you can quickly and directly transfer files from Google Drive to Dropbox. Here, you can use different features to migrate Google Drive to Dropbox without downloading or switching accounts, like cloud transfer, cloud sync, copy to, and more. Here are three quick ways for the Google Drive to Dropbox transfer for your reference.
Way 1. Transfer All Google Drive Files to Dropbox via Cloud Transfer
Now, you can transfer all Google Drive files to Dropbox without downloading with Cloud Transfer. Check the steps below:
3 Steps to Move Files from Google Drive to Dropbox
Step 1. Sign up
To make use of MultCloud, you need to sign up for free.
Step 2. Add Google Drive and Dropbox
Click the "Add Cloud" button on the tab and add Google Drive and Dropbox to MultCloud.
Note: You are allowed to add one cloud at a time, and you have to repeat the "Add Cloud" operation if you want to add more than one cloud. After adding, you can merge Dropbox and Google Drive for further use.
Step 3. Transfer from Google Drive to Dropbox directly
Click the "Cloud Transfer" icon, select Google Drive as the source and Dropbox as the destination, and tap "Transfer Now" to complete the task.
Notes:
- If you hit the Google Drive storage limit and need to free up Google Drive space automatically after the Google Drive to Dropbox transfer, hit Options > Delete all source files after transfer is complete to enable this function. Besides, you can enable Email and Filter to manage the task more easily.
- Scheduling the migration is also available for you within the Schedule option, tick it and set up Daily, Weekly, or Monthly to run it regularly. Please unlock Filter, Schedule, and all other advanced features, and enjoy faster transfer speed (up to 10 threads instead of 2).
- The process of transferring runs on the server of MultCloud, so you don't need to worry about the speed of the Internet will affect the process of transferring.
- If there are lots of files to transfer, you can close the page and even close your PC because MultCloud can run the process in the background.
This way is also applied to transfer Dropbox to Google Drive without downloading, upload Google Docs to Dropbox, transfer Google Photos to Dropbox, and many more.
Way 2. Sync Google Drive with Dropbox in Real Time via Cloud Sync
After knowing how to transfer Google Drive to Dropbox with MultCloud. You might want to sync Google Drive to Dropbox. With Cloud Sync, you can enjoy up to 10 sync modes just like the above-described. Here, we will list the simple steps to sync files from Google Drive to Dropbox in real time. Check it as follows:
1. Ensure you have added Google Drive and Dropbox to MultCloud.
2. Click on "Cloud Sync" > "Real Time Sync", and choose Google Drive as the source while Dropbox is the destination.
Tips:
- If you want any changes can be automatically reflected to the other immediately as long as it happens, then you can choose "Switch to two-way sync" after choosing "Real Time Sync", which will make all the files in the destination and source always the same.
- You can change other sync modes in Options > Sync modes, just enjoy all sync modes after unlocking and all premium features.
- By default, it's Normal Sync if you did not set up the real-time sync modes.
3. Hit Sync Now to sync Google Drive to Dropbox in real-time.
That's it. From now on, Google Drive and Dropbox sync the same folder.
Way 3. Copy Google Drive to Dropbox via Copy to
If you need to copy files from Google Drive to Dropbox, MultCloud can also help you with the "Copy to" function.
1. Go to the Google Drive page on the MultCloud interface.
2. Select the Google Drive files and folders you want to move and right-click "Copy to".
3. Then select Dropbox as the target directory, and click on "OK" to copy from Google Drive to Dropbox.
Tip: If you want to create multiple copies to different clouds, tick the option Multi-select to choose multiple clouds as the destination to save these copies.
- Smart Share: Share cloud files via public, private, or source mode.
- One-key Move: Quick data transfer, sync, and backup among clouds.
- Email Archive: Protect emails to other clouds or local disks.
- Remote upload: Effectively save web files to clouds via URL.
- Safe: Full-time 256-bit AES and OAuth authorization protections.
- Easy: Access and manage all clouds in one place with one login.
- Extensive: 30+ clouds and on-premise services are supported.
Besides, you can also use MultCloud to share Google Drive with Dropbox, download Instagram photos and videos, save a webpage as a PNG, etc.
4 Common Ways to Transfer Files from Google Drive to Dropbox
Besides the above ways to move files from Google Drive to Dropbox without downloading, you have four common ways for the Google Drive to Dropbox transfer. Let's find out.
