Proton Expands its Encrypted Cloud Storage Service to Mac Users

Proton, the Swiss company known for its emphasis on privacy, has recently broadened its service offerings by introducing its end-to-end encrypted cloud storage, Proton Drive, to Mac users. This expansion follows the service's earlier availability on Windows, marking a significant step in Proton's journey towards offering secure and private digital solutions.

Proton's Journey Beyond Email

Proton, established around nine years ago, initially gained attention with Proton Mail, its secure alternative to Gmail. However, the company has since diversified its offerings, venturing into services like VPNs, password management, calendars, and now cloud storage.

Proton Drive, first introduced on the web in September, followed by mobile apps in December and Windows in July, is now fully cross-platform. This integration allows users to sync their data across various devices, offering an encrypted alternative to popular services like Google Drive and Apple's iCloud.

Enhanced Privacy Features for Cloud Storage

A key feature of Proton Drive is its default encryption of all data, including metadata and file names. This contrasts with Apple's iCloud, where end-to-end encryption is available but requires manual activation by the user. Proton Drive ensures that all files and folders are encrypted by default, enhancing the privacy and security of user data.

Flexible Storage Options and Future Plans

Proton Drive offers 1GB of free storage, with additional storage and features available through paid plans starting at $4 per month. These plans include up to 200GB of storage and the ability to automatically save previous file versions for up to a decade.

Currently, the Mac version of Proton Drive only supports synchronization of files stored in the Proton Drive folder, but there are plans to extend this to any local folder. While most Proton applications have been open-sourced for transparency and security inspections, the Mac app for Proton Drive remains closed-source for now, with promises of becoming open-source in the future.

Linux users anticipating Proton Drive can expect the service to be available eventually, as indicated by Proton, but it remains a long-term goal on the company's development roadmap.

Proton has extended its encrypted cloud storage service, Proton Drive, to Mac users, strengthening its portfolio of privacy-focused digital solutions.