Plient

Plient is an encrypted storage and collaboration service that adds browser office editing, developer tools, and self-hosting. It suits professionals and organizations handling sensitive documents, while individuals can use the free tier to evaluate the platform. The main question is whether its collaboration and deployment options justify moving beyond simpler personal cloud storage.

Overview

Plient encrypts files on the client with AES-256-GCM before upload. Its zero-knowledge design derives a master key from your password and a salt on your device; that key is never transmitted to the server. This is a strong privacy architecture for confidential files, though the service's data jurisdiction is the United States, a consideration for organizations with location or compliance requirements.

You can run Plient as managed cloud software or deploy it on your own infrastructure with Docker. That flexibility is valuable when control over hosting matters, but self-hosting also places operational responsibility on your organization.

Key features

Collaboration and office work

Browser editing supports .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx files, with real-time co-authoring, comments, suggestions, and version history. Plient therefore works as a shared document workspace rather than merely a private file locker. Shared drives and workspaces are part of Business, so smaller plans are better for individual work than team-wide file organization.

Granular permissions, password-protected links with expiry, and file requests provide control over both outgoing and incoming sharing. The in-app marketplace connects Plient with Google Workspace, OnlyOffice, iDrive E2, Backblaze B2, and AWS S3, extending its usefulness for organizations with existing services.

Access and administration

WebDAV mounts Plient as a network drive on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Desktop and mobile apps cover everyday access, while the CLI supports uploads, downloads, syncing, and management from scripts and CI pipelines. Enterprise customers get SSO/SAML, SCIM, audit logs, data-loss prevention, legal hold, and retention policies. Those controls make Business more suitable for governed environments than the personal plans.

Pricing

Free is a useful no-cost starting point, but 5 GB and 30-day history impose clear limits for ongoing archives. Pro supplies a substantial single-user storage increase and editing, yet it remains a one-user plan without shared workspaces. Business charges per user, making its pooled capacity and governance features relevant when several people need managed access. A free trial is offered, and sales inquiries receive a reply within one business day.

Platforms

Plient runs on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, and the web. WebDAV works across the three desktop operating systems, and self-hosting is supported alongside the managed service.

Who it's for

Choose Plient if client-side encryption, office co-authoring, controlled links, WebDAV, CLI automation, or self-hosting are central requirements. Pro is the practical choice for one person with large storage needs; Business is aimed at teams needing pooled storage, identity integration, and retention controls. It is less suitable when you only want the largest inexpensive personal-storage quota or must keep data outside the United States.

Pros and cons

• Pros: AES-256-GCM client-side encryption and device-held keys protect file contents before upload.
• Pros: Browser editing, co-authoring, comments, suggestions, and version history support document workflows.
• Pros: WebDAV, CLI access, marketplace integrations, and Docker self-hosting cover technical and deployment needs.
• Cons: The free plan's 5 GB capacity and 30-day history are restrictive for substantial archives.
• Cons: Shared drives, identity provisioning, audit, and retention controls require the per-user Business plan.
• Cons: US data jurisdiction may conflict with some residency policies.

Alternatives

Filen is a freemium alternative whose apps are released under the AGPL v3 open-source license, a better fit when open-source clients are the priority.

Internxt Drive suits readers who want publicly available code and external audits alongside encrypted storage.

MEGA offers a 20 GB free plan, so it is worth considering when a larger no-cost personal allowance matters most.

Cryptee is the alternative for users who specifically value open-source software and cryptography.

Ente Photos is oriented toward encrypted photo storage, with a 10 GB free plan.

PreVeil combines a 5 GB free allowance with end-to-end email and file encryption and desktop integrations.

Scramble Cloud provides a 10 GB free plan and unlimited file size, bandwidth, and links.

Hoodik is the choice for a free, always-free self-hosted deployment whose capacity depends on your server disk.

For a broader comparison, see Secure Cloud Storage.

Verdict

Plient is a strong choice for privacy-conscious professionals and teams that need encrypted storage alongside office collaboration, automation, and flexible hosting. Choose it for the zero-knowledge architecture and breadth of access methods; look elsewhere if your priority is a bigger free personal quota, non-US data jurisdiction, or a simpler storage-only service.