Cloud Storage With Zero Knowledge Encryption: Which One is The Best?
If you’re considering a private storage solution for your files online, you may have heard the term zero-knowledge encryption (ZKE). ZKE stands out from other cloud providers because it emphasizes privacy.
By choosing cloud storage with zero-knowledge encryption, you are given full control over the security and privacy of your files, and you will protect them from companies like Google, who use your data for profit or to train their AI models.
To help you decide which cloud storage to choose, we explain what zero-knowledge encryption is, how it works, and which cloud providers offer it either for free or at an additional cost.
To help you decide which cloud storage to choose, we explain zero-knowledge encryption, how it works, and which cloud providers offer it either for free or at an additional cost.
Table of contents
What is zero-knowledge encryption?
Cloud storage with zero-knowledge encryption is considered the best for storing your files privately in the cloud. The term zero knowledge is based on the fact that it’s impossible for the cloud provider to access, decrypt, or interact with your files; only the owner of the data can do this.
Zero-knowledge encryption encrypts data on your device before sending it to the cloud. The key to unlocking this data is generated and stored on your device. Cloud providers using zero-knowledge encryption can never see or store this decryption key, so the data can never be viewed by anyone but you.
Other companies, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and other providers, own and manage the encryption keys themselves. Consequently, these companies may access your data, give access to the government, or use your data for targeted ads.
If you value the privacy of your files, cloud storage with zero-knowledge encryption, such as Internxt Drive, is the best option for protecting them.
How zero-knowledge encryption works in cloud storage
Cloud storage with zero-knowledge encryption is designed to protect your data at all times and make it accessible only to you. Here’s an overview of the encryption process when you upload your files to the cloud.
- Encryption on your device: The encryption process happens locally on your device. First, the data is scrambled into an unreadable format using a unique encryption key before sending it to the cloud.
- Private encryption key: The encryption key is created and stored only on your device. The key is generated using advanced algorithms to secure against cyberattacks. Internxt uses post-quantum cryptography to generate these keys, the most advanced cryptography available.
- Secure data transfer: Once encrypted, your files are sent to the cloud through a secure connection (usually HTTPS).
- Storage in encrypted form: The encrypted version of your data is stored in the cloud provider’s servers. Since they don’t have your encryption key, they cannot read or access the actual content. Even if the servers are breached, the hackers will only see the encrypted version of your files.
- Decryption: When you want to access your files, the encrypted data is downloaded and decrypted locally using your private encryption key.
All of this happens in the background, so there’s no need to worry about using external tools to encrypt your files before sending them to the cloud.
It is important to note that with zero-knowledge encryption, if you lose your encryption key or forget your password, your data becomes permanently inaccessible because there are no backdoors or master keys.
As a result, it is highly recommended to download a backup key when you create a cloud storage account and implement other methods to prevent losing access to your data.
Benefits
Many choose cloud storage with zero-knowledge encryption to prevent companies from tracking or profiting from their data. It has many other advantages on top of total data privacy, too, including:
Zero-knowledge encryption (ZKE) in cloud storage provides enhanced privacy, security, and user control by ensuring that only you can access your data. Here are its main benefits:
- Protection from data breaches
Data breaches are a rising problem for businesses and industries such as healthcare. By using zero-knowledge providers, even if servers are hacked, the content is unreadable as the key is stored on your device.
2. No unauthorized access
Nobody can access your data, so you are protected from third-party surveillance, including government requests, corporate data mining, or your content used to train Artificial Intelligence.
3. Secure data sharing
Even when you share your files, zero-knowledge encryption maintains the privacy of your files during this process, so you can send sensitive files without compromising the privacy of their contents.
4. Data integrity and authenticity
As your files are encrypted before they leave your device, nobody can alter the contents without invalidating the encryption, keeping your data unchanged and authentic.
5. Compliance with privacy laws
ZKE helps businesses comply with strict data protection regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA, by ensuring that sensitive information remains private and under user control.
By using zero-knowledge encryption in cloud storage, you maintain full ownership of your data, ensuring it stays private and secure, no matter where it is stored.
Cloud storage with zero knowledge encryption included
If you're looking for encrypted cloud storage with zero-knowledge encryption included in its free and paid plans, these are the most popular providers that offer this service to keep your files in complete privacy.
Internxt Drive
Internxt Drive is an open-source alternative to Big Tech cloud storage with zero-knowledge encryption for file storage, sharing, syncing, and backups.
Free and paid plans protect your data with ZKE, so your files are kept in total privacy, and you have full control over the encryption, as Internxt does not manage the encryption keys.
Internxt offers other security features to keep your files private, such as password protection and access controls for shared files, which are available on all personal subscriptions or lifetime plans.
Business and family cloud storage plans are also available.
