Overview

Dropbox Paper is a shared-document workspace that brings writing together with assigned tasks and project timelines. It is most useful for teams that already work in Dropbox and want plans or meeting notes to lead directly to accountable work. Treat it as a web-based collaboration layer, not a conventional desktop word processor.

Key features

Paper combines collaborative editing with to-dos that can be assigned to people and given due dates. The Things to do sidebar collects those items, making it easier to keep ownership visible across documents. Real-time collaboration and track changes support team editing; the value is strongest when the document itself is also where the team coordinates next steps.

Timelines gather deadlines, files, and to-dos, with week, month, quarter, and year views. That range supports both immediate scheduling and longer-range planning. The trade-off is that timelines are read-only on mobile, so schedule maintenance requires another device or workflow.

Some users can connect Paper to Google or Outlook calendars to link documents with events and create meeting notes. Its Slack integration can search for and create Paper documents and preview links, but commands and previews do not work with the new Paper release. Teams relying on Slack for those actions should not assume the integration provides a complete workflow.

A Dropbox account and sign-in are required to create or access Paper documents. There is no cap on document count, and each document uses less than 100 bytes of Dropbox storage. These terms make Paper inexpensive in storage and scale for documents, though access remains tied to a Dropbox account.

Paper documents are encrypted at rest with 256-bit AES and in transit with SSL/TLS, and have the same security level as Dropbox with a few exceptions for Dropbox teams. The Dropbox desktop app does not provide native desktop opening for Paper documents: they open on dropbox.com unless exported as PDF, DOCX, or Markdown. Offline editing is supported, but that does not remove the web-based desktop document limitation.

The Dropbox Paper mobile app was discontinued on October 9, 2025; Paper remains available on the web. For teams that expected a dedicated mobile app, this changes the practical fit, particularly alongside read-only mobile timelines.

Pricing

Paper itself is free, with no document-count limit. A Dropbox account is required, however, and the broader Dropbox plans differ in storage, transfer allowances, seats, and billing.

Plan	Price and terms	What it suits
Basic	0.00 USD per free; 2 GB storage	Individuals or small teams who can work within the storage cap and need Paper without a paid Dropbox plan.
Basic Extra	0.99 USD per month, billed yearly; 50 GB storage, 3 devices	Individuals who need more storage and device access at a low annual-billing rate.
Plus	Custom pricing; 2 TB storage, 50 GB transfers	Users whose Dropbox needs exceed Basic Extra's stated storage allowance.
Standard	15.00 USD per month, billed monthly; 1 or more users, 3 TB starting team storage, 100 GB transfers	Teams that need shared starting storage and transfer capacity.
Advanced	Custom pricing; 3 or more users, 15 TB starting team storage, 100 GB transfers	Larger teams needing more starting team storage than Standard.
Enterprise	Custom pricing; online documents and note taking, enterprise-grade security, custom storage, dedicated live support	Organizations that need custom storage and dedicated support.

The free Basic plan keeps Paper free but caps Dropbox storage at 2 GB. Basic Extra raises that to 50 GB and allows three devices, but requires yearly billing. Standard is the only listed team plan with a monthly price; Advanced and Enterprise use custom pricing. Paper's unlimited document count does not mean unlimited Dropbox storage for other files.

Platforms

Paper is available on the web and is associated with Android, iOS, and API platforms. The dedicated mobile app has been discontinued, and the Dropbox desktop app does not open Paper documents as native files. Export to PDF, DOCX, or Markdown is the route for desktop-file use. Offline editing, real-time collaboration, and track changes are supported, while mobile timelines remain read-only.

Who it's for

Choose Paper when a Dropbox-using team wants shared documents that can also assign work and lay out deadlines without a separate document quota. It is a weaker fit for teams that need desktop-native document access, expect a dedicated mobile app, or depend on editing timelines from phones. The Slack integration's limitations also make it a poor foundation for teams that require working commands and previews in Slack.

Pros and cons

Pros: Paper is free and has no document-count limit, while each document uses less than 100 bytes of storage.
Pros: Assigned, dated to-dos and timeline views put ownership and deadlines alongside team documents.
Pros: Real-time collaboration, track changes, and encryption at rest and in transit support shared work and document protection.
Cons: A Dropbox account and sign-in are required, and the Basic plan has 2 GB of storage.
Cons: Desktop-app documents open on dropbox.com unless exported, limiting native desktop-file workflows.
Cons: The dedicated mobile app is discontinued and mobile timelines are read-only.
Cons: Slack commands and previews do not work with the new Paper release, while calendar connections are available only to some users.

Alternatives

For teams that need a broader platform range or a self-hosted option, ONLYOFFICE Docs is worth considering; its free Docs Community plan is licensed under GNU AGPL v.3, recommends up to 20 users, and includes community support. If you need a free writer across desktop and mobile platforms, Zoho Writer has a free individual edition that includes Writer features and 200 document automation credits per month per organization.

For Apple users who want document creation, editing, viewing, and collaboration without a subscription, Apple Pages offers a free plan across iOS, macOS, and web. If a focused writing environment is the priority, Calmly Writer is an alternative with a free plan and desktop and Android platform support.

For organizations considering an on-premise option, Collabora Online has a free Development Edition for testing and home use with rolling updates. If you need a free office suite for Linux, macOS, or Windows, SoftMaker FreeOffice is free for personal and business use, subject to its computer-use terms.

For distraction-free writing on Linux or Windows, FocusWriter is free and accepts optional tips. If you want free software for Linux, macOS, or Windows, LyX is released under the GPL.

Verdict

Dropbox Paper is a strong fit for teams already in Dropbox that want free collaborative documents to carry assigned tasks and timelines. Its main advantage is that coordination lives alongside the document without a Paper document cap. Look elsewhere if your workflow depends on native desktop documents, a dedicated mobile app, editable mobile timelines, or a reliable Slack integration.

	Dropbox Paper	Penbook
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	$0.99/mo	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, Web	iOS, macOS
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Supported platforms	—	iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Apple Vision
Note sharing	—	Yes
Integrations	—	Apple Calendar; iCloud

Dropbox Paper vs Penbook

Dropbox Paper

Penbook