Secure Content and File Sharing. Free Cloud Storage.
4.3/5 (3195 reviews)Box works in any browser and allows users to easily store and manage all their content online. It also lets users share files instantly and access documents from anywhere. No matter the device, get fast, easy access to documents, project plans, presentations and videos. Always have the latest pitch for customers, on or offline. Box makes it easy for administrators to maintain a central view of all content and users in their account through a powerful admin console.
Pros
Box allows users to upload all kinds of files of different formats (documents, images, video, drawing packages, zipped folders etc.) to its webpage (or app on phone/tablet) with ease. These uploaded documents can be shared with relevant team members, while also keeping them private from others where necessary. Shareable with the help of the link, Box files are easy to update, one can either edit in the browser itself or download to do the same. It is easy to track the activity of users, like who has viewed, downloaded and edited the files. This is a great tool when collaborating with colleagues through the web as all changes in a particular document/content are updated in real time and everybody working on that project can track changes and updates.
I consider Box to be a reliable, simplified and secure software that I am able to utilize abundantly on a daily basis with my team. It is accessible anywhere and everywhere with a stable internet connection. One can simply drag and drop files and folders to Box and it will get uploaded instantly. This works wonders when you are out of office (for example, site or travelling) and your team needs to access the documents you've been working on or vice versa.
Also, it is possible to have Box sync (as a standalone app) set up on your computer and aids easy syncing without the need to log in every time.
Cons
When compared to its competitors (Google Drive/OneDrive), Box does look a bit unappealing owing to its price tag. It offers four plans, the most inexpensive one being Standard (for personal use I presume), followed by Business, Business Plus and Enterprise. Small and medium-sized firms can make do with the average priced Business and Business Plus offerings. However, I don't think that I would invest in it if for my personal use.
Secondly, for files such as .dwg and .rar do not open as a preview and have to be downloaded for viewing. This poses a problem for me as I have to review large drawing packages and downloading them just for review is quite a hassle. Would love if these little aspects are fixed for the upcoming updates.
I love Box and tell everyone I interview about Box. We are a 70% remote group and depend on Box for sharing information and collaborating on projects. Applicants ask, "How do you manage a dispersed work force?" and "How do people maintain a sense of team?" "Box," I say, "is a big component."
Pros
1. Sharing files is simple, no matter who you want to share with and no matter from what device. You can share a document with someone inside or outside of the organization without giving up control of the document. No need for someone outside of the organization to upload any software in order to access the shared document.
2. As an HR professional I find Box to be a great tool for collaborating with hiring managers. I set up a system for resume sorting that allows hiring managers to see just those resumes selected for their review, and allows the manager to move the candidates ahead in the hiring process, or not, as desired. I can then take action based on their actions in Box. It's very efficient. As a small business we do not need expensive, extensive stand-alone software for applicant tracking. Box allows us to record our decision making process
3. Largely intuitive, but in case you need a bit of help, the webinars and how-to videos are very easy to follow.
4. I can access, read and send documents from my phone. Very helpful for those moments at the beach when you realize you forgot to send a document to your boss. It's happened.
Cons
1. I work mostly from an old Mac. I find some of the interface less smooth than from my PC. For example, when I create a Word doc within Box while using my Mac, the Mac defaults to Text Edit instead of Word. I suspect that's user error, though.
Box continues to amaze and survive given the steep competition out there. Its main selling point for us is the boost in confidence as regards its super security features and data loss prevention.
Pros
There are many things to love about Box. For one, its Business plans come with unlimited storage! We started out with Free just to try it, then moved to Starter then Business (as we needed more than 10 users on board). It's worth it esp for small to medium-sized businesses looking for a secure place for storage with tons of extra features for both admin and security.
The 5GB upload is enough for the big multimedia and other iso/archive files we have.
For our admin, the integration with our Active Directory saved us from having to require our users to create/maintain an extra account (user/password) for Box. We are also proud to announce to our team about its security features like SSL, encryption, and even two-factor authentication for the meticulous.
Although we haven't had the need for the DLP (Data Loss Prevention) that Box advertises, we are happy that this is part of our subscription and gives a little extra boost of confidence with our files.
The corporate logo can also be incorporated into the platform to make it personalized according to your company's branding scheme.
Box also offers a ton of possible integrations. So far what we use are integrations with Google Suite (e.g., docs), Salesforce (CRM), and MS Office 365. This makes it easy for users to create content is our usual platforms and then easily save and manage them in Box.
Cons
We have quite a number of staff who already use other online storage platforms (Dropbox, Google Drive). Note that Non-Box users can only access files as Read-Only... in which case our people really had to be forced to create an account for edit purposes and collaboration.
I've been been a Box customer for about four years. During that time we've gone from a limited POC to a large scale international rollout. We've found Box to be very responsive both from a support standpoint and in terms of listening to their customers regarding features and needs.
The primary reason we initially chose Box was because of the outstanding security framework which was at the core of the initial offering and continues to be a key focus for Box. The management and governance features allowed us to roll it out to a geographically diverse group of employees with the assurance that their data would be secure and would remain secure.
Our initial need was to centrally replicate data from an international location. Based on the success of that POC, we've been able to replicate that success in a number of international locations and delay or eliminate the need for physical systems and storage that had previously been a part of our technology deployment.
