Proton Drive Review 2026: Is It Worth the Price?

Proton Drive is an excellent privacy-focused cloud storage service. It’s got a clean interface, is packed with useful features, and the end-to-end encryption ensures your data stays yours.

That said, it can be a little pricey compared to its competitors. In this article, I’ll break down everything you need to know about Proton Drive — including my testing experience, Proton Drive pricing and features, and more — so you can decide if it's the right cloud storage service for you.

Proton Drive review at a glance

Starts at	$2.99/mo
Free plan	Yes — 5 GB
Storage space	5 GB — 3 TB
Encryption	AES-256
Local storage	Yes
Details	Get Proton Drive

Star rating summary

We last tested Proton Drive on March 11, 2026.

Our experience with Proton Drive

Overall, I had a good experience with Proton Drive. The cloud storage service is impressively easy to use, with a solid feature set and some genuinely useful extras.

Initial setup is quick. I just downloaded the app and signed in. Once installed, I got a folder on my device, and any files I added to it synced in real-time to the cloud and could be accessed from the web or another device with Proton Drive installed.

The web app is very clean, and all features are in the places you’d expect (which, unfortunately, isn't the case with every cloud storage service).

Compared to the competition, Proton Drive is pretty expensive. I’ve found you can get a lot more storage for your money with Google Drive or iCloud. However, Proton’s higher-tier plans include not only Drive but also Proton VPN, Proton Pass, Proton Mail, and other tools.

If you’re at all interested in these additional services, Proton Drive becomes a much better value. And, of course, the privacy features are outstanding. Learn more about Proton Drive’s bundled security software in our Proton VPN review and Proton Pass review.

Getting started

Getting set up with Proton Drive is simple. Once I created my account, I just downloaded the app to my devices and signed in. The service started syncing in the background automatically.

Important: When you sign up, you’ll be prompted to download a Recovery Kit. Make sure you do this! Because of Proton’s zero-knowledge architecture, you’ll need the information in this kit to regain access to your data if you lose access to your account (e.g., by forgetting your password). You can do this after the fact from your account settings, but it’s easier to just do it up front.

The desktop app is fairly basic. It’s really just a synced folder (which, to be fair, is all you need). But the web interface is excellent. It’s snappy and easy to use, with everything laid out logically. I could view my files in a list or grid format, and there are tabs for photos and shared files. I had no issues navigating the app.

File storage and organization

Adding files to Proton Drive is as simple as dragging and dropping. You can also use the upload button in the Proton Drive web app. Once the files are in Proton Drive, you can organize them using folders.

Proton Drive also has a dedicated photo section. If you upload photos to this area, they’ll be organized automatically by date, and you can create albums to further group them. Just be aware that photos in your regular files are not automatically added to this Photos section — you need to upload them here (or let the mobile app automatically sync them from your phone).

Syncing and sharing files

Proton Drive handles file syncing automatically, and it works just as you’d expect. The only thing to note here is that it can be a little slower than other services — this is because files are encrypted on your device before being uploaded to the cloud.

Proton Drive also offers easy file sharing, with options for sharing directly with other Proton users or with anyone via a public link. Sharing works well and is very easy to enable and disable.

Proton Drive prices and plans

Proton Drive’s plans are pretty straightforward. The differences between tiers are clear, so it’s easy to decide which plan you need. Prices range from free to $23.99/mo. You do get a pretty significant discount if you pay for an entire year at once, so keep that in mind.

In general, at any given tier, you’ll pay a bit more for the amount of storage you’re getting than you would with competitors, but the higher tiers (Unlimited and above) include a significant number of additional features, including Proton VPN, Proton Pass, and Proton Mail.

Proton also offers a special deal on Drive Plus, where you can try out premium cloud storage for only $1/first mo (renews at $4.99/mo).

Plan	Free	Drive Plus	Proton Unlimited	Proton Duo	Proton Family
Lowest annual price	Free	$2.99/mo	$9.99/mo	$14.99/mo	$23.99/mo
Storage space	5 GB	200 GB	500 GB	2 TB	3 TB
Number of users	1	1	1	2	6
Recover previous file versions
Local storage
Secure sharing
Secure file deletion
Device syncing
File organization
Proton Mail custom email addresses	None	None	15	30	30
Proton VPN
Proton Pass password manager
Proton Sentinel advanced account protection
Details	View Plan	View Plan	View Plan	View Plan	View Plan

Compared to competitors, Proton Drive offers much less storage for your money. For example, Google Drive and iCloud offer 2 TB for $9.99/mo (less if you pay annually). The extras in Proton Unlimited and above make them attractive to users interested in other Proton services. But I love that Proton offers Drive-only plans without the extras. I only wish the Plus plan offered an option to purchase more storage.

Proton Drive does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you cancel within 30 days of signup, you’ll receive a prorated refund. This lets you try out the service relatively risk-free, though a full refund would be preferable.

Proton Drive features

Proton Drive handles the basics of cloud storage very well. Let’s break it down by feature.

