Ark Cloud vs Ugh! Storage

Ark – Your private encrypted cloud Ark is a secure, zero-knowledge encrypted cloud designed for people and organizations who value privacy. Your files are encrypted before they leave your device, ensuring that only you can access your data. Unlike traditional cloud storage services, Ark is built so that not even we can see your files. With end-to-end encryption and Swedish hosting, your data remains private, secure, and fully under your control. Store your documents, photos, notes, and sensitive information in one protected place: your personal digital vault.

Ugh! Storage turns a Raspberry Pi 5 into your personal cloud — encrypted, subscription-free, and yours forever. Your photos and files sync to hardware in your home, not a server farm you'll never see. WHY UGH! STORAGE No monthly fee. Ever. You already paid when you bought the Pi. Your storage grows when you want — just swap in a bigger drive. No family-tier upgrades. No "you're out of space" emails at 2 AM. Your files are encrypted on your device before they leave it. The server on your Pi never sees them in plaintext — and neither do we. You hold the keys. WHAT'S INSIDE • Automatic photo backup with duplicate detection • Full file manager: folders, drag-and-drop, preview, share links • End-to-end AES-256 encryption • AI search: find photos by what's in them, search videos by transcript • Built-in OCR — search text inside scanned documents • Spotlight integration: find a file from your iPhone home screen • Home-screen widget showing storage usage at a glance • Share sheet extension — send anything from any app to your cloud • Document scanner with perspective correction • Offline mode: browse cached files without a connection • Face ID / Touch ID lock • Native macOS app with proper menus, keyboard shortcuts, and windows • Guided setup over Bluetooth — no terminal, no SSH, no command line WHAT YOU NEED • Raspberry Pi 5 with an NVMe SSD (1TB+ recommended) • Wi-Fi or Ethernet • This app — that's it The app walks you through assembling, flashing, and pairing — step by step, no terminal required. First-time setup takes about 20 minutes. PRIVATE BY DESIGN • Zero-knowledge encryption: your data is encrypted with keys only you hold • No tracking of your content, no analytics on your files • Access tokens stored in the iOS Keychain • HTTPS-only with strict certificate validation • Apple Privacy Manifest (2024+ compliance) • Biometric lock prefers Face ID / Touch ID only — never falls back to passcode WHO IT'S FOR • Anyone with cloud subscription fatigue • Privacy-conscious families • Photographers with terabyte-scale libraries • NAS users wanting a simpler, native iPhone + Mac experience • Developers and self-hosting enthusiasts • Anyone who owns a Raspberry Pi and wants to put it to work VERSION 2.0 HIGHLIGHTS New guided setup flow. Smoother browsing. Off-thread encryption for large uploads. Background uploads that actually finish overnight. Fully native macOS app. Full Apple Privacy Manifest. Over 40 reliability and privacy fixes. FREE. NO TIERS. NO ADS. The app is free. No in-app purchases. No "premium" tier. You already paid for your storage when you bought the Pi.