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Proton Drive

Proton Drive

Private cloud storage protected by end-to-end encryption.

#1 dans Cloud Storage
2 min read · Updated 10/4/2025
Proton Drive homepage screenshot

At a glance

Quick overview for Proton Drive: rating, pricing summary, key features, and highlights.

Ciroapp review

3.5
Unmatched Security, Needs Operational Polish

We find Proton Drive's foundation, built on end-to-end encryption and Swiss privacy law, to be industry-leading and structurally sound. However, external feedback detailing poor performance, unhelpful support, and confusing billing management raise serious questions about operational reliability and user experience. Overall, this is the premier choice for zero-knowledge security, provided you tolerate potential customer service hurdles.

Pros

  • Pro:End-to-end encryption ensures maximum file privacy.
  • Pro:Data is protected by robust Swiss privacy laws.
  • Pro:Generous permanent free plan offers 5 GB of storage.
  • Pro:Code is open-source and regularly audited for transparency.

Cons

  • Con:Customer support is widely criticized as slow and unhelpful.
  • Con:Proton Drive suffers from reported reliability issues and very slow upload speeds.
  • Con:Account and billing management can be confusing for users.
  • Con:Lack of native desktop client options for Linux users noted by community.
Money-back guarantee
Yes — 30 days
Range: Not explicitly statedFree plan, Monthly subscription, Yearly subscription, Per seat pricing
This section is a summary. Detailed sections about features, use cases, pricing, and reviews follow below.
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Proton Drive review, pricing, features, pros & cons

😩 Are you tired of feeling like advertisers or AI are accessing your personal memories? Storing your important files shouldn't mean sacrificing core privacy.

Proton Drive offers a powerful solution. It provides end-to-end encrypted cloud storage ensuring that your files, videos, and photos are completely private. No one, not even Proton, can access what you store. ✅

What is Proton Drive?

Proton Drive is a cloud storage service designed with privacy as its primary focus. It comes from the creators of Proton Mail and Proton VPN, systems trusted by millions to protect their data. Unlike conventional cloud systems, Proton commits to privacy by default. ✨

It’s built for anyone—from individuals protecting vacation memories to businesses handling sensitive financial or legal documents. Your files, names, and even more are encrypted right on your device before they are uploaded. This means only you hold the keys to unlock and view your information.

Proton Drive Key Features

✨ Maximum Security Through End-to-End Encryption

Your privacy is guaranteed because the security starts on your device. Proton Drive uses full end-to-end encryption. This means that your files, photos, and even the file names are encrypted right where you are before they ever leave your desktop or phone.

Only you hold the keys required to unlock and read your information. This commitment ensures that nobody, not even Proton, can access what you store. Your data is protected from advertisers, AI training models, and corporate surveillance before it gets transmitted to the cloud.

✨ Total Control Over File Sharing

You stay in complete control of your data, even after you’ve shared it with someone else. Proton Drive lets you securely share files of any size using unique file-sharing links.

You can protect these links with a password to prevent unauthorized viewing. For time-sensitive sharing, you can set the link to expire automatically. If you need to stop access immediately, you can simply revoke or turn off the sharing link with a single click at any time. Keep in mind that sharing files over 5 GB requires a paid subscription.

📸 Organized and Encrypted Photo Management

Preserve your vacation memories, personal videos, and important photos with guaranteed security. Proton Drive protects these files with the highest level of privacy as soon as they are uploaded. You can set the service to automatically back up your photos.

Organize these visuals into secure albums that are ready to revisit anytime, from anywhere. Because your memories are stored securely in the cloud, they remain accessible and protected even if your physical device is lost or damaged.

✨ Real-Time Collaboration with Online Document Editing

Proton Drive includes an integrated online document editor. You can write, edit, and share ideas directly within the secure platform, allowing everyone to stay in sync. This is useful whether you're coordinating a trip or working on critical team projects.

Since documents are protected throughout the entire process, your valuable ideas are secured against external surveillance and data breaches. This feature ensures sensitive business operations remain private while maintaining productivity.

✨ Advanced Management and File Syncing

You have several flexible options for backing up and managing your files. You can use the ‘New upload’ button or simply drag and drop files into the Proton Drive web application.

