Ente Photos vs Dropbox: Is Dropbox Good for Photos?
Updated
Ente Photos and Dropbox both back up photos and keep them on your other devices. Dropbox stores them with the rest of your files. Ente is a photo library, and it encrypts each photo on your device before upload.
Dropbox encrypts stored files with 256-bit AES and uses SSL/TLS in transit, but on personal plans it holds the keys. That storage is not end-to-end encrypted (Dropbox).
The short answer
Dropbox is good for storing photos as files. Camera Uploads backs up your phone, the desktop app syncs everything, and it runs on Linux. It isn't a photo library, though: image search is for paid plans, there's no face grouping in its docs, and personal plans aren't end-to-end encrypted. Use Dropbox when you also need to sync documents and other files. For the photos themselves, Ente encrypts each one before upload.
How Ente compares with Dropbox
This table covers privacy, photo features and platforms. Prices are further down.
| Feature |  Ente Photos | Dropbox |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encrypted photos | Available: Yes, on your device | Not available: No, not on personal plans |
| Open source | Available: Yes, apps and server | Not available: No, closed source |
| Search by what's in a photo | Available: Yes, on your device, every plan | Available: Yes, on Dropbox's servers, paid plans |
| Face grouping | Available: Yes, on your device | Not available: No, not in Dropbox's docs |
| Automatic phone backup | Available: Yes, iOS and Android | Available: Yes, Camera Uploads |
| Linux desktop app | Available: Yes, official app | Available: Yes, Ubuntu and Fedora |
| Any file type | Not available: Photos and videos; documents use the separate Ente Locker app | Available: Yes, any file |
| Free storage | Available: Yes, 10 GB | Available: Yes, 2 GB |
| Family plan | Available: Yes, 6 people, any paid plan | Available: Yes, 6 people, 2 TB shared |
Who can see your photos
On personal plans Dropbox holds the keys, so it can decrypt your files. That is what lets it search inside images. Ente encrypts photos on your device and cannot read them.
Face recognition and Magic Search run on your device. Here's how Ente's encryption works, and why on-device AI works differently. The apps and server are open source.
Ente Photos vs. Dropbox: Which Is Better for You?
Choose Ente Photos if:
- You want end-to-end encryption for your photos by default.
- You want a service designed specifically around a photo library.
- You want face recognition, memories, map views, and on-device photo search.
- You prefer open-source software that can be independently inspected.
- You want dedicated photo sharing and collaboration features.
Choose Dropbox if:
- You need cloud storage for more than photos and videos.
- You want to keep documents, work files, and photos in the same service.
- You already use Dropbox as part of your work or collaboration workflow.
- You need advanced file and folder collaboration tools.
- A large general-purpose storage plan better fits your needs.
Storage & pricing
Current Ente Photos plans are on the pricing page.
Ente Photos
10 GB free
- Extra 10 GB with a referral code for new users.
- Earn 10 GB when a friend upgrades to a paid plan.
50 GB for $2.99/month
Billed monthly
Dropbox
2 GB free
Basic, on up to three devices.
2 TB for $11.99/month
or $9.99/month billed yearly
Prices are in USD unless otherwise indicated. Local prices and taxes may differ.
Move your photos from Dropbox to Ente
The full walkthrough is in the upload guide.
- 1
Get your photos onto your computer.
Download your Camera Uploads folder and any photo folders from dropbox.com, or let the Dropbox desktop app sync them fully.
- 2
Upload the folders to Ente.
In the Ente desktop app, click Upload → Folder, choose Separate albums to turn each folder into an album, review the counts and click Start upload.
- 3
Switch your phone's backup.
Turn on backup in Ente Photos, then turn off Camera Uploads in Dropbox so new photos don't go to both.
Try Ente alongside Dropbox. Uploading to Ente doesn't delete anything from Dropbox. Check your albums and dates before you clean anything up.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dropbox end-to-end encrypted?
Not on personal plans. Dropbox encrypts files at rest with 256-bit AES and in transit with SSL/TLS, but it holds the keys. End-to-end encrypted folders are a team feature on Business Plus, Advanced and Enterprise.
Does Dropbox have facial recognition?
Not that we could find. Dropbox's image search finds objects and scenes on paid plans, but its help center doesn't describe grouping photos by person. Ente groups faces on your device, so the results stay private.
Is Dropbox good for photo storage?
Yes, if you want photos stored as files alongside everything else. Camera Uploads backs up your phone automatically, and the apps cover Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. Ente adds albums, memories and search.
Which has more free storage, Ente or Dropbox?
Ente. You get 10 GB free for photos and videos, and 10 GB more if you sign up with a friend's referral code. Dropbox Basic gives 2 GB.
Start with 10 GB free
