all-in-one privacy solution":["Proton Unlimited is een all-in-one privacy-oplossing"],"Black Friday":["Black Friday"],"No ads. Privacy by default.":["Geen advertenties. Standaard privacy."],"People before profits":["Mensen vóór winst"],"Security through transparency":["Veiligheid door openheid"],"The best Proton Mail ${ BLACK_FRIDAY } deals":["De beste ${ BLACK_FRIDAY }-deals voor Proton Mail"],"The world’s only community- supported email service":["'s Werelds enige door de community ondersteunde e-mailservice"]},"specialoffer:limited":{"${ hours } hour":["${ hours } uur","${ hours } uur"],"${ hoursLeft }, ${ minutesLeft } and ${ secondsLeft } left":["Nog ${ hoursLeft }, ${ minutesLeft } en ${ secondsLeft } resterend"],"${ minutes } minute":["${ minutes } minuut","${ minutes } minuten"],"${ seconds } second":["${ seconds } seconde","${ seconds } seconden"],"Limited time offer":["Aanbieding beperkt geldig"]},"specialoffer:listitem":{"Create multiple addresses":["Maak meerdere e-mailadressen aan"],"Hide-my-email aliases":["Hide-my-email-aliassen"],"Quickly unsubscribe from newsletters":["Meld u eenvoudig af voor nieuwsbrieven"],"Use your own domain name":["Gebruik uw eigen domeinnaam"]},"specialoffer:logos":{"As featured in":["Zoals te lezen in"]},"specialoffer:metadescription":{"Get an encrypted email that protects your privacy":["Kies voor beveiligde e-mail die uw privacy beschermt"]},"specialoffer:metatitle":{"Proton Mail Black Friday Sale - Up to 40% off":["Proton Mail Black Friday Sale - Tot 40% korting"]},"specialoffer:newmetadescription":{"Get up to 40% off Proton Mail subscriptions this Black Friday. Find great deals on our secure end-to-end encrypted email plans.":["Profiteer tijdens Black Friday van wel 40% korting op Proton Mail-abonnementen. Bekijk geweldige aanbiedingen voor onze veilige, end-to-end versleutelde e-mailabonnementen."]},"specialoffer:newmetatitle":{"Proton Mail Black Friday sale | Up to 40% off secure email":["Proton Mail Black Friday Sale | Tot 40% korting op veilige e-mail"]},"specialoffer:note":{"* Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first year":["*U betaalt ${ TOTAL_SUM } voor het eerste jaar"],"*Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first 2 years":["*U betaalt ${ TOTAL_SUM } voor de eerste 2 jaar"],"30-day money-back guarantee":["30 dagen niet-goed-geld-terug-garantie"],"Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first 2 years":["U betaalt ${ TOTAL_SUM } voor de eerste 2 jaar"],"Billed at ${ TOTAL_SUM } for the first year":["U betaalt ${ TOTAL_SUM } voor het eerste jaar"],"You save ${ SAVE_SUM }":["U bespaart ${ SAVE_SUM }"]},"specialoffer:off":{"${ PERCENT_OFF } off":["−${ PERCENT_OFF }"]},"specialoffer:testimonial":{"I love my ProtonMail":["Ik ben fan van ProtonMail"],"My favorite email service":["Mijn favoriete e-mailservice"],"Thanks Proton for keeping us all safe in the complicated internet universe.":["Proton houdt ons allemaal veilig in het complexe internetuniversum."],"You get what you pay for. In the case of big tech, if you pay nothing, you get used. I quit using Gmail and switched to @ProtonMail":["Je krijgt waarvoor je betaalt. In het geval van Big Tech betekent 'gratis' dat je wordt gebruikt. Ik ben gestopt met Gmail en overgestapt op @ProtonMail"]},"specialoffer:time":{"Days":["Dagen"],"Hours":["Uur"],"Min":["Min"]},"specialoffer:title":{"And much more":["En nog veel meer"],"Safe from trackers":["Beschermd tegen trackers"],"Stay organized":["Blijf georganiseerd"],"Black Friday email deals":["Black Friday-deals voor e-mail"],"Don’t just take our word for it":["U hoeft ons niet te geloven"],"Make your inbox yours":["Maak uw inbox van u"],"Our story":["Ons verhaal"],"Transfer your data from Google in one click":["Zet uw gegevens van Google over met één klik"]},"specialoffer:tooltip":{"Access blocked content and browse privately. Includes ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS }+ servers in ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES }+ countries, connect up to 10 devices, access worldwide streaming services, malware and ad-blocker, and more.":["Bekijk geblokkeerde inhoud en surf privé. Met ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS }+ servers in meer dan ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES } landen, verbinding met maximaal 10 apparaten, wereldwijd toegang tot streamingdiensten, malware- en advertentieblokkering, en meer."],"Easily share your calendar with your family, friends