Dropbox Free Trial: 30 Days, Which Plans and How to Cancel

Most people already have Dropbox Basic, the free account, so the trial is about whether the paid plan's extra space and features earn their keep. Dropbox is careful to say the two are different: a free trial isn't the same as a Basic account.

Dropbox free trial at a glance

Question	Dropbox's answer
Length	30 days, per the plans page
Individual plans	Plus, Professional or Essentials
Team plans	Standard, Business, Advanced, Business Plus or Enterprise
Charged if you cancel in time?	No
Charged if you don't?	Yes, using the billing information you gave at sign-up
Restart the same trial?	Not for one year after cancelling
Where are the terms?	In the sign-up email and on the billing page of your account settings

How to start a Dropbox free trial

1. Go to Dropbox's plans page and choose a plan with the free trial.
2. Sign in to your existing Dropbox account, so your files carry over.
3. Add your billing details, then confirm.
4. Find the trial end date in the confirmation email and on the billing page of your settings.

How to cancel the trial (individual plans)

Where you cancel depends on where you signed up. Dropbox says that if you started the trial on a mobile device, you cancel from your app store or device settings. If you started on a computer, you cancel on dropbox.com:

1. Log in to dropbox.com.
2. Click your avatar (your profile picture or initials) in the bottom-left corner.
3. Click Manage account, then Cancel trial at the bottom.
4. Select a reason, click Continue, then Confirm cancel. You'll get an email confirming it.

Card vs PayPal: when you lose the paid features

This is the detail that surprises people. Dropbox says that if you signed up with a credit card and cancel, your plan changes to Dropbox Basic at the end of the trial period, so you keep the paid features until then. If you signed up with PayPal, the trial ends and your plan changes to Basic immediately.

So if you're paying with PayPal, don't cancel on day two to be safe. Use the trial, then cancel close to the end date.

Trial add-ons

Some trials include add-ons. Dropbox says you can remove a trial add-on separately from the Trial Add-ons section by clicking Remove next to it and confirming, without cancelling the main plan trial.

Team trials: only an admin can cancel

For Dropbox Standard, Advanced or Enterprise trials, Dropbox says only an admin can cancel. If the trial ends and you're the only team admin with no team members, Dropbox may move you straight to Dropbox Basic after 7 days. If you do have a team, make sure whoever set the trial up is the one who cancels it, or it'll bill the card on file.

Where the trial terms live

Dropbox doesn't make you guess. It says that when you sign up for a free trial, you receive an email from Dropbox with the terms of the trial subscription, including its length, and the same terms appear on the billing page of your account settings. Keep that email until the trial is over. It's the record of your end date, and it tells you which billing details Dropbox will use if you keep the plan. If you can't find it, search your inbox for Dropbox and the word trial, or go straight to the billing page in your settings, where the same terms are shown. Either way, check it on day one rather than day thirty.

Individual or team trial?

Choose based on how many people need access. Individual plans such as Plus, Professional and Essentials suit a solo business owner. Team plans like Standard and Business suit a business where several people share folders and need admin controls. Remember that on team plans only an admin can cancel the trial, so if you're setting one up for a client or employer, agree in advance who'll make the keep or cancel decision before the 30 days run out.

Personal storage is different again, as our iCloud storage guide explains.

What to check during the 30 days

• Does the extra space solve the problem you have, or do you need to tidy your files instead?
• How far back can you restore deleted files on the plan you're trying? Dropbox lists 30 days, 180 days or 1 year depending on the plan.
• Do the sharing and signature tools replace something you already pay for?
• How does it sit alongside the Microsoft or Google storage you may already have?

That last question is often the deciding one. I've compared Dropbox vs OneDrive for small businesses, and if you decide against it, here are the best Dropbox alternatives.

My verdict

The Dropbox free trial gives you 30 days on a paid plan with no charge if you cancel in time. Check where you signed up before you cancel, remember that PayPal sign-ups lose the paid features the moment they cancel, and be sure before you do, because the same trial won't come back for a year.

Teams who want email and storage together can try a Google Workspace trial.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Dropbox free trial?

Dropbox's plans page offers a 30-day free trial. Dropbox also says the exact terms, including the length, are in your sign-up email and on the billing page of your account settings.

Is the Dropbox free trial the same as Dropbox Basic?

No. Dropbox says a free trial isn't the same as a Dropbox Basic account, which is also free.

How do I cancel my Dropbox free trial?

If you signed up on a computer, cancel on dropbox.com: click your avatar, then Manage account, then Cancel trial. If you signed up on a mobile device, cancel through your app store or device settings.

What happens when I cancel a Dropbox trial paid by PayPal?

Dropbox says that if you signed up with PayPal, your trial ends and your plan changes to Dropbox Basic immediately.

Can I restart a Dropbox free trial?

Not straight away. Dropbox says you can't restart the same trial for one year after cancelling it.