Proton Drive

Proton Drive is an end-to-end encrypted cloud storage service developed by Proton AG, the Swiss technology company best known for creating Proton Mail. Launched publicly in 2022, Proton Drive extends Proton's privacy-first philosophy to file storage and sharing, offering a genuine alternative to mainstream cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive. Every file uploaded to Proton Drive is encrypted on the user's device before transmission, ensuring that not even Proton's own engineers can access your data.

Operating out of Geneva, Switzerland, Proton Drive benefits from one of the world's strongest privacy jurisdictions. Switzerland sits outside the European Union and is not a member of the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, or Fourteen Eyes intelligence-sharing alliances. This means that data stored with Proton is subject to Swiss privacy law, which requires foreign government requests for data to pass through Swiss courts before any information can be released. For individuals and businesses that take data sovereignty seriously, this legal framework provides a robust layer of protection that goes beyond what GDPR alone can offer.

Encryption and Security Architecture

At the technical core of Proton Drive is its zero-access encryption architecture. The service uses AES-256 for file content encryption combined with RSA-4096 for key management, two of the most trusted cryptographic standards in the industry. Unlike conventional cloud storage providers that encrypt data in transit and at rest but retain the decryption keys themselves, Proton Drive encrypts files locally on your device before they ever leave it. The decryption keys are derived from your account credentials and are never transmitted to or stored on Proton's servers.

This zero-access approach means that even in the worst-case scenario where Proton's servers are breached by hackers or law enforcement presents a valid legal order, the stored files remain completely unreadable. Metadata such as file names, folder structures, and thumbnail previews are also encrypted, which is a step beyond what many competing encrypted storage providers offer. Proton has made its encryption protocols open source, allowing independent security researchers to audit and verify the implementation.

File Management and Sync

Proton Drive provides native desktop applications for Windows and macOS that enable automatic file synchronization between your computer and the cloud. The sync client works similarly to Google Drive or Dropbox in that it creates a dedicated folder on your system, and any files placed there are automatically encrypted and uploaded. Changes are synced bidirectionally, so edits made on one device are reflected across all connected devices. The mobile apps for iOS and Android offer a full-featured experience including file browsing, uploading, and downloading, with an interface that feels polished and intuitive.

The web application provides a clean, modern interface for managing files directly in the browser. You can upload files up to 5 GB in size through the web interface, organize files into folders, and perform standard operations like renaming, moving, copying, and deleting. Proton Drive also includes a trash feature with a 30-day recovery window, and paid plans offer version history so you can roll back files to previous states if something goes wrong.

Photo Backup and Albums

One of Proton Drive's standout features is its encrypted photo backup capability for mobile devices. The mobile app can automatically back up your camera roll with end-to-end encryption, ensuring that your personal photos and videos are never accessible to Proton or any third party. In 2025, Proton introduced the Albums feature, which allows users to organize photos into encrypted albums and share them with specific people while maintaining full encryption. Unlike Google Photos or Apple iCloud, your images stored in Proton Drive are never scanned for ad targeting or used to train AI models.

The photo backup feature works in the background and can be configured to upload only over Wi-Fi to conserve mobile data. Photos are stored at their original quality with no compression, and the backed-up images can be browsed through a dedicated gallery view in both the mobile and web applications. For families concerned about the privacy of their children's photos or professionals storing sensitive visual materials, this feature provides peace of mind that mainstream alternatives simply cannot match.

Proton Docs and Collaboration

Proton has expanded Proton Drive beyond simple file storage with the introduction of Proton Docs, an end-to-end encrypted document editor that allows real-time collaboration. While it does not yet match the full feature set of Google Docs or Microsoft Word Online, Proton Docs supports rich text formatting, comments, and simultaneous editing by multiple users. In late 2025, Proton also unveiled Proton Sheets, an encrypted spreadsheet editor that further bridges the productivity gap. These tools represent Proton's ambition to build a complete, privacy-respecting alternative to Google Workspace.