Way 1. Migrate Google Drive to Dropbox via Google Takeout
Apart from making use of third-party tools, you can use the file export function that comes with Google Takeout. It may be more complicated than uploading and downloading, but it can download all data at once. The detailed steps provided in this post can help you operate successfully.
Step 1: Open your Google account page. Visit https://myaccount.google.com/ in a web browser.
Notes:
- If you are logged in, open the account settings page of your Google account.
- If you have not logged in to your Google account, please click the login button in the upper right corner of the page, then enter your email address and password before proceeding.
Step 2: Find the "Personal Data & Personalization" section. Then click "Manage your data & personalization".
Step 3: Swipe the interface with the mouse to find the "Download your data" section (you may need to scroll down a bit to see this option), and then click the ">" symbol in the picture.
Step 4: Then you will enter the "Google Takeout" screen. Select Google Drive. By default, all product data is selected. You can unselect all by clicking "Deselect all".
Step 5: Then click "Next Step" to go to the next interface. In this interface, set the delivery method to "Add to Dropbox", and then select the file type and size. After everything is set successfully, click "Create export" to move Google Drive files to Dropbox.
However, Google Takeout not working sometimes, and it has some limitations.
Limitations:
- The files are exported to Dropbox in compressed form, so you need to unzip these folders when viewing related documents.
- Google Takeout allows you to archive data files a limited number of times: 2 to 3 profiles per day, and a maximum of 7 per week. You can attempt to download the data in the first 5 or 6 attempts, or the download link will be invalid.
- You can only takeout Google files to OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, or download via email, you can't takeout Google files to iCloud.
Way 2. Move Files from Google Drive to Dropbox via Add from Google Drive
If you find that Google Takeout to Dropbox is not working, you can try this method. Recently, Dropbox added a feature named Add from Google Drive for you to transfer files from Google Drive to Dropbox. Try the following steps to migrate Google Drive to Dropbox:
1. Please log in to your Dropbox account.
2. Select All Files, tap the three-dots icon from the top menu, then choose Add from Google Drive.
3. Choose a Google Drive account, and hit Allow to access your Google Drive account.
4. Select files or folders in Google Drive, and hit Select.
Note:
- You cannot select files and folders in Google Drive simultaneously in this step.
- For some certain file types you might need to transfer from Google Drive to Dropbox, you can click the vertical triangle icon behind the search box, and choose the file type you'd like to move.
5. Tick Keep folder structure, Overwrite files with same name, or Delete Files from source according to your needs, then click Upload.
6. Then your Dropbox will start to upload files from Google Drive, and it will show you a message: files added from Google Drive when it's successful.
Limitations:
- You have to repeat the process to move files and folders from Google Drive to Dropbox because you can only migrate files or folders at a time.
- In this way, it’s difficult to move files from the second Google Drive account to Dropbox, because it’s not easy to switch Google Drive accounts after adding one Google Drive account.
Way 3. Download from Google Drive and Upload Them to Dropbox
If you need to copy files from Google Drive to Dropbox, the first option might be the download and upload way. First of all, download files from Google Drive, then upload them to Dropbox if you have a few files to migrate. It might be difficult if there is a large number of files to move. Try the following steps if you need to do so:
1. Please log in to your Google Drive account from the website.
2. Tap My Files from the left side, choose the files and folders you'd like to download, click the Download icon from the top toolbar.
3. It will start zipping and downloading to your computer, usually in the Downloads folder. Uncompress these files before uploading.
4. Go to the Dropbox website, then log in. Tap the Upload or drop button > choose File or Folder.
5. Select the downloaded Google Drive files and hit Upload to upload Google Drive files to Dropbox.
Limitations:
- It's an option if you need to move few files from Google Drive to Dropbox, not recommended for a plenty of files, especially it can be influenced by Internet connection status, and file size.
- Before uploading to Dropbox, you have to unzip these files, or you can only store them on Dropbox, and you can't preview or edit them.
Way 4. Move Google Drive Files to Dropbox via the Apps
If you're using both Google Drive and Dropbox apps (learn how to use Dropbox), whether it's desktop apps or mobile apps. You can use these apps to import Google Drive to Dropbox. Check these steps according to the platform.
