Dropbox vs iCloud Shared Albums
An honest, side-by-side look at Dropbox and iCloud Shared Albums 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
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
Plans
Free
Free iCloud storage tier; Shared Albums have separate album limits and do not work like a wedding QR gallery.
- Shared Albums do not count against iCloud storage
- 5,000 photos/videos per shared album
- 100 subscribers per shared album
- Videos up to 15 minutes and delivered up to 720p
- Shared photos may be reduced to 2048px on the long edge
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. | ||
| 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). | ~Shared Albums store copies and may reduce media quality; downloaded content may not contain the same information as the original. | |
| 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. | ~The owner can manage subscribers and delete photos/videos, but there is no pre-publication moderation 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 |
| Guest limit Maximum number of guests/contributors. Blank = unlimited. | Not verified | Not verified |
| Max video length Longest single video a guest can upload. Blank = no limit. | 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. | ~Shared Albums use subscribers/invites, but they are not a password-protected public wedding 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
- ✓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
- ✓Free Shared Albums do not count against iCloud storage
- ✓Built into Apple Photos for iPhone/iPad/Mac users
- ✓Supports comments and likes on shared photos/videos
- ✓Apple documents clear limits: 5,000 items per album and 100 subscribers
- ✓Useful for small Apple-heavy groups that already use Photos
- xNot a wedding QR gallery and not friendly for mixed Android/Google guest lists
- xHard 5,000 photo/video limit per shared album and 100 subscriber limit
- xShared media may be downscaled; downloaded content may not contain the same information as the original
- xNo live slideshow, moderation queue, custom branding, or event upload signage workflow
- xiCloud+ storage prices are monthly subscriptions if the couple also needs more Apple storage
What people say
Real reviews, each linked to its source.
Dropbox
2 reviews
iCloud Shared Albums
2 reviews
Our Event Album beats both
If you are choosing between Dropbox and iCloud Shared Albums, 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, Dropbox or iCloud Shared Albums?
iCloud Shared Albums is the cheaper of the two, starting at $0.99 against Dropbox's $9.99. For comparison, Our Event Album is $39 one-time with no subscription.
How much does Dropbox cost?
Dropbox starts at $9.99 monthly, with a limited free tier as well.
How much does iCloud Shared Albums cost?
iCloud Shared Albums starts at $0.99 monthly, with a limited free tier as well.
Do Dropbox or iCloud Shared Albums make guests download an app?
Dropbox runs in a web browser, so guests just scan a QR code, while iCloud Shared Albums asks guests to install an app. Our Event Album is web-only: guests scan a QR code and upload, no app required.
Is there a better alternative to Dropbox and iCloud Shared Albums?
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