As Internxt does not store your passwords, you can create a backup key to regain access to your account in case you forget your password to prevent losing access to your files. This backup key generates a list of random words unique to you so that you can reset your account safely.
You can also set up Two-Factor Authentication to further secure your account. Get started with Internxt and get private cloud storage with pricing plans starting from €0.95 a month which will soon include Internxt Antivirus, VPN, Mail, and Meet, all protected by post-quantum and zero-knowledge encryption.
Sync
Sync offers zero-knowledge encryption for cloud storage, collaboration, and backups. Although Sync lacks the transparency of companies like Internxt, as it is not open-source, meaning the code is not available for public view, so you have to trust the service and how it handles your data.
Aside from zero-knowledge encryption, Sync offers custom branding on specific plans for businesses and no additional fees for data transfer.
Sync's cloud storage pricing starts at $8 a month for 2TB of storage.
Solo Basic: 2 TB of storage for $8 CAD per month, designed for individual users requiring more space.
Tresorit
Tresorit also offers zero-knowledge encryption protected by Swiss privacy laws. Aside from cloud storage, it provides services like e-signatures and a plug-in to encrypt your Gmail attachments for additional security for your emails.
Personal subscriptions for Tresorit start at €3.99/month for 50GB of storage. Some additional features are only available on the higher-tiered plans, so you may want to consider this before choosing whether Tresorit is right for you.
MEGA
MEGA is a cloud storage with zero-knowledge encryption service that also offers video chat, password manager, chat, and VPN.
However, MEGA has past security issues found by researchers at the Department of Computer Science in Zurich, who reviewed the security of MEGA and found significant problems in how it uses its cryptography.
Findings from this study concluded that MEGA’s cryptography could lead to attacks such as:
- RSA Key Recovery Attack: MEGA can recover a user’s RSA private key in only 512 login attempts. RSA private key is used to generate digital signatures and for authentication.
- Plaintext Recovery: MEGA can decrypt other vital materials, like node keys and by using them can decrypt all of users' files and communication.
- GaP-Bleichenbacher Attack: MEGA can decrypt RSA ciphertexts, which are used for encryption, making them ineffective.
Presently, it is unclear whether MEGA has improved the quality of its cryptography as it is not open source. Instead, MEGA uses the Google Piper implementation, an open-source project for managing code repositories.
MEGA plans start at €9.99/month, but if its past security vulnerabilities concern you, you may want to check our article on 7 MEGA alternatives.
Proton Drive
Proton Drive is the last cloud storage with zero-knowledge encryption offered in all its plans. Proton Drive is included with Proton Mail, VPN, and more.
Pricing for Proton Drive starts at €3.99/month for 200GB.
If you are only looking for cloud storage with zero-knowledge encryption, then Proton may be costly for your needs; it also doesn’t offer WebDAV or Rclone support like Internxt.
If, on the other hand, you want a full privacy product suite, you are free to decide between Proton or Internxt, with the latter offering an Antivirus and video calling platform in its future pricing plans.
Cloud Storage with zero-knowledge encryption as a paid add-on
The following cloud storage providers offer zero-knowledge encryption, but if you want free cloud storage, you must purchase a paid plan or a separate add-on, which may be outside your budget.
pCloud
pCloud is a cloud storage platform that offers lifetime plans, but zero-knowledge encryption is not available in its pricing model; you have to purchase pCloud crypto, costing an additional €150.
So, if you want 2TB of lifetime storage protected by zero-knowledge encryption, the initial plan will cost €399 plus €150, reaching a total cost of €549.
Compare this with Internxt’s 2TB lifetime plan, which includes post-quantum and zero-knowledge encryption for €135, meaning you could save up to €414 or 75.45%.
If you value transparency, it’s important to note that pCloud is not open source, so it is also unclear how it handles your data. You can view our comparison page to see how Internxt is a better alternative to pCLoud.
Icedrive
Icedrive is another cloud storage with zero-knowledge encryption you have to pay for, as it is not offered on its free account. Icedrive is not open source either, which is another factor to consider.
Icedrive offers 512GB, 2TB, and 10TB lifetime plans, which start at €299.
Icedrive’s features are currently limited to cloud storage, so if you want more products from your plan, like a VPN or business plans, you should consider the other alternatives mentioned in this list.
How to choose the best cloud storage with zero-knowledge encryption
As all of these cloud storage providers offer zero-knowledge encryption, they will all meet your needs to keep your files private. From there, you will have to consider what other options you want out of your storage, and consider:
- Affordability
- Open source
- Business plans
- Accessibility (Linux support, WebDAV, etc)
- Other features (VPN etc)
You can try Internxt for free to test whether this service is for you, or choose from any plan to get all the best features and products for your privacy and finally make the switch from Google Drive and other Big Tech companies.