Dropbox is taking a significant step by redefining its storage policy to address misuse and ensure its business sustainability. Dropbox joins tech giants like Google and Microsoft in adjusting its offerings and policies to maintain a balanced and reliable platform.

The revision comes in light of a small subset of users who have been engaging in activities such as cryptocurrency mining, unauthorized sharing, and reselling storage space. The main plan that’s been affected is Dropbox’s highest-tier plan which offered unlimited storage space and was originally tailored for businesses seeking growth. The misuse led to disproportionate resource consumption and instability. Moving forward, Dropbox is shifting towards a metered approach to ensure fair usage and resource sustainability.

New customers enrolling in the Dropbox Advanced plan will now receive an initial allocation of 15TB of storage. This storage capacity can house approximately 100 million documents or 7500 hours of HD video content. An extra 5TB of storage will be provided for each additional license added. The existing Advanced plan users who utilize less than 35TB per license will retain their current storage capacity. This covers about 99% of users using this plan. These users will also benefit from an additional 5TB for five years at no extra cost.

While this shift may seem unique to Dropbox, it mirrors a broader industry trend. Google, Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft have all reevaluated their cloud storage pricing, moving away from unlimited offerings. However, Box remains an outlier and still continues to promote unlimited storage for its enterprise solutions.

Dropbox’s decision reflects its commitment to offering a reliable experience for all users. By addressing misuse and adapting to industry trends, Dropbox continues to evolve as a key player in the cloud storage landscape.