rclone

Proton Drive Is Hard to Migrate To or From. Blober Makes It Easy.

May 27, 2026

The Privacy-First Cloud Storage That's Hard to Move Files Into

Proton Drive is one of the most privacy-respecting cloud storage services available. End-to-end PGP encryption. Swiss jurisdiction. Open-source clients. Zero-access architecture, so not even Proton can read your files. Over 100 million accounts trust it. If privacy is your priority, Proton Drive is a strong choice.

But there's a catch: Proton built great sync clients, not transfer tools.

Their official apps sync a folder between your device and Proton Drive. That works perfectly when Proton Drive is your only cloud. The moment you need to move files from Google Drive, from Dropbox, from AWS S3, or to Proton Drive from another provider, you're on your own. Download everything locally, then re-upload. For a few gigabytes, that's fine. For 500 GB of photos across three Google accounts, it's a weekend you don't get back.

Where Proton Drive Is Officially Supported

Proton offers native clients on four platforms, plus web access:

Platform	Client	Sync	File Browser	Bulk Transfer From Other Clouds
Windows	✅ Desktop app	✅ Folder sync	✅ Via web	❌
macOS	✅ Desktop app	✅ Folder sync	✅ Via web	❌
iOS	✅ Mobile app	✅ Photo backup	✅ In-app	❌
Android	✅ Mobile app	✅ Photo backup	✅ In-app	❌
Linux	❌ No client	❌	✅ Web only	❌
Web	✅ Browser	❌	✅	❌

Notice the last column. Across every platform, on every client, there is no built-in way to transfer files from another cloud provider into Proton Drive. The official path is: download to your machine, then let the sync client pick it up. That means you need enough free local storage to hold everything in transit.

And if you're on Linux, there is no desktop client at all. You get the web interface, which works but doesn't support drag-and-drop bulk uploads from other services either.

What The Proton Client Does Well (And What It Doesn't)

The Proton Drive clients are well-built for their intended purpose, which is sync, not migration:

What they do well:

Folder sync between your device and Proton Drive
Automatic photo backup on mobile
End-to-end encryption handled transparently
Proton Docs and Sheets integration

What they're not built for:

Moving files between Proton Drive and another cloud
Browsing or selecting files from another cloud as part of a transfer
Repeatable transfer workflows
Linux without a browser

That's the gap Blober fills.

What About rclone?

rclone is the canonical open-source tool for cloud storage. It supports 70+ backends and is genuinely excellent at what it does. Its Proton Drive backend works, with a couple of things worth knowing up front:

Tier 4 (Experimental). rclone classifies its Proton Drive support as Tier 4, meaning it's community-maintained and flagged as "use with care." Known gaps include unsupported modification times, draft conflicts on retries, and stale caching when other clients touch the same files. The underlying Proton-API-Bridge library notes there are "likely quite a few errors."
Password-based auth. To set up rclone with Proton Drive, you provide your Proton email, password, 2FA, and (if applicable) mailbox password through rclone config. These end up in rclone's config file on disk.

If you're already in the rclone ecosystem and these tradeoffs work for you, rclone is a perfectly good fit. Blober is a different style of tool for a different style of user, and the rest of this article is about that.

How Blober Handles Proton Drive Differently

Blober takes a different approach to Proton Drive: instead of asking for your credentials in a config file, it asks Proton for them.

You Just Log In. Normally.

When you connect Proton Drive in Blober, a browser window opens to account.proton.me, which is Proton's own login page. You sign in with your email, password, and 2FA exactly as you would in any browser. Your password never touches Blober. It stays inside the isolated browser session, the same way it does when you log in at drive.proton.me.

What Blober Supports With Proton Drive

Operation	Supported	Details
Browse	✅	Navigate your full folder tree
Download	✅	Parallel, resumable downloads
Upload	✅	Parallel uploads, auto-creates folders
Delete	✅	Moves to Proton Trash (recoverable)
Metadata	✅	Filename, size, created/modified dates
Multiple accounts	✅	Each account gets its own session. Run transfers in parallel

What Blober Does That Proton's Client Can't

Transfer from any supported provider directly to Proton Drive. Google Drive, Dropbox, AWS S3, Azure Blob, Backblaze B2, Cloudflare R2, DigitalOcean Spaces, Wasabi, Rabata, GoPro Cloud, local disk. No intermediate downloads.
Transfer from Proton Drive to any other provider. Moving away from Proton? Moving a subset of files to cold storage on Backblaze? Blober handles it.
Selective file transfer. Browse your source, pick exactly the files you want, transfer only those. Not a full sync of everything.
Saved workflows. Set up "Dropbox to Proton Drive" once, run it whenever you want. The workflow remembers your source path, destination path, filters, and file naming templates.
Works on Linux. Blober runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Since Proton doesn't ship a Linux desktop client, Blober is one of the few ways to get a desktop-native Proton Drive experience on Linux without using a browser.
Resumable transfers. If your session expires mid-transfer, Blober prompts you to re-authenticate and picks up where it left off. No files are lost or duplicated.