or colleagues, and view external calendars.":["Deel uw agenda eenvoudig met uw familie, vrienden of collega's, en bekijk externe agenda's."],"Includes support for 1 custom email domain, 10 email addresses, 10 hide-my-email aliases, calendar sharing, and more.":["Ondersteuning voor 1 aangepast e-maildomein, 10 e-mailadressen, 10 hide-my-email-aliassen, gedeelde agenda's en meer."],"Includes support for 3 custom email domains, 15 email addresses, unlimited hide-my-email aliases, calendar sharing, and more.":["Ondersteuning voor 3 aangepaste e-maildomeinen, 15 e-mailadressen, onbeperkt hide-my-email-aliassen, gedeelde agenda's en meer."],"Manage up to 25 calendars, mobile apps, secured with end-to-end encryption, 1-click calendar import from Google, and more.":["Beheer tot 25 agenda's, mobiele apps, beveiligd met end-to-end versleuteling, agenda's van Google importeren met 1 klik, en meer."]},"Status banner":{"Learn more":["Meer informatie"],"Please note that at the moment we are experiencing issues with the ${ issues[0] } service.":["We ondervinden op dit moment problemen met de ${ issues[0] }service."],"We are experiencing issues with one or more services at the moment.":["We ondervinden momenteel problemen met een of meer services."]},"Status Banner":{"At the moment we are experiencing issues with the Proton VPN service":["Momenteel werkt de dienst van Proton VPN niet naar behoren"],"Learn more":["Meer informatie"]},"steps":{"Step":["Stap"]},"suggestions":{"Suggestions":["Suggesties"]},"Support":{"Sub category":["Subcategorie","Subcategorieën"]},"Support article":{"${ readingTime } min":["${ readingTime } min","${ readingTime } min"],"Category":["Categorie","Categorieën"],"Didn’t find what you were looking for?":["Niet gevonden wat u zocht?"],"General contact":["Algemene contactgegevens"],"Get help":["Krijg hulp"],"Legal contact":["Contactgegevens voor juridische zaken"],"Media contact":["Contactgegevens voor media"],"Partnerships contact":["Contactgegevens voor partnerschappen"],"Reading":["Lezen"]},"Support Form Platform option":{"VPN for Android TV":["VPN voor Android TV"],"VPN for Apple TV":["VPN voor Apple TV"],"VPN for Chromebook":["VPN voor Chromebook"]},"Support troubleshooting":{"App version":["App-versie"],"Browser":["Browser"],"Check if this helps":["Kijk of dit helpt"],"Choose a product":["Kies een product"],"Did this solve your issue?":["Heeft dit uw probleem opgelost?"],"Faster assistance is just a few clicks away":["Snellere hulp is met een paar klikken geregeld"],"How can we help?":["Hoe kunnen we helpen?"],"No, contact support":["Nee, contact opnemen met ondersteuning"],"Please fill out one field after another":["Vul de velden achter elkaar in"],"Please make your selections":["Maak een keuze"],"Proton account":["Proton-account"],"Proton for Business":["Proton for Business"],"Thank you for your feedback":["Bedankt voor uw feedback"],"What can we help with?":["Waar kunnen we mee helpen?"],"Yes":["Ja"]},"support_modal_search_query":{"Search query":["Zoekopdracht"]},"support_search_button":{"Search":["Zoeken"]},"support_search_i_am_looking_for":{"I'm looking for":["Ik ben op zoek naar"]},"SupportForm":{"For a faster resolution, please report the issue from the Bridge app: Help > Report a problem.":["Om problemen sneller op te lossen, meldt u het via de Bridge-app: Help > Een probleem melden."],"Information":["Informatie"]},"SupportForm:option":{"Account Security":["Accountbeveiliging"],"Contacts":["Contactpersonen"],"Custom email domain":["Aangepast e-maildomein"],"Email delivery and Spam":["E-maillevering en spam"],"Encryption":["Versleuteling"],"Login and password":["Inlognaam en wachtwoord"],"Merge aliases and accounts":["Aliassen en accounts samenvoegen"],"Migrate to Proton":["Migreren naar Proton"],"Notifications":["Meldingen"],"Other":["Overig"],"Plans and billing":["Abonnementen en facturering"],"Proton for Business":["Proton for Business"],"Sign up":["Inschrijven"],"Storage":["Opslag"],"Users, addresses, and identities":["Gebruikers, adressen en identiteiten"]},"SupportForm:optionIntro":{"Select a topic":["Kies een onderwerp"]},"Testimonial":{"Awards":["Awards"],"Customers":["Klanten"],"Featured":["Featured"],"Go to testimonial source":["Naar bron van testimonial"],"Open source of award":["Bron van award openen"],"Open source of quote":["Bron van citaat openen"],"Reviews":["Reviews"],"Videos":["Video's"],"Watch on TikTok":["Bekijken op TikTok"],"Watch on YouTube":["Bekijken op