Transfer Google Drive Files to Dropbox via Desktop Apps
If you're using the Google Drive for Desktop and Dropbox desktop app on your computer, follow these steps to migrate files from Google Drive to Dropbox:
1. Please ensure you have logged in to each app of Google Drive and Dropbox. Open the two apps, and open the Google Drive and Dropbox folders.
2. You can use the drag and drop method to move Google Drive files to Dropbox, after that, the files only show in Dropbox, not in Google Drive.
3. Besides, you can use the copy and paste way to copy Google Drive to Dropbox. The files will be in both folders afterwards.
Limitations:
- You can't move these files from Google Drive to Dropbox, Google Docs (.gdoc), Google Sheets (.gsheet) and Google Slides (.gslides), or these files might not work in Dropbox.
- This process is about downloading and uploading, so it also take up space on your computer, and costs a lot of time to move more files.
Transfer Google Drive Files to Dropbox via Mobile Apps
1. Please install the Google Drive and Dropbox apps on your mobile device.
2. Sign in to your Google Drive and Dropbox accounts separately.
3. Go to the Google Drive app, then find the files that you want to transfer and select them, tap the Share button.
4. Select Dropbox from the list of sharing options.
5. In the Dropbox app, tap the Accept button to import Google Drive files to Dropbox.
The files will be transferred from Google Drive to Dropbox.
Limitation: If you use this way to move Google Drive to Dropbox, these files will take up space on your mobile device. Please ensure your mobile device has enough space to hold all the data.
Tips & Tricks for Moving Files from Google Drive to Dropbox
In addition to the above methods, some users may use traditional upload and download methods to transfer files. Regardless of the traditional method or the use of Takeout and MultCloud to transfer data, you may encounter the following problems.
1. Data package: The traditional method of transferring Google Drive files to Dropbox is to download the files from Google Drive to your PC and upload them to Dropbox. The problem with the traditional approach is that it requires time and high-speed internet. Therefore, it is recommended that you use a high-speed data package, which can provide you with a relatively fast speed and enough download and upload data. This will allow you to transfer files from Google Drive to Dropbox easily and quickly.
2. Zip file: When you download a file from Google Drive, the Google server will compress your file into a zip file. Don't panic, once the files are successfully compressed in the desired location, you can access all the files.
3. General issues: When downloading files from Google Drive, you may encounter file download interruptions. In this case, you need to reload the drive page. In most cases, the problem will be resolved. If not, you need to log in again to continue.
4. Error 502: When logging in to Google Drive, you may encounter "Error 502". In this case, you will not be able to access your files because they are temporarily unavailable. You need to wait a while for the error to resolve itself. If not, you need to reload the page.
5. Insufficient storage space: When uploading files to Dropbox, users will encounter "Error 507". Under normal circumstances, this error occurs when your storage space is insufficient. In order to avoid the above accidents, when transferring files, you need to ensure that your current account has enough space to store these files.
6. File type cannot be recognized: In some cases, Dropbox cannot recognize the type of uploaded file. In this case, please open the file for preview.
Google Drive vs. Dropbox: Which is Better?
Dropbox and Google Drive are two of the most popular cloud storage services, but they serve different working styles.
The key difference lies in how each platform works:
- Google Drive excels at real-time collaboration within its own ecosystem, with seamless editing of Docs, Sheets, and Slides where multiple people can work simultaneously with live cursors and comments.
- Dropbox, by contrast, is built as a file-first workhorse focused on fast, reliable syncing across devices and platforms, including official Linux support.
Free cloud space and pricing:
- Google Drive offers 15 GB of free storage shared across Gmail, Drive, and Photos, while Dropbox provides only 2 GB free.
- For paid personal plans, both offer 2 TB for around $9.99 per month, though Google's entry-level 100 GB plan costs $2.99 per month versus Dropbox's $9.99 minimum for 2 TB.
In terms of performance:
- Dropbox has a distinct technical advantage through block-level sync, which uploads only the changed portions of large files rather than re-uploading entire files, making it noticeably faster for iterative work.
- Google Drive, however, handles bulk uploads of many small files more efficiently and offers superior search capabilities, including full-text search and OCR for scanned documents.
Security-wise, both Google Drive and Dropbox use AES 256-bit encryption for data at rest, and TLS for data in transit, and both support two-factor authentication.
