The Proton Docs Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Proton Docs in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Proton Docs
The Insider’s Guide
End-to-end encrypted collaborative documents inside Proton Drive
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among docs and wiki tools, read from Proton Docs’s own pages.
Made by Proton AG · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Proton Docs’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Proton Docs’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 43 of the 51 other docs and wiki tools we grade
Proton Docs is the document editor built into Proton Drive. Documents are end-to-end encrypted, so only the owner and the people a document is shared with can read them, and collaborators edit together in real time with comments and suggested edits. It is included with every Proton Drive account, including the free one, and the paid Proton plans add storage and other Proton services.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Proton Docs, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for private documents the provider can't read
Proton Docs is the document editor inside Proton Drive, and what you write is end-to-end encrypted, so Proton can't read it.
- 2
Paid plans start at $3.99 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $3.99 per month, billed yearly (Drive Plus).
- 3
There is a free plan
Proton Free: 5 GB of end-to-end encrypted storage for files, photos and documents, with the online document and spreadsheet editor included.
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
End-to-end encryption
Documents are encrypted on your device before they are uploaded, and only you hold the keys, so nobody else can read them. Proton says that includes Proton itself.
- 6
Real-time collaboration
See who else is viewing or editing a document and follow their cursors live. Every update stays end-to-end encrypted.
- 7
Suggestions and comments
Collaborators can propose edits as highlighted suggestions to accept or reject, and discuss a passage in threaded comments attached to the text.
- 8
A 3.0 GPA, above 43 of 51
That is against the other docs and wiki tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Proton Docs you could make: documents. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Proton Docs at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $3.99 per month, billed yearly (Drive Plus)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Proton AG, since 2024
- Category
- Docs & Wikis
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for private documents the provider can't read
Proton Docs is the document editor inside Proton Drive, and what you write is end-to-end encrypted, so Proton can't read it. It comes with every account, including the free one, but the free 5 GB is shared with your Drive files and photos. Nothing outside Proton connects to it, a document can't pass 25 MB, there are no templates, and the desktop apps only open your browser.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | There's no Docs plan to buy at all. The editor is complete on the free account, and the paid Proton plans buy storage and other Proton services rather than more editor: Drive Plus is $3.99 a month billed yearly for 200 GB. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Included with the free Proton account, with 5 GB of encrypted storage and the document and spreadsheet editor, which one person could live on. The 5 GB is shared with every file and photo in Drive, though, and photos eat it fast. |
| Features | C | End-to-end encryption, live cursors, suggested edits you accept or reject, threaded comments, link sharing with people who have no Proton Account, and export to .docx, .md or .pdf. It does that editor job fully, and it's a smaller job than a wiki: no templates, no structure, and 25 MB a document. |
| Ease of use | B | No app rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: if you have a Proton account the editor is already there, and you can invite people by email or link even if they've never heard of Proton. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, iPhone and Android. The only connections on record are Proton's own Drive and Sheets, with no API, and in the Windows and macOS Drive apps a document is just a placeholder that opens in the browser. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Proton Docs is for
- Fits if you want documents the provider itself can't read
- Works for people already on Proton Drive who want an editor in the same account
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you need your documents wired into other tools, because the only connections are Proton's own, with no API
- Not for you if you want a real desktop app, since the Windows and macOS apps open documents in the browser
- Too light for very large documents, which can't go over 25 MB
- Tight if you stay free, as the 5 GB is shared with every file and photo in Proton Drive
- Too light for a team wiki: there are no templates, no page structure and no standalone Docs plan
Good to know
Good for
- People who want documents the provider itself cannot read
- Lawyers, doctors and advisers drafting confidential client documents
- Existing Proton Drive users who want a document editor in the same account
Worth knowing
- There is no standalone Docs plan: it is part of Proton Drive, and the paid plans differ in storage and bundled Proton services.
- A document can be no larger than 25 MB.
- In the Windows and macOS Drive apps a document is only a placeholder file that opens in the browser at docs.proton.me.
- The free plan's 5 GB of storage is shared with the files and photos kept in Proton Drive.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$3.99
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Proton Docs has a free plan. Paid plans start at $3.99 per month, billed yearly (Drive Plus).
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)
Proton Drive with Docs, 200 GB of storage and 10 years to recover previous file versions.
Drive Professional
$7.99
per user / month, billed yearly ($9.99 billed monthly)
Team plan for Proton Drive with Docs: 1 TB per user, user access management and sync across devices and users.
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 alongside Drive and Docs.
Proton Duo
$14.99
per month, billed yearly at $179.88 ($19.99 billed monthly)
Everything in Unlimited for up to 2 users, with 2 TB of storage 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.
The free plan
Proton Free: 5 GB of end-to-end encrypted storage for files, photos and documents, with the online document and spreadsheet editor included.
Read from proton.me on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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).
Stated on proton.meEducation
Student discount on Proton Unlimited
Students verified through Student Beans get 62% off Proton Unlimited for the first 12 months. The subscription then renews at the regular price.
Stated on proton.meNonprofit
Reduced pricing for nonprofits
Proton offers nonprofit organizations reduced pricing through a customized quote from its sales team. No fixed percentage is published.
Stated on proton.me
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
End-to-end encrypted collaborative documents inside Proton Drive. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: end-to-end encrypted, real-time collaboration, documents.
