Beebeeb vs iCloud
iCloud is the most convenient cloud for Apple users. Beebeeb is the most private. They are not the same thing — and this page is honest about the trade-offs.
14-day free trial, no charge until day 15 · no lock-in, export anytime
By default, Apple holds the encryption keys for iCloud, can read your data, and is subject to the US Cloud Act for data stored anywhere in the world. Advanced Data Protection adds end-to-end encryption for most categories — but it is opt-in and off by default, and Apple still holds keys for Mail, Contacts and Calendar. Beebeeb has no such toggle: zero-knowledge is the only mode.
✓ available · ~ coming soon · ✗ not available. Anything marked “coming soon” isn’t live yet — see the roadmap. Competitor details reflect public information as of June 2026; always verify current pricing on each vendor’s site.
What you actually get by switching
Zero-knowledge by default, not by toggle
Your files are encrypted on your device before they leave it. There is no setting to forget — we hold ciphertext and cannot read it. iCloud only reaches comparable protection if every one of your devices has Advanced Data Protection switched on.
EU jurisdiction, named to the city
Your data lives in Falkenstein, Germany, operated by Initlabs B.V. in the Netherlands. German law has no data-retention mandate and forbids handing data to foreign law enforcement. iCloud is a US company under the Cloud Act, wherever the servers sit.
Open source you can verify
Our clients and encryption core are public — read the code, compile it yourself, confirm the claims on this page. iCloud is closed; you are asked to trust the marketing.
Sharing that doesn’t need an Apple ID
Send an encrypted share link to anyone — with an expiry, a passphrase, a max-open count and instant revocation. iCloud sharing often expects the recipient to have an Apple ID.
Scales far past iCloud’s ceiling
iCloud stops at 12 TB. Beebeeb scales to 99 TB self-serve at €10.99/extra TB, with a custom quote beyond that.
Who should use which
- → You live entirely inside Apple hardware and want it invisible
- → You want seamless Finder, Photos and iMessage continuity
- → You want the cheapest possible small-tier storage (50–200 GB)
- → Your files are not sensitive and convenience is the priority
- → You need genuine zero-knowledge encryption with no toggle to forget
- → EU jurisdiction matters for you or your business
- → You use Linux or cross-platform workflows
- → You want to verify the encryption, not trust a brand
- → You need to scale well past 12 TB
What iCloud does well
iCloud is the most deeply integrated cloud for Apple hardware. Photos auto-sync, app documents appear in Finder, iMessage continuity depends on it, and 5 GB comes free with your Apple ID.
The small tiers are genuinely cheap — €0.99/month for 50 GB, €2.99/month for 200 GB. If you just want your camera roll backed up and your files are not sensitive, iCloud is hard to beat on convenience.
Where Beebeeb is different
The difference is the encryption model. iCloud is operated by a US company under US law, and by default Apple can read your data and respond to requests. Even with Advanced Data Protection enabled, it is opt-in and excludes some categories.
Beebeeb is zero-knowledge by architecture: files are encrypted on your device before they leave. No key escrow, no back door, no protection toggle to enable — it is the only mode we have, and the code is public so you can check.
Switching is low-risk by design
Beebeeb vs iCloud: common questions
Not by default. Standard iCloud encryption lets Apple hold the keys and read your data. Advanced Data Protection adds end-to-end encryption for most categories, but it is opt-in, off by default, and excludes Mail, Contacts and Calendar.
Yes. Apple is a US company, so iCloud data is reachable under the US Cloud Act regardless of where the servers are located. Beebeeb stores data in Falkenstein, Germany under EU law, with no equivalent foreign-access mandate.
Yes. Start with a 14-day free trial on Starter, Basic or Pro and add your files by dragging them in or scripting uploads with the CLI. One-click import from Google Drive and Dropbox is coming soon to make switching even faster.
Not at the small tiers — iCloud is cheaper for 50–200 GB. Beebeeb’s value is privacy by default, EU jurisdiction, open source, and the ability to scale to 99 TB. At 1 TB it is €10.99/month.
Start a 14-day free trial
No charge until day 15. Full encryption from day one. EU infrastructure in Falkenstein, open source.
Join the waitlist →Last updated June 2026