Since we launched Proton Mail in 2014 as the world’s first encrypted email service(nieuw venster), Proton’s mission has been to make online privacy and freedom available for all. Today, we’re excited to take an important next step by launching Proton Drive as a free encrypted cloud storage service.
We could not have done this without you. Proton Drive has been in development for over three years. During that time, we progressively refined and developed our encryption model to deliver the most private and secure cloud storage service available today. This was made possible by the approximately 450,000 members of the Proton community who participated in the Proton Drive beta. Today’s product is the result of your support and the thousands of suggestions you submitted.
A better secure cloud storage service
Our digital documents contain some of our most sensitive information, ranging from banking and tax documents to property contracts. Our digital files also give an intimate glimpse into our lives and include private data like family photos and videos. Every week, each of us generates dozens, if not hundreds, of files. However, when it comes to storing our most precious files, we are currently faced with an unenviable choice; you can store them offline or in the cloud.
Storing your files offline provides better privacy but sacrifices data reliability and accessibility. For example, if you keep your files on your laptop, you cannot access them on other devices, and if you lose that laptop, you will lose those files.
Storing your files online in the cloud solves reliability and accessibility but means you’re sharing your most intimate data with Big Tech companies that can then share this data with governments (like China(nieuw venster)) or violate your privacy as part of their business model(nieuw venster).
Proton Drive offers a better alternative. Through our use of end-to-end encryption, we’re able to provide the privacy of offline storage and the convenience and reliability of cloud storage.
With Proton Drive, your files are always accessible (even if you lose your laptop or phone), but because of our encryption, Proton Drive is like a Swiss vault for your data. Our encryption mathematically ensures that nobody, not even us, can access your files. You (and those you specifically authorize) are the only ones who can access your files.
Encrypted like no other cloud
In recent years, Proton has become a stronger force for digital freedom. Millions of people worldwide, including people with some of the most rigorous privacy and security needs, now use Proton Mail, Proton VPN(nieuw venster), and Proton Calendar. Our goal with Proton Drive wasn’t to build just another encrypted file storage service but to build a service that addresses the shortcomings in existing offerings and can be worthy of your trust.
Rigorous encryption
Proton Drive uses end-to-end encryption, which provides a mathematical guarantee of privacy. This includes:
- End-to-end encryption of files, filenames, folders, file extensions, file sizes, and file creation/modification times
- Cryptographic signatures on all files and folders so they cannot be tampered with
- Cryptographic uploader verification so you know which account uploaded a file (and that a file was not uploaded or replaced by a malicious actor)
Unlike other encrypted cloud providers, Proton can never decrypt any of your files or share them with third parties because all your data is end-to-end encrypted.
Learn more about Proton Drive’s encryption(nieuw venster)
Swiss-based
Proton is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, meaning your files are protected by Swiss privacy laws, which are among some of the strictest in the world. This makes Proton Drive a neutral, stable, and safe digital vault for your files, but unlike a Swiss bank vault, Proton Drive is also available for free.
Unlike many other encrypted cloud providers, Proton Drive also provides security at the hardware level. Proton Drive does not rely on another cloud provider (like Amazon AWS or Microsoft Azure). We only use hardware, networks, and infrastructure we own, operate, and control for better privacy.
Open source
As a company founded by scientists who met at CERN, we believe strongly that trust can only be earned through transparency and peer review. That’s why Proton Drive:
- Is open source – Anybody can check our source code to make sure Proton Drive works as advertised.
- Uses open standards – We do not use proprietary encryption; our encryption follows open standards that have been peer reviewed.
- Is independently audited regularly – Anybody can audit our open-source code, but Proton Drive has also been audited for security and privacy by independent third-party security experts.
This unique combination makes us confident that Proton Drive is more encrypted, private, and secure than any other cloud service. Being open source also means that you don’t have to just take our word when it comes to the security and privacy of your data — anybody can independently verify our claims.
The safest way to share files
Proton Drive’s end-to-end encryption also works when sharing files and folders(nieuw venster). Optional features like password-protected files and expiring file-sharing links enhance security even further. Best of all, there are no file size limits for shared files.
Free cloud storage
We believe that privacy is a fundamental human right, and for that reason, it must be freely available. Like all Proton services, we provide a free version of Proton Drive(nieuw venster) with up to 1 GB of storage. However, if you would like to support our mission and get more storage capacity, we also have two Proton Drive paid plans:
Proton Drive Plus – 200 GB of storage for $3.99/month (with an annual subscription)
Proton Unlimited – Includes the paid version of all Proton products (Proton Mail, Proton Calendar, Proton VPN, SimpleLogin, and Proton Drive) and comes with 500 GB of storage for $9.99/month (with an annual subscription)
Select the Proton Drive plan that’s right for you(nieuw venster)
Cloud storage that’s uniquely Proton
While there’s no shortage of cloud storage solutions available today, Proton Drive is designed for those who want the absolute best when it comes to security and privacy. We understand that when it comes to your most sensitive data, trust is paramount. Whether it’s our rigorous encryption, open-source code(nieuw venster), our relationship with the community(nieuw venster), or the fact that you know who we are(nieuw venster), we’re committed to developing Proton Drive with the same uncompromising approach to privacy that Proton is known for.
Unlike Big Tech companies that abuse your privacy to sell advertisements, Proton puts you first, and we only exist because of your support. If you appreciate the security and privacy that Proton Drive provides and have the means to do so, please consider upgrading to a paid plan. With your support, we look forward to developing better and better privacy-first services and building an internet that serves us all.
