Cloud Storage & File Sharing
Proton Drive
UK / wider Europe Report an error0–5 in half steps. 5 means the rubric's top anchor is met on the evidence.
by Proton AG · proton.me
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Proton Drive at a glance
- Vendor
- Proton AG
- Headquarters
- Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 1 Nov 2026
- Data hosting
- Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 1 Nov 2026
- Free plan
- Yes, per the vendor’s own page source, captured 1 Nov 2026
- Panel verdict
- The AI panel rates Proton Drive 3/5, the mean of 6 judges. Proton Drive is Proton AG's end-to-end encrypted cloud storage, contracted under Swiss law. how scores are made
- As of
- Vendor pages captured 1 Nov 2026; evaluated by the panel 1 Nov 2026. all sources
Read this page as one judge. Each weighs the same scores by what they care about.
The panel's verdict
Proton Drive is Proton AG's end-to-end encrypted cloud storage, contracted under Swiss law. Encryption and security is the strongest category at 8-9: contents, names and metadata are encrypted on the device, keys never leave it, apps are open source with published Securitum audits, the bug bounty reaches USD 100,000 and paid plans carry ten years of version recovery — the point the lower scores turn on is that the terms state data cannot be recovered if a password is misplaced, with no organisational key recovery documented. Sovereignty sits level at 8 — Swiss entity, self-owned data centres in Switzerland and Germany, a published GDPR data processing agreement — while payment and support subprocessors such as Stripe and Zendesk process in the United States under standard contractual clauses. The flat low is portability and integrations at 4: we found no public information on a REST API, open protocols or a self-hosted edition. Remaining criteria cluster at 5-6; no criterion shows more than a point between the judges' low and high.
Speaks for it
- End-to-end encryption by default covering file contents, names and metadata, with encryption keys held on the device
- Open-source apps with published Securitum audit reports and a public bug bounty capped at USD 100,000
- Windows and macOS on-demand sync with offline pinning, resumable uploads and transfers stated to run without file size limits
- Link and email sharing with passwords, expiry dates and one-click revocation, open to recipients without a Proton account
- Swiss contracting entity with self-owned data centres in Switzerland and Germany and a published GDPR data processing agreement
Held against it
- No organisational key recovery documented, with the terms stating data cannot be recovered if a password is misplaced
- Portability and integrations flat at 4, with no public information on a REST API, open protocols, bulk export or self-hosting
- Payment and support subprocessors such as Stripe and Zendesk process data in the United States, listed with standard contractual clauses as safeguards
- We found no public information on remote wipe, device management, legal hold, external-sharing policies or SIEM streaming
- Extra storage, minimum seat counts and the enterprise tier carry no public price, so a full annual cost cannot be computed from the public pages
Best for
- You need storage whose default is on-device end-to-end encryption of file contents, names and metadata, with keys that stay on your devices
- Your clients and external collaborators must view, edit or upload into shared folders without creating accounts
- You move very large files and need transfers stated to run without file size limits, with uploads that resume after interruptions
- A Swiss contracting entity and storage on self-owned hardware in Switzerland and Germany matter to your compliance review
Avoid if
- You cannot accept that a misplaced password means data the provider states in writing it cannot recover
- Your exit strategy depends on a documented REST API, open protocols such as WebDAV or bulk export with folder structure — portability and integrations sits at 4
- You must compute the full annual cost before committing, since extra storage, seat minimums and the enterprise tier carry no public price
- Your governance needs remote wipe, legal hold or SIEM streaming, on which we found no public information — administration and governance scored 5-6
The scores
| Criterion | Panel median |
|---|---|
| Sync, clients & file access | 3 of 5 |
| Sharing & external collaboration | 3 of 5 |
| Encryption, key custody & recovery | 4.5 of 5 |
| Administration, audit & governance | 3 of 5 |
| Export, API & self-hosting | 2 of 5 |
| European sovereignty | 4 of 5 |
| Pricing transparency | 3 of 5 |
Sync, clients & file access
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How this is scored
How files reach the people who work with them: desktop clients for Windows, macOS and Linux, files on demand (virtual drive) and selective sync, offline access, mobile apps with camera upload and offline folders, a web interface, block-level or delta sync for large files, sync of folders outside the main folder, file size limits, preview of common formats, full-text search, and access through open protocols (WebDAV, SFTP, S3) or a mounted network drive.
0 — Not a file storage or sync product; files cannot be stored and synced with it.
3 — A web interface and apps for some platforms to upload and download files; desktop sync, files on demand, offline access and limits are basic or not described.