Collaboration in Proton Drive extends to file and folder sharing. You can generate secure sharing links with optional password protection and expiration dates, controlling exactly who can access your shared content and for how long. For team environments, shared folders allow multiple Proton users to contribute files to a common space while maintaining encryption throughout. These sharing features make Proton Drive viable for small teams and freelancers who need to exchange sensitive documents without compromising on privacy.

Pricing and Storage Plans

Proton Drive offers a generous free tier that includes 5 GB of encrypted storage shared across all Proton services. For users who need more space, the Drive Plus plan provides 200 GB of storage for approximately 4.99 per month when billed annually. The Proton Unlimited plan, which includes 500 GB of storage along with access to all Proton products including Proton Mail Plus, Proton VPN Plus, Proton Calendar, and Proton Pass, costs around 12.99 per month on annual billing. Proton also offers family plans and business plans with up to 3 TB of total storage, making it scalable for different use cases.

Compared to the sheer storage volume offered by Google One or iCloud, Proton Drive's storage allocations are smaller at each price point. However, the privacy guarantees and encryption capabilities that come with every plan represent significant added value that mainstream providers do not offer. For users who prioritize security over raw storage capacity, Proton Drive delivers excellent value. The free tier is also one of the more generous encrypted storage options available, allowing users to try the service without any financial commitment.

Integration with the Proton Ecosystem

One of Proton Drive's greatest strengths is its seamless integration with the broader Proton ecosystem. Email attachments received in Proton Mail can be saved directly to Proton Drive with a single click. Calendar events in Proton Calendar can reference files stored in Drive. Proton VPN provides secure network connections that complement Drive's encryption. And Proton Pass handles password management, completing a unified privacy-focused productivity suite. This ecosystem approach means that users who invest in Proton get a cohesive experience where all their digital tools work together under the same privacy principles.

Open Source and Transparency

Proton has committed to open-sourcing all of its client applications, including the Proton Drive desktop, web, and mobile apps. The source code is available on GitHub for anyone to review, and Proton regularly commissions independent security audits from reputable third-party firms. This level of transparency is rare in the cloud storage industry and gives users additional confidence that the encryption claims are genuine. The open-source nature also means that the broader security community can identify and report vulnerabilities, leading to faster fixes and a more resilient product.

Performance and Reliability

Because files must be encrypted before upload and decrypted after download, there is an inherent performance overhead compared to unencrypted cloud storage. In practice, the impact on upload and download speeds is noticeable but manageable for most users. Large file transfers may take somewhat longer than with Google Drive or Dropbox, particularly on slower internet connections. Proton operates its own data centers in Switzerland and Germany, and the infrastructure has proven reliable with minimal downtime. For users accustomed to the near-instant sync of mainstream cloud storage, there is a small adjustment period, but the privacy trade-off is well worth it for most Proton Drive users.

Limitations to Consider

Proton Drive is still a relatively young product compared to Google Drive or Dropbox, and some features that power users expect are still in development. Third-party app integrations are limited since the encryption architecture makes it difficult for external services to interact with stored files. There is no native Linux desktop client yet, although Proton has indicated it is on the roadmap. Collaborative editing in Proton Docs, while functional, lacks advanced features like track changes, templates, and offline editing that Google Docs users rely on daily. For users whose workflow depends heavily on these capabilities, Proton Drive may require some compromises.

Who Should Use Proton Drive

Proton Drive is ideal for privacy-conscious individuals who want their files protected by the strongest encryption standards without needing to manage complex tools. It is an excellent choice for journalists, activists, lawyers, healthcare professionals, and anyone handling sensitive documents. Businesses operating in regulated industries or those subject to strict data protection requirements will appreciate the GDPR-equivalent Swiss jurisdiction and built-in compliance features. The Proton ecosystem makes it especially attractive for users who already rely on Proton Mail or Proton VPN and want to consolidate their digital life under one privacy-focused umbrella.