YouTube"]},"TestimonialCategory":{"Awards":["Awards"],"Customers":["Klanten"],"Featured":["Featured"],"Media":["Media"],"Reviews":["Reviews"],"Videos":["Video's"]},"Text":{"If you need help, check out our ${ supportLink }.":["Bekijk onze ${ 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Includes ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS }+ servers in ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES }+ countries, highest VPN speed, ${ TOTAL_VPN_CONNECTIONS } VPN connections, worldwide streaming services, malware and ad-blocker, and more.":["Bekijk geblokkeerde inhoud en surf privé. Met meer dan ${ TOTAL_VPN_SERVERS } servers in meer dan ${ TOTAL_VPN_COUNTRIES } landen, de hoogste VPN-snelheid, ${ TOTAL_VPN_CONNECTIONS } VPN-verbindingen, wereldwijde streamingdiensten, malware- en advertentieblokkering, en meer."]},"vpn_servers":{"Get Proton VPN Plus":["Neem Proton VPN Plus"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Action":{"Get Proton Wallet":["Kies Proton Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Homepage hero product link title":{"Wallet":["Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Homepage product navigation bar":{"Wallet":["Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:menu item":{"Bitcoin guide":["Bitcoin-gids"],"Proton Wallet news":["Proton Wallet-nieuws"],"Proton Wallet support":["Ondersteuning voor Proton Wallet"]},"wallet_signup_2024:Pricing":{"Includes everything in Proton Unlimited and":["Omvat alles van Proton Unlimited en"],"Limited availability":["Beperkte beschikbaarheid"],"The easiest way to securely own, send, and receive Bitcoin":["De eenvoudigste manier om Bitcoin veilig te bewaren, versturen en ontvangen"]},"wallet_signup_2024:ProductRange":{"Discover Proton Wallet":["Ontdek Proton Wallet"],"Store and transact Bitcoin privately with an encrypted self-custody wallet.":["Bewaar en verhandel Bitcoin privé met een versleutelde zelfbeheerde portemonnee."]},"wallet_signup_2024:wallet bitcoin":{"Learn about Bitcoin, the Internet's value network.":["Meer informatie over Bitcoin, het valutanetwerk van het internet."]},"wallet_signup_2024:wallet overview":{"Ensure you're always in control of your Bitcoin.":["Zorg dat u altijd de controle heeft over uw Bitcoins."]},"wallet_signup_2024:wallet security":{"The encrypted, open-source wallet that puts you in control.":["De versleutelde, open-source portemonnee waarvan u de baas bent."]}}},"base":"blog","cdn":{"enabledForAssets":true,"enabledForImages":true,"url":"https://pmecdn.protonweb.com/"},"unleashApi":"https://account.proton.me/api"};
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Pros and cons of cloud storage vs. physical storage | Proton
When you need to store digital files, you have two basic options: cloud storage and physical storage.
Cloud storage lets you save files over the internet on servers operated by a cloud storage provider. These companies typically make backup copies of your files in multiple data centers and secure them using sophisticated encryption. You can access your files in the cloud from any internet-connected device.
Physical storage, also known as local storage, is when you save your files on local servers or storage devices that you control and operate yourself. This includes hard disk drives, solid-state drives, and USB flash drives.
Both types of storage have advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we’ll briefly run through a few of these.
The benefits of cloud storage usually outweigh the tradeoffs for most people. That’s one of the reasons it has become ubiquitous and oftentimes automatic, such as when your Apple device backs up your photos to iCloud by default. Cloud storage can help you save space on your devices and give you better access to your files.
Access your files from anywhere — Cloud storage providers let you access your files from any internet-connected device, and some even offer offline access to your files if you don’t have an internet connection.
File sharing is built in — With physical storage, you need to use a separate service for transferring files. With cloud storage, you can usually share your files with anyone directly from the storage interface.
Collaborate on files with colleagues — Since sharing is built in, you can also collaborate with others on the files you’re working on. For instance, Docs in Proton Drive lets you create cloud-based documents and edit them in real time alongside friends, family, or colleagues.