5 — Desktop sync clients for Windows and macOS, files on demand or selective sync, mobile apps with offline files and camera upload, a web interface with previews, file size limits stated, and search by file name.
8 — Clients for Windows, macOS and Linux, a virtual drive with files on demand, block-level or delta sync documented, full-text search inside documents, access via WebDAV, SFTP or S3, large-file handling stated, and LAN sync or a performance figure for big folders.
10 — File access that a whole organisation runs on: every platform covered with feature parity stated, sync conflicts and their resolution documented, open protocols and a mountable drive on every desktop, search across content and metadata with OCR, and sync behaviour and limits published in technical documentation.
The IT Lead
Windows and macOS desktop apps with well-documented on-demand sync (cloud-only placeholders, permanently kept offline folders, edits made offline uploading once reconnected), iOS and Android apps with automatic photo backup, a web app, no file size limits and resumable large uploads. We found no public information on a Linux desktop client for Drive (only a command-line tool), block-level or delta sync, full-text search, previews, or access via WebDAV, SFTP or S3. 2 10 11 19
The Data Protection Officer
Windows and macOS apps with on-demand placeholders, per-file offline pinning and automatic upload of offline edits are documented, alongside mobile apps with automatic photo backup, a web interface and a command-line client for Windows, macOS and Linux; transfers are stated to run without file size limits and large uploads resume after interruptions. We found no public information on block-level sync, full-text search, previews, or access through WebDAV, SFTP or S3, so this sits just above the middle level. 10 11 2 19
The Architecture Practice Partner
Windows and macOS desktop apps with a genuine on-demand mode — placeholders in File Explorer with thumbnails, pinning folders permanently offline, freeing space again, and offline edits that sync once reconnected — plus iOS, Android and web apps, automatic mobile photo backup, desktop uploads that resume after network interruptions, and transfers with no file size limits, which covers the site laptops and our multi-gigabyte models. We found no public information on block-level delta sync, access via WebDAV or a mounted drive letter the CAD software could use, Linux sync beyond a command-line tool, or file search in Drive. 10 11 19 2
The Tax Adviser
Windows and macOS apps with well-documented on-demand sync (online-only placeholders, always-keep-on-device, offline edits that resync), mobile apps with automatic photo backup, a web app and transfers without file size limits. We found no public information on full-text search inside documents, block-level sync, a Linux desktop client or access via WebDAV and similar open protocols, so this stays clearly below the top band. 2 10 11 19
The Agency Producer
Windows and macOS apps with on-demand sync, cloud-only placeholders, pinned offline files, offline edits that re-sync automatically, and automatic resume of interrupted large uploads are documented in detail, mobile apps back up photos automatically, and the pages state transfers without file size limits — exactly what my 100-GB raw footage needs. We found no public information on a Linux desktop app for Drive beyond a command-line tool, on full-text search inside documents, or on access via WebDAV, SFTP or S3, which keeps it a notch below the very top. 11 19 10 2
The Skeptic
Apps are documented for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and the web plus a command-line tool, and the Windows client does real on-demand sync: cloud-only placeholders, per-file "Always keep on this device", offline edits that upload on reconnection, and uploads that resume after interruption, with "transfers without file size limits" stated. What I could not find is search of any kind, block-level sync, or access through WebDAV, SFTP or S3; the Linux option is a command-line tool, not a desktop client. 2 10 11 19
Sharing & external collaboration
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How this is scored
How files are shared inside the team and with people outside it: shared team folders or spaces, share links with password, expiry, download limits and view-only or no-download mode, upload links (file requests) for customers, guest or external user accounts, link and access reports, notifications, watermarking, comments and file locking, editing of office documents in the browser together, large-file transfer, and an Outlook or Teams add-in for sending links instead of attachments.
0 — Files cannot be shared with anyone else.
3 — Folders and files can be shared with other users and by public link; link controls, upload links and external accounts are basic or not described.
5 — Shared team folders, share links with password and expiry, view-only links, upload links for external people, permissions per folder (view, edit), notifications on changes, and office documents opened and edited in the browser.
8 — Link policies the administrator sets (forced expiry, passwords, domains allowed), download limits and no-download view, watermarking, guest accounts with their own permissions, an access log per share, file locking and comments, co-editing documented with the editor named, and an Outlook or Teams add-in.
10 — External collaboration at the level of a data room: granular rights including print and download control on shared files, revocation that also reaches copies already opened, recipient identity verification, a complete record of who opened and downloaded what, and end-to-end encryption kept intact when sharing externally and when editing.
