Frame.io vs Dropbox Replay (2026): Pricing, Features, and Which to Choose

Short answer: Frame.io is the stronger review tool for Adobe teams that want version stacks, Camera to Cloud and deep Premiere Pro integration, from $13 per member per month billed annually ($15 monthly). Dropbox Replay is cheaper ($10 to $12 per user add-on) if you already pay for Dropbox. Teams that also need editing storage and AI search should consider Shade at $29.75 per seat.

Prices were checked on frame.io/pricing, dropbox.com/replay and dropbox.com/plans on November 5, 2026, and exclude sales tax.

What is the difference between Frame.io and Dropbox Replay?

The biggest difference is what each tool sits on top of.

Frame.io is a standalone review and approval platform owned by Adobe. You upload cuts into Frame.io's own storage, share a link, and collect frame-accurate feedback. It has its own plans (Free, Pro, Team, Enterprise), its own storage, and in 2026 a desktop app, Frame.io Drive, that can mount projects on your computer. For plan-by-plan detail, see our Frame.io pricing guide.

Dropbox Replay is a review layer inside Dropbox. You open a file you already keep in Dropbox (or upload one), share a Replay link, and collect feedback. Every Dropbox account can try it on a few files, and the paid Replay add-on removes that limit. You must have a Dropbox Plus plan or higher to buy it. For a deeper look at Replay on its own, read our Dropbox Replay review.

So the choice is less "which review tool is better" and more "do you want a review platform, or review added to the storage you already pay for?"

How do Frame.io and Dropbox Replay compare side by side?

How much do Frame.io and Dropbox Replay cost?

Frame.io pricing

Frame.io charges per member. Free is $0 for 2 members. Pro is $15 per member per month (up to 5 members), or $156 per member per year. Team is $25 per member per month (up to 15 members), or $264 per member per year. Enterprise is custom and is required above 15 members. Reviewers on share links are free. Creative Cloud All Apps, Premiere Pro and After Effects subscribers also get a limited Frame.io tier at no extra cost.

Dropbox Replay pricing

The Replay add-on costs $12 per user per month billed monthly, or $10 per user per month billed annually ($120 per year). It is sold only on Dropbox Plus and higher, not on Basic or Family. Without the add-on, Replay is capped at 4 files on most plans. With it, there is no file limit beyond your Dropbox storage. Teams that do not pay by credit card must buy at least 10 add-ons.

What does each cost for a freelancer, a 5 person team and a 15 person team?

Monthly cost on annual billing, list prices before tax:

How to read this:

• If you already pay for Dropbox, Replay is the cheaper line item. You only add $10 per user, and you can assign the add-on to the people who manage reviews.

• If you would buy Dropbox just to get Replay, Frame.io usually costs less and includes more storage for review media.

• The storage is not the same kind. Dropbox storage holds all your files (Standard gives 3 TB plus 1 TB per additional active user). Frame.io storage holds the media you share for review, and your editing storage usually lives somewhere else.

• Freelancers on Creative Cloud may pay nothing. Frame.io for Creative Cloud includes 2 users, 5 projects and 100 GB at no extra cost.

Which has the better review experience?

Feedback and versions

Both tools give you frame-accurate comments, drawings on the frame and a version history. Frame.io goes further on structure. Version stacks keep every cut and its comment thread together, the comparison viewer plays versions side by side, Team adds internal comments that clients cannot see, and Pro adds comment attachments.

Replay keeps things simpler. Reviewers comment, you check comments off as you fix them, and you can filter comments by version. It adds due dates on projects, which Frame.io does not list on its pricing page.

Live review and audio

Replay has a live review mode where you and your client watch and comment together in real time. Dropbox calls it patented and the only experience of its kind. If you run review calls with clients, this is a real advantage.

Replay also supports lossless audio up to 24-bit/96 kHz with the add-on, plus a Pro Tools integration. That makes it a strong fit for sound mixes, music and podcast review.

Playback and file limits

Frame.io lists 4K UHD playback on its pricing page; check current plan details. Replay accepts files up to 150 GB and up to 12 hours long, and lets reviewers adjust playback quality, but Dropbox does not publish a maximum review resolution.

Verdict: Frame.io for structured, multi-round client review. Replay for quick review rounds, live sessions and audio-heavy work.

Which works better with Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro?

Frame.io is the clear pick for Adobe editors. Adobe owns it, and it is built into Premiere Pro and After Effects.

Replay is the better fit for Resolve. Dropbox documents a Resolve Studio workflow: sign in to Dropbox in Resolve's Internet Accounts settings, render straight to Replay from the Deliver page, and send markers as comments. It requires the paid Studio version. One limit applies to both Replay's Premiere Pro and Resolve integrations: you can only import comments from the current version of a file.

How do clients and reviewers get access?

Neither tool makes clients sign up.

• Frame.io: you send a share link. Reviewers comment in a browser or in the free iPhone and iPad apps, and they are free and unlimited. Pro and Team add passphrases, expiry dates, the option to disable downloads or comments, hidden previous versions and branded share pages. Enterprise adds invite-only Secure Sharing.

