Box vs Acres
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Box starts at See pricing page and Acres starts at $9/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Box AI document Q&A
- Box Extract data extraction
- Box AI Agents
- E-signatures
- Workflow automation
- Content APIs and MCP server
- Infinite canvas of Markdown cards
- Bring-your-own-key AI assistant
- MCP access for agents
- Kanban task view
- Obsidian and Heptabase import
- PDF highlighting
| Feature | Box | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Cloud content management with Box AI for questions, extraction and agents | Local-first canvas of Markdown cards that AI agents can edit |
| Category | Productivity | Productivity |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Free trial |
| Starting price | See pricing page | $9/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No, 14-day trial |
| Made by | Box, Inc. | Acres |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Box starts at See pricing page and Acres starts at $9/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
2 plans
Acres Plus
$9/mo
- Full app while subscribed
- Sync 10 GB across 20 vaults
- Publish up to 100 boards
Lifetime
$59 one-time
- Lifetime local use
- Future updates included
- 3 activations at a time
Prices in USD, checked Nov 5, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Box
- AI answers respect existing file permissions
- Choice of OpenAI, Anthropic and Google models
- Strong security and compliance controls
- Most AI features sit on business tiers
- Pricing is not listed in the fetched pages
- Broad suite can be more than small teams need
Acres
- Notes stay as plain files you own
- Works with local models
- Agent edits are reviewed before landing
- AI needs your own API key or local model
- Desktop only, no web app
- Sync and publish need the subscription
Which one should you choose?
Choose Box if you want:
- AI answers respect existing file permissions
- Choice of OpenAI, Anthropic and Google models
- Strong security and compliance controls
Watch out: most ai features sit on business tiers.
Choose Acres if you want:
- Notes stay as plain files you own
- Works with local models
- Agent edits are reviewed before landing
Watch out: ai needs your own api key or local model.
Box vs Acres FAQ
What is the difference between Box and Acres?
Box: Cloud content management with Box AI for questions, extraction and agents. Acres: Local-first canvas of Markdown cards that AI agents can edit. Both are productivity tools.
Is Box or Acres cheaper?
Box starts at See pricing page and Acres starts at $9/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Box and Acres have free plans?
Box: Yes. Acres: No, 14-day trial.
Who makes Box?
Box is made by Box, Inc., based in United States.
Who makes Acres?
Acres is made by Acres.
Which should I choose, Box or Acres?
Choose Box if you value ai answers respect existing file permissions and choice of openai, anthropic and google models. Choose Acres if you value notes stay as plain files you own and works with local models.