The Migration Scenario

Here's the situation Blober is built for:

You're on Google Drive or Dropbox. You've decided to move to Proton Drive for privacy. You have 200 GB of documents and photos spread across folders. Today, your options are:

Option A: Manual download and re-upload

Download 200 GB from Google Drive to your local machine (hours, needs free disk space)
Wait for Proton Drive sync client to upload it all (hours more, CPU-intensive due to encryption)
Repeat for Dropbox
Hope nothing failed silently

Option B: Google Takeout + manual upload

Request a Takeout archive (can take days)
Download the archive(s)
Extract, organize, upload to Proton Drive
Storage used: 3× (source cloud + local archive + Proton)

Option C: rclone

Run rclone config to set up your Google/Dropbox and Proton remotes
Provide your Proton credentials when prompted
Run rclone copy gdrive: protondrive: with the flags that fit your scenario
Drive everything from the CLI, including monitoring and restart

Option D: Blober

Sign in to Google Drive (OAuth) or Dropbox (OAuth)
Sign in to Proton Drive (browser login)
Select the files you want
Start the transfer, then come back and re-run the same workflow whenever you need to

Blober vs rclone for Proton Drive: Side by Side

	Blober	rclone
Auth method	Browser login via Proton's own page	Credentials in `rclone config`
Interface	Native desktop GUI	CLI
Modification times	Preserved from source	Not preserved
Resume on failure	Automatic	Manual restart
Linux	Native desktop app	CLI
Cross-provider transfer	Built-in (select source and destination)	`rclone copy source: dest:`
Multiple Proton accounts	Each one its own session	Separate config remotes
Scriptable automation	Workflows, no cron	Cron-friendly CLI
Mount as filesystem	Not supported	Supported (FUSE)

Who This Is For

Blober is a good fit if:

You're migrating into Proton Drive from Google Drive, Dropbox, or another cloud
You're moving out of Proton Drive to another provider, or shifting a subset to cold storage
You're on Linux and want a desktop-native way to manage Proton Drive files
You'd rather log in through a browser than configure credentials in a file
You want a repeatable, named workflow you can re-run later

rclone is a good fit if:

You're already in the rclone ecosystem and want one tool for everything
You need scriptable, cron-based automation
You want to mount Proton Drive as a filesystem (FUSE)
You prefer CLI control over a GUI

Using Proton Drive with Blober

Proton Drive is a genuine privacy-first storage service. End-to-end PGP. Zero-knowledge architecture. Open clients. The trade-off Proton makes for that privacy is that getting files in or out, at scale, isn't a first-class experience.

That's where Blober comes in. You sign in to Proton Drive through Proton's own login page, pick the cloud you're moving from or to (Google Drive, Dropbox, S3, Backblaze B2, R2, Wasabi, GoPro, NAS, or local disk), choose what you want to move, and let it run. No config files, no CLI, no separate sync clients to install. The same workflow runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.

If you have files in other clouds and you want them in Proton Drive, or files in Proton Drive you want elsewhere: that's what Blober is for.

Blober vs Flexify vs rclone

Feb 1, 2026

Overview

Three tools dominate cloud data transfer in 2026 - each solving the problem from a completely different angle. Here's how they compare.

High-Level Comparison Table

Dimension	Blober	Flexify.io	rclone
Architecture	✅ Local-first desktop	Managed SaaS	CLI utility
Pricing	✅ One-time license	Usage-based (~$0.03-$0.04/GiB + egress)	Free
Ease of use	✅ High (native GUI)	Medium (web dashboard)	Low (terminal only)
Provider count	9+ and growing	~25 (object storage)	70+
GoPro Cloud support	✅ Yes (exclusive)	❌ No	❌ No
Credential control	✅ Local only	Cloud-managed	Local config file
Data path	✅ Direct (no middleman)	Through Flexify servers	Direct (local)
Workflow persistence	✅ Built-in	Dashboard-based	None (manual scripts)
Task history & resume	✅ Built-in	Dashboard-based	Logs only
Metadata path templates	✅ Yes	No	Manual scripting
Automation	Limited	High	Very high
API virtualization	No	Yes (S3-to-Azure gateway)	No
Enterprise scale	High	High	High
Open source	No	No	Yes
Best for	Agencies, creators, engineers	Enterprises (petabyte migrations)	Engineers, sysadmins

Pricing at a Glance

Scenario	Blober	Flexify.io	rclone
100 GB migration	✅ One-time	~$8 - $12	Free
1 TB migration	✅ One-time	~$80 - $120+	Free
10 TB migration	✅ One-time	~$800 - $1,200+	Free
Recurring monthly	✅ $0	Compounds every run	Free

Flexify charges per GiB transferred plus cloud provider egress fees. Costs add up fast for recurring workflows. rclone is free but demands engineering time. Blober sits in the sweet spot: pay once, transfer forever.

Data Sovereignty

Concern	Blober	Flexify.io	rclone
Credentials stored	✅ Local only	Flexify servers	Local config file
Data transits 3rd party	✅ No	Yes (Flexify infra)	No
Account required	✅ No	Yes	No
Offline operation	✅ Yes	No	Yes

For regulated industries, sensitive media archives, or personal data - avoiding third-party intermediaries is not a preference, it is a requirement. Both Blober and rclone keep your data path clean. Flexify introduces a managed middleman.

