Side by side
Filen vs Hex Citadel
Both stand on secure cloud storage. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Open source AndroidAPIiPhone+4
Filen combines encrypted cloud storage with syncing, notes, chats and developer tools. Before relying on a free account for long-term storage, note its three-month inactivity deletion policy.
Visit Filen Free plan APIMacSelf-hosted+1
Citadel offers a self-hosting route with client-side encryption and open-source code. Check the server requirements and lack of current mobile support before adopting it.
Visit Hex CitadelThe facts
| Filen | Hex Citadel | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Not published |
| Runs on | Android, API, iPhone, Linux, Mac, Web, Windows | API, Mac, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Pro I: €1.99 a month | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 6 | 2 |
| Maker | Filen | Not published |
| Website | filen.io | citadel.hex.pro |
| On secure cloud storage | #3 of 30 | #7 of 30 |
Filen: what it does well
- Client-side, end-to-end encryption.
- Free account includes 10GB storage.
- Available across desktop, mobile and web.
- Includes encrypted notes and chats.
- Offers TypeScript, Rust and Go SDKs.
What to know first
- Inactive free-account data is deleted after three months.
- Free account storage is 10GB.
- Paid plans start at €1.99/mo.
Hex Citadel: what it does well
- Client-side AES-256-GCM encryption before upload.
- Encryption can be enabled per file or folder.
- Self-hosted plan includes unlimited users and storage on your hardware.
- Server and client are MIT licensed.
- Supports MinIO and AWS S3 storage.
What to know first
- Mobile support is deferred until after version 1.0.
- Server requires Node.js 22+ LTS and PostgreSQL 16+.
- Self-hosted plan includes community support.
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