Realistically, the internet is probably one of the last places that a user can expect privacy, as we are constantly surveilled by multiple watchers, such as our browser, the ISP, our email, and the government. From this reality, back in 2014, Proton came out of a meeting of multiple scientists that met at CERN, that perhaps not coincidentally was the birthplace of the World Wide Web back in 1991.
Proton took the stance that users should not need to hand over so much personal data just to use the internet, and should be able to take back this privacy. Aligning with this goal, Proton indicates that it does not sell its 100 million user’s data, either to advertisers nor to third parties.
In addition to Proton Drive (opens in new tab), this company offers other services, including Proton VPN (opens in new tab), Proton Mail (opens in new tab), and Proton Calendar (opens in new tab). It also has an encrypted password manager, currently in beta, Proton Pass.
Proton Drive: Features
True to its roots at CERN, Proton remains based out of Switzerland. The benefit of this for worldwide users is that Swiss privacy laws are among the strongest globally, making Proton Drive a stable and secure offering.
Following the raison d’etre for Proton Drive is its robust security measures. Built upon the same foundation as Proton Mail, well known for its end-to-end encryption (opens in new tab), Proton Drive ensures that your files remain secure and private. The service employs zero-access encryption, which means that only the user possesses the encryption keys. This ensures that even Proton Mail cannot access your data. With data breaches becoming increasingly common each day, Proton Drive’s focus on privacy and security is the major advantage of this storage service compared with other solutions.
Collaboration (opens in new tab) is yet another advantage of modern cloud storage (opens in new tab), with Proton Drive delivering in this area. This allows users to share files and folders with individuals or groups, providing complete and granular control over permissions and access levels. Collaborators can view, edit, or comment on shared files, enabling cooperation that is seamless. Version history and file activity logs further enhance this collaboration. This allows users to track changes and revert to previous versions in case they are needed. These features make Proton Drive suitable as both a personal and a professional tool, facilitating smooth teamwork and efficient file sharing.
Proton Drive has availability on multiple platforms, including web, PC, and mobile devices. This cross-platform compatibility ensures that users can access their files seamlessly from whatever device that they are on. The desktop and mobile applications are thoughtfully designed, offering a consistent user experience across these different platforms. Additionally, Proton Drive integrates well with popular productivity tools (opens in new tab) such as Microsoft 365 (opens in new tab) and Google Workspace (opens in new tab), further enhancing its versatility and usability.
As would be expected from such a polished application, Proton Drive takes data redundancy seriously to protect your files. It utilizes an advanced storage infrastructure, employing redundant servers, and a variety of data replication techniques. This approach minimizes the risk of data loss and therefore enhances reliability. Moreover, Proton Drive maintains this with regular backups, providing an added layer of protection that safeguards your valuable data.
Proton Drive: Pricing
Proton Drive offers multiple tiers to cover a variety of needs. We appreciate that there is a free tier, and not a time limited trial. The shortcoming of this is that the storage data is limited to 1 GB, which is significantly less than what other cloud providers allow on the free tier, for example Microsoft OneDrive (opens in new tab), which has 5 GB.
For those that need more storage, this means that they need to upgrade to a free tier. The free tier functions as the free tier, as there is no dedicated free trial of the paid tiers, although there is a 30-day money back guarantee.
The lower of the paid tiers has an allotment of 200 GB of data. The pricing starts at $4.99/month, which can be discounted to $3.99/month when paid annually, or an even lower $3.49/month when paid for 24 months in advance. It includes the end-to-end encryption, so secure that not even Proton can see it, and also priority support.
There is also a higher paid tier of Proton Drive, with 500 GB of data. This not only includes the priority support, but also access to the entire Proton ecosystem, with paid versions of Proton Calendar, and Proton Proton VPN and Proton Mail all included. The cost for all of this, does go up to $11.99/month, or $9.99/month for the year, or $7.99/month, which is more than reasonable considering that this is in the neighborhood of what you could pay for just the VPN alone without the additional services.
Proton Drive: Support
Proton does offer support, but the options are limited for direct contact. We did not find a phone, fax, or chat option, which we would have liked to see at least one of them. The option we did find for direct support is a support portal, and there it does at least have a direct email address. It is stated that it is 24/7 support, and Proton does emphasize that privacy (opens in new tab) is paramount, even with a support query, and indicate how to contact them directly and securely via Proton Mail for a sensitive issue.
The rest of the support is self help, with a searchable database (opens in new tab) of articles that address concerns.
Proton Drive: Final verdict
Proton Drive is a stand out for its emphasis on security, ease of use, collaboration features, and cross-platform compatibility. With its robust encryption, intuitive interface, free tier and competitive pricing, it stands out in the crowded cloud storage market.
Whether you are an individual user looking for a secure storage solution or a team seeking efficient collaboration tools, Proton Drive offers a compelling package. As Proton Drive continues to evolve and innovate, it is poised to become a trusted and go-to choice for users prioritizing privacy and security in their cloud storage needs.
