Cluster vs Dropbox
An honest, side-by-side look at Cluster and Dropbox for collecting photos and videos at your event. Every figure below comes from each app's own pricing and our verified feature checks, so you can compare cost, features and real reviews without the marketing spin.
Skip the comparison. Our Event Album beats both.
Give guests one simple QR code, unlimited uploads, and a polished live album without subscriptions or app downloads.
- ✓Unique QR code for your event
- ✓Printable sign templates (PDF)
- ✓Unlimited photo & video uploads
- ✓Custom welcome page
Pricing at a glance
Published plans are shown separately from add-ons. Verified competitor prices use your selected currency, otherwise their listed currency.
Plans
Free
Free app with in-app purchases; exact current paid package pricing and limits were not published in the visible App Store source.
- Private groups for invited people
- Photo and video sharing
- Comments/discussion around shared photos
- Free app with in-app purchases
- Exact paid limits not publicly enumerated in visible sources
Plans
Basic
Free Basic plan with 2 GB starting storage.
- 2 GB free storage
- File requests can collect files from people without Dropbox accounts
- File request uploads count against account storage
- No wedding gallery, slideshow, or event album workflow
Standard
- Team storage and sharing controls
- Transfer files up to 100 GB
- Brand file sharing and password-protect files
Advanced
- Starts at 15 TB for the team
- Transfer files up to 100 GB
- Brand file sharing and password-protect files
Our Event Album is $39 USD, one-time
No subscription, no per-guest fee, and no add-on sorting needed for the core album experience.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the verified feature catalog, not the stored page copy.
| Feature |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Capture | ||
| QR code upload Guests scan a QR code to upload photos and videos to the event gallery — no app, no account. | ||
| No app required Guests contribute via a web browser; there is nothing to download or install. | ||
| No Sign-Up Required Guests contribute without creating an account or signing in. | Not verified | |
| Customization | ||
| Custom branding Personalise the gallery with your names, colours, logo or theme. | Not verified | |
| Guest experience | ||
| Live slideshow A real-time slideshow of guest photos you can cast to a screen at the reception. | ||
| Guest messaging / well-wishes Guests leave written well-wishes or messages alongside their photos. | ~Cluster supports private group discussion around shared photos, but not wedding guestbook well-wishes as a dedicated event feature. | Not verified |
| Comments & likes Guests can like and comment on photos in the gallery. | Not verified | |
| Management | ||
| Download all Download all photos and videos from the event at once (e.g. a single ZIP). | ||
| Moderation / approval Hosts can review, approve or hide uploads before they appear publicly. | ~Hosts control the destination folder and can review files after upload, but there is no wedding-gallery approval queue. | |
| Media | ||
| Video support Guests can upload videos, not just photos. | ||
| Metrics | ||
| Uploads limit Maximum photos/videos guests can upload to the gallery. Blank = unlimited. | Not verified | Not verified |
| Storage / active duration How long the gallery stays live and uploads are kept. Blank = unlimited / forever. | Not verified | Not verified |
| Privacy | ||
| Password protection Protect the gallery with a password or access code. | Not verified | |
| Private gallery The gallery is private — only invited guests can view or upload. | ~Dropbox can collect files into private folders/requests, but it is not a polished guest-facing gallery. | |
✓ supportedx not supported~ partial? unconfirmed
The matrix is easier when the essentials are included
- ✓Unique QR code for your event
- ✓Printable sign templates (PDF)
- ✓Unlimited photo & video uploads
- ✓Custom welcome page
Pros and cons
- ✓Strong App Store rating and a long-running private sharing product
- ✓Private groups are the core use case, not an afterthought
- ✓Supports photo and video sharing for families and friend groups
- ✓Comments/discussion around shared photos are part of the product positioning
- ✓Useful when a small group already wants an app-based private album
- xNot a wedding QR gallery and not built around event-day guest upload signage
- xFree app includes in-app purchases, but exact current paid limits are not clearly published
- xNo live wedding slideshow, event moderation queue, or bulk export workflow was verified
- xGuests may need to install or use the Cluster app experience
- xPoor fit for large, mixed-tech wedding guest lists
- ✓Dropbox file requests can collect files from people without Dropbox accounts
- ✓Useful for full-resolution files and organized folder storage
- ✓Paid plans support larger transfer/file request limits than the free tier
- ✓Password-protected transfers and branded file sharing exist on supported paid plans
- ✓Works well for photographers, planners, or organized contributors sending files after the event
- xNot a wedding gallery and not designed for guest browsing, comments, or live slideshow
- xFree Basic storage is only 2 GB, which is small for wedding photos/videos
- xMonthly-looking paid prices become meaningful annual costs
- xFile requests collect files but do not create a polished event album experience
- xHosts still need to organize, moderate, and share files manually
What people say
Real reviews, each linked to its source.
Cluster
2 reviews
Dropbox
2 reviews
Our Event Album beats both
If you are choosing between Cluster and Dropbox, compare them with the simpler option: one QR code, no guest app, unlimited uploads, and one flat price.
- ✓Unique QR code for your event
- ✓Printable sign templates (PDF)
- ✓Unlimited photo & video uploads
- ✓Custom welcome page
- ✓6 months of secure hosting
- ✓Download all photos anytime
Frequently asked questions
Which costs more, Cluster or Dropbox?
Cluster has a free tier. Dropbox starts at $9.99 monthly, with a limited free tier as well.
How much does Cluster cost?
Cluster has a free tier.
How much does Dropbox cost?
Dropbox starts at $9.99 monthly, with a limited free tier as well.
Do Cluster or Dropbox make guests download an app?
Cluster asks guests to install an app, while Dropbox runs in a web browser, so guests just scan a QR code. Our Event Album is web-only: guests scan a QR code and upload, no app required.
Is there a better alternative to Cluster and Dropbox?
Our Event Album is the alternative most couples choose over both: QR-code photo and video uploads with no guest app, a live slideshow, unlimited uploads, and a one-time $39 with no subscription.
Our Event Album beats both. Start your album in 5 minutes.
One QR code. No guest apps. One flat price, no subscriptions.
Get Your Album - From $39