Most “secure” cloud storage stays secure only until the provider decides it wants to scan your files for ads, AI training, or some vague idea of safety. Internxt is one of the few built so it can’t do that even if it wanted to. That one design choice is the reason it’s worth a look.
It has rough edges, and I’ll point them out as we go. But if privacy is what you actually care about, Internxt ranks among the best encrypted cloud storage you can buy in 2026.
Internxt is a privacy-first cloud storage service based in Valencia, Spain, running since 2020. The company says it now protects the data of more than a million people. What sets it apart from the start is that it’s open-source. The code sits on GitHub, so the privacy claims can be checked instead of taken on faith. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and the web.
What it promises
Plenty of services use the word “encrypted” and hope nobody asks how. Internxt backs it up, and stays deliberately lean while doing so:
Zero-knowledge encryption on every paid plan, not a premium upsell
Post-quantum encryption (Kyber-512) that holds up as computing gets stronger
Open-source code, independently audited by Securitum
EU-based and GDPR-compliant, with ISO 27001 and SOC 2 behind it
Lifetime plans you pay for once
A VPN, antivirus, and secure file sharing bundled in
Your files get encrypted on your device before they upload, using AES-256 with a Kyber-512 post-quantum key. Internxt then breaks each file into encrypted fragments, so no single server ever stores a complete, readable copy. Two-factor authentication, TLS in transit, and an independent Securitum audit fill in the rest. The protection runs deeper than what most mainstream services bother with.
Security feature
Internxt
Google Drive
Dropbox
iCloud
Zero-knowledge by default
Yes
No
No
No
End-to-end encryption
Yes
No
Business only
Optional
Data-location control
EU
No
Limited
Limited
Two-factor authentication
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Compliance
GDPR, ISO 27001, SOC 2
Varies
Varies
Varies
Who can see your files
Internxt operates from Spain, so your files fall under the EU’s GDPR, one of the strictest privacy regimes anywhere. It collects little, sells nothing, and the zero-knowledge design means it can’t produce readable files for anyone, a court order included. The privacy policy is short and plain, which is rarer than it should be.
The pricing
The free plan tops out at 1GB, which fills up fast once photos are involved. The tier that makes Internxt interesting is the one-time lifetime plan, currently around €380 for 1TB, €580 for 3TB, and €780 for 5TB (roughly the same figures in dollars for US buyers). Annual plans start cheap and then renew at about four times the price, so lifetime usually wins out. You’ll also find Internxt lifetime deals on third-party marketplaces, occasionally a 2TB plan for about $100. Pay-once pricing like that is hard to find among privacy-focused rivals, and where it does exist it usually costs more.
What using it is like
Speed is the one area where reviews split. 01net recorded some of the fastest transfers it has measured, while Cloudwards placed Internxt near the bottom of 23 services it tested. Encrypting everything on your side tends to produce that kind of spread. In daily use, the web and desktop apps are clean and easy to find your way around. The main rough edge is that previews can stall the first time you open a file, and the mobile app is more pared-back than the desktop version.
How it compares
Feature
Internxt
Google Drive
Dropbox
pCloud
Proton
Free storage
1GB
15GB
2GB
10GB
Up to 5GB
Zero-knowledge
Yes
No
No
Add-on
Yes
File versioning
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Real-time collaboration
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
Lifetime plan
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
What works and what doesn’t
The biggest draws are the security and the price: encryption that locks the provider out, paired with lifetime plans that beat years of subscription fees.
It’s still growing into itself, though. A couple of extras, the Mail and Photos apps, are on the way rather than already here. The upside is that Internxt ships updates often, so the gaps keep closing release after release.
So, is it for you?
If you care most about…
Pick Internxt if…
Look elsewhere if…
Privacy
Zero-knowledge is non-negotiable
Basic encryption is fine
Budget
You’d rather pay once
You need lots of free space
Collaboration
Sharing files is enough
You live in real-time docs
Ecosystem
You want EU-based and open-source
You’re glued to Google or Microsoft
What’s still on the way
Internxt lists dedicated Mail and Photos apps as coming soon. If one of those is essential to you right now, it’s worth waiting to see them ship.
The spec sheet
Specification
Detail
Encryption
AES-256 with Kyber-512 post-quantum key
Encryption in transit
TLS
Jurisdiction
EU (Valencia, Spain)
Compliance
GDPR, ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA
Platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, web
Audit
Independently audited by Securitum
Open source
Yes (GitHub)
Free storage
1GB
What the reviews say
The wider verdict lines up. 01net rates it 9.2/10, PCWorld gave it an Editors’ Choice, and CNET singled out the post-quantum work. Feedback isn’t unanimous, and a few users would like more features sooner, but the praise clearly outweighs the gripes.
My verdict: 4.3/5
For private, low-fuss storage at a fair price, Internxt is an easy recommendation. It gets the important things right and costs less than nearly anything comparable. Founder and CEO Fran Villalba Segarra frames the idea plainly: “privacy should be a right, not a paid add-on”, and the product mostly delivers on it. A small free tier and a few features still in progress hold it back from a perfect mark, but 4.3/5 feels right.
Category
Score
Security
5/5
Privacy
5/5
Value
4.5/5
Ease of use
4/5
Features
3.5/5
Support
4/5
Overall
4.3/5
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Internxt safe?
Yes. Zero-knowledge AES-256, a Kyber-512 post-quantum key, open-source code, and an independent Securitum audit cover the fundamentals and then some.
Is Internxt free?
There's a 1GB free tier. It's small, but enough to test things before you pay.
Where is Internxt based?
Valencia, Spain, which puts your data under the EU's GDPR.
Can Internxt read my files?
No. They're encrypted on your device and split into fragments, so neither Internxt nor anyone who grabs them off a server can open them.
Is it the best encrypted cloud storage?
It's near the top, especially if open-source, audited, zero-knowledge storage is your priority.
Bottom line
If you value privacy and transparency over collaboration features, and you’d rather pay once than forever, Internxt belongs on your shortlist of encrypted cloud storage in 2026. Try the free plan first, then upgrade once it has convinced you.
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