The IT Lead
Share links and email invitations come with passwords, expiry dates, one-click revocation, viewer and editor roles, upload-into-folder by external recipients without an account, tracking of download counts, and real-time co-editing in the named editor Proton Docs. We found no public information on administrator link policies, download limits, view-only no-download mode, watermarking, guest accounts, file locking, comments, or an Outlook or Teams add-in. 6 12 13
The Data Protection Officer
Links with password and expiry, viewer and editor roles, uploads into shared folders by recipients without an account, one-click revocation that takes effect immediately, download counting and real-time co-editing in the in-house editor are all documented. For patient letters and salary statements I still want the controls an administrator sets, download limits, watermarking, a per-share access log, file locking and comments — we found no public information on any of these. 12 13 6 2
The Architecture Practice Partner
Links with password and expiry, viewer and editor roles, email invitations, one-click revocation, download counting, and sharing that stays end-to-end encrypted — and recipients without an account can view, download, edit and upload to a shared folder, which is exactly what my structural engineers need. Real-time co-editing is documented for the vendor's own Docs editor, with.docx editing via Open in Docs. We found no public information on watermarking, download limits, file locking, comments, per-share access logs or an Outlook or Teams add-in. 12 13 4 6
The Tax Adviser
Links with password and expiry, Viewer and Editor roles, instant revocation, and external people can upload into a shared folder without any account — exactly what my clients need — plus co-editing in the browser under the vendor's own Docs and Sheets editors. We found no public information on download limits, view-only links that block saving, watermarking, an Outlook add-in or a per-recipient access log; only an aggregate count of downloads is documented. 2 3 6 12 13
The Agency Producer
Password- and expiry-protected links with viewer and editor roles, recipients without a Proton account who can open, download, upload or co-edit, one-click revocation and download counts are all documented, with real-time collaboration in Docs and Sheets named. We found no public information on comments directly on a file, watermarking, download limits or a no-download view, guest accounts with their own permissions, or an Outlook or Teams add-in — and comments on the cut are precisely how my clients give feedback. 12 13 6 3
The Skeptic
Links and email invitations carry password protection and expiry dates, viewer and editor roles, and one-click revocation that takes effect immediately, and recipients without a Proton account can view, upload and even edit documents, with download counts tracked and the sharer's IP hidden from recipients. Real-time co-editing is documented with the editor named (Proton Docs and Sheets), and editors' uploads count toward the owner's quota. I found no public information on download limits, watermarking, file locking, administrator-set link policies, or an access log per share. 2 6 12 13 18
Encryption, key custody & recovery
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How this is scored
How the files are protected and restored: encryption in transit and at rest, client-side or end-to-end encryption and whether it covers all folders, sharing and office editing, who holds the keys and what happens when a user loses theirs, customer-managed keys, two-factor authentication and single sign-on, version history and its length, a recycle bin, restore of a whole folder or account to a point in time after ransomware, ransomware detection, malware scanning, an independent security audit or penetration test, a bug bounty, and certifications (ISO 27001, SOC 2, BSI C5) with their scope. Where the data is stored is scored under sovereignty.
0 — Files are stored without any stated encryption and no account protection beyond a password.
3 — Encryption is mentioned and a recycle bin or version history exists; key custody, two-factor, restore after ransomware and audits are basic or not described.
5 — TLS in transit and AES encryption at rest stated, two-factor authentication, version history with its length stated, a recycle bin, the restore of deleted or overwritten files, and a security page naming at least one certification or audit.
8 — Client-side or end-to-end encryption documented with who holds the keys (or customer-managed keys), a whitepaper describing the scheme, single sign-on (SAML), restore of a folder or account to a point in time, ransomware detection or recovery documented, an independent audit or penetration test named, and ISO 27001, SOC 2 or BSI C5 stated with scope.
10 — Security that can be verified: zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption by default that stays on for sharing and editing, the cryptography published and externally audited with the report available, key recovery for organisations documented without the provider gaining access, open-source clients or a public bug bounty, and certifications published with their scope and date.
