Dropbox vs iCloud Shared Albums
A side-by-side look at Dropbox and iCloud Shared Albums for collecting photos and videos at your event. Prices and features below come from each app's own published pages and link to their sources, so you can compare them directly.
Or compare both with Our Event Album
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.
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
Plus
As shown on https://www.dropbox.com/plans on 2026-10-06 (to a visitor in Australia), billed yearly. Prices vary by region.
- ·2 TB storage for one person
- ·File requests and folder sharing
- ·Transfer files up to 50 GB
Standard
As shown on https://www.dropbox.com/plans on 2026-10-06 (to a visitor in Australia), per user, billed yearly. For 1 person or more; starts at 3 TB.
- ·For 1 person or more; starts at 3 TB
- ·Transfer files up to 100 GB
- ·Brand file sharing and password-protect files
Advanced
As shown on https://www.dropbox.com/plans on 2026-10-06 (to a visitor in Australia), per user, billed yearly. For 3 people or more; starts at 15 TB.
- ·For 3 people or more; starts at 15 TB
- ·Transfer files up to 100 GB
- ·Brand file sharing and password-protect files
Free
5 GB of free iCloud storage.
- ·5 GB free iCloud storage
- ·Shared albums created on iOS 27 or later count toward the owner's storage
- ·Up to 100 participants per shared album
Our Event Album is $39 USD, one-time
One payment for one event album.
Feature comparison
Marks reflect each company's published pages as we checked them.
| Feature | Dropbox | iCloud Shared Albums |
|---|---|---|
| Capture | ||
| QR code upload Guests scan a QR code to upload photos and videos to the event gallery — no app, no account. | ~View-only QR codes for files and folders; no upload QR code. | Not verifiedAlbums are shared by invitation or link; QR codes are not mentioned. |
| 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 how the gallery looks, for example with your names, colours, fonts or a theme. | Not verified | |
| Guest experience | ||
| Live slideshow A real-time slideshow of guest photos you can cast to a screen at the reception. | Not verified | 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). | Not verifiedSaving individual items is documented; a bulk export is not. | |
| 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 delete anyone's photos; from iOS 27 the owner can approve participants (people, not uploads). |
| 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 not public: only people given access, for example through the event's QR code or private link, 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 offered, per the company~ partial? unconfirmedNot verified not verified in the sources we checked
What Our Event Album includes
- ✓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
- xA file-storage tool rather than an event gallery
- xFree Basic storage is 2 GB, which is small for wedding photos/videos
- xPaid plans are subscriptions
- xFile requests collect files into a folder rather than an event album
- xHosts organize and share the files themselves
- ✓People can join and contribute on the web, even without an Apple Account (albums created on iOS 27 or later)
- ✓Built into Apple Photos for iPhone/iPad/Mac users
- ✓Supports comments and likes on shared photos/videos
- ✓New albums store originals at full resolution
- ✓Useful for groups that already use Apple Photos
- xUp to 100 participants per album, including the owner
- xNew albums count toward the owner's iCloud storage
- xAlbums created on iOS 26 or earlier are limited to 5,000 items and downscale shared media
- xInvitations are by link; Apple doesn't mention QR codes or event signs
- xiCloud+ storage is a monthly subscription
Or consider Our Event Album
If you are choosing betweenDropboxandiCloud Shared Albumsyou can also compare Our Event Album: 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 during your hosting period
Frequently asked questions
Which costs more, Dropbox or iCloud Shared Albums?
Dropbox starts at A$184.67 and iCloud Shared Albums at $0.99. For comparison, Our Event Album is $39 one-time with no subscription.
How much does Dropbox cost?
Dropbox starts at A$184.67 yearly, 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 says guests can upload from a web browser, and iCloud Shared Albums says guests can upload from a web browser. Our Event Album is web-only: guests scan a QR code and upload, no app required.
What else could I consider besides Dropbox and iCloud Shared Albums?
Our Event Album is another option: QR-code photo and video uploads with no guest app, a live slideshow, unlimited uploads, and a one-time $39 with no subscription.
More head-to-head comparisons
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Set up your own album today
One QR code. No guest apps. One flat price, no subscriptions.
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