Are you looking for the best cloud storage provider? One option you might be looking at is Box. It’s a cloud storage service typically for enterprises. Its purpose is to let users manage, secure, and share online content all in one place. The service deems itself a cloud content management system in which businesses can share information and collaborate.
Aaron Levie, the founder of Box formerly known as Box.net, came up with the idea while in college. He received a marketing assignment that required selecting a market and doing a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis. Levie chose digital storage that eventually became Box storage.
Box Storage Products
The storage service promises to help businesses manage, secure, and govern all its content in the cloud. Box’s clients and apps are compatible with Windows, macOS, and most mobile devices. And it connects to more than 1,400 apps.
Box storage for enterprises offers these tools:
- Security and compliance: The online storage service encrypts all files using AES 256-bit encryption. It includes two-factor authentication (2FA) and in-place retention management.
- Collaboration: Box can act as a workplace for group projects with people inside and outside the organization.
- Workflow: Employees can automate repeatable processes such as new employee onboarding and contract approvals.
- Integrations: With more than 1,400 compatible apps, users can open, edit, and save files without leaving Box.
- Developer tools and APIs: Enterprises can extend Box’s capabilities to run scripts to automate deployment and use business systems to automate content management.
- IT and administration controls: Using Box, the IT team can assign the right levels of access to people inside and outside the company. It comes with reporting that helps leaders stay on top of the audit trails.
In short, Box storage centralizes content for greater speed, simplicity, and efficiency.
What You Need to Know About Box Storage
Anyone currently using a competitor such as Dropbox or Google Apps can move to Box. A migrating to Box guide is available.
Box cloud storage plans currently consist of four different types: Individual, Business, Enterprise, and Platform. Though its target audience is the enterprise, Box has two plans for individuals. The free one includes 10 GB of cloud storage. However, uploaded files cannot be larger than 250 MB. And they don’t have password protection. It’s a premium feature.
As you compare the plans, the pricing varies based on the options. Box Business Plans consist of four options each having a monthly or yearly rate. For example, the Business plan costs $14.25 per month if paid yearly or $15 if paid monthly. A 30-day free trial Platform Plan is available. If you’re looking for automatic cloud backup to back up your computer, Box is not the right online storage service for this. Its focus is online file storage, sharing, and collaboration for the enterprise.