If you use Windows, you can utilize the Proton Drive application to synchronize local folders. Any changes, additions, or removals made in the synchronized desktop folder are reflected automatically and securely in the cloud storage. Furthermore, paid subscriptions allow you to recover previous versions of important files, providing a critical layer of protection against accidental overwrites.

✨ Transparency and Legal Protection

Proton Drive is designed for maximum transparency and verifiable safety. The entire encrypted cloud storage solution is fully open source. Independent experts regularly review and audit the code, making the security verifiable by anyone who wishes to review it.

We are based in Switzerland, a country known for enforcing the world’s strictest legal privacy laws. This jurisdiction ensures that your data is protected and kept safely out of the reach of US and UK data access demands.

Use Cases

📸 Protecting Family Photo Albums

Your photos and videos are a record of your life. When you upload them to Proton Drive, they are protected instantly. They use end-to-end encryption to shield your memories from AI training models and advertisers.

Proton Drive automatically backs up your photos and organizes them into secure albums. Your memories are always ready to revisit, even if your physical device is damaged or lost.

🔒 Transferring Highly Sensitive Documents

When you need to share confidential documents, you must maintain control. Proton Drive lets you share files of any size securely. You stay in charge of the file, even after pressing send.

Use special share controls to ensure security. You can protect your links using a strong password. You can also set a specific expiration date and instantly revoke access at any time.

👥 Real-Time Collaboration on Projects

Teams need to work together on ideas without fearing online surveillance. The built-in online document editor lets you write and edit securely in real time. This keeps everyone synced while protecting collaboration from data breaches.

Proton’s technology ensures that your team’s documents are encrypted the moment they are on your device. This means your professional ideas are safe before they are ever transmitted to the cloud.

💼 Securing Critical Business Records

Businesses handling legal and financial records require maximum security. Protecting this sensitive data is both smart practice and often a legal requirement. Proton Drive offers specific plans tailored for organizational collaboration and security.

Files are secured by end-to-end encryption, which means hackers cannot access the original data during a breach. Teams can sync files across devices, and administrators can easily manage user access and file sharing.

⚙️ Syncing Your Desktop Folders

Do you need to continuously back up a specific working folder on your computer? The Proton Drive for Windows application makes this process seamless and secure.

Before they leave your computer, your files are encrypted and uploaded to the secure cloud servers. Any changes you make in your desktop folder are quickly reflected in Proton Drive, maintaining an up-to-date backup at all times.

Pricing Overview for Proton Drive

Pricing range
Not explicitly stated
Pricing types
Free plan, Monthly subscription, Yearly subscription, Per seat pricing
Money-back guarantee
Yes — 30 days

Proton Drive offers several subscription tiers, ranging from a generous permanent free plan with 5 GB storage, to paid plans that scale up to 3 TB for families or 1 TB per user for businesses. Pricing is flexible, allowing customers to choose between monthly or yearly billing cycles.

Plans & Pricing

Proton Free

MonthlyFree
YearlyFree
5 GB storage
  • 5 GB secure cloud storage
  • Encrypted storage for files, photos, and documents
  • Online document editor
Create a free account

Drive Plus

MonthlyNot explicitly stated
YearlyNot explicitly stated
200 GB storage
  • 200 GB secure cloud storage
  • Encrypted storage for files, photos, and documents
  • Online document editor
  • Recover previous file versions
Get Drive Plus

Proton Unlimited

MonthlyNot explicitly stated
YearlyNot explicitly stated
500 GB storage
  • 500 GB secure cloud storage
  • Recover previous file versions
  • Up to 15 custom email addresses
  • Ultra fast and private VPN
  • Encrypted password manager
  • Advanced account protection
  • Access to Proton Sentinel
Get Proton Unlimited

Proton Duo

MonthlyNot explicitly stated
YearlyNot explicitly stated
1 TB storage
  • 1 TB secure cloud storage
  • Recover previous file versions
  • Up to 30 custom email addresses
  • Ultra fast and private VPN
  • Encrypted password manager
  • Advanced account protection
  • Up to 2 users
  • Access to Proton Sentinel
Get Proton Duo

Proton Family

MonthlyNot explicitly stated
YearlyNot explicitly stated
3 TB storage, 6 users
  • 3 TB secure cloud storage
  • Up to 6 users
  • All Proton premium products included in Duo
Get Proton Family

Drive Professional

MonthlyNot explicitly stated
YearlyNot explicitly stated
1 TB storage per user, price is per user
  • 1 TB secure cloud storage per user
  • Secure cloud storage and collaboration for teams
  • Share and collaborate on files
  • Manage user access
  • Sync files across devices and users
Get Drive Professional

Proton Drive costs between Not explicitly stated and Not explicitly stated per month with 6 plans: Proton Free (free), Drive Plus (Not explicitly stated), Proton Unlimited (Not explicitly stated), Proton Duo (Not explicitly stated), Proton Family (Not explicitly stated), and Drive Professional (Not explicitly stated).

