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Ehsan Asdar / 7.12.2023Home / Cloud storage

Cloud storage with encryption—leading providers reviewed

Looking for cloud storage with encryption? Learn about the most secure encryption type and read our quick reviews of providers offering it.

With cyberattacks on the rise, file encryption has become a necessary cloud storage security measure. If you want to protect your data from malicious parties, you need a service offering cutting-edge security protocols.Most cloud solutions promise outstanding protection, but only a handful deliver it. Big Tech providers typically oversell their encryption standards, making users believe they have more privacy than they actually do.To help you safeguard your files, this guide will explain different encryption types and show you which one offers the most protection. You’ll also see some of the most popular providers offering cloud storage with encryption so that you can find the right option.

Experience unrivaled privacy with Skiff DriveWith end-to-end encrypted cloud storage, Skiff offers ultimate data security and control

Not all cloud storage encryption standards are equal

Most cloud providers offer two encryption types:

Encryption at rest—protects your files and data while they’re idle on the cloud
Encryption in transit—shields your data while it’s traveling between endpoints

At first glance, a cloud provider offering both types seems to cover all ground. If your files are protected while sitting on the servers and traveling between them, it’s normal to assume there are no vulnerabilities an attacker could exploit.This is the logic most providers use to market their solutions as completely safe. In reality, there are two major issues with this level of protection:

Weak protocols
Encryption key ownership

Data in transit is typically encrypted using the TLS (Transport Layer Security) protocol. This encryption standard is outdated and full of vulnerabilities, so it doesn’t offer enough security for shared data.Even if it did, your files are still encrypted on the provider’s server using their key. Whoever owns the key has unrestricted access to plaintext data, so you get no privacy from the provider. They can access unencrypted copies of your files, which is quite invasive.An even bigger threat is a server breach. If an attacker penetrates the server’s defenses, they can steal encryption keys and gain access to all your data.This is why you shouldn’t consider every cloud provider promising to keep your files encrypted. You must assess their measures and go with a service offering the only secure standard—end-to-end encryption.

The importance of using end-to-end encrypted cloud services

End-to-end encryption (E2EE) protects files before they leave your device. Here’s how it works:

The encryption key is created by the user and stored locally
Files are encrypted before being uploaded
Your data reaches the cloud server and is stored on it in the encrypted form

This mechanism offers numerous benefits you don’t get with standard encryption. As your device creates and stores the encryption key, the cloud provider can’t see your files in plaintext—only the encrypted data. You get complete privacy and confidentiality.If a malicious party breaches the server, they’ll also see ciphertext instead of the original data. The decryption key remains safely stored on the user’s device, so as long as they keep it secure, nobody can get ahold of the key.The above benefits make it clear that end-to-end encryption is the best way to stay safe in a cloud environment, so narrow your search to the providers supporting it.

Choose a storage you can trustSkiff Drive is E2E-encrypted storage and a part of Skiff's security-first productivity suite

Best cloud storage with encryption—top three providers reviewed

Several privacy-first cloud providers support end-to-end encryption, giving you peace of mind when storing files on their drive:

Proton Drive
NordLocker
Skiff Drive

Offering E2EE doesn’t make these options equally effective, as you’ll see in the below breakdowns of each.

Proton Drive

Source: ProtonProton Drive is a secure cloud solution protected by stringent Swiss privacy laws. It offers various privacy and security measures, but the storage size is slightly disappointing compared to the competition.

Pricing

Proton Drive offers a free plan and two paid tiers:

Drive Plus—$4.99 per month ($3.99 per month billed annually)
Proton Unlimited—$11.99 per month ($9.99 per month billed annually)

Pros and cons

Proton is best known for its secure email service, Proton Mail. After the platform’s success, the provider launched a popular VPN service alongside a cloud solution. All of its platforms are protected with end-to-end encryption, so you get excellent privacy compared to a typical Big Tech solution.Proton Drive supports all file types and extends their protection to sharing links. It features a clean user interface, so navigation is smooth and intuitive.Despite these benefits, Proton might not be the best choice for several reasons. It uses PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) for end-to-end encryption, which is an outdated standard. It has been tied to significant vulnerabilities, so several providers have already moved away from it.Another major drawback is limited storage. You only get up to 1 GB of free storage, with 500 MB available out of the box. You can get the rest by completing simple actions like uploading files, which feels unnecessarily complicated for such low storage.Even the Proton Unlimited tier doesn’t live up to its name, as it caps at 500 GB. You do get access to premium versions of Proton VPN, Calendar, and Mail, but this might not make up for the limited storage.