The GoPro Factor

Blober is the only transfer tool that supports GoPro Cloud. Neither Flexify nor rclone can access GoPro's storage. If you manage GoPro footage - whether as a creator, agency, or production house - Blober is the only option for migrating that media to professional storage like Backblaze B2, AWS S3, or your local NAS.

Summary

rclone is the most powerful tool if you are deeply technical, automation-driven, and comfortable with terminal workflows. It is free and supports 70+ providers.
Flexify.io is ideal for enterprises running massive one-time migrations under strict SLAs, especially when virtual S3 endpoints or managed infrastructure are required. Budget accordingly - costs scale with data volume.
Blober fills the gap between them: professional-grade transfers with a native desktop GUI, local credential control, visual workflows, predictable one-time pricing, and exclusive GoPro Cloud support.

Blober's beta pricing locks in a lifetime license at a fraction of the cost competitors charge for a single large migration. For users who value simplicity, sovereignty, and long-term savings - Blober is the clear choice.

Blober vs rclone

Feb 1, 2026

Overview

rclone is the industry-standard CLI tool for cloud storage automation among developers and sysadmins. It is extremely powerful, supports over 70 storage providers, and is completely free and open-source. Its tradeoff is complexity - every job requires flags, config files, and terminal expertise.

Blober is built for users who want rclone-level capability without managing flags, scripts, or terminal state. It replaces stateless CLI execution with persistent, visual workflows that anyone can set up and repeat.

Interface and Usability

rclone

Command-line only (experimental web GUI exists, but limited)
Configuration files and flags - every job requires manual setup
Excellent for scripting and cron-based automation
Steep learning curve for non-technical users
No built-in workflow persistence - you must manage your own scripts

Blober

Native desktop GUI (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Visual setup of sources, destinations, and filters
Saved workflows with one-click execution
Built-in task history with resumable state
Designed for repeatability and clarity - no terminal required

Feature Comparison

Feature	Blober	rclone
Interface	✅ GUI	CLI
Provider count	Growing	70+
GoPro Cloud support	✅ Yes	❌ No
Local filesystem	✅ Yes	Yes
Cloud-to-cloud	✅ Yes	Yes
Workflow persistence	✅ Yes	No (manual scripts)
Metadata path templates	✅ Yes	Manual scripting
Task history & resume	✅ Yes	Logs only
Encryption	Planned	Built-in
Automation	Limited	Extensive
Open source	No	Yes
Data path	✅ Direct	Direct (local)

GoPro Cloud: A Blober Exclusive

rclone supports over 70 providers - but GoPro Cloud is not one of them. If you shoot with GoPro cameras and want to move your media from GoPro's cloud to Backblaze B2, AWS S3, Wasabi, or your local NAS, rclone simply cannot help.

Blober is the only transfer tool with native GoPro Cloud integration, making it the obvious choice for photographers, videographers, action sports creators, and agencies managing GoPro media libraries.

Workflow Example

rclone requires upfront configuration, careful flag selection, and scripting discipline to safely repeat jobs:

rclone copy remote:bucket/path dest:bucket/path \
  --transfers 4 --checkers 8 --retries 3 \
  --filter-from filters.txt --log-file transfer.log

Forget a flag? Change a path? The job silently behaves differently. There is no built-in history of what ran, when, or whether it succeeded.

Blober stores each workflow as a durable configuration with immutable execution history. If a transfer is interrupted, Blober resumes based on stored state rather than re-running a stateless command.

This difference becomes critical for:

Long-running transfers over unreliable connections
Media archives with thousands of files
Users who run transfers infrequently and forget the exact flags
Teams where multiple people need to trigger the same workflow

Data Sovereignty

Both rclone and Blober are local-first tools - your credentials stay on your machine. This is a shared advantage over SaaS competitors like Flexify and MultCloud where credentials and potentially data flow through third-party servers.

Where Blober adds value over rclone:

No terminal exposure - credentials are managed in a secured desktop app, not plaintext config files
Encrypted credential storage - not a ~/.config/rclone/rclone.conf file on disk
Visual audit trail - every transfer logged with timestamps, file counts, and status

Cost and Support

Aspect	Blober	rclone
Cost	One-time license	Free
Support	Product support	Community forums
Updates	Included with license	Community-driven
Target user	Creators, agencies, engineers	Engineers, sysadmins

rclone being free is a genuine advantage. Blober earns its price by saving time, reducing errors, and opening cloud transfers to users who would never touch a terminal.

When Blober Makes More Sense

Choose Blober if you:

Prefer visual tools over terminal commands
Want repeatable workflows without writing scripts
Need GoPro Cloud support (only Blober has it)
Need clarity, task history, and one-click resumption
Transfer data occasionally but need it to work reliably every time
Value convenience and productivity over maximum flexibility
Want credentials stored securely - not in a plaintext config file

Download Blober at blober.io