Comparing Box and Google Drive Features

Basic Features

Best for ...

• Collaborating on documents, Box Notes, spreadsheets, presentations, and bookmarking links with people at and outside of St. Edward's University.
  General-purpose file storage and sharing for individuals and groups.

• Storing, sharing and collaborating on Google Docs, Sheets and Slides with people at and outside of St. Edward's University. 
  General-purpose file storage and sharing for individuals and groups.

• Unlimited

• Unlimited

• 15 GB*

• 5 TB  

• Any

• Any (Types)

• Yes

• Yes

• Data Security, Data Retention Review

• Data Security, Data Retention Review

• Using A.Box.Com For Accessibility.

•  Google Accessibility

File Access

• Upload button
• Drag and drop
• Upload embed widget
• Box Drive

• Upload files and folders
• Drag and drop sync
• Google Drive for desktop 

• Yes

• Yes

• Yes

• Yes

• Yes, over 100 file types

• Yes

• Unrestricted "People with the link" (anyone with the link can access the file)
• People within your Company" Only St. Edward's University accounts can access the file using their login credentials
• Collaborators within the folder can access the file

• Unrestricted (anyone with the link can access the file)
• Only St. Edward's University accounts can access the file using login credentials.
• Specific individuals (only individuals you specify can use the link to access the file or folder)

• Yes, using Microsoft Office Online  

• Yes, edit Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, or use Office Compatibility Mode (OCM) to edit Microsoft Office documents, spreadsheets and presentations

• Yes

• Yes 

• Box Drive on Windows or MacOs

• Yes (after installing Google Drive for desktop)

• Yes, see Upload to Box Through Email

• No 

Collaboration 

• Yes, invite collaborators to share individual Box Notes and folders

• Yes, share with people or groups to share files or folders

• Co-owner
• Editor
• Viewer Uploader
• Previewer
• Uploader
• Viewer
• Previewer
• Uploader

• Editor (others can edit the file, comment on it, and share it with others)
• Commenter (others can view the file and comment on it) 
• Viewer (others can view the file)

• Owner
• Co-owner
• Editor - have limited ability to change permission settings

• Owner
• Editor - have limited ability to change permission settings

• Files are owned by the owner of the folder.

• Files belong to the owner, account holder, who either created the files in Google Docs, Sheets and Slides or uploaded them to Google Drive.

• Yes, owners can transfer ownership of folders to anyone.

• Yes, owners can transfer ownership to users with St. Edward's Google accounts. 

• Yes, using the version history (retains the 100 most recent versions of file's history)

• Yes, using the version history view, delete, download, or revert to previous versions of Docs, Sheets or Slides.

• Yes (using Box Notes and Office Online)

• Yes, for Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.*

Other Features 

• Yes, search for folder and file names, metadata or the contents of most common file types.
• See Search.

• Yes, search file names, metadata and file contents. You can also filter search results by file type, ownership or application, or use the advanced search to refine your search using specific phrases and commands.
• See Find files in Google Drive.

• Yes

• Yes

• Yes

• Yes

• Yes, use Content Insights  to track totals for downloads and previews of your files 

• Yes, using the Activity Dashboard. If you’re collaborating with several people on a single file,keep track of changes by identifying who made them. You can also revert to a previous version.

• Yes, save bookmarks within your Box account to link to Box files, Box searches and external websites. 

• No

• Yes, using metadata

• No

• Yes

• Yes