Migrate to/from Filen End-to-End Encrypted Storage

What is Filen?

Filen is the German end-to-end encrypted cloud storage built by a small Hannover-based team to be the cheapest zero-knowledge cloud you can buy without an annual commitment. Every file is encrypted on your device with AES-256-GCM before upload — Filen's servers never see plaintext, and the encryption key derives from your password and never leaves your device. Free accounts get 10 GB of fully E2E-encrypted storage (the most generous free tier in the encrypted-cloud category), with paid plans starting at $1.99/month for 200 GB (Pro I), $3.99 for 500 GB (Pro II), and $8.99 for 2 TB (Pro III). Annual billing knocks ~17% off, and Filen also offers lifetime plans starting at $29.99 for 100 GB — among the cheapest perpetual cloud-storage offers anywhere.

Filen's price is the headline, but the engineering choices make it interesting: no file size limit regardless of plan, unlimited bandwidth on uploads and downloads, unlimited file versioning (every change keeps the prior version), and a fully open-source client. The catch — and where CloudsLinker fits in — is the encryption model: third-party tools generally cannot read Filen because the keys live only on the user's device. CloudsLinker integrates directly with Filen's API using your credentials (email + password + optional 2FA), derives the same session keys Filen's official clients use, and runs server-to-server transfers with the encryption layer handled in-memory inside the transfer worker. This means Filen can be a source, destination, or encrypted off-site backup target — without ever downloading plaintext to a local machine.

Key features of Filen

10 GB free, fully E2E

Filen's Free plan: 10 GB with the same zero-knowledge encryption as paid tiers. Most generous free E2EE tier in the encrypted-cloud category — Proton Drive offers 5 GB, Mega 20 GB but with daily download cap.

Pro plans from $1.99/mo

Pro I: 200 GB / $1.99/mo. Pro II: 500 GB / $3.99/mo. Pro III: 2 TB / $8.99/mo. Cheapest E2EE storage available without annual commitment.

Lifetime plans from $29.99

Starter Lifetime: 100 GB for $29.99 one-time. Pro I/II/III Lifetime tiers also available. Among the cheapest perpetual cloud-storage offers anywhere — paired with E2EE.

AES-256-GCM zero-knowledge

All files encrypted client-side with AES-256-GCM before leaving your device. Encryption key derives from your password; Filen cannot decrypt your files, ever.

No file size limit

Filen imposes no per-file size restrictions on any plan, free or paid. Files are limited only by your storage quota.

German company, EU jurisdiction

Filen Cloud Dienste UG is registered in Germany. Data hosted in EU datacenters under GDPR. Smaller team than Proton, but similar privacy posture.

Why connect Filen to CloudsLinker

CloudsLinker connects to Filen with your account email + password (and a 2FA code if enabled). The session derives the same AES-256 master encryption key Filen's native clients use, allowing CloudsLinker to read and write files while preserving end-to-end encryption end-to-end. Files are decrypted only in-memory on the transfer worker and never persisted in plaintext. The connector supports Filen Free, Starter, Pro I/II/III, and Lifetime plans equally — no API restrictions per tier.

What you can do with Filen on CloudsLinker

End-to-end encrypted transfers

Files are decrypted in-memory only on the transfer worker; never written to disk in plaintext. Filen's encryption stays intact from source to destination.

Runs without your device

Filen transfers run on CloudsLinker servers. No Filen desktop app or browser session required during the job.

Scheduled encrypted backup

Use Filen as an encrypted off-site backup for Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or S3 — schedule nightly incrementals at $1.99/month for 200 GB.

Filter by folder, type, size

Migrate only specific folders, skip files > 50 GB, or back up just photos and tax documents. Filters work the same on encrypted storage.

Common Filen transfer scenarios

Cheapest encrypted off-site backup for Google Drive / Dropbox

If you've got 200 GB in Google Drive but want a privacy-respecting off-site backup, Filen Pro I at $1.99/month is among the cheapest E2EE destinations available. Schedule a CloudsLinker nightly incremental from Google Drive to Filen — backups land encrypted in EU datacenters, only you hold the key, and the cost is less than two coffees per month.

Replace Proton Drive with Filen for cost-sensitive privacy users

Proton Drive's privacy posture is excellent but pricier — Proton Unlimited at $9.99/mo includes 500 GB. Filen's Pro II at $3.99/mo also offers 500 GB E2E-encrypted, with similar zero-knowledge architecture. For users who don't need Proton Mail bundled, CloudsLinker can migrate the entire Proton Drive content to Filen in a single job.

