Worried About Your Contracts and ID Documents Being Scanned? Proton Drive vs Google Drive
Can your cloud provider read the IDs and contracts you store? Compare encryption and collaboration in Proton Drive, Google Drive and pCloud to choose a safer cloud storage service.
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🛑 Your Cloud Drive May Be a Glass House
Many people keep ID documents, passports, contracts, medical records and financial spreadsheets in cloud storage, assuming that an account password makes them safe.
But with Google Drive, OneDrive or Baidu Netdisk, files are stored as plaintext on the server. The provider's engineers, AI scanning systems, or staff responding to a court order can view their contents directly.
👉 Start using Proton Drive's encrypted cloud storage for free
Real privacy means the provider itself cannot open your files. That is the idea behind zero-knowledge encryption.
⚔️ The Main Difference: Private Vault vs Collaboration Hub
| Area | Proton Drive: a privacy vault | Google Drive: a collaboration hub |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | End-to-end encryption (E2EE) covers file contents, filenames and folder names. Proton staff cannot view them. | Encryption in transit and at rest. Google holds the decryption keys and can scan files for purposes such as deduplication and AI training. |
| Main use | Sensitive personal files, including IDs, contracts, photos and backups. | Live teamwork, online document editing and sharing large files. |
| Free storage | 1 GB, expandable through tasks; suitable for essential confidential files. | 15 GB shared with Gmail; suitable for everyday work. |
| Ecosystem | Standalone apps for the web, iOS, Android, Windows and Mac. | Closely tied to Google Workspace, including Docs, Sheets and Meet. |
🏆 Why Consider Proton Drive?
- Filenames are encrypted too: Many cloud drives encrypt content but leave filenames exposed. Proton cannot even see what you named a file, preventing that metadata from leaking.
- Swiss privacy protection: It is not subject to the US CLOUD Act, so your data cannot be requested arbitrarily.
- Protected sharing: Set a password and expiry date on a shared file. Even if the link leaks, it cannot be read without the password.
Who Should Keep Using Google Drive?
- Your team edits Google Docs and Sheets together every day.
- You need substantial free storage—15 GB—for everyday work files.
- Your files are public material or work documents without private personal information.
A Practical Approach: Use Two Cloud Drives
Give each service a clearly defined job:
- Google Drive / OneDrive: Work files, collaborative documents and non-sensitive material.
- Proton Drive: ID documents, passports, contracts, tax records, private photos and encrypted backups.
🎁 Start with 1 GB of Free Encrypted Storage
Do not leave sensitive data exposed in a glass house. Proton Drive's free plan is enough to start storing essential documents.
👉 Start using Proton Drive's encrypted cloud storage for free
💡 Tips to avoid problems:
- Syncing is not a backup: Keep a separate copy on a local or external drive.
- Protect your recovery key: Proton cannot open your files either. If you forget the password and lose your recovery key, the data may be unrecoverable. Try the free plan to see how encrypted syncing fits your workflow.
💡 Disclosure: This article contains Proton Drive affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you buy through them.