Security and data recovery for your files — Cloud storage is extremely secure, especially if you use a provider with end-to-end encryption(nieuw venster). Your files are also backed up across multiple servers, so data loss is unlikely, particularly compared with local storage.
Add more storage anytime — Unlike physical storage, which requires you to buy more servers or devices to save more data, cloud storage lets you add more data to your plan whenever you need more. If you’re running a business, the ability to scale up quickly is essential, but it’s also convenient if you’re just backing up personal photos and videos(nieuw venster).
No maintenance required — With cloud storage, your subscription fee covers the cost to the company to maintain and improve its servers.
Cloud storage cons
Crucially, you should watch out for cloud storage providers that don’t protect your privacy and don’t make it easy for you to secure your account. These are some of the key disadvantages of cloud storage, but fortunately you can easily mitigate them.
Requires internet access — To upload files to the cloud, your device needs to be connected to the internet. While many services offer offline mode(nieuw venster), you will need an internet connection to download your files to your device, and they will take up storage space on your device.
Some providers are weak on privacy — Providers like Google Drive, iCloud, and Dropbox are not private by default. The companies can access and scan all your files, including photos and sensitive documents. This can also be a security risk. You can eliminate this problem by choosing a privacy-first cloud storage provider that uses end-to-end encryption by default, meaning not even the provider can see your data.
Whenever you buy a device, it comes with a certain amount of local storage. But this space can run out fast. Before cloud storage became popular, people often turned to external hard drives or flash drives. External drives are a convenient way to back up your files without the need for a subscription service.
No need for an internet connection — You can save your files directly to any device without any internet connection. This offers both convenience and security benefits because your files don’t need to be protected in transit and at rest on a third-party server.
No recurring subscription fees — Cloud storage providers make money by charging a recurring fee to keep your files on their platform. With physical storage, you pay once up front for your hardware.
Total control of security and privacy — If you don’t want anyone else to have your files, encrypted or not, then physical storage offers the most privacy. However, physical storage presents other security risks, such as losing your device. (You can mitigate this by encrypting your drives(nieuw venster).)
You can still use cloud storage, too — Many people back up their files both in the cloud and on external drives. This gives you extra peace of mind that you won’t lose your files, though it will increase your attack surface if you’re very concerned about security.
Physical storage cons
Cloud storage is so popular in part because of the tradeoffs below. If you’ve ever lost a hard drive or a smartphone before cloud backups, you know how painful data loss can be. And physical storage is much less accessible if you’re on the go.
Files are vulnerable to loss or damage — Cloud storage providers use data centers that take major precautions to prevent physical damage, tampering, and data loss. Owning your physical storage means taking on those responsibilities yourself. Theft and device damage (from overheating, fire, etc.) are serious concerns.
You can’t access your files from anywhere — Unless your drive is internet-connected, you won’t be able to access your files on any device like you can with cloud storage.
Space isn’t scalable — When you need more space, you must buy more hardware. This is particularly challenging for growing businesses.
High up-front costs — Though digital storage costs have decreased over the years, purchasing and setting up a server can cost thousands of dollars. External hard drives, however, are relatively inexpensive.
You might need IT support — For businesses, you will likely need to hire ongoing IT support to maintain, troubleshoot, and upgrade your physical storage.
Conclusion
Most people use both cloud storage and physical storage, depending on their use case. If your top concern is data loss, creating multiple backups of your files on the cloud and on external drives is a good idea.
If you’re looking for a trustworthy cloud storage provider, we designed Proton Drive as a privacy-first alternative to non-private services like Google Drive.
Proton Drive offers multiple features focused on privacy, security, and convenience. Here are a few:
With Docs in Proton Drive, you can create and work on documents with others in real-time, all while benefiting from robust end-to-end encryption that protects your information.
Your files are accessible from anywhere using the Proton Drive apps for the web, Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.
File sharing is simple. You can share files through a link and enable security features like password protection or an expiration date.
Proton Drive also offers version history(nieuw venster), so you can save previous versions of your files for up to 10 years. This is helpful so you can recover your data even if it’s been altered, stolen, or destroyed, such as a malware or ransomware attack. If something happens to your files, you can just download an older version.
Proton is dedicated to building a better internet where people’s privacy comes before profit. To that end, we’re building an encrypted suite of products to help you protect your emails, passwords, calendar events, internet connection(nieuw venster), and more.
Do you have an incident response plan to protect your business from financial
and reputational damage? Find out how Proton Pass for Business can help you stay
safe.