Filen
End-to-end encrypted cloud storage from Germany with open source apps
Filen report card
Excellent · out of 4.0 · graded Oct 9, 2026
Best for cheap encrypted storage with open source apps
Filen is encrypted storage from Germany, and it's cheap: 200 GiB for €1.99 a month, with every file locked on your device before it's uploaded. The apps are open source and run on everything, Linux included. One thing to watch on the free plan: go 3 months without logging in and your data is deleted.
Who Filen is for
- Great if you want every file encrypted on your device, even on the free plan
- Good for Linux users, as the desktop app ships as .deb, .rpm and AppImage
- A treat if you like a command line, with a CLI, SDKs and a documented API
Who Filen is not for
- Skip it if you'd park files on a free account and forget it, as 3 months without a login wipes them
- Not for you if you were hoping to pay once, since Filen no longer sells lifetime plans
- Not for you if you want a price in dollars, because everything is listed in euros only
Why Filen gets a 3.6
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyPro I is €1.99 a month for 200 GiB, where Google charges $2.99 for 200 GB, and the smallest plan is €11.99 for a whole year of 100 GiB. Pro III, at €8.99 for 2 TiB, is nearer the going rate. Encryption is included in all of them. Prices are in euros only.
- BFree plan and trial10 GiB free, with the encryption and every feature included. That's fair, but it's not a lot of room. And a free account's data is deleted after 3 months without a login, so don't park files here and forget them.
- AFeaturesEverything is encrypted on your device, on every plan. Then there's folder sync in five modes, a network drive, public links, version history, camera upload from your phone, and encrypted notes and chats. Developers get an API, SDKs and a command-line tool.
- BEase of useThe desktop app syncs folders and can show your storage as a drive in the file explorer, with no server to run. There's no App Store rating on record to show how people get on, so it stops at a B.
- APlatforms and integrationsWeb, Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android, with the Linux app as .deb, .rpm and AppImage. There's a documented API plus TypeScript, Rust and Go SDKs. No ready-made hook-ups with other apps are listed.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Filen's own pages on 5 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/filen#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/filen.svg" alt="Filen: 3.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>What is Filen?
Filen is a cloud storage service from Germany in which every file is encrypted on the device before upload, so the company cannot read what is stored. Its apps for the web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android are open source and add folder sync, a network drive, encrypted notes and chats. Every account starts with 10 GiB free, and paid plans from 100 GiB to 10 TiB can be stacked on one account.
Filen has a free plan. Paid plans start at €11.99 per year for 100 GiB, or €1.99 per month for 200 GiB. See every plan
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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.
Key features
- 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.
Filen pricing
- Starts at
- €11.99 per year for 100 GiB, or €1.99 per month for 200 GiB
- Free plan
- 10 GiB of storage with encryption and every feature included. Data on free accounts is deleted after 3 months without a login.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | €0 | 10 GiB with encryption and every feature included. Data is deleted after 3 months without a login. |
| Starter | €11.99per year, billed annually | 100 GiB of storage, offered on annual billing only. |
| Pro I | €1.99per month, or €19.99 billed annually | 200 GiB with unlimited bandwidth, syncing, network drive, file sharing, and unlimited notes and chats. |
| Pro II | €3.99per month, or €39.99 billed annually | 500 GiB of storage with the same features as Pro I. |
| Pro III | €8.99per month, or €89.99 billed annually | 2 TiB of storage with the same features as Pro I. |
| Pro X | €39.99per 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. |
Read from filen.io on Oct 5, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Filen before you buy.
Ways to pay less
- Annual discountAbout 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.
Stated on filen.io
Filen alternatives
- Filen vs Proton Drive
Free plan · from $3.99/mo
- Filen vs Internxt
Free plan · from $11.99/mo
- Filen vs MEGA
Free plan · from €3.33/mo
- Filen vs Tresorit
Free plan · from $4.75/mo
- Filen vs Icedrive
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Common questions
Is Filen free?
Filen has a free plan. 10 GiB of storage with encryption and every feature included. Data on free accounts is deleted after 3 months without a login. Paid plans start at €11.99 per year for 100 GiB, or €1.99 per month for 200 GiB.
How much does Filen cost?
Filen lists 6 plans. Free: €0. Starter: €11.99 per year, billed annually. Pro I: €1.99 per month, or €19.99 billed annually. Pro II: €3.99 per month, or €39.99 billed annually. Pro III: €8.99 per month, or €89.99 billed annually. Pro X: €39.99 per month, or €399.99 billed annually. Prices were read from filen.io on Oct 5, 2026.
What platforms does Filen work on?
Filen is available on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
Does Filen offer any discounts?
Filen publicly lists the following: About 16% lower with annual billing.
Is Filen open source?
Yes. Filen is open source, according to its own site.
Is Filen end-to-end encrypted?
Filen describes itself as end-to-end encrypted on its own site. Nobody here has audited that.
Does Filen have an API?
Yes. Filen offers a public API, according to its own site.
Who makes Filen?
Filen is made by Filen Cloud Dienste UG (haftungsbeschränkt). It dates from 2021.
What are the alternatives to Filen?
The closest alternatives to Filen in our directory are Proton Drive, Internxt, MEGA, Tresorit and Icedrive. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Filen.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 5, 2026.