Proton Drive vs MEGA: price and which to choose
Quick verdict
MEGA has the bigger free plan (20 GB) and goes up to 20 TB, with a transfer quota on each plan and MEGA VPN and MEGA Pass included. Proton Drive starts with 5 GB free, offers 200 GB to 3 TB, keeps 10 years of file versions on Drive Plus, and adds the VPN, Mail and Pass from Unlimited, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Option A
$4.99/moDrive Plus
Official price before tax: $4.99
Price checked
Also has a free plan: Proton Free
Proton Drive price and plans
Option B
$44.64/yrEssential (annual)
Official price before tax: $44.64
Price checked
Also has a free plan: Free
MEGA price and plansWe compare plans with a similar purpose, whose features may differ; prices before sales tax; prices for other plans and periods are in the reviews.
Feature comparison
| Criterion | Proton Drive | MEGA |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 5 GB | 20 GB |
| Largest plan | 3 TB (Family) | 20 TB (Pro III) |
| Transfer quota | Not listed | 2.4–240 TB |
| File versions | 10 years (Drive Plus) | Up to 100 |
| VPN | From Unlimited | Every paid plan |
Both are privacy-minded cloud storage services that bundle a VPN and a password manager — in different ways.
If you don’t want to read further
The most free space or very large plans — MEGA. Long file history, family plans or encrypted email in the same subscription — Proton.
What really sets them apart
In each row, the last sentence matters most — what the difference means for you.
Free storage?
Proton Drive
5 GB.
MEGA
20 GB.
MEGA’s free plan is four times larger.
Plan sizes?
Proton Drive
200 GB, 500 GB, 2 TB (Duo), 3 TB (Family).
MEGA
200 GB, 750 GB, 3 TB, 10 TB, 20 TB.
Above 3 TB, only MEGA.
File versions?
Proton Drive
10 years of previous versions on Drive Plus.
MEGA
Up to 100 versions.
Proton keeps history by time, MEGA by count.
Transfer limits?
Proton Drive
Not part of the plan descriptions.
MEGA
A transfer quota on every plan, from 2.4 TB to 240 TB.
Heavy sharers should check MEGA’s quota.
What’s bundled?
Proton Drive
From Unlimited: Proton VPN, Mail, Calendar and Pass.
MEGA
Every paid plan: MEGA VPN, MEGA Pass, chat and meetings.
MEGA bundles from the first paid plan; Proton from Unlimited.
Refunds?
Proton Drive
30-day money-back guarantee.
MEGA
US purchases are final, except billing errors within 30 days and unused accidental buys within 24 hours.
If you might change your mind, Proton.
Billing currency?
Proton Drive
US dollars.
MEGA
Euros, with USD shown as an estimate.
No exchange-rate surprises with Proton.
Where they don’t differ, even though it seems they should
This part is often more useful than the list of differences — it saves money for anyone who was about to pay for an imaginary advantage.
A free tier
Both have one.
VPN and password manager
Both bundle them (Proton from Unlimited).
Yearly is cheaper
Both show their lowest monthly figures for yearly billing.
Password manager
Both include one – Proton Pass in Unlimited, MEGA Pass in every paid plan.
Which one fits whom
| Your situation | What to choose | On what condition |
|---|---|---|
| You want the most free space | MEGA | 20 GB. |
| You need 10 TB or more | MEGA Pro II or III | Check the transfer quota. |
| A family sharing storage | Proton Family | 3 TB for up to 6 users. |
| You want encrypted email too | Proton Unlimited | 500 GB plus Mail. |
- MEGA plans have a transfer quota as well as storage.
- Proton Drive Plus is storage only — the VPN starts with Unlimited.
- Both show their lowest monthly figures for yearly billing.
- Proton’s paid plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Save your recovery key – neither service can rescue encrypted files without it.
Where the facts come from
Sources: Proton’s US Drive pricing page and MEGA’s US pricing page. Prices are in the price blocks on each service’s page.
Facts in the text checked: .
FAQ: Proton Drive or MEGA
Other comparisons
The same products against other competitors, and other comparisons in the “Cloud storage” category.
Where their scores differ
Only criteria we’ve checked for both services and where the scores differ. Equal criteria and criteria without data aren’t shown here, because they add nothing to the decision.
If what matters most is — version history: Proton Drive Drive Plus
Proton Drive Drive Plus: 10 years (5,0/5) · MEGA Essential (annual): 60 days (4,0/5)
If what matters most is — app rating: MEGA Essential (annual)
Proton Drive Drive Plus: 4,1 out of 5 (4,1/5) · MEGA Essential (annual): 4,6 out of 5 (4,6/5)
The scores and their weights are the same as in the reviews of both services. How we calculate
Comparison text updated: