Google Drive vs Proton Drive
Google Drive and Proton Drive are both file storage & sharing tools. Google Drive is aimed at small businesses and enterprise, while Proton Drive is aimed at freelancers and small businesses. Proton Drive costs less, from $4.99/mo versus $7.99/mo for Google Drive. Both have a free plan.
Storage integrated with Google Workspace
End-to-end encrypted cloud storage from Swiss privacy company Proton
| Pricing | Freemium · $8 | Freemium · $5 |
| Starting price | $7.99/mo | $4.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | 14 days | — |
| Built for | Small businesses, Enterprise, Freelancers | Freelancers, Small businesses, Enterprise |
| Platforms | web, macos, windows, ios, android | web, windows, macos, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2012 | CH |
| Rating | — | — |
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).
Choose Proton Drive if
Privacy-focused individuals, families and small teams who want encrypted storage that is still easy to use.
- Zero-access encryption by default, not as an add-on
- Swiss company with strong privacy track record
- Bundles with Mail, VPN and Pass give good value
Look elsewhere if: Teams that depend on deep app integrations and live office editing (Google Drive, Dropbox) or need encrypted enterprise controls (Tresorit).
Google Drive vs Proton Drive pricing
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
Proton Drive
- Free$0Up to 5 GB after completing Drive setup steps
- Drive Plus$4.99/mo$47.88/yr billed annually; 200 GB, 10-year version history
- Proton Unlimited$12.99/mo$9.99/mo billed yearly; 500 GB plus Mail, VPN and Pass
- Proton Duo$19.99/mo2 TB shared by 2 users, all Proton apps
- Proton Family$29.99/mo3 TB shared by up to 6 users
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
Proton Drive · Key features
- End-to-end encryption of files, names, folders and photos
- Desktop sync apps for Windows and macOS
- Automatic photo and video backup on iOS and Android
- Share links with passwords, expiry dates and access control
- Encrypted Proton Docs and Sheets inside Drive
- Version history of up to 10 years on paid plans
Cons
- No native Linux sync client yet
- Few third-party integrations compared with Google Drive
- Collaborative editing far behind Google Workspace
Google Drive vs Proton Drive: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Google Drive or Proton Drive?
Proton Drive starts at $4.99/mo and Google Drive at $7.99/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Google Drive and Proton Drive have a free plan?
Yes, both Google Drive and Proton Drive have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.