Proton Drive Plus alternatives: 5 open-source picks
Proton Drive Plus costs $5.68/mo — $68.16 a year. These 5 alternatives replace it for $0, led by Peergos, Syncthing and Nextcloud. All 5 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
End-to-end encrypted sync and secret links, with a smaller ecosystem and a stranger architecture.
Continuous peer-to-peer file sync between your devices with no server and no cloud in the middle.
licenseMPL-2.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Your own Dropbox plus calendar, contacts, office docs and a huge app store. The default answer to "can I self-host my files?"
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
End-to-end encrypted photo storage with open-source clients for every platform, so nobody but you can see your library.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
High-performance file sync and share with delta sync, file locking, and selective sync for teams.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
What each one is, in full: Syncthing · Nextcloud · Ente · Seafile
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
the usual suspects · recommended everywhere, rejected here
Nextcloud FilesSelf-hosted files and links, but not client-side encrypted sharing by default.
Seafile Community EditionEncrypted libraries exist, but external share-link semantics are not Proton-style end-to-end encryption.
how to choose a Proton Drive Plus alternative
Easiest to get running
Syncthing — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
Most proven
Syncthing, with 70,000 GitHub stars — the largest community of the 5, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
Works on your phone
Peergos has a mobile app.
Needs real ops to self-host
Peergos is capable but expects someone to run a server, updates and backups. Budget for that before choosing it.
what you give up by leaving Proton Drive Plus
- end-to-end encryption, Proton identity, mobile apps, recovery, and privacy operations
- global sync network
- battle-tested conflict resolution
- ransomware recovery guarantees
- mobile clients and support
None of the picks above covers all of it. The full verdict says which gaps matter.
Proton Drive Plus alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peergos | open source | self-host, real ops | web, macos, windows, linux, android, self-hosted | 2,400 | 2026-08 |
| Syncthing | MPL-2.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 70,000 | 2026-08 |
| Nextcloud | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 29,000 | 2026-08 |
| Ente | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 20,000 | 2026-08 |
| Seafile | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 13,000 | 2026-08 |
why people still pay for Proton Drive Plus
People still pay for Proton Drive Plus because storage subscriptions sell confidence that files will still exist after a lost device, bad sync, or provider incident. The recurring cost buys chunking, encryption, conflict detection, versions, garbage collection, bandwidth, restore drills, monitoring, billing, and disaster recovery, not just the visible interface. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $68.16 a year.
questions about switching from Proton Drive Plus
Is there an open-source alternative to Proton Drive Plus?
Yes: Peergos, Syncthing, Nextcloud and 2 more. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace Proton Drive Plus?
Our verdict is YES. Syncthing (70k stars), Nextcloud (29k stars), Ente (20k stars) are mature open-source replacements for Proton Drive Plus — self-host in one command and stop paying $5.68/mo. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/proton-drive-plus.
What is the easiest open-source Proton Drive Plus alternative to set up?
Syncthing — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
What is the most popular open-source Proton Drive Plus alternative?
By GitHub stars, Syncthing (70,000). Nextcloud is next with 29,000.
