pCloud Encryption
TL;DR
pCloud Encryption (pCloud Crypto) is a zero-knowledge, client-side encryption add-on for pCloud storage that creates a Crypto folder whose files are encrypted on your device before upload — pCloud never sees the keys and cannot decrypt them.
Key Facts
Pricing
Starting at $150 one-time
Additional Pricing Information
Requires a pCloud storage plan. pCloud Crypto normally costs $49.99/year; the lifetime add-on is on sale at $150 one-time.
Details
What is pCloud Encryption?
pCloud Encryption, also known as pCloud Crypto, is the zero-knowledge layer of the pCloud ecosystem. Once enabled, it creates a Crypto folder inside your pCloud drive where files are encrypted on your device before upload using client-side AES-256, ECC, and RSA. Neither the company nor anyone holding pCloud accounts can read those files — pCloud stores only ciphertext for the Crypto folder, and the Crypto Pass you choose unlocks it. That protects data even under legal compulsion, which is a level of assurance normal pCloud storage (server-side encryption pCloud can technically read) does not provide. It works across desktop and mobile, and supports secure sharing with other Crypto users. The scheme has never been cracked since an independent 2017 crypto challenge, and the add-on carries a lifetime purchase option at a one-time price. The trade-offs are equally clear: it only covers the Crypto folder, forgetting the pass means irreversible data loss, and it requires an underlying pCloud storage subscription.
Key Features
- Zero-Knowledge Client-Side Encryption — Files encrypt on your device before they leave it; only your Crypto Pass can decrypt them
- Crypto Folder — A dedicated folder inside pCloud for the files that genuinely need privacy
- AES-256 + ECC + RSA — Military-grade multi-algorithm encryption
- Lifetime Purchase — One-time payment instead of an ongoing subscription
- Multi-Device Sync — Crypto folder contents sync across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android once the pass is entered
- Secure Sharing — Share encrypted files with other Crypto users without exposing plain text
- Audited — Independently audited, and the scheme has never been cracked since the 2017 Crypto Hacker Challenge
Who is it for?
- pCloud users who keep sensitive documents — contracts, tax returns, legal files — on the platform
- Privacy-sensitive people who want client-side encryption without switching their whole storage stack
- Small businesses using pCloud that need files protected even from a data-center subpoena
- Buyers who want a one-time cost instead of yet another subscription
Who is it NOT for?
- Anyone who does not already use pCloud — you have to buy the storage plan first
- Users who want every stored file encrypted by default, not just one folder
- People who lose or forget passwords easily — there is no recovery for the Crypto Pass
- Teams that need to preview or collaborate on encrypted content in pCloud's web and mobile apps
The Bottom Line
For anyone already living in pCloud, Crypto at $150 lifetime is a cheap, genuinely strong privacy upgrade: client-side encryption with keys pCloud itself cannot reach, on a company with real longevity. But the folder-only coverage, no-recovery Crypto Pass, and the fact that your other files stay server-side-encrypted mean it is not a blanket privacy solution — Proton Drive or Tresorit remain cleaner zero-knowledge answers if you are starting fresh. Buy it because pCloud is already your home, not because you want privacy everywhere.
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