Internxt vs iCloud
Internxt is a European alternative to iCloud: same cloud & hosting use case, headquartered in Spain and governed by EU GDPR, while iCloud (Apple) is based in the United States.
By the EU Alternatives team Last updated
Open-source cloud storage with zero-knowledge encryption, post-quantum security, and complete privacy. Access Drive, Mail, VPN, and more with GDPR compliance.
- Jurisdiction
- EU / EEA
- Primary privacy law
- EU GDPR
- US CLOUD Act exposure
- No
- Open source
- Yes
- Free tier
- Yes
iCloud is the sync layer holding Apple devices together, covering photos, files, device backups, passwords and Find My. Every account gets 5 GB free, which fills almost immediately, with paid iCloud+ tiers above it. Apple Inc. is headquartered in Cupertino; end-to-end encryption for most categories exists as Advanced Data Protection but is switched off unless you enable it.
- Jurisdiction
- United States
- GDPR by default
- Requires DPA + TIA
- US CLOUD Act exposure
- Yes
Internxt vs iCloud at a glance
| Internxt | iCloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Spain | United States |
| Data jurisdiction | EU / EEA | United States |
| Primary privacy law | EU GDPR | Requires DPA + transfer assessment |
| US CLOUD Act exposure | No | Yes |
| Best for | Teams that need cloud & hosting built for European data-protection requirements | Teams already invested in the Apple ecosystem |
Choose Internxt if…
- You want a provider governed by a European privacy regime
- GDPR or public-sector data-protection requirements apply to you
- You want to start free and scale up later
- Open-source code and self-hosting matter to you
- You'd rather back the European tech ecosystem
Stick with iCloud if…
- You depend on integrations only available in the Apple ecosystem
- Your organisation has no EU data-residency constraints
- Migration costs outweigh the jurisdiction benefits for now
About Internxt
Internxt is a Valencia-based zero-knowledge encrypted cloud storage platform where files are encrypted client-side before upload using post-quantum Kyber-512 + AES-256 cryptography, meaning not even Internxt can access your data. An open-source codebase and independent security audit by Securitum in 2024 provide external verification of every security claim.
Files sync across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android via native apps. Sharing works through encrypted links that are password-protected and time-limited, while Internxt Send enables large-file transfers with zero provider access. A permanently free 1 GB plan requires no credit card, and lifetime payment options eliminate recurring subscription costs.
Key benefits:
- Zero-knowledge E2E encryption so Internxt cannot access files even under legal compulsion
- Post-quantum cryptography (Kyber-512 + AES-256) for future-proof data protection
- Open-source code independently audited by Securitum in 2024
- 1 GB permanently free with no credit card and no expiry
- Lifetime plans available as one-time payment with no recurring subscription
- Internxt Send for encrypted large-file transfers with expiring, password-protected links
- ISO 27001:2022 and HIPAA certified for enterprise and healthcare use cases
Headquartered in Valencia, Spain, Internxt processes all data under GDPR and EU data protection law. The platform holds ISO 27001:2022 and HIPAA certifications, stores all data in the EU, and was independently security-audited. Founded in 2020 by Fran Villalba Segarra, it offers the most rigorous open-source privacy credentials of any EU cloud storage provider.
Built for individuals, freelancers, and teams who want provably private cloud storage, because the code is open for anyone to verify, not just a privacy policy to trust.
Why choose Internxt over iCloud?
The decisive argument is data jurisdiction. iCloud is headquartered in the United States, which means personal data processed through it can be subject to non-EU legal regimes: the US CLOUD Act, FISA 702, or similar laws depending on the provider. After the 2020 Schrems II ruling, EU organisations must carry out a transfer impact assessment for every such data flow.
Internxt removes that overhead. As a Spain-based provider, it operates under EU GDPR, and data stays inside the EU/EEA by default. For regulated sectors such as health, public administration, and finance, that's not a nice-to-have but a requirement. For everyone else, it's concentration-risk insurance: you avoid depending on a single jurisdiction that can change the rules without warning.