A detailed comparison of the best 6 Dropbox plugins for WordPress

Searching for the best WordPress Dropbox plugin? In this post, I'll compare six stellar options that you can use to connect your WordPress site and Dropbox account. I'll also run you through the steps to embed files hosted on Dropbox to WordPress using our top pick, Document Library Pro.

If you want to sync files between your WordPress site and Dropbox account, there is no direct method to do so — you need a plugin for this.

In this post, I've curated our picks for the six best WordPress Dropbox plugins. I'll also show you step-by-step how to integrate your Dropbox account with WordPress and display your Dropbox files in a searchable directory on your WordPress site using our top pick: Document Library Pro.

Let's first look at the top reasons for using a WordPress Dropbox plugin.

Why use a WordPress Dropbox plugin?

There are many reasons to connect your WordPress site to your Dropbox account.

For one, WordPress sites often have limited storage. Connecting to Dropbox effectively expands your storage capabilities without upgrading your website hosting plan. This is especially useful if you have many large files like videos or high-resolution images which can slow down your site. Storing these files on Dropbox and embedding them on your WordPress site can result in efficient content delivery and improve your site's performance.

In addition, WordPress Dropbox plugins make it easy to quickly share Dropbox-hosted files with your site visitors without them needing a Dropbox account. This is great for distributing downloadable content like images, ebooks, product catalogs, etc.

Top 6 Dropbox plugins for WordPress libraries

Here are the six best WordPress Dropbox plugins. Continue reading for an in-depth summary of each one.

1. Document Library Pro
2. Out-of-the-Box
3. File Manager Pro Dropbox add-on.
4. Zapier
5. Integrate Dropbox
6. WP Media Folder

1. Document Library Pro

Document Library Pro is the best Dropbox plugin for WordPress. Thousands of sites use it to embed and manage files which can be either hosted on their own site or on Dropbox, Google Drive, YouTube, Vimeo, Wistia, or any other platform.

This plugin is great for users who need a searchable document management solution integrated with Dropbox. It is suitable for all types of sites, including educational, corporate, non-profit, healthcare sites, and others.

Unlike other WordPress Dropbox plugins, Document Library Pro is about listing multiple Dropbox files in a searchable library. It does this by displaying them in either a table or grid format, both with user-friendly search and filtering.

You can add Dropbox files to your site individually or in bulk using or a CSV file. It is packed with all the features you'd expect in a top-tier WordPress Dropbox plugin. This includes support for various file types, bulk uploads, customizable layouts, user access control, file previews, and much more.

Everything is easy to set up and use. And the entire process takes less than 15 minutes to set up from start to finish, even if you're not tech-savvy.

Here's a quick preview of the table layout:

And the grid layout:

An overview of Document Library Pro's top features

As an added bonus, Document Library Pro's extensive features make it ideal for a wide variety of use cases, including creating a PDF library, audio library, document library, image gallery, and more. So you get more bang for your buck.

Reviews

Here are some user reviews about Document Library Pro:

• Great plugin, Easy to use

  By Maeliosa DeBuitlear on December 30, 2023

  Enabled us to provide access to a lot of resource / reference materials using a simple, familiar presentation approach. Easy to setup.
• Excellent product, outstanding support

  By Anonymous on October 29, 2023

  This plugin is wonderful! It enabled me to build a document database exactly suited to my needs. And, thanks to a very fine granularity, I can give access to my customers, while selecting only the fields I want them to see. Last but not least, the customer support is really outstanding! They always found solutions to your problem – even if the plugin itself is not in the issue. Thanks!

Document Library Pro pricing

Document Library Pro is a premium plugin. Get the two-plugin bundle that includes Password Protected Categories if you want to make your Dropbox file library private so that only certain people, for example, your team members can access it. Whichever plan you choose, your purchase is backed by a 30-day, no-questions-asked money-back guarantee.

2. Out-of-the-Box

Out-of-the-Box is a popular plugin with one use case: integrating WordPress and Dropbox. It offers a straightforward way for you to embed Dropbox files directly into posts and pages on your sites.

You can use Out-of-the-Box to sync specific folders to your WordPress site, which is great for managing large file libraries. It also presents your documents, images, and media files in an aesthetic way directly on your site.