The IT Lead
Zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption is the default and covers file contents, names and metadata with keys that stay on the device, the OpenPGP and Curve25519 cryptography is published in open-source code, Securitum audits are published, a public bug bounty reaches USD 100,000, ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II are stated, and paid plans include ten years of version recovery with documented rollback as ransomware recovery. For a 180-person company two gaps keep it from the top: no organisational key recovery is documented — the terms state data cannot be recovered if a password is misplaced — and only per-file version rollback, not restore of a whole folder or account to a point in time. 2 3 4 6 7 8 15
The Data Protection Officer
On-device end-to-end encryption covering contents, names and metadata, keys that never leave the user's device, OpenPGP with Curve25519, open-source apps audited by Securitum with published reports, a public bug bounty, ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II, ten-year version recovery and rollback described as ransomware recovery — and the provider states in writing it cannot decrypt content and cannot recover data after a lost password. I stop short of the top because the certifications are stated without scope or date, and no key-recovery path for an organisation is documented, which is a double-edged sword for clinical files. 1 2 3 4 8 13 15 16
The Architecture Practice Partner
Client-side OpenPGP encryption covering contents and metadata, keys that never leave the device, open-source apps audited by Securitum with the reports published, a public bug bounty up to USD 100,000, SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001, automatic versioning with rollback framed as ransomware recovery, ten years of version recovery on the paid plan, and SAML single sign-on plus organisation-level two-factor policy. The captured pages state plainly that data cannot be recovered if a password is misplaced, and we found no public information on key recovery for organisations or on the scope of the certifications. 2 3 4 13 15 16 8
The Tax Adviser
End-to-end encryption on all plans covers contents and metadata, stays on for sharing and collaborative editing, with OpenPGP and Curve25519 named, keys held on the device, a stated inability to decrypt or disclose, open-source apps, published Securitum audit reports, a public bug bounty and ISO 27001 plus SOC 2 Type II. The business risk is that a lost password makes data unrecoverable, and we found no public information on organisational key recovery; certification scope is also not detailed. 1 2 3 4 7 8 13 15 16
The Agency Producer
Every plan encrypts contents, names and other metadata on the device, keys never leave it, sharing stays end-to-end encrypted, the apps are open source, Securitum audit reports are published, a public bug bounty tops out at USD 100,000, SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 are stated, and admins can enforce two-factor and configure SAML. The terms state plainly that a misplaced password means data the company cannot recover, and we found no public information on organisation-level key recovery or restoring a whole account to a point in time, which is what keeps it from the top. 2 4 15 3 16 8 13
The Skeptic
Client-side encryption covers contents and metadata including file names, keys stay on the device, the scheme is named (OpenPGP, Curve25519), and sharing is stated to stay end-to-end encrypted with links generated locally. Independent Securitum audits with published reports, open-source apps, a public bug bounty capped at USD 100,000, ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II, SAML single sign-on, administrator-enforced two-factor, ten years of version recovery on paid plans and ransomware rollback put most of the top tier on the record. Two things hold me back from the last step: the certifications are stated without their scope, and no organisational key-recovery path is documented — the terms say plainly that the company has no ability to recover your data if you lose your password. 1 2 4 6 8 13 15 16
Administration, audit & governance
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How this is scored
What an administrator controls: an admin console with users, groups and roles, provisioning through Entra ID, Google or LDAP with SCIM, quotas per user or team, an audit log of logins, shares and file actions with export, retention policies and legal hold, data loss prevention or classification, device management with remote wipe and unlinking, policies for external sharing, account transfer when someone leaves, team folders that belong to the company rather than to a user, and reports on storage and sharing.
0 — No administration: every account is independent and nobody can manage the team's users or files.
3 — A team plan with an administrator who can invite and remove users; roles, audit log, retention and device controls are basic or not described.
5 — An admin console with users, groups and admin roles, quotas, an activity or audit log, policies for external sharing, file transfer when a user leaves, company-owned team folders, and remote unlinking of lost devices.
8 — Provisioning via SCIM or a directory (Entra ID, Google, LDAP), an exportable audit log covering logins, shares and file actions, retention policies and legal hold, remote wipe, IP or device restrictions, data classification or DLP, and integration with a SIEM.
10 — Governance a regulated organisation can sign off: granular delegated administration per department or tenant, retention and legal hold with eDiscovery export, DLP with content inspection, every admin and user action logged and streamed to a SIEM, and the audit log retention and completeness stated.
