Tresorit vs OneDrive

Why Switch from OneDrive to Tresorit?

Microsoft OneDrive encrypts your files in transit and at rest, but Microsoft holds the encryption keys. This means Microsoft can — and does — access your files for content scanning, compliance checks, and when compelled by US government orders under the CLOUD Act. Your data on OneDrive is subject to US jurisdiction regardless of where you are physically located, and Microsoft’s terms of service grant the company broad rights to process your stored content.

Tresorit operates on a fundamentally different security model: zero-knowledge, end-to-end encryption. Your files are encrypted on your device before they ever leave it, using keys that only you control. Tresorit’s servers store only encrypted data — the company cannot read your files, cannot scan their contents, and cannot hand them over in readable form to any government. Tresorit AG is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, and stores encrypted data on Microsoft Azure — in Ireland by default, with other Azure locations available to business customers.

Founded in 2011 by Hungarian cryptography researchers and now headquartered in Switzerland, Tresorit has been acquired by the Swiss Post (the Swiss national postal service) in 2021, adding long-term institutional backing to the company’s privacy mission. The Swiss Post acquisition ensures Tresorit’s continued operation as a Swiss-governed, privacy-first cloud storage provider.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Tresorit	OneDrive
Encryption model	End-to-end, zero-knowledge	Server-side (Microsoft holds keys)
Provider can read files	No	Yes
Data location	Microsoft Azure: Ireland by default (Switzerland for Swiss customers; other regions on business plans)	United States (primarily)
Secure sharing	Password, expiry, download limits	Basic sharing links
GDPR compliant	Full (Swiss + EU law)	Partial (US-based)
HIPAA compliant	Yes	Yes (with BAA)
Free tier	3 GB (Basic) + 14-day trial of paid plans	5 GB free
Storage (personal)	1 TB (Personal Essential)	1 TB with Microsoft 365 Personal ($9.99/mo)
Office integration	Open/edit via desktop app	Native Microsoft 365 integration
Remote wipe	Yes (business)	Yes (business)
Open source	No	No
Audit logs	Yes (business)	Yes (business)

Pricing

Tresorit’s plans (as of October 2026; prices vary by region and billing period, with 20% off for annual billing — check tresorit.com for current rates):

• Personal Lite: 50 GB encrypted storage
• Personal Essential: 1 TB encrypted storage
• Personal Pro: 4 TB encrypted storage
• Professional: 4 TB, 1 user
• Business: 2 TB per user, minimum 3 users
• Business Pro: 3 TB per user, minimum 5 users
• Enterprise: custom, billed annually
• OneDrive Standalone: $1.99/month for 100 GB
• Microsoft 365 Personal: $9.99/month or $99.99/year — 1 TB OneDrive + Office apps
• Microsoft 365 Business Basic: $7/user/month (since July 2026) — 1 TB OneDrive + web Office apps

Tresorit is more expensive than OneDrive, particularly at the personal level. The price premium pays for genuine end-to-end encryption, Swiss jurisdiction, and zero-knowledge architecture. For businesses handling sensitive data, the compliance and security benefits often justify the cost difference.

Who Should Switch?

Tresorit is ideal for:

• Businesses handling sensitive data — law firms, healthcare providers, financial advisors — who need verifiable encryption and compliance certifications
• Privacy-conscious professionals who want cloud storage where the provider physically cannot access their files
• EU organizations requiring GDPR-compliant cloud storage with data residency choices in Europe
• Anyone sharing confidential documents who needs password-protected, expiring, and access-controlled sharing links
• Regulated industries requiring HIPAA, GDPR, or Swiss FADP compliance with audit trails

It is not the right choice if you need cheap bulk storage, depend on real-time Microsoft Office collaboration, or want a generous free cloud storage tier.

The European Advantage

OneDrive stores your files on Microsoft’s US-based infrastructure, subject to the CLOUD Act and US government surveillance requests. Even with Microsoft’s EU data residency options for enterprise customers, the legal exposure under US law remains — Microsoft, as a US company, must comply with US government orders regardless of where data is physically stored.

Tresorit is governed by Swiss law — widely regarded as having the strongest privacy protections in Europe. Switzerland’s Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP) provides robust safeguards, and Switzerland is not an EU member, meaning it is not subject to EU-US data sharing frameworks that have been repeatedly invalidated by courts. For data stored in the EU, GDPR applies as well. Note that Tresorit itself runs on Microsoft Azure: there is no US parent company, but hosting on Azure means indirect CLOUD Act exposure via a US sub-processor — mitigated by end-to-end encryption, since Microsoft only holds encrypted files.

The zero-knowledge encryption model means that even in the event of a government request, Tresorit can only hand over encrypted data that it cannot decrypt. This is an architectural guarantee, not a policy promise — the encryption happens on your device with keys Tresorit never possesses. For European businesses and individuals who need cloud storage that is truly private by design, Tresorit provides a level of cryptographic protection that OneDrive’s architecture fundamentally cannot match.

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Looking for more European cloud storage? See also: pCloud and Nextcloud.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does zero-knowledge encryption mean?

Zero-knowledge encryption means that your files are encrypted on your device before they are uploaded to Tresorit's servers. The encryption keys are held only by you and the people you share files with — Tresorit never has access to the keys and cannot decrypt your files. Even if Tresorit's servers were breached, your data would remain encrypted and unreadable.

Where does Tresorit store my data?

Tresorit AG is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, and runs on Microsoft Azure. By default, encrypted files are stored in Azure data centers in Ireland (EU), or in Switzerland for Swiss customers. Business, Business Pro and Enterprise customers can choose another Azure location (for example Germany, France, the Netherlands or Switzerland); metadata is always stored in Azure Ireland. No US parent company; hosted on Microsoft Azure (Ireland) → indirect CLOUD Act exposure via a US sub-processor. Because files are end-to-end encrypted on your device, Microsoft only ever holds encrypted content.

Can I share files securely with people who do not use Tresorit?

Yes. Tresorit allows you to create encrypted sharing links that recipients can access through a web browser without needing a Tresorit account. You can set passwords, expiry dates, and download limits on shared links, and revoke access at any time.

Does Tresorit work with Microsoft Office?

Tresorit integrates with Microsoft Office through its desktop application, allowing you to open and edit Office documents stored in Tresorit. However, it does not offer the same seamless real-time collaboration as OneDrive's native integration with Microsoft 365 web apps. Edited files are re-encrypted before being synced back.

Is Tresorit suitable for business compliance needs?

Yes. Tresorit supports compliance with GDPR, HIPAA (it signs Business Associate Agreements), CCPA and Swiss FADP, and holds ISO 27001:2022 certification. It provides Data Processing Agreements, detailed audit logs, admin controls, remote wipe capabilities, and data residency options. It is used by law firms, healthcare providers, and financial institutions across Europe.