However, it lacks some advanced features like user permissions or backup functionality. Also, it doesn't offer the most intuitive user experience for admins on the backend.

Overall, it is a good option to consider if you're looking for a basic plugin to sync files between Dropbox and WordPress, and don't mind the initial learning curve.

Out-of-the-Box pricing

It is a premium plugin only via CodeCanyon. Paid plans start at $39.

3. File Manager Pro Dropbox Add-on

Most commonly used as a replacement for FTP solutions, File Manager is a well-known freemium plugin used to manage files and folders right from the WordPress backend.

File Manager offers a wide array of add-ons, including one for Dropbox that enables site admins to upload, download, edit, delete, copy, paste, and zip files and folders from their Dropbox accounts from within their WordPress sites.

Note that you must first purchase a premium File Manager license before you can buy the File Manager Pro Dropbox add-on.

Considering that it requires multiple setup steps, I only recommend the Dropbox add-on for users already using the File Manager Pro plugin. Otherwise, other plugins on this list offer a quicker and easier setup and user experience.

File Manager Pro Dropbox Add-on

The File Manager plugin comes in both free and premium versions. Paid plans start at $25. You must be on a paid plan to purchase and use the File Manager Pro Dropbox add-on.

4. Zapier

Zapier isn't a WordPress plugin per se. It's a powerful software automation tool that lets you create 'zaps' (their term for automated workflows) to sync files between your WordPress website and Dropbox account.

There are lots of ways to use Zapier to connect Dropbox and WordPress. For instance, you could set up a zap to automatically upload new media files from WordPress to a specific Dropbox folder. You can also use Zapier to connect more platforms with your Dropbox account and WordPress website.

Zapier's main advantage is its hyper-flexibility. However, since it's a completely different platform on its own, there is a bit of a learning curve to get familiar with how to use it. Plus, it can be pricey if your WordPress-Dropbox setup requires multi-step zaps.

Another downside to consider is that since it simply connects your site to Dropbox, it doesn't provide a way to display files on the front end so that non-admin users can access them. So you'll need to use a different plugin or figure out another workaround to display the files.

Overall, Zapier is a good option to look into if you're simply looking to connect your WordPress website with Dropbox and are willing to invest the time and effort in learning another new platform.

Zapier pricing

They offer a free plan for basic use which includes unlimited two-step zaps. Paid plans start at $29.99 per month.

5. Integrate Dropbox

A relatively new plugin, Integrate Dropbox's primary use case is to enable you to embed files from Dropbox on your WordPress site.

Upon installation, you can enter the secret key from your Dropbox account in your WordPress website to connect them. Then, once it's connected, you can automatically sync your files.

Integrate Dropbox comes with a decent number of features that make file management easier for admins and improve your site's user experience, including:

• Download links: This is useful for allowing customers to save digital files from sites that sell ebooks, art, music, etc.
• Shortcode builder: A module that enables site admins to easily create shortcodes to add the file gallery to the front end of the website.
• Preloaders: Visually appealing images or animations that appear on a website before the main content loads to provide users with visual feedback that shows that the page is loading.

While Integrate Dropbox doesn't offer robust security features, it includes a view-only option, which lets site visitors view files without downloading them.

Integrate Dropbox pricing

It is a freemium plugin. The free version is enough to sync your WordPress site and Dropbox accounts. The paid version starts at $14.99 per year.

6. WP Media Folder

WP Media Folder is an advanced Dropbox plugin that lets you manage files in your WordPress Media Libary. Once you've integrated your WordPress site with Dropbox, you can use it to create and manage unlimited folders and subfolders. Note that its Dropbox integration is only available on the "Plugins + All Addons plan".

This plugin offers an advanced media search function and filters to help you quickly find documents. Plus, you can automatically add watermarks to prevent unauthorized use of your files.

In addition to Dropbox, WP Media Folder enables you to integrate and sync files from external platforms like One Drive, Google Drive, Linode, Amazon S3 DigitalOcean, and Wasabi.

WP Media Folder pricing

It is a premium plugin. The WordPress-Dropbox integration is available on their paid plan which starts at $69.

How to set up a WordPress Dropbox plugin and connect it to your Dropbox account

In this section, I'll walk you through the steps to use Document Library Pro, the best WordPress Dropbox plugin, to create a robust searchable, filterable, and sortable, document library with files hosted on Dropbox.