Dropbox offers more granular sharing controls like password-protected links and link expiration dates on paid plans, while Google Drive restricts some of these features to higher-tier Workspace plans.
Ultimately, Google Drive is best for teams already using Google Workspace who need real-time document collaboration, while Dropbox is ideal for creative professionals, cross-platform users, and those who prioritize fast file syncing and advanced sharing controls.
Now, you can check the key differences between Google Drive and Dropbox in the following chart:
Dropbox vs. Google Drive: Comparison Chart
| Feature | Dropbox | Google Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | 2 GB | 15 GB (shared across Gmail, Drive, Photos) |
| Cheapest paid plan | $9.99/mo (2 TB) | $2.99/mo (100 GB) |
| 2 TB plan price | $9.99/mo | $9.99/mo |
| Real-time collaboration | Limited (via Office Online) | ✅ Native (Docs, Sheets, Slides) |
| Max file size (web upload) | Up to 350 GB via website, 2 TB via desktop app | 5 TB per file |
| Linux client | ✅ Yes (official) | ❌ No (web only or third-party) |
| Block-level sync | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (uploads full file) |
| LAN sync | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Full-text search | Paid only | ✅ Free (includes OCR) |
| Password-protected links | ✅ Yes (paid) | ❌ No (Google Workspace only) |
| Expiring share links | ✅ Yes (paid) | ❌ No (Google Workspace only) |
| End-to-end encryption | ❌ No | ❌ No (only standard encryption) |
| Offline access | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Best for | Cross-platform reliability, Linux, large file sync | Google ecosystem users, real-time collaboration, search-heavy workflows |
FAQs About Moving Files from Google Drive to Dropbox
Can I move files from Google Drive to Dropbox for free?
A: Yes. Install both desktop apps, then drag and drop between folders to move Google Drive files to Dropbx for free. Free but requires local hard drive space and lacks automation.
What is the best tool to transfer Google Drive to Dropbox automatically?
A: MultCloud is your best tool to transfer Google Drive to Dropbox, which provides scheduling and background operation, especially useful for large-scale transfers.
Does moving preserve folder structure and sharing permissions?
A: Manual drag-and-drop preserves folder hierarchy but loses all sharing permissions and links. Professional tools can preserve some permissions, but full mapping is limited.
Should I switch from Google Drive to Dropbox?
A: Switch for faster block-level sync, advanced sharing controls, or Linux support. Stay for 15 GB free storage, real-time collaboration, or free OCR search.
How do I handle Google Workspace files when moving to Dropbox?
A: Export Docs to DOCX/PDF, Sheets to XLSX/CSV, Slides to PPTX/PDF. Use Google Takeout for bulk export. Files become static after moving.
Can I schedule an automatic sync between Google Drive and Dropbox?
A: Yes, via Pabbly Connect, rclone with cron, or MultCloud paid tiers. Free methods have no scheduling.
What happens to shared files and team folders when moving?
A: All sharing relationships are lost. Re-invite collaborators and recreate links manually. Existing Google Drive links will break after migration.
More about MultCloud
With the help of MultCloud, you can move files from Google Drive to Dropbox easily and quickly. Compared with the traditional way: Download and Upload, Add from Google Drive, and Google Takeout, using MultCloud to transfer from Google Drive to Dropbox is very easy to process, which can save a lot of time.
If you have other clouds that MultCloud supports, such as OneDrive, Google Photos, Box, Amazon S3, Wasabi, SharePoint, pCloud, Mega, etc., you can also directly backup Google Drive to Dropbox or migrate from Box to OneDrive, as well as manage all cloud drives in one place.
MultCloud Supports Clouds
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Google Drive
-
Google Workspace
-
OneDrive
-
OneDrive for Business
-
SharePoint
-
Dropbox
-
Dropbox Business
-
MEGA
-
Google Photos
-
iCloud Photos
-
FTP
-
box
-
box for Business
-
pCloud
-
Baidu
-
Flickr
-
HiDrive
-
Yandex
-
NAS
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WebDAV
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MediaFire
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iCloud Drive
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WEB.DE
-
Evernote
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Amazon S3
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Wasabi
-
ownCloud
-
MySQL
-
Egnyte
-
Putio
-
ADrive
-
SugarSync
-
Backblaze
-
CloudMe
-
MyDrive
-
Cubby
