# Nextcloud vs Proton Drive

The clearest difference is rating: Nextcloud at 4.7 against Proton Drive's 4.1. Nextcloud also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 9) and review sentiment (62% vs 37%). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Proton Drive sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Nextcloud asks for nothing beyond the download.

Nextcloud holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Nextcloud has 10K ratings behind it against 1.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Nextcloud's written reviews are positive against 37% of Proton Drive's.

Nextcloud ships an update weekly, Proton Drive fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nextcloud | Proton Drive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextcloud/id1125420102/reviews)** | [4.1 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/proton-drive-cloud-storage/id1509667851/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **10K** | 1.2K |
| Positive reviews | **61.5% of reviews** | 37.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 319 MB | 235 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nextcloud GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1296825573) | [Proton AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/979659484) |

## What reviewers say

### Nextcloud

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextcloud/id1125420102)

Access, manage, and share your files and photos from your private cloud storage. Upload media to free up phone space, work on documents offline, and utilize AI assistance. Secure your data with password or FaceID protection and end-to-end encryption.

**Highlights:** Connect multiple cloud accounts, Access and share documents, Upload photos and videos, Offline file access, AI Assistant, End-to-end encryption

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and stable
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 👍 Great alternative to big cloud providers
- 👍 Useful for home/business use
- 👍 Integrates well with iOS

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 👎 Unreliable file syncing and uploads
- 👎 Inconsistent performance and responsiveness
- 👎 Limited functionality compared to web version

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to open/edit text files
- Issues with password-protected folders
- Problems with HEIC file support
- Inconsistent video playback
- Crashes on launch after updates

**Requested features**

- Improved background photo/file sync
- Better integration with iOS Files app
- Support for more file types and document editing
- Customizable sorting and organization options
- Streamlined setup and configuration


### 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 Nextcloud free?

Nextcloud is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Proton Drive free?

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

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

Nextcloud is rated higher. Nextcloud averages 4.7 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while Proton Drive averages 4.1 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do Nextcloud or Proton Drive have ads?

Neither Nextcloud nor Proton Drive shows ads.

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

Nextcloud ships an update weekly, and Proton Drive fortnightly. Most recently, Nextcloud was updated on October 1, 2026 and Proton Drive on October 2, 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.*