The best part? The whole process takes less than 15 minutes to set up from start to finish, even if you're not tech-savvy.

Let's get started.

Step 1: Configure the setup wizard's default settings

Follow these steps to set up Document Library Pro's core settings. Note that you can amend them later if you like:

1. Purchase Document Library Pro and add it to your site.
2. Enter your license key and click "Check" to activate it.
3. Choose your preferred default layout for Dropbox files to be displayed on the front end, whether table or grid.
   

   

4. If you want to use the folder and sub-folder layout, check the "Folders" box.
5. Next, tick the "Document preview" checkbox to allow site visitors to preview files without downloading them.
6. Follow these steps if you chose the table layout in step 3 above:
   • Add the columns to be shown in the table using comma-separated values without spaces. Refer to this knowledge base guide for the exact fields you can add and what each field means. For example, if you want to showcase a collection of plants, you might use "title:Plant Name,image,doc_categories:Category,file_size:Image Size,link".
     

     

   • Indicate how you want site visitors to view and access files in your Dropbox library, whether via a link to each file, via multi-select checkboxes, or both.
   • Select the option to enable lazy load to activate Document Library Pro's page speed enhancements. (This is recommended if you plan to showcase a large number of files in your Dropbox library).
   • Finally, disable filters or define the parameters for which you wish to add filter options to your table.
     

     

7. If you chose the grid layout in step 3 above, select the checkboxes for the information you wish to showcase in your Dropbox file library on the front end.
   

   

8. Finally, select "Finish setup" followed by "Go to settings page".

Step 2: Add files hosted on Dropbox to WordPress

There are two ways to add files hosted on Dropbox to your WordPress site with Document Library Pro.

1. Embed files one by one.
2. Upload multiple files using a CSV file.

Let's run through each method.

Method 1: Embed files one by one

Follow these steps to embed files hosted on Dropbox to your WordPress site one by one.

1. In your WordPress admin dashboard, go to Documents → Add New.
2. Fill in the document details, such as the name, description, slug, featured image, categories, and tags.
   

   

3. Under 'Document Link,' choose the 'Custom URL' option.
4. Paste the live link to the file's location on Dropbox and click 'Publish.'
5. Publish the document with the file link included.

Method 2: Upload multiple Dropbox links using a CSV file

Follow these steps to bulk-embed several files hosted on Dropbox to your WordPress site at once. (Note: The files will still be hosted on Dropbox. All you're doing here is creating the WordPress document posts which will then link to the Dropbox file.)

1. Create a new CSV file with details for each file, including the URL, category, tags, and custom taxonomies. You can download our sample CSV file to ensure you’re using the correct format. Note: Proper formatting is essential. If the format is incorrect, this method won’t work.
2. Open the sample CSV file in a spreadsheet editor like Excel, Numbers, or Google Sheets. Then update the necessary details in the spreadsheet (remember to save the spreadsheet as a CSV file):
   • The "Title" column should contain the name of the video.
   • "Content" is where you add the embedded video.
   • "Tags," "Categories," and the other columns are for additional, optional metadata.
3. Navigate to Document Library → Import in your WordPress admin dashboard.
4. In the 'CSV upload' section, click 'Import CSV.'
   

   

5. Click 'Choose File,' select your CSV file, and click 'Continue.'
6. On the "Map CSV fields to documents" page, match each column in the CSV file to the custom post-type fields.
7. Click 'Run the importer.' After the details are imported, you’ll see a 'Success' message and a link to edit them.

Step 3: Showcase Dropbox-hosted files on your WordPress site's front-end

There are two ways to present files hosted on your Dropbox account on the front end of your WordPress site.

On the default Document Library page

When you install Document Library Pro, it automatically creates a page called "Document Library" and adds it to your website's main menu. However, this might not be the best title for your Dropbox file repository. So you may want to rename it.

1. To change the name of the page, go to Pages → All Pages → Document Library in your WordPress dashboard.

   

2. Edit the title to suit your needs.

On any other location on your site

Shortcodes are handy if you want to create multiple Dropbox file repositories on your site. For example, the shortcode [doc_library doc_category="news"] will list all documents in the 'News' category.

