Dropbox integration
Make your Dropbox photos searchable, without moving them
Fotoarchief.be turns the photos already in your Dropbox into a searchable photo archive. Nothing to upload or copy: your originals stay where they are, and you don't pay for storage a second time.
What the integration does and doesn't do
"Connecting to Dropbox" can mean many things. This is how it works with Fotoarchief.be:
Index photos while the originals stay in DropboxYes
This is how Fotoarchief.be works. We read the metadata and create thumbnails and previews to search and show your photos.
Process changes in Dropbox automaticallyYes
New, changed and deleted photos are updated in your archive automatically.
Copy originals to the Fotoarchief.be serversNo
Your originals are not copied or imported. They are only in your Dropbox.
Write changes back to your DropboxNo
We only have read access. Fotoarchief.be never changes, moves or deletes anything in your Dropbox.
What is stored where?
In your Dropbox
- Your original photos, in full resolution
- Your folders, organized the way you organize them now
- Your Dropbox subscription, which you pay directly to Dropbox as you do now
At Fotoarchief.be, on servers in the EU
- The metadata of your photos (EXIF, IPTC and XMP), as a search index
- Thumbnails and previews to show photos quickly
- Your users, their permissions and the download history
What happens when something changes in Dropbox?
Add new photos to the connected folder, edit a file or delete one, and Fotoarchief.be processes it automatically. There's nothing to import again.
What happens when someone downloads a photo?
Your users search and view photos through the previews. When they download a photo, the original is fetched from your Dropbox. For every downloaded photo the administrator gets an email, and the download is added to the download history.
What does it cost?
At Fotoarchief.be you pay no storage for your originals and nothing extra for thumbnails or previews. The Dropbox integration is included in every plan, from €10 a month. An archive of 500,000 photos costs €50 a month excl. VAT. You pay your Dropbox subscription to Dropbox, as you do now.
Access and security
You give Fotoarchief.be read-only access to the folder you choose. You can disconnect at any time. The index, thumbnails and previews are stored on servers in the EU.
Storage other than Dropbox?
Today Fotoarchief.be works with Dropbox. We're also researching a direct connection to a NAS, so your photos can stay there. We're looking at the well-known brands: Synology, QNAP, ASUSTOR, UGREEN, Seagate and WD. Using a NAS or a different storage service? Let us know at info@fotoarchief.be and we'll see what's possible.
Questions about the Dropbox integration
Do I have to upload my photos?
No. You connect your Dropbox and choose the folder. Fotoarchief.be indexes the photos that are already in it.
Do I pay twice for storage?
No. Your originals are only in your Dropbox. At Fotoarchief.be you pay for the size of your archive, not for storage.
What if I delete a photo in Dropbox?
Then it automatically disappears from your archive as well.
Can I connect a NAS?
Not yet. We're researching a direct connection to a NAS from Synology, QNAP, ASUSTOR, UGREEN, Seagate and WD. Interested? Email info@fotoarchief.be and we'll let you know as soon as there's news.
Used by press photographers
They work for, among others:
- Het Nieuwsblad
- Krant van West-Vlaanderen
- Het Laatste Nieuws
500+photos downloaded every month for use in newspapers
Get started in three steps
- 01
Request your free trial
Email us how many photos and users you have. Your first 30 days are free.
- 02
Connect your Dropbox
Choose the folder with your photos. We index them automatically; the originals stay where they are.
- 03
Invite your team
Add colleagues and external partners and decide per user what they're allowed to do.