Filen vs Google Drive
Filen and Google Drive are both file storage & sharing tools. Filen is aimed at freelancers, while Google Drive is aimed at small businesses and enterprise. Both have a free plan.
Filen
Zero-knowledge encrypted storage from Germany
Google Drive
Storage integrated with Google Workspace
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium · $8 |
| Starting price | Not published | $7.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | 14 days |
| Built for | Freelancers | Small businesses, Enterprise, Freelancers |
| Platforms | web, macos, windows, ios, android | web, macos, windows, ios, android |
| Country | DE · 2020 | US · 2012 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Filen if
Budget privacy-conscious individuals.
- Cheap
- Encrypted by default
- German hosting
Look elsewhere if: Teams.
Choose Google Drive if
Individuals and teams in the Google ecosystem.
- Generous free tier
- Best real-time collaboration
- Bundled with Workspace
Look elsewhere if: Heavy desktop sync of large creative files (Dropbox).
Filen vs Google Drive pricing
Filen
- Free€010 GiB storage; free data deleted after 3 months inactivity
- Starter€11.99/yr100 GiB; annual billing only
- Pro I€1.99/mo200 GiB, unlimited bandwidth, E2E encryption
- Pro II€3.99/mo500 GiB; €39.99/yr billed annually
- Pro III€8.99/mo2 TiB; €89.99/yr billed annually
Google Drive
- Free$015 GB shared with Gmail and Photos
- Google AI Plus$7.99/mo200 GB, Gemini features, share with 5 (US)
- Workspace Business Starter$8.40/user/mo$7 annual; 30 GB per user
- Business Standard$16.80/user/mo$14 annual; 2 TB per user
- Business Plus$26.40/user/mo$22 annual; 5 TB per user
Filen · Key features
- Zero-knowledge encryption
- Desktop sync
- Sharing links
- Lifetime plans
- Linux support
- Web drive
Cons
- Young company
- Fewer features
- Smaller support
Google Drive · Key features
- 15 GB free storage
- Real-time collaboration on Docs, Sheets, Slides
- Shared drives for teams
- Search with OCR and AI
- Gemini in Drive for summaries
- Drive for desktop sync
Cons
- Desktop sync less reliable than Dropbox
- Permission sprawl over time
- Privacy concerns for some
Filen vs Google Drive: FAQ
Do Filen and Google Drive have a free plan?
Yes, both Filen and Google Drive have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.
Which is better for small businesses, Filen or Google Drive?
Google Drive lists small businesses as a core audience, while Filen is aimed more at freelancers.