Dropbox syncs files. Polybase gives your team a living workspace where documents, conversations, tasks, and video calls exist together. Stop emailing Dropbox links and start truly collaborating.
Polybase integrates file sharing and collaborative documents directly into your team channels. Files attach to conversations, documents are edited in real-time alongside chat, and everything is searchable across one unified index. No folder permissions, no sharing links, no separate sync client.
Dropbox pioneered cloud file sync and remains popular for simple file storage and sharing. Dropbox Paper added document collaboration, but it never gained mainstream adoption. The core offering — syncing files across devices — doesn't address the broader collaboration needs of modern teams who need chat, tasks, and video alongside their documents.
See exactly what you get with Polybase compared to Dropbox.
Switching is easier than you think. Follow these steps and your team will be up and running in minutes.
Use Dropbox's desktop client or web interface to download files your team actively needs. Focus on project documents, shared assets, and reference materials rather than old archives.
Set up your Polybase workspace with channels organized by project or team. Each channel becomes a home for files, documents, discussions, and tasks related to that project.
Upload your important files to the appropriate Polybase channels. Team members automatically inherit access based on channel membership — no individual sharing settings to manage.
For documents that need ongoing collaboration (specs, wikis, notes), recreate them using Polybase's rich text editor. This transforms static files into living, collaborative documents connected to your team's conversations.
Once your team is collaborating in Polybase — chatting, sharing files, managing tasks, and co-editing documents — you can cancel Dropbox. All your storage and collaboration needs are covered in one platform.
Polybase doesn't just replace Dropbox — it gives you capabilities Dropbox can't.
Dropbox files float in folders with no connection to discussions. In Polybase, every file is shared within a channel conversation — the context of why it was shared, who discussed it, and what decisions were made is always attached.
Dropbox stores files. Polybase is a complete workspace with chat, video, tasks, and documents. You don't just share files — you collaborate on them in context with your entire team.
Dropbox requires creating and managing sharing links with careful permission settings. Polybase's channel-based access means files are automatically available to the right people without any sharing configuration.
Dropbox Paper was an afterthought. Polybase's document editor is a first-class citizen — block-based editing with mentions and rich embeds, seamlessly integrated with your workspace.
Polybase AI agents can search across your files, documents, chat history, and tasks to answer questions and surface relevant information. Dropbox Dash provides file search but can't understand your conversations or task context.
Dropbox stores all data on their cloud infrastructure. Polybase can be self-hosted, giving organizations full control over their data storage, access policies, and compliance requirements.
Common questions about switching from Dropbox to Polybase.