Filen vs Proton Drive

Filen

• People who want every file end-to-end encrypted, on the free plan too
• Users who prefer open source clients and storage hosted in Germany
• Developers and sysadmins who want a CLI, SDKs and a documented API
• Linux users: the desktop app ships as .deb, .rpm and AppImage

Proton Drive

• People who want encrypted storage under Swiss jurisdiction
• Proton Mail, VPN or Pass users who can bundle storage with Unlimited
• Private collaboration on documents and spreadsheets

Filen

• Prices are listed in euros only; Filen says taxes and transaction fees are included in them.
• Free accounts lose their data after 3 months without a login, following reminder emails.
• Lifetime plans are no longer sold: the pricing FAQ says they were removed for an indefinite period.
• WebDAV and S3 access require a server that the user hosts through the desktop app or CLI, because files are encrypted on the device.

Proton Drive

• The free plan is limited to 5 GB.
• Desktop sync apps exist for Windows and macOS only; Linux users get a command-line client and the web app.
• The lowest prices require yearly billing. Drive Plus costs $4.99 a month when billed monthly.
• Individual storage above 200 GB comes only through the Unlimited, Duo and Family bundles, which include other Proton products.

Filen

Zero-knowledge encryption by default

Files are encrypted on the device with AES 256-bit before upload, and Filen states that it cannot access them. Encryption is part of every plan, the free one included.

Sync and network drive

Desktop apps for Windows, macOS and Linux sync folders in five modes, with one-way and two-way among them, and can mount the cloud as a network drive in the file explorer.

Encrypted sharing

Files and folders are shared with other Filen users or through public links, and the shared content stays encrypted. Earlier versions of files can be restored from version history.

Notes and chats

Encrypted notes support rich text, markdown, checklists and code and can be edited with other users in real time. Encrypted chats carry messages and files between Filen users.

Open source apps and developer tools

Filen says all of its apps are open source. Developers get a documented API, TypeScript, Rust and Go SDKs, and a CLI that can run a local WebDAV or S3 server.

Mobile camera upload

The iOS and Android apps upload photos and videos from selected albums automatically, with optional compression, and can keep chosen files available offline.

Proton Drive

End-to-end encryption

Files are encrypted before they are uploaded. Proton states that only the owner and the people they share with can open them, and that Proton itself cannot.

Sharing controls

Files, photos, documents and spreadsheets are shared by link, with password protection, expiry dates and the ability to revoke access at any time.

Proton Docs and Sheets

Encrypted document and spreadsheet editors with real-time collaboration are built into Drive, and the editor is included on the free plan.

Photo backup

The mobile apps back up photos automatically and support collaborative albums for sharing them.

Desktop sync

Desktop apps for Windows and macOS sync files between the computer and the cloud. A command-line client is offered for Linux, macOS and Windows.

Long version history

Paid plans from Drive Plus allow previous versions of a file to be recovered for up to 10 years.

Filen

• Free€0

  10 GiB with encryption and every feature included. Data is deleted after 3 months without a login.

• Starter€11.99

  per year, billed annually

  100 GiB of storage, offered on annual billing only.

• Pro I€1.99

  per month, or €19.99 billed annually

  200 GiB with unlimited bandwidth, syncing, network drive, file sharing, and unlimited notes and chats.

• Pro II€3.99

  per month, or €39.99 billed annually

  500 GiB of storage with the same features as Pro I.

• Pro III€8.99

  per month, or €89.99 billed annually

  2 TiB of storage with the same features as Pro I.

• Pro X€39.99

  per month, or €399.99 billed annually

  10 TiB of storage. Plans stack on one account, so two Pro X plans give 20 TiB, with no upper limit.

Proton Drive

• Proton Free$0

  5 GB of storage for files, photos and documents, with the online document and spreadsheet editor.

• Drive Plus$3.99

  per month, billed yearly at $47.88 ($4.99 billed monthly)

  200 GB of storage and 10 years to recover previous file versions.

• Proton Unlimited$9.99

  per month, billed yearly at $119.88 ($12.99 billed monthly)

  500 GB of storage plus Proton VPN, Proton Mail, Proton Calendar and Proton Pass.

• Proton Duo$14.99

  per month, billed yearly at $179.88 ($19.99 billed monthly)

  2 TB of storage for up to 2 users, with everything in Unlimited and advanced account protection.

• Proton Family$23.99

  per month, billed yearly ($29.99 billed monthly)

  3 TB of storage for up to 6 users, with the Proton premium products that are included in Duo.

• Drive Professional$7.99

  per user / month, billed yearly ($9.99 billed monthly)

  Team plan with 1 TB per user, user access management, and sync across devices and users.

Filen

• Annual discount

  About 16% lower with annual billing

  Annual prices of €19.99, €39.99, €89.99 and €399.99 compare with €23.88, €47.88, €107.88 and €479.88 for twelve monthly payments on Pro I, Pro II, Pro III and Pro X.

Proton Drive

• Annual discount

  20% to 25% off with yearly billing

  Billed yearly, Drive Plus is $3.99 a month instead of $4.99 (20% off), Proton Unlimited is $9.99 instead of $12.99 (23% off) and Proton Duo is $14.99 instead of $19.99 (25% off).