Best Google Drive Alternative 2026: 5 Options That Don't Spy on You

Google Drive has 3 billion users. That's not a boast—it's a threat surface. Every document you write, every spreadsheet you share, every photo you upload is indexed, analyzed, and used to train Google's models and refine its ad targeting. Google's terms of service grant them a broad license to use your content for these purposes. This isn't a conspiracy theory; it's in the ToS.

The good news: there are now genuinely good alternatives. End-to-end encryption (E2EE) used to mean slow, clunky apps with poor sync. That's no longer true. The services below all offer real E2EE (meaning even the provider can't read your files), and most of them are actively pleasant to use.

One distinction that matters here: zero-knowledge encryption means the provider genuinely cannot read your files because the encryption keys only exist on your devices. Not all cloud storage providers that claim "encryption" are actually zero-knowledge—some encrypt files at rest but hold the keys themselves, which means they can decrypt on demand. Every service in this list is either zero-knowledge by design or self-hosted (meaning you control the server).

1. Proton Drive

Best for Most People

Proton Drive is what happens when the team that built ProtonMail applies the same principles to file storage. Swiss jurisdiction, zero-knowledge encryption, open-source clients, and now a desktop sync app that actually works. For a few years Proton Drive was the obvious choice in theory but rough in practice—the sync client was buggy and the mobile apps were slow. That's no longer the case.

The 1 GB free tier is genuinely usable for documents and small files. If you're already paying for ProtonMail, upgrading to Proton Unlimited ($9.99/month) gives you 500 GB of storage shared across Drive, Mail, and the VPN—which makes the per-dollar value excellent.

The encryption scheme is solid and documented. Files are encrypted client-side before upload using your keys, derived from your password. Even if Proton receives a legal request, they cannot hand over the content of your files. They can hand over metadata (file sizes, timestamps, that files exist)—but not contents.

The catch: No real-time collaboration like Google Docs. You can share files and folders, but there's no co-editing a document with someone in real time. Proton Docs exists but it's still early. If your workflow depends on simultaneous editing, Proton Drive isn't there yet. The free tier's 1 GB also fills up fast if you use it for photos.

2. Tresorit

Best for Teams and Businesses

Tresorit has been around since 2013 and it shows—in a good way. The apps are polished, the sync is reliable, and the sharing and collaboration features are the most mature of any E2EE cloud storage provider. If you need to share a folder with colleagues, set granular permissions, enforce DLP (data loss prevention) policies, or manage a team's storage centrally, Tresorit handles it properly.

For individuals, Tresorit Personal at $10.42/month (billed annually) is pricier than Proton Drive but gives you 1 TB of storage with excellent desktop and mobile apps. For businesses, the team and business plans include admin controls, audit logs, and GDPR compliance tooling that enterprise IT departments actually care about.

Tresorit is also unusual in that it's been independently audited by MIT and published a white paper on its encryption architecture. For people who want to verify claims rather than take them on faith, that documentation matters.

The catch: It's the most expensive option for individuals. No free tier—just the 14-day trial. Not open source. If you're a solo user who just wants to move files away from Google without paying a premium, Tresorit is probably more than you need. It shines for teams.

3. Nextcloud (Self-Hosted)

Best Self-Hosted Option Without Dedicated Hardware

Nextcloud is the kitchen-sink option. It's not just file storage—it's a full self-hosted collaboration platform with calendar, contacts, notes, video calls, a Kanban board, document editing, and about 200 apps in its ecosystem. If you've ever wanted Google Workspace but without Google, this is it.

The software is free. The cost is a server to run it on. A basic VPS (virtual private server) from Hetzner, Contabo, or DigitalOcean runs $5–15/month and gives you a cloud server you control entirely. There's no third-party company reading your files—it's just your server. Setup takes a few hours if you're comfortable with a Linux terminal, less if you use a managed Nextcloud provider like Hetzner Managed Nextcloud or Nextcloud's own hosted offering.

One thing to get right: Nextcloud supports end-to-end encryption through its E2EE app plugin, but it needs to be enabled and configured. By default, files are encrypted at rest on the server but the server holds the keys. Enable the E2EE plugin for folders containing sensitive data.

The catch: You become your own IT department. Updates, backups, security patches—that's on you. If you go down, there's no support line to call. Nextcloud also isn't zero-knowledge by default, and the E2EE plugin has historically had some rough edges. Non-technical users should use a managed Nextcloud hosting provider rather than rolling their own from scratch.

