# Semaphor vs Proton Drive

The clearest difference is rating: Proton Drive at 4.1 against Semaphor's 3.5. Proton Drive also leads on ratings volume (1.2K vs 15) and review sentiment (37% vs 15%). Semaphor's advantage is iOS requirement (10.0 vs 16.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Semaphor sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $8.99 per month and Proton Drive sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Proton Drive holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Proton Drive has 1.2K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 15% of Semaphor's written reviews are positive against 37% of Proton Drive's.

Semaphor ships an update every 3 weeks, Proton Drive fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Semaphor | Proton Drive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/semaphor/id1093566063/reviews) | **[4.1 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/proton-drive-cloud-storage/id1509667851/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 15 | **1.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 15.4% of reviews | **37.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 19 MB | 235 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SpiderOak, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/360584374) | [Proton AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/979659484) |

## What reviewers say

### Semaphor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/semaphor/id1093566063)

This app offers secure team communication and collaboration with end-to-end encryption and private blockchain technology. It provides features like direct messaging, file sharing, and project-specific channels for real-time teamwork.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encryption, Secure file sharing, Private direct messaging, Unlimited project channels, Real-time collaboration, Native offline mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Personal Plan Monthly | $8.99 | per month |


### Proton Drive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/proton-drive-cloud-storage/id1509667851)

Securely store and back up your files and photos with end-to-end encryption. Access your content across devices, share securely with password protection, and enjoy peace of mind with Swiss privacy laws. Offers free storage with upgrade options.

**Highlights:** End-to-end encrypted storage, Automatic photo and video backup, Secure link sharing with passwords, PIN/biometric protection, Offline file access, File version history

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Drive Lite 1 month | $0.99 | per month |
| Drive Plus 1 month | $4.99 | per month |
| Drive Plus 1 TB (1 month) | $9.99 | per month |
| Proton Unlimited 1 month | $14.99 | per month |
| Drive Plus 1 year | $47.90 | per year |
| Drive Plus 1 TB (1 year) | $95.99 | per year |
| Proton Unlimited 1 year | $119.00 | per year |
| Drive Plus | $59.99 | one-time |
| Proton Unlimited | $149.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Simple and intuitive UI
- 💡 Integrated with iOS Files app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 📥 Slow upload/download speeds
- 🗂️ Lacking key features like search and sorting

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and errors
- Inconsistent file syncing across devices
- Unable to access files uploaded from desktop
- Issues with offline file access

**Requested features**

- Automatic photo/video backup
- Ability to edit documents within the app
- Seamless integration with other apps for file sharing
- Linux desktop client


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Semaphor free?

Semaphor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Proton Drive free?

Proton Drive is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Semaphor or Proton Drive?

Proton Drive is rated higher. Semaphor averages 3.5 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Proton Drive averages 4.1 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do Semaphor or Proton Drive have ads?

Neither Semaphor nor Proton Drive shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Semaphor or Proton Drive?

Semaphor ships an update every 3 weeks, and Proton Drive fortnightly. Most recently, Semaphor was updated on October 7, 2026 and Proton Drive on October 16, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*