Below are greater details on the available subscription models. Note that you can typically choose between monthly and yearly billing options.

Proton Free

Price: Free Websites Supported: Not explicitly stated Best For: Individuals needing basic secure storage Refund Policy: Not applicable Other Features: Encrypted cloud storage for files, photos, and documents; online document editor

This forever-free plan gives you 5 GB of storage space. It's the perfect way to test Proton Drive's essential features and security, making it ideal for casual users or students who only need small amounts of secure space. 💾

Drive Plus

Price: Not explicitly stated /month Websites Supported: Not explicitly stated Best For: Individuals needing more storage and file recovery Refund Policy: 30-day money-back guarantee Other Features: Encrypted cloud storage for files, photos, and documents; online document editor; recover previous file versions

Drive Plus significantly boosts your capacity to 200 GB. It introduces the ability to recover older document versions, a critical feature for anyone working frequently with important files. This is a smart choice for individuals who want robust, secure storage without needing the entire Proton suite.

Proton Unlimited

Price: Not explicitly stated /month Websites Supported: Not explicitly stated Best For: Power users who use the full Proton ecosystem Refund Policy: 30-day money-back guarantee Other Features: Up to 15 custom email addresses; Ultra fast and private VPN; encrypted password manager; advanced account protection; access to Proton Sentinel; recover previous file versions

As the recommended tier, Proton Unlimited provides 500 GB of storage and includes access to nearly all premium services offered by Proton. If you value maximum privacy across email, VPN, and cloud storage, this plan offers the best, integrated value. It provides maximum protection for your entire digital life.

Proton Duo

Price: Not explicitly stated /month Websites Supported: Not explicitly stated Best For: Individuals or small groups needing large storage and multiple email accounts Refund Policy: 30-day money-back guarantee Other Features: 1 TB storage; up to 30 custom email addresses; up to 2 users; access to Proton Sentinel; Ultra fast and private VPN; encrypted password manager

Proton Duo is designed for users or pairs who need vast storage capacity (1 TB) and extensive email features across two primary accounts. Choosing this plan allows two people to benefit from the highest security and utility features that Proton offers.

Proton Family

Price: Not explicitly stated /month Websites Supported: Not explicitly stated Best For: Families needing shared, vast storage Refund Policy: 30-day money-back guarantee Other Features: 3 TB storage; up to 6 users; all Proton premium products included in Duo

The Family plan is excellent for households that need substantial shared storage and security for up to six users. With 3 TB capacity and full access to the premium product suite, it’s a cost-effective way to protect multiple family members.

Drive Professional

Price: Not explicitly stated per user /month Websites Supported: Not explicitly stated Best For: Teams and businesses requiring secure collaboration Refund Policy: 30-day money-back guarantee Other Features: 1 TB storage per user; share and collaborate on files; manage user access; file syncing across devices and users

The Drive Professional plan offers secure storage tailored for organizational collaboration. Since it is priced per user, this plan is suitable for teams that must securely store, share, and control access to sensitive business documents. You can also customize your storage capacity beyond this base offering by contacting Proton for Business.

Proton Drive always offers a permanent, free plan that includes 5 GB of storage. All paid subscriptions purchased come with a reliable 30-day money-back guarantee. This guarantee provides a prorated refund if you decide to cancel within the first 30 days of initial purchase.

User Reviews

Users frequently praise Proton's strong privacy ethos and commitment to end-to-end encryption across its suite of tools, including the VPN and Mail service. However, the feedback reveals significant operational frustrations.

The most recurring and severe issue is the customer support experience 😥. Reviewers consistently described support as "useless," "disgraceful," and "very meh," noting slow response times, generic answers, and a lack of authority to resolve complex billing or account suspension problems.

