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Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team

MEGA vs Proton

MEGA scores 9.5 and Proton 9.3 out of 10. Compare their differences and shared features below.
Proton

Proton

9.3/10
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MEGA

MEGA

Higher score in this comparison

9.5/10
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What sets them apart

MEGA vs Proton
CompareMEGAMEGAReviewSee alternativesSee alternativesProtonProtonReviewVisitVisit
Free storage20Higher5
Price per TB per year€15$95.88
JurisdictionHUCH
Compliance certificationsNot confirmedISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II

Same on both: Zero-knowledge encryption (Yes).

We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.

Key differences

  • MEGA scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.3.
  • Free storage is higher at MEGA: 20 vs 5.
  • Support channels: only Proton offers Chat, Community.
  • Founded is lower at MEGA: 2013 vs 2014.
  • Pricing model: only MEGA offers Budget.

Our verdict on each

MEGA

MEGA suits people who want generous encrypted storage with a VPN and an ad-blocker folded in, and who will read the metadata clause before paying. Storage costs €15 per TB per year, and the free tier gives 20 to try before committing.

Read the full MEGA review

Proton

Proton bundles a password manager, VPN and encrypted storage in one account, with Pass starting at $4.99 and a free tier. It suits readers who want passwords, private files and a VPN in a single subscription, and who can live with free plan limits that leave out an authenticator, password sharing and file attachments.

Read the full Proton review

Score breakdown

MEGA vs Proton
AreaMEGAProton
Cost9.9HigherStorage at €15 per TB per year and 20 of free storage keep the entry cost low.9.2Entry at $4.99 sits under the site median of €6.84, with storage at $95.88 per TB per year and a free plan.
Offer9.3Wide bundle: kill switch and split tunnelling, Android, iOS and Windows and an ad-blocker on the storage account.9.5Higher
Privacy9.19.1

How they place

MEGA vs Proton
RankingMEGAProton
VPNs64 of 23213 of 232
Privacy tools48 of 28110 of 281
Secure cloud storage and backup13 of 702 of 70
Free VPNs43 of 1899 of 189
Authenticator apps19 of 556 of 55

If neither fits

Acronis has free storage at 50, against 20 for MEGA and 5 for Proton.

Acronis review

Sources behind this comparison

MEGA

  • mega.io: 9 facts, checked September 26, 2026

Proton

  • proton.me: 9 facts, checked September 26, 2026
  • capterra.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026

Every fact side by side

MEGA vs Proton
FactMEGAProton
Pricing modelFree, BudgetCovers moreFree
Legal entityMEGA Privacy KftProton AG
HeadquartersHungarySwitzerland
Founded2013Lower2014
Support channelsEmail, Help centreEmail, Chat, Help centre, CommunityCovers more

VPN

MEGA vs Proton
FactMEGAProton
Monthly price$3.99Not confirmed
Long-term plan price$1.67Not confirmed
Devices1010
Server countriesNot confirmed140
FeaturesNo logsNo logs, Streaming, TravelCovers more
AudienceBusinessBusiness
Renewal price$3.99Not confirmed
Money-back periodNot confirmed30 days
ProtocolsNot confirmedWireGuard, OpenVPN
FeaturesKill switch, Split tunnellingCovers moreKill switch
Streaming servicesNot confirmedNetflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu
PlatformsAndroid, iOS, Windows, MacOS, WebWindows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web app, Command line interface, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, Brave
OwnerMEGA Networks LLCProton Foundation
Longest plan (months)24 months24 months

Privacy tools

MEGA vs Proton
FactMEGAProton
Price from€15$4.99
Free planYesYes
Free plan limits20 GB storage, limited transferUnlimited 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
Logging policyZero-knowledge: cannot decrypt files or chats; retains unencrypted metadata such as IP address, device ID, browser and OS type, file sizes, chat times and participantsNo 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 sourceYesYes
Privacy tool typeAd blockerNot confirmed

Password managers

MEGA vs Proton
FactMEGAProton
Family planNot confirmedPass Family: up to 6 users, includes 6 Pass Plus accounts and an admin panel
PasskeysNot confirmedYes
Security auditNot confirmedIndependently audited by third-party experts (Cure53 audit published July 2023), open source under GPLv3, public bug bounty
EncryptionZero-knowledge (user-controlled) end-to-end encryptionEnd-to-end encryption; 256-bit AES-GCM encrypted vaults; OpenPGP with ECC (Curve25519) for vault keys

Secure email

MEGA vs Proton
FactMEGAProton
End-to-end encryptionNot confirmedAll fields end-to-end encrypted: passwords, usernames, web addresses, credit cards, note contents and metadata; 256-bit AES-GCM vaults; only the user can decrypt, Proton cannot
Custom domainsNot confirmedYes

Where each stands against the rest

MEGA vs Proton
FactMEGAProtonMedian
Free storage20highest quarter5at the median5

Median across 36 listed providers.

