Sustainable Substitutes for Google Drive

A file storage and synchronisation service that discloses all your cloud uploads with Google.

Reasons to avoid Google Drive

Google Drive stores files in the cloud without end-to-end encryption, giving the service full access to document contents, metadata, and sharing details.

This centralized control by a major Big Tech company raises privacy and security concerns, especially for sensitive or confidential data. Go with a privacy-friendly alternative.

Sustainable Alternatives

Here are some sustainable alternatives to Google Drive

Nextcloud

Nextcloud is a German self-hostable, open-source cloud storage and collaboration platform.

Nextcloud does not track users or sell personal data, ensuring a private and secure experience with optional end-to-end encryption.
Nextcloud’s core software is fully open-source, allowing for independent audits and community-driven development.
Nextcloud is based in Germany, ensuring compliance with strong European privacy laws.
Nextcloud is designed to be self-hosted, giving users full control over their data and infrastructure.
Nextcloud became the first cloud software platform to earn the Blauer Engel ecolabel, emphasizing environmental responsibility.
Some third party providers offer free plans with up to 5GB of storage. The self-hostable community edition is free and without licensing costs.
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tresorit logo

Tresorit

Tresorit is a Swiss end-to-end encrypted cloud storage service with a focus on security.

Tresorit uses end-to-end encryption (zero-knowledge), meaning files are encrypted locally before upload, and only the user holds the decryption keys.
Tresorit is based in Switzerland, ensuring compliance with strong European privacy laws.
Tresorit avoids unnecessary data consumption, focusing on efficient and secure file storage without AI-driven bloat.
Tresorit offers a free, basic plan with up to 3GB of encrypted storage.
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pCloud

pCloud is a Swiss secure cloud storage service with lifetime plans.

pCloud does not track users unnecessarily, and its optional zero-knowledge encryption ensures that files are encrypted locally before being uploaded to the cloud.
pCloud is based in Switzerland, ensuring compliance with strong European privacy laws.
pCloud offers 10GB of unencrypted storage with a free account and promises that it will be free forever.
pCloud offers affordable plans that allow users to pay for storage once and use it forever (or as long as the company exists).
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The 4 main issues with Google Drive

Big Tech - Big Tech companies do not nourish people and planet. This is especially true in times of political tension.

Google Drive is developed and owned by Google, one of the largest tech companies, contributing to market monopolisation and exploitative data practices. Source: EFF: Google Search Monopoly and Privacy Concerns (2025)

Privacy Concerns - User data is likely to be stored and used against users' best interest.

Google Drive collects and analyzes user files, raising significant privacy concerns. Source: The Verge: Google Drive AI and Ransomware Risks (2025) Source: The Verge: Google Faces Class Action Over Data Collection (2025)

Lack of Transparency - Opacity in operations, data handling, or supply chains, making it difficult for users to understand practices.

Google lacks transparency in how user data from Google Drive is used and shared. Source: FTC: Google’s Data Privacy Violations (2025)

Data Monopolies - Control of vast amounts of user data, creating risks for privacy and potential misuse.

Google Drive contributes to Google's vast data monopolies, creating risks for user privacy. Source: EFF: Google’s Data Collection and Privacy Risks (2025)