Plient

Plient is encrypted file storage with browser-based office editing, collaboration, and developer tools. It is best suited to professionals and teams that want those capabilities alongside managed cloud or self-hosting. It is less compelling if you only need a large personal storage allowance: its free tier stops at 5 GB.

Overview

Plient encrypts files on the client with AES-256-GCM before upload. Its zero-knowledge model derives the master key on the user's device from a password and salt, and never sends that key to the server. That design is a strong fit for people who want to keep file contents private while still sharing and editing them.

The product also has a US data jurisdiction, which may not suit organizations with strict location requirements. Its breadth is appealing, but the more capable team and enterprise controls sit on the Business plan.

Key features

Editing and collaboration

Browser editing supports.docx,.xlsx, and.pptx, with real-time co-authoring, comments, suggestions, and version history. This makes Plient more useful than a storage-only service when a team needs to work on office documents together. Shared drives and workspaces, however, require Business.

Granular permissions, password-protected links with expiry, and file requests cover controlled sharing in both directions. The in-app marketplace lists Google Workspace, OnlyOffice, iDrive E2, Backblaze B2, and AWS S3, giving users several named services to connect with.

Desktop, web, and developer access

WebDAV mounting on macOS, Windows, and Linux makes Plient usable as a network drive, while its CLI handles uploads, downloads, syncing, and management from scripts and CI pipelines. Those options give technical users ways to fit storage into existing workflows rather than relying only on an app. Plient can also be self-hosted with Docker or used as managed cloud software.

Enterprise features include SSO/SAML, SCIM, audit logs, data-loss prevention, legal hold, and retention policies. Those controls make Business more relevant to organizations than the individual plans, though the $25 per user / month price scales with each seat.

Pricing

Free costs nothing, billed forever, and includes 5 GB encrypted storage, one user, mobile and desktop apps, WebDAV, CLI, and 30-day version history. It is a useful way for a personal user to try the core storage and access methods, but the small quota and lack of office editing limit its value for regular document collaboration.

Pro costs $9 a month, billed per month, for one user and 2 TB encrypted storage. It adds office document editing, background camera upload, 180-day version history, and priority support. This is the clearest fit for a professional or power user who needs space and browser editing without team administration.

Business costs $25 a month, billed per user / month, and includes 10 TB pooled storage, shared drives and workspaces, SSO/SAML, SCIM, audit logs, data-loss prevention, legal hold, retention policies, and 24/7 support. It is aimed at teams and organizations that need pooled capacity and administrative controls; the per-user charge makes it a materially different commitment from the individual plans. A free trial is available.

Platforms

Plient supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, as well as self-hosted deployment. That is broad coverage for a service intended to bridge personal devices, desktop file access, and team workflows. WebDAV mounting is specifically supported on macOS, Windows, and Linux.

Who it's for

Choose Plient if encrypted storage is only part of the job: its mix of browser office editing, controlled sharing, WebDAV, CLI, and self-hosting suits professionals who collaborate on files and technical users who automate storage tasks. Teams that need shared drives and enterprise controls have a defined path on Business.

It is a weaker fit for someone whose main priority is maximizing free personal storage, or for an organization that cannot use a US data jurisdiction. A solo user who does not need editing may also find Pro's additional capabilities unnecessary.

Pros and cons

Strong privacy design: client-side AES-256-GCM encryption and a device-derived key that is never sent to the server suit sensitive files.

Useful workflow range: browser document editing, WebDAV, CLI, and self-hosting serve distinct collaboration and technical needs.

Clear team controls: pooled storage, shared workspaces, SSO/SAML, SCIM, audit logs, and retention tools are grouped on Business.

Modest free allowance: 5 GB and one user make Free more suitable for trying the service than for a growing file library.

Team costs scale by seat: Business is priced per user / month, so its $25.00 USD monthly rate applies to each user.

US jurisdiction: the stated data location may rule Plient out for organizations with other residency requirements.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison of secure file services, see Secure Cloud Storage. Choose Scramble Cloud if its 10 GB free allowance or 100 GB Starter plan at €0.95 a month better matches a basic one-user storage need. Internxt Drive is worth considering if publicly available, externally audited code is a priority; its free plan includes 1 GB encrypted storage.

Filen may suit readers who specifically want apps released under the AGPL v3 open-source license. Choose MEGA if 20 GB of free storage is more important than Plient's document-editing and developer-tool combination. Cryptee is an alternative for readers who value open-source software and cryptography, with a 100 MB free plan.

Ente Photos is oriented around photos, with a 10 GB free plan and a family-plan Starter option at $2.49 a month. Hoodik is another self-hosted option, with software that is free and storage bounded by the server disk. InfiniDrive offers a 10 GB free plan with sharing and recovery features for readers comparing personal storage tiers.

Verdict

Plient is a strong choice for professionals and teams who want encrypted storage to support real document work, not just file retention. Its best reason to choose it is the combination of client-side encryption with editing, sharing, WebDAV, CLI, and self-hosting. Look elsewhere if you need a larger free allowance or cannot accept US data jurisdiction.