The main difference is Ente is a photo app while Proton Drive is a file storage service. Both offer end-to-end encryption and prioritize privacy - but Proton Drive has no albums, no face recognition, no memories, no map view, no Live Photos support. It's a great encrypted file locker, but it's not a photo app.
The other key difference is transparency: Ente is fully open source - both client apps AND server code. Proton only publishes client code; their server is closed source. With Ente, you can verify exactly how your photos are handled end-to-end.
If you want privacy AND a proper photo experience with smart features, you need Ente. If you just need encrypted file storage that happens to hold photos, Proton Drive works.
Ente Photos is an end-to-end encrypted photo storage service with open-source apps for iOS, Android, web, and desktop platforms. Photos are encrypted on your device before upload, and the encryption keys remain with you. The service has been independently audited by security researchers.
Proton Drive is part of Proton's suite of privacy-focused services (Mail, Calendar, VPN). It offers encrypted cloud storage for all files, including photos, as a secure alternative to mainstream cloud storage.
At a Glance
Choose Ente Photos if:
- You want a full-featured photo experience (albums, memories, sharing)
- You need on-device AI for face recognition and search
- Photo management is your primary need
- You want fully open-source software (client and server)
Choose Proton Drive if:
- You need general file storage alongside photos
- You're already in the Proton ecosystem (Mail, VPN)
- Basic photo backup is sufficient for your needs
- You want bundled privacy services
Table of Contents
- Quick Comparison: Pros & Cons
- Privacy & Security
- Storage & Pricing
- Smart Features
- Backup & Data Freedom
- Sharing & Collaboration
- Understanding Key Differences
- Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Resources
Quick Comparison: Pros & Cons
Ente Photos
Pros:
- End-to-end encryption with fully open-source code (client + server)
- Purpose-built for photos with albums, memories, and smart features
- On-device AI for face recognition and magic search
- Collaborative albums and collect feature
- Full Linux desktop support with watch folders
- Human customer support team
Cons:
- Focused on photos only, not general file storage
- No bundled email/VPN/calendar services
Proton Drive
Pros:
- End-to-end encryption
- Part of larger privacy ecosystem (Mail, VPN, Calendar)
- General file storage for all file types
- Swiss privacy jurisdiction
Cons:
- No photo-specific features (no albums, memories, or organization)
- No face recognition or AI-powered search
- No collaborative albums or collect feature
- No Live Photos support
- Server code is not open source
- No Linux desktop app
Privacy & Security
Both services offer end-to-end encryption. The key differences are in transparency and implementation.
| Ente Photos | Proton Drive | |
|---|---|---|
| End-to-end encryption | Yes (XChaCha20, XSalsa20) | Yes (PGP-based, AES-256) |
| Open source | Fully open source (client + server) | Client only (server is closed) |
| Security audit | Cure53 and CERN audits | Penetration test available |
| Data location | 3 copies across 3 EU countries | Switzerland |
Storage & Pricing
Both offer competitive pricing with free tiers.
| Ente Photos | Proton Drive | |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | 10 GB | 2 GB (up to 5 GB with bonuses) |
| Bundled services | Photos only (focused) | Mail, Calendar, VPN included |
| Family sharing | Up to 6 people on any plan | Only on select plans |
| Data replication | 3 copies in 3 countries | No published replication strategy |
| Customer support | Human support team | Email support |
Smart Features
Ente offers photo-specific AI features; Proton Drive has no photo management features.
| Ente Photos | Proton Drive | |
|---|---|---|
| Face recognition | Yes (on-device, privacy-preserving) | No |
| Search by description | Yes (magic search) | No |
| Albums | Yes | No (folders only) |
| Memories | Yes | No |
| Map view | Yes | No |
Backup & Data Freedom
Both offer mobile backup; Ente provides a more complete photo solution.
| Ente Photos | Proton Drive | |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic mobile backup | Yes (continuous, everywhere) | Yes (mobile only, manual on desktop) |
| Desktop app | Windows, Mac, Linux | Windows, Mac (no Linux) |
| Live Photos support | Yes | No |
| Export method | One-click export, CLI tools | Manual download |
| Google Takeout import | One-click import | Basic support |
Sharing & Collaboration
Ente offers encrypted photo sharing features; Proton has basic link sharing.
| Ente Photos | Proton Drive | |
|---|---|---|
| Album sharing | Yes (end-to-end encrypted) | No (link sharing only) |
| Collect photos from others | Yes (no account needed, encrypted) | No |
| Collaborative albums | Yes (encrypted) | No |
| Link sharing | Yes (encrypted) | Yes (encrypted) |
Understanding Key Differences
Photo-First vs Privacy-First
Both Ente and Proton are privacy-focused, but they solve different problems.
