Short answer (checked 16 October 2026): eight of the ten providers compared here have a free plan that encrypts files on your device before upload — MEGA (20 GB), Filen (10 GiB), ShieldFive (10 GB), Sync.com and Proton Drive (5 GB each), Tresorit and NordLocker (3 GB each) and Internxt (1 GB). Icedrive (10 GB) and pCloud (up to 10 GB) also give free space, but their free plans are not end-to-end encrypted. Before you rely on a free plan, check whether inactive accounts are deleted.
"Zero-knowledge" here means the file is encrypted on your device and the provider stores only ciphertext. Many providers advertise encryption on every plan but keep the on-device kind for paid tiers, so the free plan is the place to check. For how the ten compare on paid plans, see zero-knowledge cloud storage compared.
Free plans compared
| Provider | Free storage | Free plan encrypted on your device | Inactive free accounts |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEGA | 20 GB, limited transfer | Yes | May be closed after more than 3 months inactive, after notice |
| Filen | 10 GiB | Yes | Deleted after 3 months without a sign-in, after warning emails |
| ShieldFive | 10 GB, no card | Yes — every file and file name | No inactivity-deletion rule in the terms |
| Sync.com | 5 GB | Yes | No rule found in the terms |
| Proton Drive | 5 GB | Yes | May be deleted after more than 12 months inactive |
| Tresorit | 3 GB (Basic) | Yes | Not stated on the pages we checked |
| NordLocker | 3 GB | Yes | Not stated on the pages we checked |
| Internxt | 1 GB | Yes | Not stated on the pages we checked |
| Icedrive | 10 GB | No — client-side encryption is on paid plans only | Not stated on the pages we checked |
| pCloud | Up to 10 GB | No — end-to-end encryption is the paid pCloud Encryption add-on | Deleted after 12 months inactive |
Each figure was read on the provider's own site on 16 October 2026: MEGA and its terms, Filen and its terms, Sync.com and its terms, Proton Drive and its inactive-accounts policy, Tresorit Basic, NordLocker, Internxt, Icedrive, and pCloud with its terms. Free plans change often; confirm before you sign up.
File size limits
None of these providers publishes a per-file size limit for its free plan on the pricing pages we read on 16 October 2026. Internxt publishes limits for paid plans only (10 GB per file on Essential, up to 100 GB on Ultimate). If you need to store single files of several gigabytes, upload a test file of that size before you move anything.
What happens when you stop paying
A free plan is also where you land if you upgrade and later stop paying, so it is worth knowing what each provider does with the files above the free limit.
- Filen stops new uploads, keeps your existing files available to download or delete, and deletes the excess after three months (pricing FAQ).
- Everyone else: we did not find a published rule on the pages we checked, so read the downgrade and termination sections of the terms before you upgrade.
- A lifetime plan avoids the downgrade question, at the cost of betting on the company. Lifetime cloud storage compared covers which pay-once plans are still on sale.
Three checks before you rely on a free plan
1. Is the free plan itself end-to-end encrypted? Icedrive and pCloud advertise encryption, but on their free plans the provider holds the keys. Look for "client-side" or "on your device" next to the free plan, not just on the paid ones.
2. Will the account survive a quiet year? If you use the storage as an archive and rarely sign in, a three-month inactivity rule (Filen, MEGA) can delete it. Put a calendar reminder to sign in, or pick a provider without that rule.
3. Can you get the files out? Download a folder and open the files before you depend on the account. A free plan is a fair way to test apps, sharing and recovery; it is not a backup on its own.
ShieldFive's free plan, and its limits
The free plan is 10 GB with no card. Every file and file name is encrypted on your device, in your browser, before upload — the same encryption as paid plans — and we store only ciphertext and never hold your keys. You can preview PDFs, images, spreadsheets and Word documents in the browser and share files with an expiry.
The limits, stated plainly: there is no iOS app and no desktop sync client yet, and the Android app is in Google Play testing. The crypto core is open source (Apache-2.0) but the apps are not, and no external security audit has been completed. We serve the web app's code, so the guarantee holds for the code you are served, and file sizes and timestamps are not encrypted. If you need desktop sync or an iOS app today, MEGA, Filen, Proton Drive and Sync.com have them.
If you outgrow 10 GB and would rather not pay monthly, the Lifetime Vault is 2 TB for €199 once, with a 30-day refund.
This comparison reflects each provider's public pages as of 16 October 2026 and will be updated as the plans change.