Pros
Security is still my favorite feature - I have the confidence that our data is secure and will remain secure. Box meets a number of US based and international security regulations and data compliance requirements, Box makes governance and compliance easy.
Notifications based on file changes or folder changes have allowed us to create "instant workflows" to quickly move data from a variety of locations in the hands of a number of users. This has allowed us to create a system where data is not only securely stored, but able to be quickly acted upon by a geographically diverse group of staff.
Rolling Box seats out to new users is easy, and Box makes a wide variety of training materials available to its users to help them leverage the features.
Cons
There's not much to dislike - the feature set is good and continues to grow. If there is a downside, it is that - like all cloud based solutions - connectivity is required, and that can sometimes be a challenge for my organization is some of the remote international locations where we work.
I run Box for over 100K users in a large university. Box is built for the enterprise. It has very solid security, good user management and an extremely small support footprint. There are consumer tools that might beat Box on some individual features, but cannot hold a candle to Box when held up to the needs and realities of a large enterprise. Box is platform and vendor agnostic. It has solid mobile apps and 3rd party integrations. The API is strong and improving all the time. Box can be the content layer for both internal and externally-facing applications.
We signed on to Box to bring our IP back in from consumer tools. It has largely accomplished that but it has additional surprising results. We've seen some very creative innovations in research collaboration, teaching and administration. The productivity gains have been far greater than expected.
Box is a bit of a paradigm shift for users. Those who never ventured into consumer cloud tools such as Dropbox need to learn about basic cloud concepts of where their data is backed up. IT professionals need to get their heads around Box's permission model as well as deal with the loss of direct user management and support. Having said that, the overall support footprint is startling low. We average 5 technical tickets a week on Box for over 100K users. Most of our support time is on training and consulting to help users get the most out of the tools Box provides.
The bottom line is that Box has proven to be very solid and flexible. Our users have really taken it and run with it.
Pros
Strong security. Data ownership model. Flexibility of collaboration and sharing options. Platform and vendor agnostic. Good administrative controls. Reasonably good reporting. Reasonably good APIs. Ease of use for end users. It's been great watching the creativity and innovation of the users. They've found ways to do things with Box we never imagined when we signed on.
Cons
The desktop sync is different than and technically inferior to that of Dropbox, the consumer tool most users are familiar with in this space. We anticipate this change when Box for Desktop is released in 2017. We'd also like to see the maximum file size increase. I'd like to see improvements in the administrative reporting. Many users have trouble getting their head around Box's waterfall permission model, particularly IT professionals. It's different than what they are used to. It ads an impediment to the retirement of NFS.
Starter: €4.50 per user/month
Business: €13.50 per user/month
Enterprise: Contact Box for detailed pricing information.
Box Personal is always free for one user.
Offers a 2 week free trial.
Content Management
Box is a simple, scalable and affordable solution to manage documents, media and all content online. Share files as a link. Sync files on the desktop. It’s file sharing, reinvented.
Mobile Access
Users can access, share and collaborate on files anywhere through our award-winning mobile apps. Share folders in a tap, exchange feedback or save files for offline access.
Online Workspaces
Users can turn any folder into a workspace to share with colleagues or outside clients. Exchange documents online. Track changes with version history. Assign basic tasks.
Administrative Controls
Box makes it easy to add and manage users through a centralized admin console. Set access permissions and passwords. Get SSL file encryption.
Integrate with Business Software
Box lets users seamlessly integrate and access content in other leading business applications like Google Apps, Salesforce, NetSuite, Microsoft SharePoint and others.
Below are some frequently asked questions for Box.
Box offers the following pricing plans:
Starting from: €4,50/month
Pricing model: Free, Subscription
Free Trial: Available
Starter: €4.50 per user/month
Business: €13.50 per user/month
Enterprise: Contact Box for detailed pricing information.
Box Personal is always free for one user.
Offers a 2 week free trial.
Box offers the following features:
Box has the following typical customers:
Freelancers, Large Enterprises, Mid Size Business, Non Profit, Small Business
Box supports the following languages:
Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Swedish
Box has the following pricing plans:
Free, Subscription
Box supports the following devices:
Android, iPhone, iPad
Box integrates with the following applications:
AppFusions, Datafield, Device Magic, DocuSign, SeamlessGov, SnapLogic, Teamwork Projects, Wimi, Workfront, Wrike
Box offers the following support options:
FAQs, Forum, Knowledge Base
Box is an online cloud-based content management software that is particularly helpful when you need to store, edit and share all your data and documents from one place. We have a business account with Box and have been using the same since more than a year. It is fairly simple to use, with updates coming out once in a while showcasing new features. The software interfaces seamlessly with the office suite (Office 365 or others), therefore allowing users to use it via their computer, and not necessarily through the website or app. However, it does consume tons of storage space on your computer, therefore I'd definitely recommend only syncing the files to be used rather than syncing all folders you're collaborating on.
Box is undoubtedly a great tool for virtual teams collaborating from different locations as sharing, uploading and syncing data is simple and stress-free. My team and I literally work through Box all day, and are always on the same page when it comes to our projects, as each one of us can view the other's uploaded documents on Box and continue working on the same. Additionally, managing and filing documents in one secure storage have become uncomplicated. For us, it reduces the chances of repeating the same work and error. of course, error; and also saving precious time not looking for files and folders all over.