Ente Photos is built specifically for photo management. Every feature is designed around how people organize, share, and rediscover their photos - from face recognition to collaborative albums to memories.
Proton Drive is a general file storage service that can store photos. There's no photo-specific organization, no albums, no memories, no face search. Photos are simply files in folders.
Privacy with Smart Features
A common misconception is that end-to-end encryption means giving up smart features. Ente proves this isn't true.
Ente offers face recognition, magic search (search by describing photos), memories, and smart organization - all while maintaining end-to-end encryption. These features run entirely on your device, so your photos never need to be decrypted on a server.
Proton Drive doesn't offer these features at all. For photo management, you're limited to manual organization.
Open Source Philosophy
Both companies value open source, but to different degrees:
Ente: Both client apps AND server code are fully open source. Anyone can verify exactly how encryption works end-to-end. The code has been audited by Cure53 and CERN.
Proton: Client apps are open source, but server code is closed. You trust that Proton's servers work as described, but you can't verify it yourself.
Ecosystem Trade-offs
Proton offers a bundled ecosystem: Mail, Calendar, VPN, and Drive all work together. This is valuable if you want all your privacy tools from one provider.
Ente focuses entirely on photos. This allows deeper photo-specific features but means you'll need separate solutions for email and files.
Summary
Making Your Decision
Both services offer strong encryption and privacy. The question is what you need:
Ente Photos is the right choice if you want a complete photo experience. You get all the features you'd expect from a modern photo app - face recognition, magic search, memories, collaborative albums, and easy sharing - while maintaining end-to-end encryption. If photos are your primary concern, Ente offers more.
Proton Drive makes sense if you need general file storage and want everything from one privacy-focused provider. It's a good encrypted backup solution, but it's not a photo management app.
Why People Choose Ente
People typically choose Ente over Proton Drive when they:
- Want photo-specific features like face search and memories
- Need collaborative albums for sharing with family
- Want to collect photos from guests at events
- Miss the photo experience of apps like Google Photos but want privacy
- Need support for Live Photos
- Want fully open source software (including server code) they can verify
Ready to try a privacy-first photo experience?
Try Ente nowMigrating from Google Photos? Check out our one-click import
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is more secure: Ente or Proton Drive?
Both offer end-to-end encryption with strong security. The key difference is that Ente is fully open source (client + server), while Proton only publishes client code. For photos specifically, Ente's on-device AI maintains encryption even for smart features.
Does Proton Drive have face recognition?
No. Proton Drive doesn't offer face recognition or any photo-specific AI features. Ente offers face recognition that runs entirely on your device, maintaining privacy while providing smart search.
Can I organize photos in albums on Proton Drive?
No. Proton Drive uses folders for file organization but doesn't have photo-specific album features. Ente offers full album support including smart albums, collaborative albums, and encrypted sharing.
Does Proton Drive support Live Photos?
No. Proton Drive stores Live Photos as separate photo and video files. Ente properly supports Live Photos, keeping them as single interactive items.
Which has more free storage: Ente or Proton?
Ente offers 10 GB free compared to Proton's 2 GB (up to 5 GB with bonuses). Ente also offers referral bonuses where you can earn additional storage (10 GB per referral).
Can I migrate from Google Photos to either service?
Yes to both, but with different experiences. Ente offers one-click Google Takeout import that preserves metadata and album structure. Proton requires manual import with basic metadata support.
Does Proton Drive have a Linux app?
No. Proton Drive doesn't have a Linux desktop app. Ente has full-featured apps for Windows, Mac, and Linux with watch folder support.
Does Ente have email and VPN like Proton?
No. Ente focuses entirely on photo storage. If you need email and VPN from the same provider, Proton's ecosystem approach may be better. But for photos specifically, Ente offers more features.
Can I share albums with people who don't use Ente?
Yes. Ente allows you to share albums via encrypted links. Recipients don't need an account to view photos, and they can even add photos to shared albums using the collect feature.
Why is full open source important?
With Ente, anyone can verify exactly how your data is encrypted and handled - both in the apps AND on the servers. With Proton, you can verify the apps but must trust that the servers work as described.
Related Resources
Looking for more information about encrypted photo storage?
- Getting Started with Ente - Setup guide for new users
- Migration Guide from Google Photos - One-click import instructions
- How Ente's Encryption Works - Technical details
- Ente Photos Pricing - Compare all storage plans
Both Ente and Proton offer strong privacy. For photos specifically, Ente provides the complete experience with features that Proton Drive doesn't have.