TinyX vs Dropbox: who can read your files?
· TinyX · 6 min read
Dropbox is a solid product. It syncs files reliably and it's on almost every laptop you'll ever borrow. This isn't an argument that Dropbox is bad software.
It's an argument about what trusting your file storage provider actually means, and whether you should have to.
Dropbox can read most of your files, by design
Dropbox encrypts your files with 256-bit AES at rest and SSL/TLS in transit, as its plans page says. On most plans, Dropbox manages those keys, which means it can decrypt what you store. End-to-end encryption, where Dropbox can't, is listed only on the Advanced plan and above.
As a US company, Dropbox is subject to the CLOUD Act. US authorities can compel production of data held by US-headquartered services, including data stored outside the US. If you're a UK, EU or international user storing sensitive files on Dropbox, that's worth weighing.
On most Dropbox plans, the security model is that you trust the provider.
TinyX's model: on Pro and Max, we can't read your files
On Pro and Max, TinyX encrypts files in your browser with AES-256-GCM before they leave your device. The key never reaches our servers, so what we store is ciphertext we can't decrypt.
On the Free plan, files are encrypted in transit and at rest, but not end-to-end, so Free isn't zero-knowledge. We'd rather say that plainly than let the word "encrypted" do more work than it should.
You can read how it's built in how TinyX encrypts your files and on the file sharing page.
The pricing structure is different
Dropbox Plus is $9.99 a month for one person. Standard is $15 per user a month and Advanced $24 per user a month, starting at three people, as listed on Dropbox's US plans page in October 2026.
TinyX lists flat prices: $9 a month for Pro and $29 a month for Max, with no per-user figure on the pricing page.
Dropbox's per-seat model makes sense for organisations that need sync, collaboration and version history across a team. For sending files to people outside your organisation, you may be paying for a lot you don't use.
What Dropbox does and doesn't do for sharing
Dropbox does more here than people assume, so it's worth being precise.
On Standard and Advanced, Dropbox lets you set custom expiry dates and passwords on shared links and on transfers, and transfer expiry can run up to a year. On Basic and Plus, transfers expire after 7 days and you can't add a password.
For tracking, Dropbox Transfer shows views and downloads for each transfer you send, and you can switch on download notifications. Viewer history for files is listed on Standard and Advanced.
Dropbox file requests let anyone upload to your Dropbox, with or without an account.
What Dropbox's plans page doesn't list is a link shortener, QR codes or intake forms. TinyX puts short links, QR codes, forms and file sharing in one account, as described on our features page.
How TinyX Pro and Dropbox compare side by side
| Feature | TinyX Pro ($9/mo) | Dropbox Plus ($9.99/mo) | Dropbox Advanced ($24/user/mo) |
|---|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encryption | Yes | No | Yes |
| Storage | 100 GB | 2 TB | Starts at 15 TB per team |
| Largest single send | 1 GB per file | Transfers up to 50 GB | Transfers up to 100 GB |
| Password-protected links and transfers | Yes | No | Yes |
| Custom expiry | Yes, by date or download count | No (transfers expire after 7 days) | Yes, transfers up to a year |
| Download or view tracking | Yes | Transfer views and downloads | Transfer views and downloads, viewer history |
| Collect files from people without an account | Yes (upload links) | Yes (file requests) | Yes (file requests) |
| CLOUD Act exposure | Pro and Max: we only hold ciphertext we can't decrypt | US company | US company |
| Short links and QR codes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Forms and questionnaires | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Pricing | $9/mo flat | $9.99/mo | $24/user/mo, 3 users minimum |
Where Dropbox still wins
Size and storage. Dropbox Plus gives you 2 TB of storage and 50 GB transfers. TinyX Pro is 100 GB of storage and 1 GB per file. If you need a sync and backup home for years of project files, TinyX isn't a replacement.
Team sync and collaboration are the other gap. Dropbox's desktop sync, version history of up to a year on Advanced, and editing tools are a deeper product for internal file management.
What TinyX is built for
TinyX is built for sending files to people outside your organisation, with control over when the file stops existing.
On every plan you can set a link to expire on a date or after a number of downloads, and add a password. When it expires, the file is deleted and the link shows a "Link Unavailable" page, with no recovery and no redirect. We keep only minimal logs, for 7, 90 or 365 days depending on plan, as listed on the pricing page.
Client deliverables, contracts, proposals, photo selections and sensitive documents are the files it suits. One link, a password if you need it, and an expiry you choose.
Frequently asked questions
Can Dropbox read my files? On most plans, yes, because Dropbox manages the encryption keys. Dropbox lists end-to-end encryption on Advanced, which changes that for the files you protect with it. On TinyX Pro and Max, files are encrypted in your browser and we never have the key.
What is zero-knowledge encryption? It means the service has no access to your decryption key, so it can't read your data. TinyX Pro and Max work this way. TinyX Free does not.
Is TinyX cheaper than Dropbox? For one person, TinyX Pro is $9 a month and Dropbox Plus is $9.99. For a team, Dropbox charges per user and TinyX lists a flat price, so the gap grows with headcount. Dropbox gives you far more storage for the money, though.
Does Dropbox have link expiry and passwords? Yes, on Standard and Advanced. Not on Basic or Plus.
Does TinyX replace Dropbox? Not for team sync or backing up a large library. For sending files to clients and contacts with expiry, passwords and tracking, it's the tool we built for that job.
Where to start
If what you send is mostly documents and photo selections under 150 MB, try the TinyX Free plan with an expiry date set. If you need end-to-end encryption or bigger files, compare Pro and Max on the pricing page.