Local and cloud storage

Proton Drive lets you create files for offline use. On your device, simply right-click and select Make Available Offline. This is very handy for situations where you may not have steady internet access but still need to access your files (think long road trips). You can also click Online Only to free up local storage space.

If you cancel your subscription, your account is downgraded to the free tier, which has a 5 GB limit. If you exceed this limit, your files remain accessible, but you won’t be able to upload anything new. After 12 months, excess data may be deleted.

File sharing

Sharing files with Proton is simple. Simply right-click the file you want to share and click Share. You can then choose to share with specific people or via a public link. You can set permissions to allow editing files or limit them to read-only access.

For links, you can also set a password or an automatic expiration date. Sharing permissions can be revoked at any time. Your shared files are visible in a special Shared section of the web app. There’s also a dedicated section for files that have been shared with you.

Secure file deletion

Secure file deletion is essentially a digital shredder for your files. While you might clear files from Trash, they can (in theory) still be accessed by someone who gains access to a cloud storage company’s servers. Secure file deletion prevents this.

Proton Drive does not offer this “digital shredder” option. However, since your files are fully encrypted, no one would be able to read them even if they remained on the servers after deletion — not even Proton. For that reason, I consider files deleted from Proton Drive secure.

Extras

Proton Drive includes a handful of useful extras that go beyond standard cloud storage. Proton Docs and Proton Sheets are built-in document and spreadsheet editors that let you create and edit files directly in the browser — a handy alternative to Google Docs or Microsoft 365 for users who don't want to sacrifice privacy for productivity. 

It's worth noting that both tools are available in limited form on mobile, so you'll need the web app for the full feature set. 

Proton Drive also requires you to download a Recovery Kit when you first sign up — and it's worth taking seriously. Because of Proton's zero-knowledge architecture, this kit is the only way to regain access to your data if you lose your account credentials, so make sure you store it somewhere safe.

Is Proton Drive safe to use?

Proton Drive is one of the safest cloud storage options on the market. Your data is encrypted end-to-end, meaning it is fully encrypted at all points until you open the file on your device. Not even Proton can read your files. The company has not suffered any known data breaches that exposed user files.

In addition to strong encryption, Proton’s servers are highly secure. The company’s servers are based in Switzerland and Germany, and the facilities are highly secure. The server architecture is designed to ensure your data remains secure even if the physical server itself is compromised or stolen.

Proton Drive compatibility

Proton Drive has native apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. There’s also a very nice web interface for interacting with your files. Proton Docs and Sheets are available in limited form on mobile, but you’ll need to use the web app for the full feature set. There’s also a native Linux app in development, which is always a nice touch.

Proton Drive customer support

Proton Drive offers three main ways of getting support: online guides, a support ticket system, and direct email support. The online guides are very thorough, and there are a lot of them — I looked up several questions and easily found answers. I also submitted a question via the support ticket system and received a helpful and polite response within a couple of hours.

Technically, Proton also offers live chat support, but it isn’t accessible anywhere in Drive. The only way to get to it is through the Proton VPN interface, and you need a Proton VPN subscription. This means it’s only accessible for customers on Unlimited or higher plans (these include Proton VPN). This seems like a big oversight to me.

Proton Drive user reviews

• Apple’s App Store rating: 4.0
• Google Play Store rating: 4.0
• Trustpilot rating: 3.5

Proton Drive as a service is generally well reviewed. Most users find the service works well for the basics and appreciate the privacy features. The most common complaints I saw seem to revolve around bugs with mobile apps or with areas where the service falls short of competitors. Proton Drive doesn’t offer a search function across all platforms, specifically, mobile apps for Android and iOS. Only the web app allows for file searches.

Top alternatives

If you decide Proton Drive isn’t for you, you’ve got plenty of other options. Some of our favorites include NordLocker, Dropbox, and Total Drive. 

NordLocker

NordLocker is a great choice for users who want to bundle with Nord’s other security software, like NordVPN.

Learn more in our NordLocker review.

Dropbox

Dropbox wasn’t technically the first cloud storage provider, but it was the one that brought the concept to the masses. It remains an excellent option for both personal and business use.

Learn more in our Dropbox review.

Total Drive

Total Drive is an easy-to-use, secure alternative because it offers 10 TB for one low annual price. It's a good pick for individuals who want a lot of storage without breaking the bank.

Learn more in our Total Drive review.

Bottom line: Is Proton Drive good?

In short — yes, Proton Drive is good. If you’re at all concerned about data privacy, Proton Drive is one of the best options on the market, with strong encryption and server security practices. It also has a competitive feature set, with an easy-to-use web app and tools like Proton Docs and Proton Sheets.

The main downside to Proton Drive is the cost-to-storage ratio. You’ll almost always get more storage for your money with other providers. The upshot is that many Proton plans bundle additional services, such as Proton VPN, Proton Pass, and Proton Mail.

For users who value privacy or are interested in these extra services, Proton Drive is an excellent choice. However, if you’re only concerned with good value for cloud storage, you might want to consider alternatives like Google Drive or NordLocker.

Proton Drive FAQs