Need a new note-taking app? You might be considering Dropbox Paper, but you want to know if it ticks all the boxes. Well, you’re in the right place.
In this Dropbox Paper review, we’ll explore pros and cons, popular features, and (most importantly) usability insights from real people. You’ll also find info on an alternative in case Dropbox Paper isn’t for you.
Dropbox Paper Review for Note-Taking in 2024
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat Is Dropbox Paper?
Dropbox Paper is a note-taking app that’s part of Dropbox, a popular cloud storage and file hosting platform.
Like Microsoft Word, Dropbox Paper is a document editor and word-processing tool.
But wait, there’s more! Dropbox Paper is a collaborative online workspace that allows you to create, share, and edit documents and notes with your team. It’s available as a mobile app, desktop app, and browser extension.
Whether you need to take notes for class, work on a project proposal alongside team members, or organize your meeting agenda, you can use Dropbox Paper to make it happen.
Key Dropbox Paper features
Storing files in the Dropbox folder? Now go further than just storage. Dropbox Paper is a file-sharing and editing tool with collaboration features, to-do lists, notifications, and more.
1. Real-time collaboration
Multiple users can work on and edit one document simultaneously for faster, easier collaboration using Dropbox Paper. And changes made by one team member are instantly visible to others, whether you’re working together in the office or remotely across the globe.
Additionally, features like commenting and @mentions make it easier for your team to connect and work as a unit.
2. Task management
Dropbox Paper is built for document creation and collaboration, but this platform also has some excellent task management essentials. Users can create and assign tasks, add due dates, and track progress to streamline project management.
Task reminder settings also help everyone on your team stay on top of deadlines on each task.
3. Integration with other tools
Dropbox Paper integrates with tools like Slack, Zoom, HubSpot, Trello, and Google Drive to make it easier to manage tasks and streamline projects that span multiple platforms. There’s also (of course) integration with Dropbox storage accounts.
4. Multimedia support
Dropbox Paper docs support multimedia customization, meaning you can upload files, embed images, videos, and GIFs. ✨
This enables users to make visually enticing documents, presentations, and lists. You can add tutorial videos to a basic training document, insert images in a graphic design brainstorm recap, and more.
5. Accessibility
One of the most critical features of Dropbox Paper is its accessibility. It allows users to work together and access documents from different platforms and devices without issue, storing everything in the cloud for convenience and security. Whether it’s the web interface or the Dropbox app—the experience is familiar if you’ve used Dropbox for cloud storage.
6. Version history
In Dropbox Paper, you can see a log of document revisions and revert to previous versions of your document if needed—the syncing settings are reliable.
For instance, you can restore your previous version if you made several changes to a project plan based on a later cancellation directive. This saves you from having to start over or trying to remember everything you changed as you manually reverse the changes.
Dropbox Paper pricing
Dropbox Paper is included for free with every Dropbox account. Here’s a rundown of the Dropbox pricing plans:
- Basic: Free
- Plus (for personal use): $11.99/month per user
- Essentials (for professionals): $22/month per user
- Business (for teams): $24/month per user
- Business Plus (for companies): $32/month per user
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Summarize this article for me pleasePros of Using Dropbox Paper
Dropbox Paper is an excellent choice for teams who need a simple, collaborative document creation tool.
Some of the pros include:
- User-friendly interface: Dropbox Paper is clean, simple, and user-friendly for people of all skill levels ✨
- High compatibility: Dropbox Paper features a mobile app, a web app, and a browser extension for almost every system
- Customizable: Dropbox Paper lets you customize documents with colors, fonts, and embedded media to make them interactive and engaging
- Simple shortcuts: From drag-and-drop file uploads to keyboard shortcuts for adding emojis, creating new documents, and inserting headers, Dropbox Paper makes it easy to work quickly
There’s more:
- All your files are readily available and automatically sync within Dropbox
- Dropbox users get free cloud storage space as part of the free plan
- The files and folders structure is familiar to anyone who’s used the app before
- The web version and web app are enterprise-grade
- Sync files in real time and share files on the go
These pros are all in addition to the real-time collaboration and everything else we’ve covered in this Dropbox review.
Summarize this article for me pleaseCommon Pain Points Dropbox Paper Users Face
Like all document editing software tools, Dropbox Paper isn’t perfect. Some common pain points that show up in Dropbox Paper reviews include:
- Formatting options: Despite fantastic multimedia support, some users find that Dropbox Paper’s formatting options are less extensive than they would like. For instance, some report a lack of options for font styles, sizes, and colors
- Search functionality: Some users find Dropbox Paper’s search function challenging to use or navigate, and they may have trouble finding specific documents or sections within documents
- Storage space: The free version of Dropbox Paper, aka Dropbox’s Basic plan, is limited to 2 gigabytes of storage, which may not be enough for even a handful of multimedia-rich docs
- User experience: Dropbox Paper does a few things well, but some feel that its user interface could benefit from more features designed to improve ease of use, like the ability to store a Paper doc in more than one location at once
These pain points are deal-breakers for some and non-issues for others. It’s all about what you need from your note-taking app.
Summarize this article for me pleaseDropbox Paper Reviews on Reddit
We headed to Reddit to get genuine Dropbox Paper reviews from people sharing honest thoughts about the tool. The consensus among Redditors varies depending on what they want from the platform, with many giving mixed reviews.
For example, one Redditor, struggling with Paper’s organization system, commented, “My design team at work are heavy users of Dropbox Paper and we share everything out as links to the doc. Dropbox Paper doesn’t have a good organization system on its own and I am starting to get buried in bookmarking every document in my Chrome browser or pinning it in a Slack chat.”
