zcrypt vs Google Drive
Google Drive can read your files.
zcrypt can't
Drive scans your files for search and smart features. zcrypt locks them on your device first, and the code is open.
No card. No trial. There's nothing to upgrade to.
Why switch
What changes when nobody else can look
Only you can read it
Your passphrase derives the encryption keys on your device with PBKDF2 (600k iterations). Nothing (not search, not smart features, not us) can read your files, because nobody else has the keys.
No scanning, ever
Because content is encrypted with AES-256-GCM before it leaves your device, there's nothing to scan, index, or analyze. The server stores opaque ciphertext, including folder names.
Bring your own storage
Connect a GitHub, GitLab, Hugging Face, or Telegram account you already own. No shared 15 GB pool, no per-gigabyte fees from us, no artificial caps.
Open source, run it yourself
Read the code, audit the crypto, or run the whole thing yourself. How your files are handled isn't a black box.
Side by side
zcrypt and Google Drive, row by row
An honest look at where each one fits. Google Drive wins on integration and collaboration; zcrypt wins on privacy, ownership, and openness.
| zcrypt | Google Drive | |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption model & who holds the keys | zcryptAES-256-GCM, keys derived on your device (PBKDF2, 600k iterations). Only you hold them. | Google DriveEncrypted in transit and at rest with Google-managed keys. Google can decrypt your files. |
| Zero-knowledge | zcryptYes, by default. File contents are zero-knowledge, and folder and file names are encrypted client-side (a legacy plaintext name column is being retired). | Google DriveNo. Content is processed for search, previews, smart features, and policy scanning. |
| Storage model | zcryptBring your own: GitHub, GitLab, Hugging Face, or Telegram accounts you already control. | Google DriveGoogle-hosted, pooled across Drive, Gmail, and Photos. Convenient, but you don't own it. |
| Free tier & pricing | zcryptFree. You supply the storage, so there's no per-gigabyte fee from us. | Google Drive15 GB free (shared across Google services); more requires a paid Google One plan. |
| Open source | zcryptFully open source: audit the client and server yourself. | Google DriveProprietary, closed-source. |
| Self-hostable | zcryptRun the entire stack yourself. | Google DriveHosted Google service only. |
| File organization & folders | zcryptReal nestable folders with encrypted folder names and per-folder passwords. | Google DriveExcellent folders, search, and shared drives, but names and contents are visible to Google. |
| In-browser previews | zcryptImages, video, audio, PDFs, docs, and code: decrypted in your browser, never on the server. | Google DriveBest-in-class previews and Docs/Sheets editing, generated because Google can read the files. |
| File sharing | zcryptEncrypted share links with expiry. Shared vaults are in beta. | Google DriveVery mature sharing and real-time collaboration: at the cost of provider access. |
| Vendor lock-in | zcryptMinimal. Your data lives in your own accounts and the format is open. | Google DriveHigh. Files, formats, and workflows are tied into the Google ecosystem. |
Comparison reflects each product's standard offering as of 2026. Google Drive is a trademark of Google LLC; we're not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
The honest part
When Google Drive is the better choice
Google Drive is one of the most capable products of its kind, and there are plenty of situations where it's simply the right answer.
If your work revolves around real-time collaboration in Docs, Sheets, and Slides, or you live inside Gmail, Calendar, and the broader Google ecosystem, Drive's integration is unmatched. Multiple people editing the same document live is something an encrypted-at-rest drive fundamentally can't replicate, because that requires the server to read the content.
If you want powerful search across the contents of your files, AI-assisted features, or automatic photo organization, those rely on Google being able to read your data. zcrypt can't offer them precisely because it can't see your files. That's the deliberate trade-off of zero-knowledge.
And if polished native mobile apps are essential today, zcrypt's mobile apps are still on the roadmap. We ship web, desktop, and an Android beta now; Google Drive's mobile apps are mature and complete.
zcrypt is the better fit when you want storage that genuinely can't read your files, lives in accounts you already own, and has nothing hidden behind a proprietary client.
Get started today
The drive you actually own.
Connect your own account. Encrypted on your device. No artificial limits, no vendor lock-in.