• Dropbox Replay: you share a Replay link that can be public, private or limited to specific people. Reviewers can leave comments without a Dropbox account. Owners and admins can turn downloads on or off, and the add-on adds password-protected links and editor-only comments that clients do not see.

Verdict: a close call. Frame.io gives you more control over how each share link looks and behaves. Replay is simpler for clients who already use Dropbox.

Which is more secure?

Frame.io lists SOC 2 Type 2 compliance and TPN+ Gold Shield accreditation on its pricing page. Enterprise adds SAML single sign-on, and Enterprise Prime adds forensic watermarking, DRM and the option to keep media in your own AWS S3 bucket. Pro and Team include one static watermark template.

Replay runs on Dropbox, which lists SOC and ISO 27001-family certifications at trust.dropbox.com. Single sign-on is available on higher Dropbox business plans. Replay lists digital watermarking, and the add-on adds password-protected review links. We did not find a TPN listing for Dropbox.

One correction to a common claim: Dropbox's own comparison page says Frame.io only offers watermarks on Enterprise. Frame.io's current pricing page shows one static watermark template on Pro and Team. Unlimited templates are Enterprise, forensic watermarking is Enterprise Prime, and session-based watermarking is a paid add-on.

Verdict: for studio and entertainment work that needs TPN, Frame.io. For general business security, both are solid, and Dropbox's controls come from the Dropbox plan you choose.

Which should you choose?

Where does Shade fit?

Frame.io and Replay both solve review. Neither is built to be the place your team edits from every day. Frame.io Drive's Mounted Storage is 250 GB on Pro and 500 GB on Team per account, with no offline mode. With Dropbox, editors work from synced local copies. So many teams end up paying for review in one tool, storage in another and search in a third.

Shade is a cloud post-production platform that combines all three. Here is how it lines up:

What Shade adds for teams that need more than review:

• One set of files. Editors cut from a mounted Shade drive that streams 4K, BRAW and ProRes without a full download, and clients review those same files. No second upload into a review tool.

• Review built in. Shade review and approval covers timestamped and range comments, annotations on the frame, comment attachments, version stacking, branded client collections and links with custom permissions such as restricted downloads. The Premiere Pro panel turns Shade comments into timeline markers.

• Search across the library. AI search finds footage by description, by face and by what people say, with timecoded transcription.

• Security. SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001 and TPN certified; HIPAA and GDPR compliant.

Who Shade is not for

• Teams that only need review. If you already pay for Dropbox, Replay at $10 per user is cheaper. If you are an Adobe shop, Frame.io Pro at $13 per member is cheaper.

• Productions that depend on Camera to Cloud. Frame.io is the stronger choice.

• Teams that want the most storage per dollar for archives. Frame.io (for review media) and Dropbox Advanced include more storage per seat than Shade's 500 GB.

• Teams above 15 seats who want self-serve pricing. Shade Growth tops out at 15 seats; larger teams move to Shade Enterprise (custom pricing).

Compare the details in Shade vs Frame.io and Shade vs Dropbox, see Shade pricing, or browse more options in the best Frame.io alternatives and the best video review software.

Frequently asked questions

Is Frame.io better than Dropbox Replay?

It depends on your stack. For most Adobe-based video teams, yes: Frame.io has version stacks, Camera to Cloud, deeper Premiere Pro and After Effects integration and more share controls. Dropbox Replay is the better choice if you already pay for Dropbox, edit in DaVinci Resolve Studio, run live review sessions or review a lot of audio.

How much does Dropbox Replay cost?

The Dropbox Replay add-on costs $12 per user per month billed monthly, or $10 per user per month billed annually ($120 per year). You also need a Dropbox Plus plan or higher. Plus is $9.99 per month and Standard is $15 per user per month, per dropbox.com/plans. Standard needs at least 3 users.

Is Dropbox Replay free?

Partly. Every Dropbox account, including the free Basic plan, can use Replay on a limited number of files: 4 files on most plans and 10 on Essentials and Business plans. Removing the limit requires the paid Replay add-on.

Do I need a paid Dropbox plan to use Replay?

To get full Replay, yes. The Replay add-on is only sold on Dropbox Plus and higher plans, and it is not available on Basic or Family plans. Basic users can try Replay with limited features before upgrading.

Does Dropbox Replay work with Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve?

Yes. Replay has a Premiere Pro extension that uploads cuts and syncs comments as timeline markers. It also works with DaVinci Resolve Studio, the paid version, where you render to Replay from the Deliver page and send markers as comments. Replay also supports After Effects, Final Cut Pro and Pro Tools.

Can clients review in Frame.io or Dropbox Replay without an account?

Yes, in both. Frame.io reviewers open a share link and comment in a browser or the iPhone and iPad apps, at no cost. Dropbox Replay reviewers can comment from a shared link without a Dropbox account. Both tools let you add passwords and turn off downloads.

Is Dropbox Replay a good Frame.io alternative?

It is a good alternative for teams that already use Dropbox and need simple review, live review sessions or Resolve Studio support. It is a weaker fit for Adobe teams that rely on version stacks and Camera to Cloud, or for teams that also need shared editing storage and AI search, where Shade is an option at $29.75 per seat.