Syncthing vs Proton Drive
Both are free/open-source alternatives to Dropbox. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
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
| Syncthing | Proton Drive | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty Score | 92 | 60 |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | Yes | No |
| Local-first | 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) |
Syncthing edges it on the Sovereignty Score, but the right pick depends on the trade-offs below.
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
Facts verified 2026-07-04. Licenses and pricing change — spotted something out of date? That's a correction we want.