The short answer: Boxcryptor stopped taking new customers after Dropbox bought its key technology in late 2022. If you liked it because it encrypted the cloud folders you already had, ZapLock works the same way: it encrypts a folder where it sits, and your sync client uploads the encrypted files. If you'd rather have free open-source software, look at Cryptomator. If you're happy to move your files into a new cloud, look at Tresorit.
The Boxcryptor habits worth keeping
People picked Boxcryptor because it didn't make them change where they worked. Neither does ZapLock.
Your cloud, not ours
Keep paying for the Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud Drive or OneDrive you already use. ZapLock never stores your files.
Same folder, same path
No disk image and no new drive letter. The folder keeps its name, so shortcuts, backups and sync clients that point at it keep working.
Every device you own
A folder locked on a Mac opens on Windows, iPhone, iPad or Android. One plan covers every device you sign in on.
No vault to move into. No password to share.
Most Boxcryptor replacements ask you to work inside a separate vault, or to move everything into their cloud. ZapLock encrypts the folder itself.
Dropbox/ ├── Clients/ ← moved into the vault └── MyVault/ ├── (encrypted blobs) └── (vault config) Open it as a separate drive, often with a password everyone shares.
Work happens inside a mounted drive, and often a shared vault password is the key.
Dropbox/ └── Clients/ ← same name, same place ├── zaplock.json ├── recipients/ └── d/ (encrypted) Open it with your ZapQR sign-in.
File names and contents inside are encrypted. Each folder's key is split between your device and the ZapQR account service, so we can't open your folders.
Boxcryptor alternatives, side by side
Three honest ways to replace Boxcryptor. Each is good at something different.
| ZapLock | Cryptomator | Tresorit | Boxcryptor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New customers | Yes | Yes | Yes | No, since late 2022 |
| Where files live | Where they already are, in your own cloud or on a drive | In a vault folder in your own cloud | In Tresorit's own cloud | In your own cloud |
| How you work | The folder keeps its name and path | Open the vault as a virtual drive | Tresorit's apps and web | A virtual drive |
| How you unlock | ZapQR sign-in; key split between device and server | Vault password (Hub adds team sign-in) | Tresorit account | Boxcryptor account |
| Platforms | Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad, Android | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, web | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android |
| When someone leaves | Team: one removal across every team folder | Hub: user and group management | Admin console | n/a |
| Open source | No | Yes | No | No |
| Price | Free for 1 folder · Personal $49/yr · Team $9/seat/mo | Free desktop app · Hub €8–12/user/mo | Business from about €12/user/mo, 3 users min. | n/a |
Checked 11 October 2026 from each vendor's public pages and listings. Prices change, so check theirs before you decide.
How to move from Boxcryptor to ZapLock
Do it one folder at a time. Start with the folder that matters most, since the Free plan covers one.
Install ZapLock and sign in
Get it from the Mac App Store, Microsoft Store, App Store or Google Play, and sign in with a free ZapQR account.
Decrypt outside your cloud folder
Use Boxcryptor's own decrypt option to put a plain copy into a local folder that doesn't sync, like one in Documents. That keeps unencrypted files off your provider's servers.
Lock it with ZapLock
Choose the folder in ZapLock and lock it. The folder keeps its name; the files inside are encrypted where they sit.
Move the locked folder into your cloud
Drag it into Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud Drive or OneDrive. Only encrypted files upload. On your other devices, choose Add Existing Vault and pick it.
Share it, if others need it
Personal shares with up to 3 people, free for them to open. For a business where people come and go, use Team.
Old copies: sync services keep version history. If plain copies of these files were ever in your cloud folder, your provider may still hold them. Clear that history through your provider if it matters to you.
Is ZapLock the right replacement?
A good fit if you
- Want encrypted folders to stay where they are
- Work across Mac, Windows and phones
- Share folders with a small team and need to remove people cleanly
- Would rather sign in than manage vault passwords
Look elsewhere if you
- Need Linux today
- Require open-source software
- Need to unlock with no account at all. ZapLock needs a free ZapQR sign-in, and a new unlock waits if our service can't be reached
Boxcryptor alternative FAQ
Can I still sign up for Boxcryptor?
No. In late 2022 Dropbox bought Boxcryptor's key technology, and Boxcryptor stopped taking new customers. Existing customers were told they could keep using it under their contracts, so most people searching for an alternative are planning a move rather than starting fresh.
What is the best Boxcryptor alternative for a small business?
It depends on how you work. ZapLock suits a small team that wants to encrypt the folders it already has, where they already sit, and remove a leaver from every folder at once. Cryptomator suits people who want free, open-source software and are happy to work inside a vault drive. Tresorit suits teams willing to move their files into a separate encrypted cloud.
Does ZapLock work with Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive?
Yes. ZapLock locks a folder inside the folder Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud Drive or OneDrive already syncs, and the sync client uploads the encrypted files like any others. The folder keeps its name and path, so other devices find it in the same place and add it with Add Existing Vault.
Do I need a password like Boxcryptor or Cryptomator?
No. ZapLock opens a folder with your free ZapQR sign-in instead of a vault password. Each folder's key is split in two: one half stays on your device and the other is held by the ZapQR account service, and neither half opens anything alone. So we can't open your folders, and there's no shared password to change when someone leaves.
How do I move my files from Boxcryptor to ZapLock?
Decrypt the files with Boxcryptor into a folder outside your synced cloud folder, lock that folder with ZapLock, then move the locked folder into Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud Drive or OneDrive. That way only encrypted files are ever uploaded. Remember that your provider's version history may still hold old copies, so clear it if that matters to you.
Does ZapLock run on Linux?
Not today. ZapLock runs on macOS, Windows, iPhone, iPad and Android. If you need Linux, Cryptomator is the better fit for now.
How much does ZapLock cost?
ZapLock is free to download and the Free plan locks one folder for good. Personal is $49 a year on the web and adds unlimited folders and sharing with up to 3 people. Team is $9 per seat a month with a 3-seat minimum. Opening a folder someone shared with you is always free. See pricing.
Lock your first folder in a minute.
Free for one folder, for good. On all four app stores.