How I made multiple Dropbox clients work side by side on macOS

I often need to use more than one Dropbox account - one for work, one for personal projects - but the macOS app only allows one personal and one business account at a time. That's fine for some workflows, but not when you want several fully independent sync folders.

I built Parall, a macOS utility that lets any app run as an independent instance with its own data and settings. Using it, I found a native way to launch multiple Dropbox clients on the same Mac - each logged into a different account and syncing separate folders. You can learn more at parall.app or find it directly on the Mac App Store.

Unlike tools such as CloudMounter or other cloud-mount utilities that use Dropbox's public API (which limits speed and doesn't perform real-time syncing), Parall runs full native Dropbox clients. This means each account works at full sync speed, exactly like the official app - just multiplied.

Step-by-step (macOS only)

1. Open Parall, press Browse Applications, and select Dropbox.app.

2. In the next step, customize your shortcut - give it a name (for example, "Dropbox Work") and choose a data folder (this defines where that instance will sync its files). Press the Generate Shortcut button.

3. Press Save Shortcut, export it, and activate it once.

After that, you can start multiple Dropbox instances side by side. Each has its own Dock icon, its own sync folder, and stays logged into its own account. You can also set a custom icon to tell them apart easily.

First-time setup note

You'll need to launch each instance one by one the first time to log into each account separately. Once both are signed in, you can run them simultaneously without redoing the setup.

Notes and limitations
 

• Each instance must have its own data folder.
• If you run both the original Dropbox app and a Parall shortcut, start the main app first. To avoid that restriction entirely, create and use two shortcuts instead - they can run in any order. Also you can add both to startup items.
• Parall doesn't clone or modify Dropbox, all shortcuts reference the same installation. When Dropbox updates, all shortcuts automatically use the new version.
• This makes managing multiple Dropbox accounts practical without needing extra macOS users or virtual machines. Full-speed sync, independent accounts, and no extra cloud APIs involved.

You can learn more at parall.app or find Parall on the Mac App Store. Any feedback from Dropbox users is welcome.