The IT Lead
SAML and SCIM configuration appear in the admin role matrix, which is what I need to provision accounts from Entra ID, alongside three admin roles (Organization, User, Security), an exportable activity monitor, per-user storage add/remove, and data retention controls. We found no public information on remote wipe or device unlinking for a lost laptop, team folders owned by the company rather than the user, transfer of a leaver's files (only emails are documented as transferable), external-sharing policies, legal hold, IP restrictions or SIEM streaming. 6 16 17
The Data Protection Officer
Three admin roles with a documented permission matrix covering SAML single sign-on, SCIM provisioning, data retention and an exportable activity monitor, plus member, group and storage management, give real delegated administration. We found no public information on external-sharing policies, legal hold, remote wipe, device or IP restrictions, data loss prevention or SIEM streaming, and the documented transfer path concerns emails rather than files. 16 17 3
The Architecture Practice Partner
Three admin roles — Organization, User and Security Admin — with group-based role assignment, SAML and SCIM configuration, an activity monitor that admins can read and export, member management with per-user storage added or removed, and data retention settings are documented on the Professional and Workspace plans. We found no public information on external-sharing policies, legal hold, remote wipe or device management, SIEM streaming, retention length of the activity record, or company-owned team folders for Drive. 16 17
The Tax Adviser
Three admin roles with a documented rights matrix, SAML and SCIM single sign-on configuration, member and group management with storage allocation, account transfer, and an activity monitor that admins can read and export. We found no public information on device management or remote wipe, retention policies for stored files, legal hold, or forwarding logs to a SIEM. 3 6 16 17
The Agency Producer
Three admin roles with a documented permission matrix, member add and removal — my freelancer-for-one-project workflow — per-user storage, groups, an activity monitor that admins can read and export, and SAML and SCIM configuration are all shown. We found no public information on remote wipe or device management, retention with legal hold, data classification or SIEM integration, and the pages do not describe how far the activity monitor reaches into logins, shares and file actions. 16 17
The Skeptic
Three admin roles come with a documented permission matrix covering SAML and SCIM configuration, an activity monitor with read and export, and data-retention management, and administrators manage members, groups, per-user storage and password resets. What that activity monitor actually records is not specified, and I found no public information on legal hold, remote wipe or device management, IP restrictions, data classification or DLP, or SIEM streaming. 16 17
Export, API & self-hosting
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How this is scored
Whether the files and their structure can leave and connect: a bulk export or download of all data with folders and versions, open protocols (WebDAV, S3, SFTP) usable for migration, a documented REST API and SDKs, webhooks, migration tools from Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive or a file server, integrations with office suites, Microsoft 365 and Teams, Slack, CRM and project tools, an app marketplace, open-source code, a self-hosted or on-premise edition, and deletion of data on termination.
0 — Files can only be downloaded one by one; no export, API or migration path.
3 — Files can be downloaded in bulk or as an archive; an API, migration tools, integrations and self-hosting are basic or not described.
5 — A documented API, bulk download of all files with the folder structure, a migration path from at least one named provider, integrations with named office and collaboration tools, and what happens to data after cancellation stated.
8 — A REST API with SDKs and webhooks, open-protocol access (WebDAV, S3 or SFTP) that makes migration tool-independent, migration tools in both directions or a supported migration service, an app marketplace, a self-hosted or on-premise edition, and deletion on termination under stated terms.
10 — The customer owns the data end to end: open-source code under a named licence that runs fully self-hosted with feature parity stated, a complete export including versions, shares and permissions in a documented format, and the deletion of every copy and backup on termination documented.
The IT Lead
An import path from Dropbox is documented, documents export to.docx,.html,.txt,.md and.pdf, a command-line tool automates workflows on Linux, macOS and Windows, and the data processing agreement states deletion of personal data when a service ceases, with copies to be requested before account deletion. We found no public information on a REST API with SDKs or webhooks, bulk export with folder structure, open-protocol (WebDAV, S3, SFTP) migration, an app marketplace, or a self-hosted edition. 9 10 18 19
The Data Protection Officer
Import from Dropbox is documented in one direction, documents export to.docx,.html,.txt,.md and.pdf, a command-line tool exists for automation, and the data processing agreement commits to deleting all customer personal data when a service ceases. We found no public information on a REST API, webhooks, bulk export preserving the folder structure, open-protocol access or a self-hosted edition, so leaving looks harder than arriving. 19 18 10 9 7
The Architecture Practice Partner
An import path from Dropbox is documented, documents export to.docx,.html,.txt,.md and.pdf, a command-line tool exists for Windows, macOS and Linux, and the data processing agreement says a copy of data must be requested before account deletion and that data is deleted when a service ceases. We found no public information on a documented REST API, SDKs or webhooks, open protocols such as WebDAV or S3 for migration, bulk export with folder structure and versions, or a self-hosted edition. 19 18 10 9