4. Synology Drive

Best Self-Hosted Option With a NAS

Synology Drive is the software suite that turns a Synology NAS into a full Google Drive replacement. If you've already got a NAS or are willing to buy one, the ongoing cost is essentially zero. You own the hardware, you own the data, and you pay nothing per month beyond electricity and the occasional drive replacement.

The Synology Drive client is genuinely good. Desktop sync works reliably across Windows, Mac, and Linux. The mobile apps handle photo backup cleanly. You can share files via links, set expiry dates and passwords on shares, version files automatically, and access everything remotely through Synology's QuickConnect relay or via a direct VPN to your home network.

The recommended entry-point NAS for most people is the Synology DS224+ or DS923+. These are 2-bay or 4-bay devices that support RAID redundancy, so a single drive failure doesn't mean data loss. Pair with WD Red or Seagate IronWolf drives for NAS-optimized performance.

Recommended Hardware

Synology NAS (DS224+ / DS923+)

2-bay or 4-bay NAS for home/office use. Runs Synology Drive, Photos, and more. One-time purchase, no monthly fees.

View on Amazon →

We covered the full setup process in the NAS photo replacement guide, which also applies to Synology Drive setup.

The catch: You need the hardware, which means upfront cost ($200–500+ for a NAS, then $40–100+ per drive). It's not zero-knowledge encryption—Synology's software could read your files. If your threat model includes physical seizure of your hardware, add an encrypted share on the NAS using Synology's eCryptfs volume encryption. Remote access requires either using Synology's QuickConnect relay (Synology's servers relay the traffic) or setting up your own VPN—the latter being preferable for privacy purists.

5. Filen

Best Free Tier / Most Affordable Paid

Filen is the underdog here and deserves more attention than it gets. It's the only service on this list that offers zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption at this price point: $2.99/month for 200 GB. Proton Drive charges $3.99 for the same storage, and Tresorit is nearly four times the price.

Filen is a smaller company based in Germany, which means GDPR compliance and European data protection law apply. The code is fully open source—both the client apps and the server. This matters: you can verify their encryption claims rather than taking them on faith, and the self-hosting option means you can run your own Filen server if you want complete control.

The free tier gives 10 GB, which is genuinely usable for documents. Filen also runs a referral program where you can earn additional free storage, and they occasionally run lifetime plan promotions that make it the cheapest encrypted cloud storage available by a wide margin.

The apps are solid. Desktop sync is reliable. Mobile apps support automatic photo/video backup. File sharing works. The feature set isn't as broad as Nextcloud or Tresorit—no calendar, no contacts, no document collaboration—but as a pure Google Drive replacement for file storage and sync, it does the job well.

The catch: Filen is smaller than Proton or Tresorit, which means less track record and a smaller team to handle issues. The server infrastructure and long-term sustainability are less certain than with an established player. They don't have Proton's Swiss legal protections (German law, while good, has different data retention requirements). And unlike Tresorit, there's no real team collaboration feature set for businesses.

Side-by-Side Comparison

How to Actually Move Away from Google Drive

The hardest part of leaving Google Drive isn't picking an alternative—it's moving years of files. Here's the fastest path:

Which One Should You Actually Pick?

If you want the simplest answer: Proton Drive. Especially if you're already using or planning to use ProtonMail. The encryption is solid, the apps work, and the pricing becomes excellent if you bundle it into the Proton Unlimited plan. It's not perfect—the collaboration features aren't Google Docs—but it's the least friction way to get your files off Google's servers.

If you're on a budget and privacy is the primary concern: Filen. Ten gigabytes free, $2.99/month for 200 GB, fully open source, zero-knowledge. The fact that it's not as well-known as Proton shouldn't be disqualifying—the code is auditable and the encryption is real.

If you're technical and don't want to pay monthly: Nextcloud on a VPS. A $5/month Hetzner CX22 plus Nextcloud gives you more functionality than Google Workspace, 20+ GB of storage, and complete data ownership. It's the most work to set up, but the most rewarding to run.

If you already own or are planning to buy a NAS: Synology Drive. The combination of Google Photos replacement (Synology Photos) and Drive replacement in one box, with no ongoing subscription fees, is hard to beat. See the full NAS setup guide for the photo side of things.

For a broader look at replacing all of your Google services, not just Drive, the complete DeGoogle guide covers every service with the same level of practical detail.