Dropbox is a very well-known file storage service. It allows users to store files online and access them at any time.
In 2014, Dropbox acquired Hackpad, a web-based collaboration text editor. Hackpad formed the basis of Dropbox Notesa note-taking app that the company released in 2015. That same year, the company changed its note-taking app to Dropbox Paper, with a focus on collaborative document editing.
Dropbox had no trouble finding users for its Paper app due to its huge user base. It currently has millions of users, many of whom are praising its features. We tried to see if the note-taking app (opens in new tab) lived up to its hype.
Dropbox Paper: plans and pricing
Dropbox Paper is free to use as it is a complementary app to the Dropbox cloud storage (opens in new tab) maintenance. You pay no fees to use it, other than what Dropbox charges for users who exceed the 2 GB free storage limit.
There are two premium Dropbox storage plans for individual use; Plus and Family. Plus costs $11.99 per month and offers 2 TB of storage for one user, while Family costs $19.99 per month and offers 2 TB of storage for six users. You will receive a significant discount for both plans if you pay for 12 months at once.
Dropbox Paper: Features
You must have a Dropbox account to use Paper. Tens of millions of people already have one, so this shouldn’t be a problem. Otherwise, you can create a new one using your email or your existing Google or Apple ID accounts.
Once you sign in to Dropbox Paper, the first feature you should notice is: create documents. Find the Create paper document button, click it and the app will take you to a new document page with a text editor. You can type your notes on this page and do a lot more. For example, you can add photos to your notes by uploading them from your device or importing them from your Dropbox storage.
You can also insert tables into a document, just as you would with a typical word processing software. Similarly, you can insert a timeline, which is a graphical representation of the passage of time as a line. A timeline is a practical tool to illustrate the chronology of events or activities, which is useful when taking notes.
Another notable feature of the document editor is that you: make to-do lists. The to-do list (opens in new tab) tool is a checkbox associated with a line of text that represents your tasks. Once you have completed a task, you can check the box and the app will cross a line in the attached text to indicate the completion. It is a practical tool to manage your tasks.
Collaboration (opens in new tab) is a major selling point of Dropbox Paper. That’s why you can share your notes with other people through their email or by giving them a direct link. Anyone you share a note with can view or edit it, depending on the permission you grant them.
Dropbox Paper: Interface and Use
We couldn’t help but notice and point out that Dropbox Paper has a great user interface. It’s an app that feels frictionless when you use it. The average internet user should have no problem navigating through it.
You can access Dropbox Paper through the web interface or mobile app. There is no native desktop app, which we consider a drawback.
Dropbox Paper: Support
Dropbox provides direct customer support for paying users via phone, live chat, or email. Users in this category can contact the company’s support representatives if they encounter any problems.
But before you opt for direct customer support, we recommend checking out the official Help Center on the Dropbox website, which contains detailed articles, tips, and answers to frequently asked questions about Dropbox. This Help Center is the primary support option for free users.
There is also an online community where Dropbox users interact and regularly exchange solutions to their problems.
Dropbox Paper: The Competition
Dropbox Paper’s main competitors include: evernote (opens in new tab)Bear (opens in new tab)and Simplenote (opens in new tab). We like Dropbox Paper better than these competitors for its ease of use and simplicity.
Dropbox Paper: Final Verdict
After testing Dropbox Paper, we can confidently say that it is an excellent note-taking app. It’s very easy to use, and we like that it doesn’t require any additional payment beyond what you might pay for Dropbox storage.
One major flaw we noticed with the app is that the document editor doesn’t offer many editing features that you’ll find in competing apps.
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