Lifetime plan archive for sentimental data

Family photos, tax records, and irreplaceable documents benefit from one-time-payment storage that doesn't depend on continuing subscriptions. Filen's $29.99 Starter Lifetime (100 GB) or upgraded Pro I Lifetime tier provides perpetual encrypted storage. CloudsLinker schedules a one-shot migration from your existing clouds (iCloud Drive, Google Drive, OneDrive) into Filen.

Migrate Mega → Filen to escape transfer quotas

Mega's free 5 GB/day download cap and Pro I's 2 TB monthly transfer quota frustrate users with active access patterns. Filen's unlimited bandwidth on all tiers (free included) removes that ceiling. CloudsLinker copies your Mega account to Filen preserving folder hierarchy, with both sides handled E2E-encrypted.

Encrypted DR replica from primary E2EE cloud

Even privacy-focused users want redundancy. Run primary on Proton Drive or Mega, DR replica on Filen — three independent E2EE providers across different jurisdictions (Switzerland, New Zealand, Germany). CloudsLinker mirrors between them with delta sync, all transfers preserving encryption end-to-end.

How to connect Filen to CloudsLinker

Filen authenticates with account credentials (email + password) plus a 2FA code if 2FA is enabled.

Security note

Filen is zero-knowledge — your password derives the AES-256-GCM master encryption key. CloudsLinker needs the password to derive session keys and read / write your files. Your password is encrypted at rest on CloudsLinker with AES-256 and decrypted only in-memory inside the active transfer worker.

If you have Filen 2FA enabled (recommended), keep it enabled — CloudsLinker will prompt for the 6-digit TOTP code during connection.

Connection steps

In CloudsLinker, click Add Cloud → choose Filen.
Enter your Filen email and password (the same credentials you use at https://filen.io).
If 2FA is enabled on your Filen account, paste the 6-digit TOTP code from your authenticator app when prompted.
Click Confirm. CloudsLinker authenticates with Filen, derives the session keys, and lists your Filen root to verify the connection.

Revoke access

To revoke access later: https://app.filen.io → Settings → Security → Sessions → sign out the CloudsLinker session. Or change your Filen password — this invalidates all existing sessions.

Filen upload & download limits you should know

Filen is unusually permissive on per-file and bandwidth limits — the design philosophy is “you bring the storage, we provide the encryption”:

Maximum single file size: no hard limit. Files are bounded only by your plan’s available storage quota.
Storage tiers (monthly billing):
- Free: 10 GB
- Starter: 100 GB / $0.99/mo (or $11.99/year, or $29.99 lifetime)
- Pro I: 200 GB / $1.99/mo
- Pro II: 500 GB / $3.99/mo
- Pro III: 2 TB / $8.99/mo
Storage tiers (annual / lifetime): Annual billing typically saves ~17 %. Lifetime plans available for Starter and Pro tiers.
Bandwidth: unlimited on every plan — uploads and downloads are not metered. Throughput limited only by your internet connection.
Versioning: unlimited. Every file change preserves the prior version forever (within your storage quota).
Encryption: AES-256-GCM, client-side, zero-knowledge. Encryption key derives from your password.
Hosting: EU datacenters (Germany), under GDPR.
2FA: TOTP-based, optional but recommended.
Client open-source: Filen’s clients are open-source, allowing third-party security audit.
API rate limits: Filen throttles aggressive patterns; CloudsLinker handles back-off automatically. Typical sustained throughput is 50–200 GB/day per Filen connection.
Trash retention: files deleted go to Trash; retention configurable in account settings.

Sources: Filen: Pricing, Filen: Encryption, Filen: Knowledge Base, Filen Security Whitepaper.

Filen + CloudsLinker — Frequently Asked Questions

Can CloudsLinker actually read my Filen files?

Only in-memory during an active transfer, and only because you provided the credentials needed to derive the session keys. Files are decrypted on the transfer worker, streamed to the destination, and cleared from memory — never written to disk in plaintext on CloudsLinker's infrastructure.

Why does Filen require my account password?

Filen does not offer OAuth — your password is also the root of your encryption key (zero-knowledge by design). CloudsLinker uses the password to derive the session encryption keys, the same way the official Filen client does. Your password is encrypted at rest with AES-256 on CloudsLinker and decrypted only in-memory inside the transfer worker.

Do I need 2FA enabled to connect Filen?

