MEGA
Proton
| Feature | MEGA | Proton |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $5.53/mo | Free / from $3.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | privacy-conscious-users, file-sharers, remote-workers, personal-backup | privacy-advocates, journalists, activists, security-conscious-users |
| Founded | 2013 | 2014 |
| Encrypted Storage | ✓ | ✗ |
| File Sync | ✓ | ✗ |
| File Sharing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Chat | ✓ | ✗ |
| Video Calls | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mobile Apps | ✓ | ✗ |
| Encrypted Email | ✗ | ✓ |
| Vpn | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cloud Storage | ✗ | ✓ |
| Calendar | ✗ | ✓ |
| Password Manager | ✗ | ✓ |
| Aliases | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Destructing Messages | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ MEGA Pros
- 20GB free storage
- End-to-end encryption
- Zero-knowledge privacy
- Good file sharing controls
✗ MEGA Cons
- Free account inactivity policy
- Transfer quotas on free plan
- Less polished than Google Drive
✓ Proton Pros
- End-to-end encryption for all services
- Swiss-based with strong privacy laws
- Open-source and independently audited
- Comprehensive privacy suite (mail, VPN, drive, calendar)
- Free tier available for all services
✗ Proton Cons
- Free storage is limited (1GB for mail)
- Less feature-rich than mainstream alternatives
- Search functionality limited due to encryption
The Verdict
MEGA is built for privacy conscious users and file sharers, with a focus on encrypted-storage and file-sync. Proton targets privacy advocates and journalists and leads with encrypted-email and vpn.
Pricing is close: Proton starts at $3.99/mo versus $5.53/mo for MEGA — not a deciding factor on its own.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, Proton offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while MEGA takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Proton has a slight overall edge — but if 20gb free storage matters most to you, MEGA may still be the right call.