In another thread, a poster asked about alternatives to Dropbox Paper. One of the responders had this to say when comparing Dropbox Paper to programs like Google Docs and Evernote:
“I found [Dropbox Paper] not great for personal use, but might be amazing if one needs all the sharing stuff.”
Summarize this article for me pleaseAlternative Note-Taking Tools to Use Instead of Dropbox Paper
No worries if Dropbox Paper doesn’t check all the boxes for you. You have options.
If you’re like us, you want a note-taking tool that works as a second brain (a concept introduced in Tiago Forte’s book, “Building a Second Brain“) but also takes your project management to the next level.
ClickUp does both.
ClickUp Docs
When it comes to note-taking, ClickUp Docs has everything you need. Of course, you’ll have the standard formatting features you’d expect from a word processor, like bold, italics, strikethrough, highlighting, headings, various text colors, and linking.
But by adding tables, columns, bookmarks, checklists, subpages, @mentions, code blocks, and quotes, you can create anything from simple notes and meeting agendas to wikis and process documentation. Plus, you can attach files like images or PDFs and embed from websites, Google Slides, Figma, YouTube, Loom, GIPHY, and more.
ClickUp Docs also support real-time collaboration, can be categorized for optimum organization and searchability, and can be securely shared with privacy and edit controls. Plus, you can connect your Docs to your workflows and turn text into tasks.
ClickUp AI
You can supercharge your Docs with ClickUp AI. ClickUp Brain is the world’s first neural network that uses AI to connect tasks, Docs, and team members while saving you time at every turn.
The AI Knowledge Manager lets team members ask questions and find answers among your Docs, tasks, and projects. The AI Project Manager summarizes projects, status reports, and even Docs. Finally, the AI Writer is a writing assignment, transcript creator, spell checker, and more.
ClickUp Templates
ClickUp has a template library with over 1,000 options designed to save you time and let you focus on the things that matter. You’ll find everything from technical documentation templates to creative brainstorming outlines.
The following templates are designed specifically for note-taking in ClickUp Docs. They’re perfect for when you don’t want to start from scratch.
ClickUp Meeting Notes Template
Want to keep your team’s discussions on track and easily capture notes, action items, and agendas? The ClickUp Meeting Notes Template has you covered.
Whether it’s a detailed team discussion or a quick daily standup, this template outlines everything you need to keep things productive and well-documented.
ClickUp Class Notes Template
Taking class notes presents many challenges on both sides of the fence, but the ClickUp Class Notes Template makes it straightforward. The layout is designed for teachers and students to keep class notes, subjects, and assignments organized to find what you need in seconds.
ClickUp Release Notes Template
Creating and sharing release notes is faster with ClickUp’s Release Notes Template. Use it to track features, fixes, bug reports, and changes in an organized format you can share with stakeholders.
ClickUp Cornell Note Template
We’re fans of the Cornell Note-Taking System developed by Cornell University’s own Walter Pauk, so we made a template for it!
ClickUp’s Cornell Note Template offers a user-friendly, digitized way to learn this method and improve how well you stay organized and retain information. It features collaborative tools, visualizations, and much more to make your life easier.
Other ClickUp features
ClickUp has hundreds of powerful tools packed into one convenient platform. It offers functionality in several different areas and does it well. G2 named ClickUp #1 in 18 categories in its Winter 2024 Report. 🙌🏆
Here are some of the other features ClickUp has to offer:
- Integrations: ClickUp integrates (either natively or via Zapier) with over 1,000 other tools to bring everything you need together in one customizable dashboard
- Flexibility: The platform offers extensive customization options so you can personalize Workspaces, Docs, task statuses, and more to fit your needs and preferences
- Customer support: In addition to tons of free training videos and extensive FAQs, ClickUp has responsive, compassionate customer support reps available to help you 24/7
- Version history: You can view your task and document version history in ClickUp at any time, restoring previous versions if needed
- Real-time communication: ClickUp is all about collaboration and communication—from @mentions, commenting, and reactions to Chat view, you can interact with team members however you want
- Client relationship management (CRM): ClickUp CRM lets you manage everything from sales pipelines and orders to customer engagement with flexible views and tools
- Compatibility: ClickUp is one of the best note-taking apps for Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux on the market; it also features a browser extension if you’d rather stay 100% web-based
- Time tracking: ClickUp features a versatile project time-tracking tool that can record, monitor, and manage how long you and your team spend on tasks and projects
- Views: You can look at your work from any angle with over 15 views, including List, Board, Box, Calendar, Gantt, and Timeline
- Pre-built note taking templates
ClickUp pricing
Like Dropbox Paper, ClickUp offers a range of pricing plans. Here’s a breakdown:
- Free Forever
- Unlimited: $7/month per user
- Business: $12/month per user
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing
- ClickUp AI is available on all paid plans for $5 per Workspace member per month
Summarize this article for me pleaseMake the Best Choice for Your Team
Whether you’re looking for document creation or real-time collaboration, Dropbox Paper is a great note-taking platform that enables seamless integration within the Dropbox ecosystem.
No tool is perfect for every person and team, though. Despite the positives in this Dropbox Paper review, there are plenty of fantastic alternatives, and you might find one that better meets your needs.
ClickUp stands out as the best option on the market. It packs robust task management, powerful note-taking abilities, extensive customization options, and comprehensive collaboration features into a single, intuitive platform.
You just can’t beat it.
See the difference for yourself. Sign up for ClickUp today—it’s free.
Everything you need to stay organized and get work done.
