Syncthing vs Proton Drive
Both are alternatives to Dropbox. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
Also searched as Proton Drive vs Syncthing — same comparison, one verdict.
Syncthing is open source (MPL-2.0) and Proton Drive is not (Proprietary hosted service (client apps open-source, audited)) — so the real question is whether you want to own the cloud storage & sync stack or rent it.
Syncthing
Continuous peer-to-peer file sync with no cloud.
Syncthing keeps folders in sync directly between your own devices, peer-to-peer and encrypted, with no server and no cloud in the middle. It is the purest self-owned option — brilliant for device-to-device sync, though it is sync only, not a sharing suite.
Proton Drive
End-to-end encrypted cloud storage from the Proton privacy suite.
Proton Drive is hosted, end-to-end encrypted cloud storage and file sync from the Swiss privacy company Proton. Like the rest of Proton, its apps are open-source and audited, but the service is hosted on Proton's servers — not self-hostable. It's the easy private-cloud option for people who won't run Nextcloud or Syncthing themselves.
Side by side
10 points of comparison, every one read from a verified field. Green marks the side that wins a row outright. A dash means we do not hold that fact — never that it is zero.
| Syncthing | Proton Drive | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty ScoreOur transparent 0–100 composite for data ownership and exit cost. | 92 | 60 |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | Yes | No |
| Local-first data | Yes | No |
| License | MPL-2.0 | Proprietary hosted service (client apps open-source, audited) |
| Pricing | Free / open-source | Free tier (a few GB); paid from about $4/month (or bundled in Proton Unlimited) |
| RAM to run it wellThe figure that actually matters, not the vendor's minimum. | 512 MB | — |
| Realistic running costWhat the box costs each month if you run it yourself. | $0 if it runs on machines you already own; $6/mo for a small always-on VPS acting as the permanent peer | — |
| Setup timeHonest first-install estimate, not the marketing quickstart. | 20 minutes | — |
| Ongoing maintenanceThe part nobody budgets for. | Almost none. Occasional version bumps, and conflict files to clear when two devices edit offline. | — |
Syncthing edges it on the Sovereignty Score, but the right pick depends on the trade-offs below.
Weighing both against staying on Dropbox? Is Dropbox free? What it actually costs →
Syncthing
Strengths
- +No server or cloud at all
- +Peer-to-peer and encrypted
- +Very light and reliable
Trade-offs
- −Sync only — no web sharing/links
- −Devices must be online to sync
Proton Drive
Strengths
- +End-to-end encrypted — Proton cannot read your files
- +Open-source, independently audited client apps
- +Zero setup — nothing to host or maintain
- +Swiss privacy jurisdiction
Trade-offs
- −Hosted on Proton's servers — not self-hostable
- −The service is proprietary; only the client apps are open
- −Files live in Proton's cloud, not on your own hardware
- −Less storage per dollar than raw self-hosting
Which one fits you
The trade-offs above, turned into a decision. Find the line that describes your team.
Choose Syncthing
if you want the source and the option to fork it, and you would rather run it on your own hardware, and your data should stay on machines you control.
Choose Proton Drive
if end-to-end encrypted — Proton cannot read your files.
Neither, yet
if both carry a real cost you should weigh first — sync only — no web sharing/links, and hosted on Proton's servers — not self-hostable. If either of those is a dealbreaker for your team, the shortlist is wrong rather than the choice.
What it takes to run these yourself
Real requirements and honest running costs, not the vendor quickstart.
Syncthing vs Proton Drive — common questions
Is Syncthing a better fit than Proton Drive for cloud storage & sync?
It depends on what you are optimising for, and the honest split is this: Syncthing scores 92 to Proton Drive's 60 on data ownership and exit cost, so it is the safer choice if you care about being able to leave. Proton Drive earns its place on a different axis — end-to-end encrypted — Proton cannot read your files. Neither is a wrong answer for every team; the table above is the actual comparison.
What happens if we want to switch later?
Syncthing keeps its data local or in open formats, so leaving is an export rather than a negotiation. Proton Drive keeps your data on its own infrastructure, which is the part to plan for: confirm the export path before you commit, not when you are already trying to leave.
Can I self-host Syncthing?
Syncthing can be self-hosted; Proton Drive cannot, so it stays on the vendor's infrastructure whatever you do.
Are Syncthing and Proton Drive both alternatives to Dropbox?
Yes — both appear in our Dropbox comparison, which is why they are worth putting side by side. People usually arrive here already having decided to move off Dropbox and now choosing between the two replacements, which is a narrower and much easier question.
More Dropbox head-to-heads
More cloud storage & sync comparisons
Related alternative guides
Facts verified 2026-07-18. Licenses and pricing change — spotted something out of date? That's a correction we want.