The Tax Adviser
A named import from Dropbox, document export to.docx,.html,.txt,.md and.pdf, a command-line tool on Windows, macOS and Linux, and contractual deletion of personal data when a service ends. We found no public information on a documented REST API, open-protocol access such as WebDAV for tool-independent migration, or a self-hosted edition. 9 10 17 18 19
The Agency Producer
There is a documented import path from Dropbox, documents export to.docx,.html,.txt,.md and.pdf, users can export personal data themselves, and the data processing agreement promises deletion of company data when a service ends. We found no public information on a REST API, SDKs or webhooks, open-protocol access like WebDAV or S3, a self-hosted edition, or connections to Slack and our project tools, so moving the archive out later is not shown to be tool-independent. 19 18 9 7
The Skeptic
A documented import path exists from Dropbox, documents export to.docx,.html,.txt,.md and.pdf, a command-line tool automates workflows, and the data processing agreement commits to deleting all company personal data when a service ends — while noting a copy of data must be requested before the account is deleted. I found no public information on a bulk export preserving folder structure and file versions, a REST API, SDKs or webhooks, open-protocol access, or a self-hosted edition. 9 10 18 19
European sovereignty
panel opinion
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How this is scored
Who the contracting entity and the parent company are, where files, metadata and backups are stored and processed, and who the subprocessors are (data centres, CDN, email that carries share notifications, support desk, payment, office editing). Independently sourced by the sovereignty pipeline; files hold the company's documents and personal data, so the whole chain counts, not only the storage. End-to-end encryption with keys only the customer holds reduces what a foreign provider could hand over but does not change who the provider is. A self-hosted edition the customer runs on its own European servers counts as the customer's chain, whatever the vendor's seat.
0 — Non-EU vendor and contracting entity, storage location unstated, subprocessors unnamed, and no data processing agreement offered.
3 — A privacy policy and a data processing agreement exist, but the storage location is unstated or non-EU and the subprocessors are not listed.
5 — EU storage available and an EU contracting entity or EU representative, but parts of the chain (account data, metadata, notifications, support, office editing, payment) run through non-EU providers without a stated safeguard, or the parent company is subject to non-EU disclosure laws.
8 — EU storage on named data centres, EU or EEA or Swiss contracting entity, subprocessors listed with their locations, a data processing agreement published, and security certifications (ISO 27001, BSI C5, SOC 2) stated — or a self-hosted edition documented that keeps every file on the customer's own servers.
10 — Sovereign end to end and evidenced: European ownership, entity, storage and every subprocessor, or a self-hosted open-source edition with no call home, data export and deletion documented, and certifications published with their scope rather than implied.
The IT Lead
Proton AG is the contracting entity under Swiss law with a Geneva address, files sit on self-owned hardware in data centres in Switzerland and Germany with biometric access, a GDPR data processing agreement is published with a Luxembourg EU representative, and transfers are limited to Switzerland, the EU and adequacy countries. The public subprocessor list names support and payment providers in the United States, United Kingdom, Taiwan and Macedonia, each with stated safeguards such as standard contractual clauses, so the chain is strongly European for the files but not European end to end. 4 7 8 9
The Data Protection Officer
The contracting entity is Proton AG in Plan-les-Ouates under Swiss law, storage runs on self-owned hardware in data centres in Switzerland and Germany with biometric access, a GDPR data processing agreement is published, transfers are limited to Switzerland, the EU and adequacy countries, and a Luxembourg representative is named. The subprocessor list is published with locations, but support and payment run through United States processors, with standard contractual clauses and data processing agreements stated as safeguards. I stop one step short of the top because those links of the chain are not European and no self-hosted edition is documented. 7 4 9 8 3 1
The Architecture Practice Partner
Proton AG in Plan-les-Ouates, Switzerland is the contracting entity, supervised by a Swiss non-profit foundation, with self-owned data centres in Switzerland and Germany, disclosure only to binding requests from competent Swiss authorities, a Luxembourg GDPR representative, a published data processing agreement, and ISO 27001 and SOC 2 stated. The privacy policy names each subprocessor with its location and transfer safeguards, but payment and support processors such as Stripe, PayPal and Zendesk process in the United States, so the chain is not European end to end. 4 7 8 9 3
The Tax Adviser
Proton AG in Geneva under the non-profit Proton Foundation stores files on its own hardware in Switzerland and Germany, Swiss law prohibits disclosure to foreign authorities, a GDPR data processing agreement with standard contractual clauses is published, the EU representative sits in Luxembourg, and certifications are stated. The subprocessor list is published with locations, but payment and support run through US providers such as Stripe, PayPal, Zendesk and Hubspot under contractual safeguards, so the chain is not wholly European. 1 3 4 7 8 9
The Agency Producer
