Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team
IDrive Inc. vs Proton Drive
IDrive Inc. vs Proton Drive: the differences
| Compare |  IDrive Inc. |  Proton Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | 10Higher | 5 |
| Price per TB per year | $12 to $23.98Lower | $95.88 |
| Jurisdiction | US | CH |
| Compliance certifications | SOC 2 Type 2, SSAE 18, ISO 27001, PCI DSS | ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II |
Same on both: Zero-knowledge encryption (Yes).
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Key differences
- IDrive Inc. scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 8.8.
- Free storage is higher at IDrive Inc.: 10 vs 5.
- Price per TB per year is lower at IDrive Inc.: $12 to $23.98 vs $95.88.
- Support channels: only IDrive Inc. offers Chat, Email, Phone.
- Support channels: only Proton Drive offers Community.
- Compliance certifications: only IDrive Inc. offers SOC 2 Type 2, SSAE 18, PCI DSS.
- Compliance certifications: only Proton Drive offers SOC 2 Type II.
Our verdict on each
IDrive Inc.
IDrive Inc. suits households and small teams that want encrypted backup without a large bill: fees per terabyte run $12 to $23.98 a year. Shoppers choosing mainly on free space should check MEGA or Degoo first, and buyers needing a non US legal home will find the US terms a limit.
Proton Drive
Proton Drive suits people who want encrypted storage with a bundled password manager and open source code. It ranks 18 of 31 on yearly cost per TB, so value sits in the bundle rather than in raw storage price.
Score breakdown
| Area | IDrive Inc. | Proton Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 10.0HigherFees of $12 to $23.98 per terabyte per year put IDrive Inc. at position 1 of 31. | 8.9Entry at $4.99, storage at $95.88 a year, free tier at 5. |
| Offer | 9.5Higher | 8.7Encryption Proton says it cannot break, open source and ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II, set against thin free storage at 5. |
| Privacy | 9.2Higher | 8.7 |
By the numbers
| Fact | IDrive Inc. | Proton Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | 10 | 5 |
| Price per TB per year | $12 to $23.98 | $95.88 |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | IDrive Inc. | Proton Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy tools | 61 of 280 | 13 of 280 |
| Secure cloud storage and backup | 5 of 70 | 3 of 70 |
What we checked
IDrive Inc.
- idrive.com: 9 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Proton Drive
- proton.me: 9 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- capterra.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | IDrive Inc. | Proton Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free, Budget | Free, Budget |
| Legal entity | IDrive Inc. | Proton AG |
| Headquarters | United States | Switzerland |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2014 |
| Support channels | Chat, Email, Phone, Help centre | Help centre, Community |
Privacy tools
| Fact | IDrive Inc. | Proton Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Not confirmed | $4.99 |
| Free plan | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Free plan limits | Not confirmed | Unlimited logins, notes, credit cards and devices; 10 hide-my-email aliases; passkeys and password health alerts; no 2FA authenticator, secure sharing, file attachments or dark web monitoring |
| Platforms | Not confirmed | Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web app, Command line interface, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, Brave |
| Logging policy | Not confirmed | No permanent IP logs by default; temporary IP logs kept to combat abuse and fraud; authentication logging off by default; Proton states it has no technical means to access encrypted passwords or notes |
| Open source | Not confirmed | Yes |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | IDrive Inc. | Proton Drive | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free storage | 10above the median | 5at the median | 5 |
| Price per TB per year | $12 to $23.98lowest quarter | $95.88above the median | $89.25 |
Median across 36 listed providers.
Pros and cons
IDrive Inc.
Pros
- Compliance statements list SOC 2 Type 2, SSAE 18 and ISO 27001, so a business buyer has named standards to check rather than a claim to take on trust.
- Support runs on chat, email and phone, giving a reader both a live route and a written one when a restore stalls.
- Encryption only the password holder can unlock: the terms answer yes, so the strongest privacy setting in this group is written into the contract rather than into a pitch.
Cons
- The free allowance of 10 is smaller than MEGA at 20 and Degoo at 20.
- Free storage ranks position 8 of 36, so the free tier sits mid table while the paid rate leads the group.
- The terms place IDrive Inc. under US jurisdiction at US, which counts against anyone who wants a non US legal home.
Proton Drive
Pros
- Encryption Proton says it has no technical means to access
- Open source, audited under ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II
- Bundled password manager alongside the drive
Cons
- Free tier holds only 5 of storage
- Support runs on help centre and community only
- The free password plan caps hide-my-email aliases and leaves out secure sharing, file attachments and dark web monitoring
Who each suits
IDrive Inc.
Who it suits
- Households backing up a growing photo library who will pay by the terabyte rather than watch a monthly bill.
- Small teams that need audit paperwork on file: the compliance statement lists SOC 2 Type 2, SSAE 18 and ISO 27001.
- Readers who want a free start of 10 and a cheap step up once files grow past it.
Who should look elsewhere
- Shoppers choosing on the free box alone: MEGA at 20 and Degoo at 20 both start higher than IDrive Inc.
- Readers who want the smallest free box or a bundled ecosystem option: Apple Inc. gives 5.
Proton Drive
Who it suits
- People who want encrypted files and passwords under the same account
- Readers who put open source code and outside audits ahead of the cheapest storage rate
Who should look elsewhere
- Storage buyers chasing the largest free allowance, where MEGA offers 20 and Degoo 20
- Apple iCloud users already inside their ecosystem, where storage runs $119.88 a year
Current offers
IDrive Inc.
Current offer
First period offer
Save 30% off your first year (up to 50% off with a 2 year plan): 30% off first year, up to 50% off first year on 2-year plans
New signups only, limited time only; 50% applies to a 2-year plan; discounted price applies to the first year, standard pricing from the second year; discounts not available for signup from IDrive mobile apps
Source, checked September 26, 2026
First period offer
Switch Today 95% OFF: $4.98 for the first year (95% off $99.50/year)
Switch offer shown on the IDrive homepage; struck price $99.50/year
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Free trial
Cloud Applications Backup free trial: 7-day free trial
Add-on service, not part of the Personal cloud backup plan
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
IDrive Inc.
How much does IDrive Inc. cost?+
IDrive Inc. prices by capacity, with fees of $12 to $23.98 per terabyte a year. The service is listed under free and budget, so there is a free option and a budget tier rather than one flat subscription. The free tier holds 10, so the practical question for most readers is how quickly a household outgrows that box.
Is there a free plan, and how much space is on it?+
Yes, the free and budget model listed under free and budget comes with 10 of free storage. That sits above Apple Inc. at 5 and below MEGA at 20 and Degoo at 20. A reader who only needs somewhere to park documents and a few photos will not fill it quickly.
Proton Drive
How much does Proton Drive cost?+
Plans start at $4.99. Priced by storage, that works out to $95.88 a year, close to the €82.87 typical across this group. Paid tiers are the way most people reach more space, while the free tier covers 5.
Is there a free plan, and how much space?+
There is a free plan, and it includes 5 of storage, which matches the 5 median for this group. Alongside it sits a free password manager that covers as many logins, notes, payment cards and connected devices as needed, with a cap on hide-my-email aliases.