In a concerted effort to create a privacy-conscious alternative to services by Google and Apple, Swiss-based company Proton has introduced an end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) cloud storage service, known as Proton Drive, for macOS users. This announcement, coming four months post the Windows launch, rounds out Proton's strategy of bringing its product line to a full range of platforms.
Launched approximately nine years ago, Proton initially made waves with Proton Mail, a well-known alternative to Google's Gmail. However, the firm has continued to broaden its range of offerings, enriching its portfolio with VPNs, a password management solution, a calendar, and now, cloud storage.
The web version of Proton Drive was initially introduced last September, swiftly followed by the dedication of native mobile applications in December and the Windows version in July. As such, the recent unveiling for macOS means Proton Drive has attained a fully cross-platform status. Users can now share and sync their data seamlessly across an extensive array of devices.
Proton Drive is a crucial component of Proton's strategic vision to deliver private, secure Google-like product alternatives to the market. In the case of most macOS users, Proton Drive can pose as a worthy contender to Apple's iCloud.
Distinctly, Proton Drive promises to provide default full encryption for both files and folders. Even though Apple recently introduced end-to-end-encryption for certain types of iCloud data, it requires manual activation by users. Contrarily, Proton Drive asserts that it employs full encryption across all types of data, including metadata and file-names, by default.
The service is equipped with 1GB of free storage, with the option for users to purchase additional storage starting at $4 per month for 200GB. These paid plans also include extra features, such as the capacity to automatically store previous versions of a file for up to a decade.
For the time being, the macOS version of Proton Drive will only sync files to the cloud that are stored in the dedicated Proton Drive folder. Nevertheless, Proton has communicated its intention to work on enabling synchronization for any local folders soon.
In addition to these innovations, Proton has made strides in transparency, open-sourcing most of its product suite over the years. This decision allows third parties like security researchers to scrutinize the underlying code. Although the macOS Proton Drive app is not yet open source, the firm has assured users that this will happen in due course.
Proton has shared that it will gradually roll out Proton Drive for Linux users, according to its long-term roadmap. This move, similar to other no-code platforms like AppMaster, reflects an ongoing trend in the tech industry toward more accessible and user-friendly software development tools.
