Hetzner Storage Box vs Proton Drive: Complete Comparison (2026)

By Sarah Mitchell, Cloud & Developer Tools Editorยท10 years of experienceยทUpdated 2026-04-24ยท8 min read

In comparing Hetzner Storage Box and Proton Drive in 2026, Proton Drive is the stronger choice for proton users wanting encrypted cloud storage integrated with protonmail due to part of trusted proton privacy ecosystem. Hetzner Storage Box excels for european businesses and developers wanting cheap, reliable storage with sftp with extremely affordable pricing. Hetzner Storage Box offers SFTP and rsync access, Samba/CIFS support, Automated snapshots starting at $3.81/mo (1TB). Proton Drive provides End-to-end encryption, Proton ecosystem integration, File sharing from $3.99/mo with a free tier. For teams prioritizing value, Proton Drive delivers a hiltonsoftware Score of 80/100. Hetzner Storage Box and Proton Drive compete in the cloud storage segment of the SaaS market, where cloud-native solutions, API integrations, and workflow automation drive enterprise and SMB adoption. Other leading cloud storage tools include Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive. Hetzner Storage Box serves 500K+ users globally (founded 1997) while Proton Drive reports 100M+ (Proton ecosystem) active users (founded 2022).

Hetzner Storage Box vs Proton Drive at a Glance

Hetzner Storage Box
Proton Drive
Starting Price
$3.81/mo (1TB)
$3.99/mo
Free Plan
No
Yes
User Rating
4.5/5
4.4/5
Best For
European businesses and developers wanting cheap, ...
Proton users wanting encrypted cloud storage integ...
Users
500K+
100M+ (Proton ecosystem)
Founded
1997
2022
hiltonsoftware Score
73/100
80/100
Pricing verified: March 2026 ยท Based on official vendor data
๐Ÿ“ฆ
Hetzner Storage Box
Cloud Storage
73
hiltonsoftware.co Score
VS
๐ŸŸฃ
Proton Drive
Cloud Storage
80
hiltonsoftware.co Score
RECOMMENDED

What are the main differences between Hetzner Storage Box and Proton Drive?

Hetzner Storage Box and Proton Drive differ across ease of use, features, value, support, integrations, scalability, and learning curve. Proton Drive leads in 4 of 7 categories.

Hetzner Storage BoxProton Drive
81Ease of Use82
79Features73
62Value for Money74
73Customer Support68
69Integrations72
70Scalability68
65Learning Curve70

What are the pros and cons of Hetzner Storage Box vs Proton Drive?

Hetzner Storage Box
+Extremely affordable pricing
+European data hosting (GDPR)
-No desktop sync client
-Technical setup required
Proton Drive
+Part of trusted Proton privacy ecosystem
+Swiss data protection laws
-Fewer features than Google Drive
-Desktop app still maturing

Which is better, Hetzner Storage Box or Proton Drive?

After evaluating Hetzner Storage Box and Proton Drive across features, pricing, integrations, and user satisfaction, Proton Drive earns a higher hiltonsoftware Score of 80/100 versus Hetzner Storage Box at 73/100. Proton Drive stands out for "part of trusted proton privacy ecosystem" and "swiss data protection laws". Hetzner Storage Box delivers competitive advantages in "extremely affordable pricing", making Hetzner Storage Box a viable alternative.

On pricing, Proton Drive offers a free plan for SMBs and startups. Hetzner Storage Box starts at $3.81/mo (1TB) with no free tier, but justifies the cost with sftp and rsync access and samba/cifs support and enterprise-grade scalability.

Bottom line: Choose Hetzner Storage Box for european businesses and developers wanting cheap, reliable storage with sftp. Choose Proton Drive for proton users wanting encrypted cloud storage integrated with protonmail. Both Hetzner Storage Box and Proton Drive are established cloud storage platforms.

CHOOSE HETZNER STORAGE BOX IF:

European businesses and developers wanting cheap, reliable storage with SFTP.

CHOOSE PROTON DRIVE IF:

Proton users wanting encrypted cloud storage integrated with ProtonMail.

Hetzner Storage Box vs Proton Drive: Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hetzner Storage Box better than Proton Drive in 2026?
Proton Drive outperforms Hetzner Storage Box in the 2026 hiltonsoftware.co analysis with a score of 80/100 compared to 73/100. Hetzner Storage Box excels in SFTP and rsync access, Samba/CIFS support, Automated snapshots, making Hetzner Storage Box the better choice for European businesses and developers wanting cheap, reliable storage with SFTP. Proton Drive is the stronger option for Proton users wanting encrypted cloud storage integrated with ProtonMail due to part of trusted proton privacy ecosystem. For teams needing end-to-end encryption, hiltonsoftware.co recommends Proton Drive.
How does Hetzner Storage Box pricing compare to Proton Drive in 2026?
Hetzner Storage Box starts at $3.81/mo (1TB) with no free tier. Proton Drive starts at $3.99/mo and offers a free plan. Hetzner Storage Box includes features like SFTP and rsync access, Samba/CIFS support, Automated snapshots. Proton Drive provides End-to-end encryption, Proton ecosystem integration, File sharing. Hetzner Storage Box serves 500K+ users while Proton Drive serves 100M+ (Proton ecosystem) users. Evaluate total cost of ownership based on team size and required integrations.
What are the main differences between Hetzner Storage Box and Proton Drive?
Hetzner Storage Box specializes in SFTP and rsync access, Samba/CIFS support, Automated snapshots, earning a 73/100 hiltonsoftware Score. Proton Drive focuses on End-to-end encryption, Proton ecosystem integration, File sharing, scoring 80/100. Hetzner Storage Box is best for European businesses and developers wanting cheap, reliable storage with SFTP. Proton Drive is best for Proton users wanting encrypted cloud storage integrated with ProtonMail. Both Hetzner Storage Box and Proton Drive serve the Cloud Storage market but target different user profiles.
Can I migrate from Hetzner Storage Box to Proton Drive?
Migrating from Hetzner Storage Box to Proton Drive is possible since both operate in the Cloud Storage space. Export data from Hetzner Storage Box and verify Proton Drive import capabilities. Key features to evaluate: SFTP and rsync access, Samba/CIFS support, Automated snapshots (Hetzner Storage Box) versus End-to-end encryption, Proton ecosystem integration, File sharing (Proton Drive). Running both Hetzner Storage Box and Proton Drive in parallel during a trial period ensures a smooth transition.
Is Hetzner Storage Box or Proton Drive better for small business?
For small businesses, Proton Drive offers a free plan making Proton Drive more budget-friendly at 80/100 on hiltonsoftware.co. Hetzner Storage Box (starting at $3.81/mo (1TB)) is worth considering for SFTP and rsync access, Samba/CIFS support, Automated snapshots. Both Hetzner Storage Box and Proton Drive scale from SMB to enterprise.

Reviewed by Sarah Mitchell, Cloud & Developer Tools Editor. Last updated: 2026-04-24. Pricing verified: March 2026.

Read our scoring methodology to understand how the hiltonsoftware Score is calculated.

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