Box Review

When it comes to Cloud storage, the workflow stays relatively the same comparing different websites and services. However, there are some uniques cloud services that offer much more in terms of features and performance, and one of them is Box. While not being the greatest cloud service I’ve ever used, Box represents a fine combination of various features like file sharing and downloading, as well as collaboration with the other users from anywhere. The main goal of Box is to provide the users with a user-friendly interface, that is mostly created for professionals.

What is Box?

It’s an online storage, where you can do various stuff with your data, and as we said, it combines many features into one Cloud storage, that is completely online-based. While Box looks and feels amazing, there are few downsides to it that may leave you with a bitter taste after using it. Nevertheless, Box’s performance and what it’s made for is debatable, so I’m not going to tell you whether to pay for it or not. It’s better for you to decide after reading the review below.

Performance and Features

Performance-wise, Box exceeds my expectations, mostly because of its clean, and beautiful design, that is very easy to use and comprehend. I like the straightforward approach of Box, where you can just share the files with the single click. The sharing works really fast, and while I didn’t test 1TB of data like usual (and you’ll soon see why) I was surprised to see how reliable file upload was. Upon uploading, you can even set some of the permissions for those who are using the data, for editing, deleting or simply allow or permit the viewing of your data.

Also, if somebody shares a file with you, it’s very easy to download it, with a single click. As Box is a completely web-based client, there isn’t a desktop or mobile version to back your files up, so you must do it all on your own, and that’s something that I dislike. But, when I make a step backward and look at the situation better, it still isn’t a big flaw, as the upload is relatively fast and reliable, so you’ll have no problems with that. Overall, a very good performance from Box, without a doubt.

Now, more about the features. Features of Box depending on the subscription plan, but here, I will talk about the features I’ve used the most as well as mention other great features. Aside from great uploading options, as well as downloading options, Box will give you a great user experience and a possibility to create custom links very easily. When working with Box, you also get a sufficient amount of help and support features, so you can basically get help at any time of the day and night. Unfortunately, live chat isn’t available, but I’m looking forward to that improvement if that’ scheduled for some time.

Ease of Use and Interface

The Ease of Use is what impressed me the most here. I like the sleek and modern design of Box, which allows for some pretty smooth workflow. It’s easy to use it by uploading files with a single click or by drag & drop. Upon doing that, you can edit some permissions regarding your file, and enjoy the fast upload that Box boasts. Also, their website is pretty neat, so you’ll find every single piece of info that you need, easily. Being a file-sharing service, Box is specialized in this stuff, allowing for smooth sharing with your friends as well as syncing your files with the other devices. The overall experience was amazing for me, so I really can’t say anything bad for Box.

Pricing

When it comes to pricing, I decided to use the Starter Edition for this review. It’s very cheap and comes at around 4 Euros a month. But, it includes only 100 GB of secure storage as well as 2 GB file upload limit, which is a little odd. As the Box says, this edition is great for a regular user, or for a small team that needs to share some stuff in-between. There is also an SSL and at-rest encryption as well as maximum of ten users allowed, which is enough for a small team.

Moving up, we have the Business edition, which comes at 12 Euros per month, but it offers an unlimited storage. However, I’m again disappointed to see 5GB file upload limitation. It offers the same features from Starter Edition but adds some advanced features like DLP (Data Loss Prevention), Custom Branding and Mobile Security Controls. Overall, a great plan, but I’m concerned about the file upload limit.

Finally, the Enterprise edition is available, but you’ll need to contact Box for more info about that. It’s the most advanced version of Box, and guess what? There is also a 5 GB upload limitation, so that’s disappointing. This edition offers some features like Metadata, Full content visibility and management, HIPAA-eligible plan and more.

Verdict

During the review, I tried so hard to really get into Box, but unfortunately, Box has become more of a file-sharing service, than a pure Cloud storage client. As I bought the starter version and got 100GB of data, I wasn’t that pleasantly surprised as this is a relatively small space for the price. For 4 Euros, which is a little more than $5, you get 100 GB of storage, wherein most Cloud services you can get 1TB of space for double the price.

The main downside of Box is that the storage isn’t compelling, and while 100GB might get the job done for you, you’ll be better finding a Cloud service that offers this space for less price or free if possible. However, Box is more file-sharing-friendly service, so you’ll be greeted a sleek and modern interface, where you can easily share stuff with your friends. In the end, it’s all up to you; if you are more for efficient file sharing than having a lot of space on the storage, than Box will do the job just fine.

Go to Box site