Dropbox Paper vs Overleaf vs Smallpdf Comparison
Dropbox Paper
Starting at Contact for pricing
- Medium Business
- Small Business
Dropbox Paper is a document creation app for teams to create and collaborate on any type of document. Designed for teams, user can invite their whole team or just the individuals needed, and start creating in minutes. Ad…
Overleaf
Starting at $15 /Month
- Free Trial
- Individuals
- Large Enterprises
Overleaf is an online document creation tool that connects people who write with people who design. It takes the hassle out of the traditional document production workflow so that user can focus on writing and content wi…
Smallpdf
Starting at $7 /User/Month
- Free Trial
- Freelancers / Consultants
- Large Enterprises
Smallpdf is a software to create PDF documents on the fly. With this software anyone can easily create PDF documents from any printable document like doc, xls, ppt. Its very easy to use and have fast conversion speed. Sm…
Dropbox Paper leads on user satisfaction with a 4.3-star rating across 4,616 reviews.
Dropbox Paper vs Overleaf vs Smallpdf — at a glance
| Feature | Dropbox Paper | Overleaf | Smallpdf |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 | 3.2 / 5 |
| Reviews | 4,616 | 59 | 518 |
| Starting price | Contact for pricing | $15 /Month | $7 /User/Month |
| Free trial | No | Yes | Yes |
| Free version | No | No | No |
| Best for | Medium Business, Small Business | Individuals, Large Enterprises, Medium Business | Freelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium Business |
| Category | Document Creation Software | Document Creation Software | Document Creation Software |
| Platforms | SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac | SaaS/Web/Cloud | SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac |
| API | Available | — | — |
| Support modes | 24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online | Online | 24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online |
| Certifications | SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, ISO 27001 | GDPR | SOC 2, GDPR |
| Data residency | US | Global | Global |
Key differences between Dropbox Paper and Overleaf
- Pricing: Overleaf starts at $15 /Month. Dropbox Paper pricing is not publicly listed.
- Free trial: Overleaf offers a free trial; Dropbox Paper does not.
- Target audience: Dropbox Paper is built for Medium Business and Small Business, while Overleaf targets Individuals and Large Enterprises.
- User satisfaction: Dropbox Paper scores higher with a 4.3-star average.
- Deployment: Dropbox Paper supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac; Overleaf supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.
Compare Dropbox Paper vs Overleaf vs Smallpdf — and walk away knowing which one fits.
Which tool fits your team best
Which is actually cheaper for your team size
Where each product wins, per real buyers
Most Document Creation Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.
Biggest differences
Features
Pricing
Buying details
Security
Buyer feedback
Integrations
Product tour
Other options
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Biggest differences
Start here before you go deeper into features.
Best for small to medium teams needing simple, collaborative document creation with code support.
- You want seamless real-time commenting and feedback within documents.
- Your team includes developers needing inline code snippet reviews.
- You prefer a quick, low-complexity setup with an intuitive interface.
- You require advanced document formatting and version control features.
- Your team depends heavily on offline editing capabilities.
Best for collaborative LaTeX document creation and academic publishing online.
- You need real-time, in-browser collaboration on LaTeX documents.
- Your team consists of researchers or technical writers focused on academic or technical content.
- You want a simple, streamlined workflow that minimizes formatting hassles.
- Your team requires offline document editing capabilities.
- You need advanced design customization beyond LaTeX formatting.
Freelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium Business
Dropbox Paper: Best for small to medium teams needing simple, collaborative document creation with code support. Overleaf: Best for collaborative LaTeX document creation and academic publishing online.
Description | Dropbox Paper is a document creation app for teams to create and collaborate on any type of document. Designed for teams, user can invite their whole team or just the individuals needed, ... Read More about Dropbox Paper | Overleaf is an online document creation tool that connects people who write with people who design. It takes the hassle out of the traditional document production workflow so that user can ... Read More about Overleaf | Smallpdf is a software to create PDF documents on the fly. With this software anyone can easily create PDF documents from any printable document like doc, xls, ppt. Its very easy to use and ... Read More about Smallpdf |
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User RatingsBased on verified Spotsaas reviews | |||
Best Company Size | 1-50 employees51-500 employees | Small BusinessMedium Business | — |
Get pricing help | Get pricing help | Get pricing help |
Software Demo
Demo |
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Compare Dropbox Paper, Overleaf and Smallpdf on pricing
Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.
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Pricing Page | Pricing information not available |  |  |
Other Details
Organization Types supported |
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Platforms Supported |
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API Support |
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Get help choosing | Get help choosing | Get help choosing |
Security & Compliance
Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.
SOC 2 | ✓ Yes | — | ✓ Yes |
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HIPAA | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No |
GDPR | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
ISO 27001 | ✓ Yes | — | — |
Single Sign-On (SSO) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | — |
Multi-Factor Auth (MFA) | ✓ Yes | — | — |
Data Encryption | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Audit Logs | ✓ Yes | — | — |
Data Residency | 🇺🇸 US | 🌐 Global | 🌐 Global |
Dropbox Paper vs Overleaf User Reviews & Rating Comparison
User Ratings | |||
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Rating Distribution | |||
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI | Buyer sentiment Users generally appreciate Dropbox Paper for its ease of use and collaboration features, though some desire more advanced formatting and offline capabilities. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Users appreciate Overleaf for its ease of collaboration and simplifying complex document formatting, though some note limitations in design flexibility and reliance on internet connectivity. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Buyer sentiment is mixed across 842 reviews, so it is worth reviewing the tradeoffs closely. What buyers like
Common complaints
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Pros and Cons |
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Positive Reviews | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product |
List of Customers
Customers | No Customers information available. |  Caltech  The University of Queensland  York |  Verizon  Hilton  Unilever |
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Media and Screenshots
Screenshots | No screenshots available. |  2 Screenshots | No screenshots available. |
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Videos |  2 Videos |  1 Videos |  3 Videos |
Alternatives
Alternatives |
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Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
- Which is better, Dropbox Paper or Overleaf?
- Dropbox Paper edges out the other on user ratings (4.3 vs 4.2). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
- Do Dropbox Paper and Overleaf offer a free trial?
- Overleaf offers a free trial. Dropbox Paper does not.
- What is the starting price of Dropbox Paper vs Overleaf?
- Dropbox Paper starts at Contact for pricing. Overleaf starts at $15 /Month.
- What are the top alternatives to Dropbox Paper?
- Top alternatives to Dropbox Paper include Evernote, Nimbus Note, Easynote, Notion, MeisterNote.
- What are the top alternatives to Overleaf?
- Top alternatives to Overleaf include Manuscripts, Etherpad, PleaseReview, Documint, Microsoft Word.