Filen requires a 2FA verification code during login when 2FA is enabled. CloudsLinker prompts for this code during connection. The code is one-shot and never stored. We recommend keeping 2FA enabled for security.

What's the largest file I can transfer?

No per-file limit on Filen — files are bounded only by your plan's storage quota. CloudsLinker has handled multi-GB Filen files without issues; chunked upload manages very large files automatically.

Are bandwidth or download speeds capped?

No. Filen imposes unlimited bandwidth on uploads and downloads, on every plan including Free. Throughput is bounded only by your internet connection (during initial OAuth) and Filen's API speed (during the CloudsLinker transfer worker's run, which is fast).

How much does Filen cost compared to Proton Drive and Mega?

Filen Pro I: 200 GB / $1.99/mo. Proton Drive Mail Plus: 15 GB / $4.99/mo. Mega Pro Lite: 400 GB / ~$5/mo. Filen is the cheapest per-GB on the smallest E2EE tier; Proton wins on ecosystem; Mega has more storage at slightly higher cost.

Are transfers between Filen and unencrypted clouds still private?

On CloudsLinker's side, transfers run over TLS and decrypted plaintext exists only in-memory in the active worker. Once data is written to an unencrypted destination (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive), it inherits that destination's privacy posture. To keep encryption end-to-end, back up to Filen (not from), or use another E2EE destination.

Does CloudsLinker work with Filen Lifetime plans?

Yes. Lifetime accounts use the same API as subscription accounts. Because Lifetime plans have no recurring cost, they're especially well-suited as a long-term encrypted-archive destination — pair with CloudsLinker scheduling for ongoing nightly backup.

What happens if I forget my Filen password?

Like all zero-knowledge systems, Filen cannot recover your password — the password derives the encryption key, so without it, your data is mathematically unrecoverable. After password change, reconnect CloudsLinker with the new credentials. Save your password in a password manager you trust.

Is Filen affiliated with CloudsLinker?

No. CloudsLinker is a third-party tool that uses Filen's public API under your credentials. You can revoke access by changing your Filen password or signing out other sessions from Filen's account settings.

Filen transfer guides

Step-by-step walkthroughs for moving data to and from Filen.

Drime to Filen: Move European Storage to a Zero-Knowledge Encrypted Home

Migrate files from Drime to Filen for stricter client-side encryption. Covers browser download, desktop client bridge, and CloudsLinker …

Dropbox to Filen: 3 Practical Ways to Move Your Files (Fast, Clean, and Secure)

If you’re moving out of Dropbox and into Filen, you’ve got a few solid options depending on how much data you have and how hands-on you want …

Google Drive to Filen: 3 Real-World Ways to Move Your Files

Transferring your data from Google Drive into Filen doesn’t need to be clunky or slow. This walkthrough breaks down four effective …

iCloud Photos to Filen: Zero-Knowledge Encryption for a Personal Photo Archive

Move iCloud Photos to Filen for end-to-end encrypted storage. Covers iCloud.com export, macOS Photos export, and a cloud-to-cloud transfer …

Jottacloud to Filen: Swap Norwegian Capacity for Zero-Knowledge Encryption

Move files from Jottacloud to Filen to gain client-side encryption. Covers the Jottacloud web download, desktop client bridge, and …

MEGA to Filen Transfer: 3 Practical Ways to Move Your Files Fast

Learn how to transfer files from MEGA to Filen with three proven methods: browser download/upload, desktop sync bridge, or a cloud-to-cloud …

Moving Files from OneDrive to Filen: Practical Options That Actually Work

Shifting data out of OneDrive and into Filen doesn’t have to mean long waits or complicated steps. This guide looks at two proven migration …

OneDrive for Business to Filen: Move Work Files to Zero-Knowledge Encrypted Storage

Shift OneDrive for Business files to Filen for client-side encrypted storage. Use browser download, the OneDrive sync client, or …

Proton Drive to Filen: 3 Reliable Ways to Move Your Files Securely

Moving files out of Proton Drive and into Filen isn’t complicated, but the best approach depends on how much data you have and how much …

Conclusion

Filen is the cheapest serious end-to-end encrypted cloud storage — German team, AES-256-GCM zero-knowledge, no file size limits, unlimited bandwidth, and lifetime plans starting at $29.99. CloudsLinker preserves Filen's E2E encryption during cloud-to-cloud transfers, letting you use Filen as either a private source or an encrypted backup destination without ever downloading plaintext to your local machine. Connect with email + password + 2FA and run your first encrypted migration in minutes.

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