Specific complaints regarding Proton Drive highlight reliability issues, with reports of sluggish upload speeds and data loss causing users to restore files from old backups. Many users also find the overall account and billing management system confusing, leading to unexpected charges, difficulty cancelling services, and drawn-out refund processes despite the company's stated policies.

While the secure core idea is strong, the execution and responsiveness need serious improvement for customers to trust the wider ecosystem beyond the core email product.

What users say elsewhere

Alex D.
· Trustpilot
5.0 / 5

The product is amazing, particularly the VPN and Mail. I love the privacy ethos of the company and the value offered by the subscription is excellent. I'm excited for their future updates.

Jordan P.
· Trustpilot
1.0 / 5

The customer service is utterly useless. Response times are dreadfully long, and they only offer generic replies to complex issues. It is impossible to get proper help or resolution.

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Why use Proton Drive?

When choosing where to store your life’s record, security should always come first. Proton Drive offers unique advantages that position it against less private cloud services. If you seek unmatched control and certified privacy, this is a compelling choice. 💡

Here are essential reasons to choose Proton Drive:

  • Ultimate Control Over Sharing: You stay in control, even after sharing. You can protect links using passwords, set them to expire, or easily revoke access to shared files at any time.
  • Privacy is the Core Business: Unlike Big Tech, Proton does not access, monetize, or answer to investors. Their sole priority is the user's privacy, setting them apart structurally.
  • Protected by Swiss Law: Proton is based in Switzerland. Your data benefits from some of the globe’s strictest privacy laws, keeping it safely out of US and UK jurisdiction.
  • Total Transparency and Verification: The encrypted cloud storage is fully open source. Independent experts regularly audit the code, allowing anyone to review and verify the security claims.
  • Security Starts on Your Device: Files are end-to-end encrypted the moment they are on your device. This ensures they are protected from prying eyes, advertisers, and AI training models before transmission.
  • Secure Business Operations: Businesses handling sensitive data keep teams secure and synced. Because files are encrypted, even in the unlikely event of a data breach, hackers cannot access your information.

Ready to transform your workflow with Proton Drive?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sync files automatically between my computer and Proton Drive?

Yes, if you use Proton Drive for Windows, you can sync any selected desktop folder with the cloud. All files are encrypted on your local device before being uploaded to Proton's secure servers.

Does end-to-end encryption apply to sensitive file metadata like names?

Yes, Proton applies encryption deeply. Your files, photos, and even the file names are encrypted right on your device before they are sent to the cloud.

Is there a maximum limit for sharing large files using a file-sharing link?

Yes, to share any file larger than 5 GB using a secure link, you must upgrade to a paid subscription plan. Free users can securely share smaller files.

How do I know the security claims are accurate, and has the code been verified?

The encrypted cloud storage platform is fully open source. Independent experts regularly audit the source code, allowing anyone to verify the security claims.

Does Proton Drive offer a time-limited free trial for its premium tiers?

No, a traditional free trial is not offered. However, you can access the permanent Proton Free plan which includes 5 GB of secure storage to test all essential features.

What are the exact terms for the money-back guarantee if I buy a plan?

All paid subscriptions include a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you cancel your service within the first 30 days, you'll receive a prorated refund for the unused part of the subscription.

Is the Drive Professional plan billed per team or calculated per employee?

The Drive Professional plan is specifically priced per user, or 'per seat.' Each user receives 1 TB of encrypted storage for collaboration.

Can businesses increase their storage capacity beyond the listed professional tier?

Yes, the base Drive Professional offering can be customized. Teams needing more storage capacity can contact Proton for their specialized business solutions.

If I am already a customer, how do I go about upgrading my current plan?

You can easily upgrade your plan online. Just log into your account at drive.proton.me and click the 'Upgrade' option located in the top right corner.

Which plans allow me to recover previous versions of my documents?

The ability to recover previous file versions is included in all paid plans, starting with the Drive Plus subscription.

Can I secure shared file links with an expiration date or a password?

Yes, you have ultimate control over shared files. You can protect the links using passwords or set them to expire automatically after a specified time.

Is Proton Drive suitable only for individuals, or can teams collaborate securely?

Teams are well supported through the Drive Professional plan. It allows secure document collaboration, file sharing, and team synchronization while managing user access.

Where is Proton based, and why is this location important for data protection?

Proton is based in Switzerland. This provides strong protection for your files under Swiss privacy laws, placing your data beyond US and UK legal jurisdiction.

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