Why is Nobody Talking About This Cloud Storage!? | Filen Review

Product Reviewed: Filen (Cloud Storage Service)

Key Features Highlighted

• Cross-platform apps
  • Desktop available for Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Mobile apps on iOS App Store and Google Play
• Basic web app design
  • Not visually impressive, but “everything works” and is easy to navigate
• Sync options (5 sync modes)
  1. Two-way (local ↔ cloud mirror changes)
  2. Local → Cloud (cloud not updated from cloud-origin changes)
  3. Cloud → Local (local not updated from local-origin changes)
  4. Local backup (upload only; deleting locally won’t remove from cloud)
  5. Cloud backup (download only; deleting from cloud won’t remove from local)
• Selective synchronization
  • Sync selected local folders to the cloud
• Mobile camera upload
  • One-click upload of the photo gallery
  • Auto-syncs new photos and deletions
  • No image compression / no file type changes (keeps original format)
• In-cloud editing
  • Can create/edit text files directly in the cloud
  • Web editor supports code syntax highlighting
  • HTML editing is claimed, but primarily for minor changes rather than heavy coding
• Offline access
  • Mark files for offline use (saved locally) for times without internet
• Security controls in app
  • Show/hide images
  • PIN code
  • Face ID support
  • Thumbnails cached for faster image loading
• Collaboration & sharing
  • Share files/folders via private/public links
  • Password-protected access for shared items
  • Permissions for view/download control
  • Sharing described as “without breaking encryption” (per the review)

User Experience (UX)

• Desktop interface
  • Described as “really intuitive and easy to navigate”
• Web Drive limitations
  • No real-time collaboration and no built-in document editor (unlike Google Drive-style office collaboration)
  • Some preview features work best in Chrome/Firefox/Chromium-based Edge
• Smart keybinds and performance controls
  • Tools to manage synchronization/upload behavior to reduce bandwidth impact
  • “Smart keybinds” for upload/sync management

Speed / Performance (Test Results)

• Test setup
  • Dublin server, max 1 Gbit/s, tests capped at 100 Mbps
• Upload test
  • ~12 minutes to upload a 5 GB folder
• Download test
  • ~8 minutes average to download the same 5 GB
• Performance characteristics
  • Speeds were stable
  • CPU/resource usage increased somewhat during transfers
• Reviewer conclusion
  • Average speed, with the expected tradeoff for a high-security, zero-knowledge style provider

Security & Privacy Claims (and Reviewer Take)

• Zero-knowledge encryption
  • Only the user can decrypt with their key
• Client-side encryption
  • Files are encrypted before upload; the encryption key remains with the user
• 2FA
  • TOTP with a recovery key option if you lose the 2FA device
• Data centers
  • Stored in cloud data centers described as ISO27001 certified (Tier 4)
  • Distributed in Germany
• GDPR compliance
  • Presented as a foundation for protection
• Privacy policy
  • Claims minimal metadata is collected (e.g., file type info, not content)
  • States they don’t sell account/usage/file data
  • Reviewer notes potential disclosure could still happen (e.g., law enforcement requests) even if content is encrypted
• Overall security verdict (reviewer)
  • Strong security posture, “all the right things” based on claims reviewed

Pricing / Value

• Free plan
  • 10 GB with “all the features”
• Paid plans
  • Main limitation: storage allowance
  • Described as affordable
• Annual billing
  • Annual plans improve value (lower effective monthly cost)
• Price comparison notes
  • The 2 TB tier is described as slightly more expensive than Sync.com, pCloud, and IceDrive for the same storage (though annual pricing narrows the gap)

Comparisons Made in the Video

• Against faster encrypted providers (speed-focused)
  • IceDrive and pCloud mentioned as faster options that also use zero-knowledge encryption
• Against Google Drive-style collaboration
  • Filen lacks real-time collaboration and a full document editor suite, which may disappoint Google Drive users

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Pros (As Stated)

• Strong zero-knowledge/client-side encryption
• Clear 2FA with recovery key
• Intuitive desktop UX
• Flexible sync modes, including backups that don’t mirror deletions
• Selective folder sync
• Mobile camera upload preserves original photo formats (no compression)
• Sharing with passwords, permissions, and an encryption-friendly collaboration approach
• Good privacy stance (as described in policy/claims)

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Cons (As Stated)

• Average speed (upload/download not best-in-class)
• Limited collaboration/document tooling
  • No integrated office collaboration or real-time co-editing
  • Text/code editor mainly supports minor edits, not heavy document workflows
• Web app is basic, and previews depend on browser choice
• 2 TB pricing described as slightly higher than some competitors (for the same capacity)

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Unique Points Mentioned (Complete List)

1. Hard to find video content about Filen, but reasons to consider it
2. Emphasis on security/privacy approach
3. Features overview includes speed, performance, and value
4. Desktop apps for Windows/macOS/Linux
5. Web app is basic but functional and easy to navigate
6. Five sync modes: two-way, local→cloud, cloud→local, local backup, cloud backup
7. Sync modes explained as better presented than competitors (as claimed)
8. Selective synchronization of chosen local folders
9. Mobile availability on App Store and Google Play
10. One-click automatic camera uploads with ongoing sync
11. No compression and no file type change for photos
12. Smooth transfer and auto updates work well
13. Create/edit text files in the cloud; code recognized
14. App customization: hide/show, PIN, Face ID
15. Fast image loading via cached thumbnails
16. Encryption can slow things down (noted as a tradeoff)
17. File previews for various file types
18. Offline access via marking files for offline storage
19. Collaboration: share files/folders without breaking encryption
20. Share via private/public links and password protection
21. Permission controls for who can view/download
22. Built-in web text editor with syntax highlighting
23. Reviewer found editing is mainly supported for text files; HTML edits possible
24. Editor best for minor changes, not heavy coding
25. No built-in document editor / real-time collaboration tools (disappointment vs Google Drive)
26. Web Drive accessible in browsers; preview features best in Chrome/Firefox/Chromium Edge
27. Bandwidth/performance tuning (adjust consent synchronization)
28. Smart keybinds for uploads/sync management
29. Speed test method, server location (Dublin), and caps (100 Mbps)
30. Upload time: ~12 minutes for 5 GB
31. Download time: ~8 minutes average for 5 GB
32. Stable speeds; more pressure on computer resources
33. Tradeoff: security/zero-knowledge tends to be slower than average
34. Faster alternatives mentioned: IceDrive and pCloud
35. Security claims: GDPR-based; zero knowledge encryption
36. Client-side encryption explanation
37. 2FA via TOTP + recovery key option
38. Storage location: Germany, in ISO27001 Tier 4 data centers (as described)
39. Privacy policy: collects minimal metadata (file type), doesn’t sell data
40. Potential data disclosure to authorities if requested (even if encrypted)
41. Free plan: 10 GB with all features
42. Paid plans: affordable; limit is storage allowance
43. 2 TB pricing slightly higher than Sync.com/pCloud/IceDrive
44. Annual billing reduces effective monthly cost; suggests paying upfront if possible
45. Final recommendation: shortlist Filen for security/privacy; not for top speed or integrated office collaboration

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Speakers (Different Views)

Only one main reviewer voice is present in the subtitles, combining:

• product feature walkthrough
• hands-on experience
• benchmarking and performance evaluation
• security/privacy assessment
• pricing/value comparison

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Overall Verdict / Recommendation

Recommend Filen primarily for users who prioritize privacy and security (zero-knowledge/client-side encryption) and want flexible sync controls.

Hold off if you need consistently top-tier speeds or Google-Drive-like real-time document collaboration, since the reviewer found performance average and collaboration/document tooling limited.