The contracting entity is Proton AG in Geneva, files sit on the company's own hardware in Switzerland and Germany with biometric data-centre access, disclosure only to competent Swiss authorities is stated, subprocessors are listed with locations and transfer safeguards, a GDPR data processing agreement is published, an EU representative in Luxembourg is named, and ISO 27001 and SOC 2 are stated. Payment through Stripe, PayPal and Chargebee and support through Zendesk and Atlassian run partly in the United States — listed with standard contractual clauses — so the chain is strong but not European end to end. 4 7 9 3 8
The Skeptic
The contracting entity is Proton AG in Geneva under the supervision of the Swiss Proton Foundation, storage runs on the company's own hardware in Switzerland and Germany, and disclosure is limited to binding Swiss requests, with Swiss law said to prohibit sharing with foreign authorities. Subprocessors are listed with locations and transfer safeguards — though payment (Stripe, Chargebee, PayPal) and support (Zendesk, Hubspot) run through US providers under standard contractual clauses, with support also in Macedonia and Taiwan — and a data processing agreement is published that limits transfers to adequacy countries. The non-European payment and support chain, and ISO 27001 and SOC 2 stated without published scope, keep this short of fully sovereign. 1 3 4 7 9
Pricing transparency
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How this is scored
Whether a buyer can compute the real annual cost from public pages alone: price per user or per plan, storage included per user or pooled, the minimum number of users, what extra storage costs, which features (end-to-end encryption, SSO, audit log, longer version history, data residency, advanced admin) need a higher tier or an add-on, the free tier and its limits, lifetime offers and their terms, the self-hosted edition's licence and support, minimum term and VAT.
0 — No public prices at all; every customer is a sales call.
3 — A starting price or a free tier exists, but how cost scales with users, storage or features is unclear.
5 — Business tiers are public with their price per user and storage included, but at least one commonly needed piece (extra storage, SSO, audit log, data residency, minimum users) is unpriced or "on request".
8 — Every tier priced publicly with its scaling rule (users, storage), extra storage and add-ons priced, minimum users and term stated, the self-hosted edition's licence and support cost stated, and VAT treatment stated.
10 — Complete price computability: annual cost derivable for a given team size, storage need and feature set, with every add-on, migration, support and overage fee and the cancellation and data-return terms published.
The IT Lead
Drive Professional is shown at "€9.99 €7.99/month" with 1 TB per user, Drive Plus at €47.88 every 12 months with 200 GB and ten-year version recovery, a free tier exists with a stated limit of three editor sharing links, business plans get reverse-charge VAT treatment, and there is a 30-day money-back guarantee with published refund limits. Extra storage, minimum seat counts and any enterprise tier are unpriced, and admin roles are documented only as available on Professional and higher, so I cannot compute a real 180-seat annual cost from the public pages alone. 2 6 8 12 16
The Data Protection Officer
The business tier is published at €9.99 shown as €7.99 per user per month with 1 TB per user, consumer plans carry exact annual totals, the free tier and its three-editor-link limit are described, and VAT treatment and the 30-day refund terms are stated. We found no public information on the price of extra storage, minimum user numbers or an enterprise tier, so the annual cost of a growing team is not fully computable from the public pages. 6 2 8 13 12
The Architecture Practice Partner
Drive Professional is published at €9.99 €7.99 per month per user with 1 TB per user, consumer tiers carry exact totals such as €47.88 every 12 months for 200 GB, a free tier exists, and VAT reverse charge for business plans plus 30-day refund terms and monthly, yearly or bi-yearly cycles are stated. We found no public information on extra storage pricing, a minimum user count, or the price of the Enterprise tier, so I cannot compute a complete annual cost for the practice. 6 2 8 16
The Tax Adviser
Drive Professional is public at "€9.99 €7.99/month" with 1 TB per user, consumer plans at €47.88 and €119.88 every 12 months with storage stated, a free tier with a three-editor-link limit, monthly to bi-yearly cycles, a 30-day refund and documented reverse-charge VAT for business plans. Extra storage, the enterprise tier and nonprofit discounts are handled by contacting sales, and we found no public information on a minimum number of seats. 2 6 8 12 13 17
The Agency Producer
Drive Professional is public at €9.99 per user per month discounted to €7.99 with 1 TB per user, consumer plans show exact billed totals such as €47.88 every 12 months for 200 GB, and billing cycles, the 30-day refund and business VAT treatment are all stated. We found no public information on what extra storage costs, on a minimum number of seats, or on any price for the Enterprise plan the admin-roles page names — so when one shoot fills the terabyte, I cannot compute the bill from the pages alone. 6 2 8 16
The Skeptic
Drive Professional is listed at €7.99/month per user (regular €9.99) with 1 TB per user, consumer plans carry explicit annual totals ("Billed at €47.88 every 12 months" for Drive Plus, €119.88 for Unlimited), a free tier exists with a three-editor-link limit, and the terms spell out the 30-day refund with its limits, business reverse-charge VAT treatment and the billing cycles. I found no public price for extra storage or the enterprise tier, and no stated minimum number of users, so a buyer cannot fully compute cost at scale. 2 6 8 12
European sovereignty — proven facts
0 of 6 dimensions provenBuilt only from facts shown on the vendor's own pages. A dimension we could not prove is left open, not scored as zero.