- End-to-end encryption
- Documents are encrypted on your device before they are uploaded, and only you hold the keys, so nobody else can read them. Proton says that includes Proton itself.
- Real-time collaboration
- See who else is viewing or editing a document and follow their cursors live. Every update stays end-to-end encrypted.
- Suggestions and comments
- Collaborators can propose edits as highlighted suggestions to accept or reject, and discuss a passage in threaded comments attached to the text.
- Sharing controls
- Invite people by email or with a sharing link, including people without a Proton Account, choose whether they can view or edit, and revoke access at any time.
- Import and export
- Opens .docx, .txt, .md and .html files stored in Proton Drive for editing, and downloads documents as .docx, .html, .txt, .md or .pdf.
- Rich text editing
- The toolbar covers text styles, fonts, colors and highlights, code blocks, numbered, bulleted and check lists, quotes, dividers, images and tables.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Proton Drive
- Proton Sheets
Proton Docs is made by Proton AG, and has been around since 2024.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
43/51
Other docs and wiki tools it is graded above
Proton Docs's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 43 of the 51 other docs and wiki tools we grade, and level with 3.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 38 of 51) and worst on features (C, above 1).
Its paid plans start at $3.99 a month, against a middle price of $16.50 for the category: 3 of the 41 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 52 docs and wiki tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Proton Docs’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 38 of 51
- BFree plan and trialAbove 27 of 51
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 51
- BEase of useAbove 32 of 51
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 10 of 51
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 47 docs and wiki tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Proton Docs is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Proton Docs you could make: documents. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 43 of the 51 other docs and wiki tools we grade. It costs $47.88 a year.
What you could make
- Documents: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- End-to-end encryption done properly.
What this rests on. Proton Docs’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Google Docs, CryptPad, ONLYOFFICE, Zoho Writer and Dropbox Paper
The 5 tools Proton Docs is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.4GPA
Google Docs
Free plan · from $7/mo
Browser-based word processor, free with a Google Account.
- Only Google Docs lists a browser extension.
- Proton Docs is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Google Docs also covers templates.
- 3.0GPA
CryptPad
Free plan · from €5/mo
End-to-end encrypted, open-source collaborative office suite.
- Only Proton Docs lists iOS and Android apps.
- CryptPad is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- CryptPad also covers kanban boards and spreadsheets.
- 3.4GPA
ONLYOFFICE
Free plan · from $20/mo
Open-source office suite for documents, sheets, slides and PDFs.
- Only ONLYOFFICE lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- Proton Docs is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- ONLYOFFICE is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 3.6GPA
Zoho Writer
Free plan · from $2.50/mo
Free online word processor with AI and document automation.
- Only Zoho Writer lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- Only Zoho Writer lists a browser extension.
- Proton Docs is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 3.2GPA
Dropbox Paper
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Free collaborative documents that live in a Dropbox account.
- Proton Docs is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Dropbox Paper also covers templates and tasks.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Proton Docs free?
Proton Docs has a free plan. Proton Free: 5 GB of end-to-end encrypted storage for files, photos and documents, with the online document and spreadsheet editor included.
How much does Proton Docs cost?
Proton Docs lists 6 plans. Proton Free: $0.
What platforms does Proton Docs work on?
Proton Docs is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does Proton Docs offer any discounts?
Proton Docs publicly lists the following: 20% to 25% off with yearly billing; Student discount on Proton Unlimited; Reduced pricing for nonprofits.
Does Proton Docs have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Proton Docs is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Proton Docs have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Proton Docs is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Proton Docs open source?
Proton Docs is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
Is Proton Docs end-to-end encrypted?
Proton Docs describes itself as end-to-end encrypted on its own site. Nobody here has audited that.
What does Proton Docs integrate with?
Proton Docs's listing names Proton Drive and Proton Sheets. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Proton Docs have a student discount?
Student discount on Proton Unlimited. Students verified through Student Beans get 62% off Proton Unlimited for the first 12 months.
Who makes Proton Docs?
Proton Docs is made by Proton AG. It dates from 2024.
What are the alternatives to Proton Docs?
The closest alternatives to Proton Docs in our directory are Google Docs, CryptPad, ONLYOFFICE, Zoho Writer and Dropbox Paper.
How does Proton Docs compare with other docs and wiki tools?
Proton Docs's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 43 of the 51 other docs and wiki tools we grade, and level with 3.
Is Proton Docs good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Proton Docs A for value for money. Its paid plans start at $3.99 a month, against a middle price of $16.50 for the category: 3 of the 41 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Proton Docs?
The plain part of Proton Docs you could make: documents. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Proton Docs’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Proton's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-02-11.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Proton AG. Prices change, so check proton.me before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Proton Docs, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/proton-docs
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Proton Docs: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/proton-docs
Know someone choosing between docs and wiki tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/proton-docs/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded docs and wiki tools after Proton Docs, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Docs & Wikis Insider's GuideEvery one of the 52 docs and wiki tools we grade, compared
- Zoho Writer Insider's GuideFree online word processor with AI and document automation3.6 GPA
- Google Docs Insider's GuideBrowser-based word processor, free with a Google Account3.4 GPA
- ONLYOFFICE Insider's GuideOpen-source office suite for documents, sheets, slides and PDFs3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Proton Docs’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Proton Docs is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Proton AG. Prices and plans change: check proton.me before you buy.