Filen vs Google Drive
Filen
filen.ioGoogle Drive
workspace.google.comSide by side
| Figure | Filen | Google Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €1.99/mo | $1.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 6 | 11 |
| Spec score · Cloud Storage Services | 9.3 (#4) | 9.1 (#10) |
| Spec score · Cloud storage | 9.1 (#13) | 9.4 (#4) |
| Device platforms | Windows,macOS,Linux,iOS,Android | Windows,macOS,iOS,Android |
| File versioning | Filen supports reverting files to previous versions. | Yes |
| Founded | 2021 | 1998 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Headquarters | Recklinghausen, Germany | Mountain View, California, United States |
| Integrations | The CLI and desktop client can run local WebDAV and S3-compatible mirror servers. | Drive integrates with Slack, Zoom, Salesforce, Atlassian, SAP, and many more. |
| Storage limit | 200 | 15 |
| Zero-knowledge encryption | Yes | Yes |
Plans
Filen
- Pro I€1.99 a month
- Pro II€3.99 a month
- Pro III€8.99 a month
- Pro X€39.99 a month
- FreeFree
- Free accountFree
Google Drive
- FreeFree
- Google One Basic$1.99 a month
- Google AI Plus$9.99 a month
- Google AI Pro$19.99 a month
- Business Starter$7 a month
- Business Standard$14 a month
- Business Plus$22 a month
- EnterprisePriced on request
- BasicPrice not published
- Business BasePrice not published
In their own words
Filen
Filen is a cloud storage service that encrypts data on the client before storage, using zero-knowledge, end-to-end encryption. It supports syncing, network-drive access with Smart Sync and five sync modes across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and the web. Mobile apps include encrypted camera uploads, offline files, notes, chats and notifications. Encrypted notes support rich text, code, Markdown and checklists, while chats are end-to-end encrypted. Developers can use the documented API, command-line interface and TypeScript, Rust and Go SDKs. The desktop client and CLI can run local WebDAV and S3-compatible mirror servers. Filen says its apps are open source under AGPL v3 and that its headquarters and servers are in Germany. The free account includes 10GB storage. Paid monthly plans start with Pro I at €1.99 a month for 200 GiB; higher tiers offer 500 GiB, 2 TiB or 10 TiB. Filen says data in free accounts is deleted after three months of inactivity, with reminder emails beforehand.
Google Drive
Google Drive stores and shares files across Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. Google accounts include up to 15 GB, and listed storage options reach 5 TB per user; additional storage can be requested, with costs that vary. Users can grant edit, comment, or view permissions and set expiration dates for shared files. Shared drives let teams store, access, and manage files together, and file versioning is available. The mobile app can scan receipts and billing statements into searchable PDFs. Drive integrates with Google Workspace apps and services including Slack, Zoom, Salesforce, Atlassian, and SAP. Security and administration options include ransomware detection, client-side encryption, Vault, DLP policies, and Workspace management controls. Drive for desktop offers ransomware detection and file recovery, while Gemini in Drive can find, summarize, and analyze files with AI. Google One Basic is listed at $1.99 a month for 100 GB; Google AI Plus is $9.99 a month for 2 TB, and Google AI Pro is $19.99 a month for 5 TB. Google Workspace offers a 14-day trial.