| Legal entity | Not determined ⚠ unverified | — | uncited Report an error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting location | Not determined ⚠ unverified | — | uncited Report an error |
| Hosting options | Not determined | — | uncited Report an error |
| Open source | Not determined | — | uncited Report an error |
| Data processing agreement | Not determined ⚠ unverified | — | uncited Report an error |
| Transfer impact assessment | Not determined | — | uncited Report an error |
Questions about Proton Drive
Is Proton Drive European?
Yes, though not from the EU. whats-best.ai classifies Proton Drive as UK / wider Europe.
Where does Proton Drive store data?
Not stated on the vendor’s pages as of 1 Nov 2026.
Does Proton Drive have a free plan?
Yes. Proton Drive has a free plan, per the vendor’s page captured 1 Nov 2026.
What are the best alternatives to Proton Drive?
As of 1 Nov 2026, the panel rates Nextcloud Files (Nextcloud Hub) (4/5), Tresorit (3.5/5) and DRACOON (3/5) highest among the other 13 Cloud Storage & File Sharing products evaluated. The highest-rated European alternative is Nextcloud Files (Nextcloud Hub) (EU-Made). Ratings are the AI panel’s opinion, formed from public evidence: how scores are made. The full list, with European products first: Proton Drive alternatives.
Where this could be wrong
- Evidence ages. The oldest capture behind this page is from 1 Nov 2026. Vendors change pricing and policies without notice; every fact reflects its source as of the capture date shown in the registry.
- Weak sourcing — Hosting location, Legal entity, Data processing agreement. Not confirmed on the vendor’s own pages as captured.
- AI can misread a source. Extraction and judgement are automated; a citation guarantees traceability, not infallibility. If something here is wrong, say so — no account needed, every report is decided within 5 business days, and accepted corrections are published.
What we left out
A claim that does not survive our checks costs us the claim, not the page. This is what was taken off this one.
- 9 product facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material. Know more? Tell us
- 8 pricing facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material. Know more? Tell us
- 4 legal facts could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and were left out of this page and of the panel’s material. Know more? Tell us
- 1 compliance fact could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and was left out of this page and of the panel’s material. Know more? Tell us
- 1 subprocessors fact could not be confirmed on the vendor’s page as captured and was left out of this page and of the panel’s material. Know more? Tell us
- 3 sovereignty dimensions could not be confirmed on the vendor’s own pages and are shown as unknown. Know more? Tell us
- 6 of the readings below were written against an earlier fact sheet — a fact has been corrected, added or pulled since. Until the panel next runs on this product you are reading the older judgement. Know more? Tell us
Sources (20)
The pages every claim on this page was read from — each one checked, dated, and kept verifiable.
- 1 Vendor homepage (Proton Drive for business) proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 2 Features page (Proton Drive) proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 3 Security / trust page (business data security) proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 4 Security / trust page proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 5 Documentation (end-to-end encryption) proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 6 Pricing page proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 7 Privacy policy proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 8 Terms of service proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 9 Data processing agreement (dpa) proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 10 Sync, clients & file access — found from sitemap proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 11 Sync, clients & file access — found from sitemap proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 12 Sharing & external collaboration — found from sitemap proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 13 Sharing & external collaboration — found from sitemap proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 14 Encryption, key custody & recovery — found from sitemap proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 15 Encryption, key custody & recovery — found from sitemap proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 16 Administration, audit & governance — found from sitemap proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 17 Administration, audit & governance — found from sitemap proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 18 Export, API & self-hosting — found from sitemap proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 19 Export, API & self-hosting — found from sitemap proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →
- 20 Legal notice — found from the homepage proton.me Checked 1 Nov 2026 Details →