Pros and cons

MEGA

Pros

  • The free plan is usable rather than token: 20 of storage, with the stated limits 20 GB storage, limited transfer.
  • Encryption is user-controlled and end-to-end, listed as yes, the app is open source, and the same account carries the VPN and the ad-blocker.
  • A VPN that covers 10 devices and adds kill switch and split tunnelling on top of the storage.

Cons

  • Transfers on the free tier are capped, with the stated limits 20 GB storage, limited transfer, so it works as a working folder rather than an archive.
  • The MEGA VPN monthly plan renews at $3.99 while the long-term plan sits at $1.67, so the low figure comes with a longer commitment.
  • Support runs on email and help centre only, with no live chat or phone line in the mix.

Proton

Pros

  • A single account covers a password manager, a VPN and end-to-end encrypted storage, with a free plan to start.
  • Passkeys, custom domains and a Family plan with an admin panel suit single-user and shared use.
  • Vaults use AES-GCM encryption with OpenPGP and ECC keys, and only the account holder can decrypt.

Cons

  • Support runs on email, chat and help centre with no phone line.
  • Free plan limits leave out the authenticator app, password sharing, attachments and dark web monitoring.
  • Extra storage costs $95.88 per TB per year beyond 5 GB free.

Who each suits

MEGA

Who it suits

  • People who want storage, a VPN and an ad-blocker under a single login rather than separate subscriptions.
  • Readers who weigh entry price and free allowance before they look at anything else.
  • Business users, the audience MEGA names for its VPN, working across 10 devices.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Apple users who only want 5 of synced space inside the ecosystem they already own.
  • Degoo shoppers after a plain backup bucket priced at $23.98 per TB per year and nothing more to learn.
  • Acronis users who want 50 of free space or full system imaging, where MEGA's free allowance is smaller.

Proton

Who it suits

  • Readers who want a password manager, a VPN and private files under a single subscription rather than separate products.
  • Households and small teams that need shared accounts, since the Family plan bundles several Pass Plus accounts and an admin panel.
  • Buyers who care about open source under a copyleft licence, outside security audits and a public bug bounty.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Apple Hide My Email at $0.99 if email aliasing is the whole job, since Proton adds a VPN, storage and a password manager.
  • Apple Inc. at $0.99 when aliasing is the priority; Proton's $4.99 entry brings a VPN, storage and password manager in the same account.
  • EasyOptOuts at $19.99 for a single higher priced subscription, against Proton's $4.99 entry and a free plan.

Current offers

Proton

Current offer

  • Discount code

    40% off Pass Plus: 40% off

    Shown on the Proton Pass pricing page alongside a 30-day money-back guarantee; applies to the Pass Plus paid plan

    Source, checked September 26, 2026

Questions about each

MEGA

What does MEGA cost for storage and for the VPN?+

Storage starts at €15 and works out at €15 per TB per year. The VPN is priced separately: $3.99 monthly, with a long-term rate of $1.67. A free plan sits alongside both, so the bundle can be checked before any of those figures reach a card.

How much space do I get on the free plan?+

The free plan comes with 20 of storage, and the stated limits are 20 GB storage, limited transfer. Transfer is the part that ends first, so treat it as a working folder rather than an archive. For comparison, Apple hands out 5 and Acronis 50 at no cost.

Proton

How much is Proton Pass at the entry price?+

Proton Pass starts at $4.99, and there is a free plan beside it. The paid tiers widen the set of features, so the entry price only pays off if you want more hide my email aliases, passkeys and password health alerts.

What does the free plan leave out?+

The free plan covers as many logins, notes, cards and devices as you like, but it leaves out the authenticator app, sharing with other people, file attachments and dark web monitoring. Those sit on paid Pass plans, where entry starts at $4.99.

Other options to compare

Proton

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MEGA

See alternatives