1 Best Open-Source Alternatives to MEGA in 2026
By Noahlast updated
Compared: open-source alternatives to MEGA
| Alternative | Best for | Standout | Biggest weakness | Learning curve | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MEGAreference | privacy-conscious individuals and small teams who want client-side end-to-end encrypted cloud storage where the provider cannot access file contents | End-to-end, zero-knowledge encryption applied client-side by default on all tiers, including the free plan, rather than encryption being a paid add-on as with many mainstream cloud storage providers. | Because encryption keys live only with the user, losing your password or recovery key means permanently losing access to your own files with no provider-side recovery, and the free tier's bonus storage above the 20GB base is time-limited rather than permanent. | Low | Free |
| Proton Drive | privacy-focused individuals and small teams who want end-to-end encrypted cloud storage with a genuinely usable free tier and open-source, independently-audited clients | Files are end-to-end encrypted before upload — Proton itself cannot read them — and the client source code (GPL-3.0) is public on GitHub for independent review. | End-to-end encryption means there is no way for Proton to recover a lost password or restore access to encrypted files without a saved recovery kit; the free tier's 5 GB is modest, and getting the best per-dollar value requires bundling into the pricier $12.99/month Proton Unlimited plan rather than buying Drive storage alone. | Low | Free tier · paid from $4.99/mo |
MEGA
Proton Drive1.Proton Drive — best MEGA alternative for privacy-focused individuals and small teams who want end-to-end encrypted cloud storage with a genuinely usable free tier and open-source, independently-audited clients
Proton Drive is the best MEGA alternative for privacy-focused users who specifically want officially open-source (GPL-3.0), independently audited client code rather than just publicly published source, since Proton Drive is explicitly licensed as open source while MEGA only says it published client-side source in 2016 without an equivalent open-source license classification. Proton Drive's Free plan includes 5GB alongside encrypted Proton Docs and Proton Sheets for collaborative editing within the same encrypted storage, and Drive Plus costs $4.99/month for 200GB. Proton is based in Switzerland, subject to strict Swiss privacy law, and reports over 100 million users across its Mail, VPN, Calendar, and Pass suite that Drive can bundle into. MEGA is still the better choice for anyone who wants more free storage upfront or native Linux support: MEGA's 20GB free tier is four times larger than Proton Drive's 5GB, and Proton Drive's platform list (web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android) does not include a native Linux client the way MEGA's does.
Compared to MEGA: officially open-source (GPL-3.0) audited client code, encrypted Proton Docs and Sheets for collaborative editing, Swiss jurisdiction under strict privacy law
Wins:Explicitly licensed open source (GPL-3.0) and independently audited, versus MEGA's published-but-not-open-licensed source · Encrypted Proton Docs and Proton Sheets allow collaborative editing within the same encrypted storage · Bundles with Proton's Mail, VPN, Calendar, and Pass suite (100 million+ users) at higher tiers
Loses:Free tier is 5GB, a quarter of MEGA's 20GB free allocation · No native Linux desktop client, unlike MEGA which supports Linux directly · Best per-dollar value requires the pricier $12.99/month Proton Unlimited bundle rather than Drive alone
Pros
- Files are end-to-end encrypted client-side, so Proton cannot read stored content.
- Client source code is open source (GPL-3.0) and independently audited.
- 5 GB free tier is more generous than most end-to-end encrypted competitors.
- Based in Switzerland, subject to strict Swiss privacy law rather than US or EU data requests.
Cons
- Lost passwords can't be recovered by Proton for end-to-end encrypted content without a saved recovery kit.
- Free tier storage (5 GB) is modest compared to Google Drive's 15 GB free tier.
- Best value per dollar requires the pricier Proton Unlimited bundle rather than a Drive-only plan.
Pricing: Free tier · paid from $4.99/mo — $4.99/month for 200GB (Drive Plus) vs MEGA's free 20GB with unpublished Pro tier pricing (verified undefined NaN, NaN)