You can easily customize the shortcode to tailor how the Dropbox files are listed.

Step 4: Configure access and security settings (optional)

Let's walk through the process of securing your WordPress documents. This method lets you control who sees what, keeping your sensitive content safe.

Note that this section is optional and applies to users who opted for Document Library Pro's two-plugin bundle.

1. Get the Password Protected Categories plugin, add it to your site and activate it.
2. Navigate to Documents → Categories in your WordPress admin dashboard.
   

   

3. Select the category you want to restrict access to and open up its "Edit" screen.
4. Set the visibility to 'Protected' and choose from the following options:
   • Password Protection: Set one or more passwords that users will need to enter the correct password to view files in this category. After doing this, you'd need to create a central login page and add the following shortcode:

     This page is protected because it relates to a new plugin which is not yet officially launched. Please enter your password below.

     Password:

     .
   • Roles: Select the user roles that should have access to the documents. You can choose from WordPress' default roles like Administrator, Editor, and Subscriber or create additional roles, such as 'Staff,' using the free User Role Editor plugin.
   • Users: Choose specific user accounts that should be able to view the category and its documents.

And that's it! Repeat steps 3 and 4 for all other categories you want to protect. Note that if you've secured a parent category, all its sub-categories automatically inherit the same protection. You won't need to set them up separately.

Key features to look for in a WordPress Dropbox plugin

Still confused? To help you choose the best solution for your site, let's have a quick look at the must-haves for a high-quality WordPress Dropbox plugin.

Support for a myriad of file types

Dropbox enables you to upload a wide range of formats. So it's only natural for your WordPress site to support them too. Whether you're planning to share images, videos, audio, documents, Excel files, or even less common formats, your WordPress Dropbox plugin should be able to handle them all.

Automatic file sync

Manually updating file changes between WordPress and Dropbox every time the file is updated isn't the best use of your time. Not to mention, it increases the risk of errors.

Your chosen WordPress Dropbox plugin should offer automatic file sync between your WordPress site and Dropbox. This ensures that any file changes made on Dropbox are reflected on your website, and vice versa, without manual intervention. For example, if you update a file in Dropbox, the changes should automatically appear on your website, to make sure that everything is kept up-to-date without extra effort.

Advanced file management

If you run a large file library, you'll appreciate advanced options to handle large file libraries efficiently. Your chosen plugin should include:

• Robust search and filter functionality to enable users to quickly find files across your Dropbox-WordPress ecosystem.
• File previews on the front end to enable site visitors to view file contents without downloading them.
• Version control to allow users to access and restore previous versions of files.

User access permissions

Access permissions allow you to control who can view, upload, or manage files on your website. The best Dropbox plugins for WordPress enable you to set specific permissions for different user roles.

For example, you might want to allow customers to upload documents but restrict their access to certain files or folders. User access control is necessary to protect sensitive files while still allowing the right people to view and download them.

Performance optimization

The main point of embedding content hosted on Dropbox is to avoid slowing down your site. The best WordPress Dropbox plugins use two performance optimization techniques to ensure fast page load speeds: lazy loading and caching.

Lazy loading ensures that files, especially large ones, are only loaded when they are needed, reducing the initial load time of your site. Caching, on the other hand, stores copies of files temporarily, so they don’t need to be reloaded every time a user accesses them. Together, these features work hand in hand to help make sure your site loads as quickly as possible.

Easily integrate WordPress and Dropbox with the right plugin

Linking your WordPress site with your Dropbox account combines their stellar content management and robust file storage capabilities. The result? A more efficient workflow, better website performance, and superior user experience (UX) for your site's visitors.

While there are no native integration options to connect WordPress and Dropbox, you can easily do so with the right plugin.

Document Library Pro is the best WordPress Dropbox plugin for any site needing to list multiple Dropbox files in WordPress. You can:

• Embed all types and formats of Dropbox-hosted files one by one or in bulk via a CSV file.
• Easily present the Dropbox files to non-admin users in a functional and good-looking table or grid layout.
• Enable advanced features like file previews, bulk downloads, user access control, and much more.

The plugin is super easy to set up and use. The entire process takes less than 15 minutes to set up from start to finish, even if you're not tech-savvy.

Get Document Library Pro and connect your WordPress site with Dropbox today!