Pros	Cons
Compliance with Swiss privacy laws	End-to-end encryption uses the outdated PGP standard
Link protection	Only 1 GB of free storage
User-friendly interface	Limited maximum storage

NordLocker

Source: NordLockerNordLocker is a solid solution if you’ll use a cloud service for archives and backups. It’s not as feature-rich as most competitors, but it still offers enough security to be worth considering if privacy is your main concern.

Pricing

NordLocker offers a free plan and various paid tiers for individual and business users:

Individual plans:
1. Personal—$8.48 per month ($3.17 per month billed annually)
2. Personal Plus—$21.22 per month ($7.42 per month billed annually)
Business plans:
1. Business—$12.99/user per month ($8.99 per month billed annually)
2. Business Plus—$18.99/user per month ($14.99 per month billed annually)
3. Custom—Pricing tailored to chosen storage and features

Pros and cons

NordLocker uses zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption, giving users high levels of security and privacy. With servers in various locations, it lets users choose where their data will be stored.The platform has a unique selling point—besides providing encrypted cloud storage, it lets users encrypt files in their local storage. If someone uses your computer, they can see the encrypted folder but can’t access it or see any details on the files inside.NordLocker is compliant with several important regulations, including HIPAA and GDPR. It’s great for storing sensitive data and ensuring there’s no misuse of personal information.If you need a cloud solution to collaborate on projects, NordLocker won’t be your top choice. It doesn’t feature any editing, collaboration, or even file-sharing features. Pair this with the lack of iOS and Android apps, and you can see why this option isn’t ideal for work, especially in a remote setting.Although it’s more generous than Proton storage-wise, NordLocker is still slightly limited. You get 3 GB with the free plan and 500 GB/2 TB with paid personal and business tiers. Considering the relatively high price, the value for money isn’t great unless you commit to an annual subscription.

Pros	Cons
Compliance with GDPR and HIPAA	No sharing or collaboration features
Cloud and local file encryption	Limited free plan
Zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption	No iOS or Android apps

Skiff Drive

Source: SkiffSkiff Drive is an end-to-end encrypted cloud solution using advanced cryptography to ensure complete privacy of stored files. It’s suitable for personal and business use thanks to a generous free plan and various features ensuring streamlined collaboration.

Pricing

Skiff offers a rich free plan and three paid tiers:

Essential—$4 per month ($3 per month billed annually)
Pro—$10 per month ($8 per month billed annually)
Business—$15/user per month ($12 per month billed annually)

Pros and cons

Skiff Drive prioritizes user privacy and confidentiality. You can sign up for Skiff Drive without leaving any PII (Personally Identifiable Information), and Skiff won’t store your login credentials.Thanks to the cutting-edge end-to-end encryption protocols, you get full ownership of your files and encryption keys. Skiff’s team doesn’t have access to the keys or unencrypted files, so only you decide who can see their contents. Shared links are also end-to-end encrypted, which prevents misuse of your files even if they get intercepted.Unlike most privacy-first solutions, Skiff Drive is fully transparent about the codebase. The platform is open source, so all security measures can be verified. You can visit Skiff’s GitHub to examine the cryptography library or read the whitepaper for more information.The free plan comes with everything you need to store your files securely:

10 GB of end-to-end encrypted storage
Optional IPFS (InterPlanetary File System) integration
Two-factor authentication

Thanks to the platform’s compatibility with Android, iOS, macOS, and browsers, you can access your files easily wherever you are.Skiff integrates with major crypto wallets to help you maintain your anonymity:

Besides the standard payment methods, you can also use crypto to upgrade to the paid tiers if you need more storage (up to 1 TB).Any Skiff Drive subscription includes three additional end-to-end encrypted platforms:

Skiff Mail—End-to-end encrypted email
Skiff Pages—A secure alternative to Dropbox Paper or Google Docs
Skiff Calendar—Customizable organization tool you can adapt to your needs

Since you store the decryption key, Skiff can’t ensure protection if your device is fully compromised by malware. This is the main disadvantage applicable to other cloud solutions as well, so keep your device secure to avoid key theft.

Pros	Cons
Advanced end-to-end encryption and zero-knowledge login	No endpoint protection
Integration with IPFS and crypto wallets	.
10 GB of free storage	.

Sign up for Skiff Drive and protect your files

Getting started with Skiff Drive is simple—all you have to do is:

Visit the signup page
Choose your account name and password
Upload files to Skiff Drive

The platform supports one-click migration from other cloud solutions, so you can transfer all your data without complex or time-consuming processes. Your files will already be encrypted by the time they reach Skiff’s servers, and no unencrypted copies will be stored.

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