Head-to-head · 2026

Proton Drive vs Google Drive

Proton Drive is a European alternative to Google Drive: same cloud & hosting use case, headquartered in Switzerland and operating under GDPR by default, while Google Drive (Google) is based in the United States.

By the EU Alternatives team Last updated 11 July 2026

European alternative

Proton Drive

Switzerland

Securely store, back up, and share your files with end-to-end encrypted cloud storage from Switzerland. Access your data anywhere, with privacy as a priority.

Jurisdiction: EU / EEA
GDPR by default: Yes
US CLOUD Act exposure: No
Open source: No
Free tier: Yes

See full Proton Drive profile

Non-EU

Google Drive

Google · US

Google Drive stores files and powers the Docs, Sheets and Slides editors, with 15 GB free shared across a Google account. More storage comes via Google One or Workspace subscriptions. Files sit on the infrastructure of Google, an Alphabet subsidiary answerable first and foremost to US law.

Jurisdiction: US
GDPR by default: Requires DPA + TIA
US CLOUD Act exposure: Yes

All European alternatives to Google Drive

Proton Drive vs Google Drive at a glance

	Proton Drive	Google Drive
Headquarters	Switzerland	US
Data jurisdiction	EU / EEA	US law applies
GDPR by default	Yes	Requires DPA + transfer assessment
US CLOUD Act exposure	No	Yes
Open source	No	—
Free tier	Yes	—
Best for	Teams that need cloud & hosting with EU data residency	Teams already invested in the Google ecosystem

Choose Proton Drive if…

You want your data to stay under EU law without extra legal paperwork
GDPR compliance or public-sector requirements apply to you
You want to start free and scale up later
You'd rather back the European tech ecosystem

Stick with Google Drive if…

You depend on integrations only available in the Google ecosystem
Your organisation has no EU data-residency constraints
Migration costs outweigh the jurisdiction benefits for now

About Proton Drive

Proton Drive is the end-to-end encrypted cloud storage service from Proton, the Swiss privacy company behind ProtonMail. Every file is encrypted on your device before upload (not even Proton can access your data), and shared links can be password-protected with expiry dates. It includes Proton Docs and Sheets for encrypted real-time document and spreadsheet collaboration.

Available on web, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, Proton Drive syncs files automatically via a desktop folder. 5 GB of free storage is included with every Proton account, with upgrades that bundle Mail, Calendar, VPN, and Pass. An open-source codebase allows independent cryptographic verification by any researcher.

Key benefits:

Client-side E2E encryption that encrypts files before they leave your device
5 GB free storage with every Proton account, no credit card required
Password-protected sharing with configurable expiry on shared links
Automatic mobile photo backups with encrypted collaborative album sharing
Proton Docs and Sheets for encrypted real-time collaborative document editing
Desktop sync folder on Windows and macOS for automatic file synchronisation
Open-source code for independent cryptographic audit by the community

Proton AG is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, which operates under some of the world's strictest privacy laws, outside U.S. and UK jurisdiction. The service is GDPR-compliant, holds ISO 27001 certification, and is audited by independent security researchers. Switzerland's constitutional privacy protections and absence of mandatory data retention laws provide a legal framework stronger than most EU alternatives.

Part of the Proton ecosystem trusted by over 100 million users worldwide, from journalists and activists to enterprises requiring sovereign data storage.

Why choose Proton Drive over Google Drive?

The decisive argument is data jurisdiction. Google Drive is headquartered in US, 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.

Proton Drive removes that overhead. As a Switzerland-based provider, it operates natively under 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 non-EU jurisdiction that can change the rules without warning.

Frequently asked questions

Is Proton Drive a good alternative to Google Drive?

Yes. Proton Drive is one of the top-ranked European alternatives to Google Drive in our directory, covering the same cloud & hosting use case. It is headquartered in Switzerland, keeping your data under EU law by default.

What's the main difference between Proton Drive and Google Drive?

The biggest difference is jurisdiction: Proton Drive is based in Switzerland and operates under GDPR and EU data-protection law, while Google Drive is headquartered in US and may transfer data outside the EU. For regulated industries or organisations following Schrems II guidance, this difference is decisive.

Is Proton Drive GDPR-compliant?

Proton Drive is a European company based in Switzerland, so GDPR compliance is the default operating model rather than a bolt-on. No transfer impact assessment is required for EU customers, unlike when using Google Drive.

How do I migrate from Google Drive to Proton Drive?

Start by exporting your data from Google Drive (most providers offer an export in their settings). Then import into Proton Drive using its native import tool or migration guide. Running both in parallel for a week catches any feature or workflow gaps before you fully switch.

Other European alternatives to Google Drive