Proton Drive
End-to-end encrypted cloud storage from Swiss privacy company Proton
Proton Drive is a file storage & sharing tool for Freelancers and Small businesses, offered as freemium ($5/mo). Founded in in . Popular alternatives include lifebox.
About Proton Drive
Proton Drive is the encrypted cloud storage service from Proton AG, the Geneva company founded in 2014 by scientists who met at CERN and best known for Proton Mail. Files, file names, folders and photos are end-to-end encrypted on your device before upload, so Proton cannot read them, and the code of its apps is open source and independently audited.
Drive works on the web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android, with automatic photo backup, desktop sync, password-protected and expiring share links, and long version history. It now includes Proton Docs and Proton Sheets for encrypted collaborative documents and spreadsheets. The free plan offers up to 5 GB; Drive Plus adds 200 GB, while Proton Unlimited, Duo and Family bundle Drive with Mail, VPN, Pass and Calendar. Business teams use Drive Professional with 1 TB per user.
Proton Drive suits privacy-conscious individuals, journalists and small teams who want Google Drive convenience without handing data to an ad company. Tresorit is the stronger business-focused encrypted option, Google Drive and Dropbox win on third-party integrations and real-time office editing, and Sync.com is a cheaper encrypted alternative for large storage.
In 2026 Proton shipped a Drive CLI for Windows, macOS and Linux and faster encryption, but a native Linux sync client is still on the roadmap. If you already pay for Proton Mail, check Proton Unlimited first, because it often costs less than separate subscriptions.
Key features of Proton Drive
- 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
- Drive CLI for Windows, macOS and Linux
- Open-source, independently audited apps
Pros and cons
Pros
- 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
- Clean apps on every major platform except Linux desktop
Cons
- No native Linux sync client yet
- Few third-party integrations compared with Google Drive
- Collaborative editing far behind Google Workspace
- Free tier is small at 5 GB
Proton Drive pricing
Proton Drive uses a freemium model.
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up 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 / mo | 2 TB shared by 2 users, all Proton apps |
| Proton Family | $29.99 / mo | 3 TB shared by up to 6 users |
| Drive Professional | $9.99 / user/mo | 1 TB per user, team sharing and access management |
Source: proton.me · checked on Oct 20, 2026
How Proton Drive compares in File storage & sharing
- Rank by votes
- #1 / 16
- Starting price
- $5
- Free alternatives
- 1
0 votes from members
29% below the category median ($7/mo)
Free or open-source tools in File storage & sharing
Proton Drive ranks #1 of 16 file storage & sharing tools by community votes and is priced below most tools in the category.
Common use cases
- 1Backing up family photos privately from phones
- 2Sharing sensitive contracts with expiring, password links
- 3Journalists storing source documents securely
- 4Small teams replacing Google Drive for confidential files
- 5Keeping encrypted copies of tax and identity documents
Best for
Privacy-focused individuals, families and small teams who want encrypted storage that is still easy to use.
Not ideal for
Teams that depend on deep app integrations and live office editing (Google Drive, Dropbox) or need encrypted enterprise controls (Tresorit).
Integrations
- Proton Mail
- Proton Pass
- Proton Docs
- Proton Sheets
- Windows File Explorer
- macOS Finder
Our take
Proton Drive is the easiest way to get genuinely end-to-end encrypted storage, especially if you already use Proton Mail. Pick Proton Unlimited over Drive Plus if you want the full suite, and wait for the Linux client if you work on Linux.
FAQ
- What is Proton Drive?
- Proton Drive is a File storage & sharing tool: End-to-end encrypted cloud storage from Swiss privacy company Proton.
- How much does Proton Drive cost?
- Proton Drive uses a Freemium model; paid plans start at $5 per month.
- What are the best alternatives to Proton Drive?
- Community-listed alternatives to Proton Drive include lifebox.
- What does Proton Drive integrate with?
- Proton Drive integrates with Proton Mail, Proton Pass, Proton Docs, Proton Sheets, Windows File Explorer, macOS Finder and more.
- Which platforms does Proton Drive support?
- Proton Drive is available on web, windows, macos, ios, android.
- Who is Proton Drive for?
- Privacy-focused individuals, families and small teams who want encrypted storage that is still easy to use.
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