iCloud Drive vs Proton Drive Comparison

• 50 GB, iCloud+ 50 GB monthly: $0.99 a month
• 200 GB, iCloud+ 200 GB monthly: $2.99 a month
• 2 TB, iCloud+ 2 TB monthly: $9.99 a month
• 6 TB, iCloud+ 6 TB monthly: $29.99 a month
• 12 TB, iCloud+ 12 TB monthly: $59.99 a month

• 200 GB, Drive Plus for 12 months: $47.88 every 12 months
• 500 GB, Proton Unlimited for 12 months: $119.88 every 12 months
• 2 TB for up to 2 users, Proton Duo for 12 months: $179.88 every 12 months
• 3 TB for up to 6 users, Proton Family for 12 months: $287.88 every 12 months

By default Apple keeps the keys to iCloud Drive in its data centers and can decrypt your files, for example to restore them after a forgotten password. Advanced Data Protection, a setting turned on from an iPhone, iPad or Mac, deletes Apple's copy of the keys and leaves them on your trusted devices; Apple no longer offers it to new users in the UK. Even with it on, the file type, size, creation and modification dates and checksums of the file content and file name stay under keys Apple holds. With the setting on, iCloud.com cannot open your files until you allow web access, and then each session gets temporary keys from one of your devices.

File contents, file and folder names and thumbnail previews are encrypted on your device with keys generated there (OpenPGP, Curve25519). Proton can see creation and modification times, permissions, the username that uploaded each file and the size of the encrypted file. The web app receives its encryption code from Proton's servers every time it loads.

Penetration tests of the web app (September to October 2021), the Android app with its API (July to August 2022) and the iOS app (August to September 2022); no Drive audit report for the Windows or macOS apps is published

Users in the US contract with Apple Inc. in Cupertino, California; users elsewhere contract with a regional Apple company, such as Apple Distribution International in Ireland. The terms are governed by California law, except for residents of the EU, the UK, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland, whose local law applies. Apple keeps the keys it can use in its US data centers and may store data with third-party data centers. In mainland China, iCloud is operated by GCBD (AIPO Cloud (Guizhou) Technology Co. Ltd) under its own terms.

Operated by Proton AG, Route de la Galaise 32, 1228 Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva. Proton says it owns its server hardware in Switzerland and Germany; the Drive security page does not say which of the two countries holds Drive files. Proton discloses data only on a binding order from Swiss authorities.

Proton AG's primary shareholder is the non-profit Proton Foundation, based in Geneva. Proton states it has no venture capital investors.

Deleted files stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days and can be restored. Pages, Numbers and Keynote documents keep a version history; Apple documents no version history for other files.

Free plan: up to 10 versions of each file, kept for up to 7 days. Paid plans: up to 200 versions of each file, kept for up to 10 years, with adjustable settings.