Filen.io - the German cloud storage

bikegremlin · April 13

I just started testing this cloud storage service. As it used to say on all the good tools and cars: "Made in Germany."

Some polically incorrect puns I couldn't resist making:

Enough free space - won't get quickly occupied like Poland.

Safe and stable - doesn't fall as quickly as France!

Anyone using Filen.io (my affiliate link that should give +10 GB for free)?

It's nice to see the option of lifetimes, but not going 100% on selling lifetimes (so it just might survive for more than a few more years - hopefully).

I saw some older LES threads, but no recent experience shared.

Has anyone bought any Filen.io lifetime deals, or used monthly subscriptions?
How is the speed, stability?

ialexpw · April 13

I've been using it for a while as a secondary - I have a lifetime + subscription on top. I like the new web interface they released, but development on things is very slow (due to a very small team) and the mobile app is being completely rewritten.

Had a few issues on and off with the desktop sync app, but no issues with the web interface directly. Overall I like it, but it wouldn't be my main storage at the moment.

bikegremlin · April 13

@ialexpw said:
I've been using it for a while as a secondary - I have a lifetime + subscription on top. I like the new web interface they released, but development on things is very slow (due to a very small team) and the mobile app is being completely rewritten.

Had a few issues on and off with the desktop sync app, but no issues with the web interface directly. Overall I like it, but it wouldn't be my main storage at the moment.

Thanks.

To compare:
Mega.nz sync seems to be imperfect but less buggy.
pCloud has a better IOS client (better than Mega it seems).

I see it as a second remote cold storage option.
Nothing more, but nothing less.

Also, I plan to split the second remote cold storage stuff between pCloud and Filen.io - to make my life easier if one of them busts (and effectively improve bandwidth by uploading/downloading stuff 50/50 to the two services).

edip · April 13

There is a stackable 100gb lifetime. And IIRC they offer larger lifetimes on BF. Not cheap though but it's working fine for me for 3-4months.
My plan is to purchase 100gb lifetime bimonthly till I have 1TB. If BF offers will be good enough, I'll gear up my game

Ympker · April 13

It sounds great in theory, but I've read very mixed reviews about it. Didn't bite (so far).

treesmokah · April 13

Use pretty much any cloud storage provider with https://cryptomator.org/
Security of files will be great, you will only have to care about privacy(what the cloud provider has about you other than encrypted files).

I'm not a fan of such "web" encrypted solutions because they can change the javascript at any time and I bet nobody verifies what is being loaded to their browser, so it can be encrypted but one day isn't. Clients should be safer though, assuming they aren't just web browsers.

Feds forcing them to shove malicious javascript to decrypt files just for you is a real possibility too, in G*rmany and other EU countries. Tutanota has learned it when they were forced to tap their own "encrypted email" customers, or Proton forced to modify account settings to log IP's.

MGarbis · April 13

I use it occasionally. I have 100gb lifetime which is more than enough for me atm. When I started to use it, it was quite a buggy. Now it's working a lot better.

lapua · April 14

there are stories in germany that a race is now supposed to have started for german cloud providers because many users (drum roll) no longer want a usa cloud because of trump. i can't say yes or no to whether this is true. but some people probably smell business. i don't know filen.io.

rcy026 · April 14

@lapua said:
there are stories in germany that a race is now supposed to have started for german cloud providers because many users (drum roll) no longer want a usa cloud because of trump. i can't say yes or no to whether this is true. but some people probably smell business. i don't know filen.io.

I'm not saying you are right (or wrong), but I can say that several of my bigger clients have recently asked me how difficult it is to move thousands of servers from AWS and Azure to "something more local".

havoc · April 14

20GB free S3...neat.

Guessing this is going to be HDD backed?

treesmokah · April 14

@havoc said:
20GB free S3...neat.

Guessing this is going to be HDD backed?

Most certainly, also on Hetzner
Wouldn't be surprised if it all ran on storage boxes.

ialexpw · April 14

@treesmokah said:

@havoc said:
20GB free S3...neat.

Guessing this is going to be HDD backed?

Most certainly, also on Hetzner
Wouldn't be surprised if it all ran on storage boxes.

afaik they moved to a new DC with their own hardware I believe last year. I can't remember which one it was from the top of my head though.

edit:

Some info here and more further back - https://blog.filen.io/status-update-february-2025/#Infrastructure Investments

https://blog.filen.io/filens-server-upgrades/

treesmokah · April 14

@ialexpw said: afaik they moved to a new DC with their own hardware I believe last year. I can't remember which one it was from the top of my head though.

Surprising, didn't know that. Good for them.
Looks like its colocated with myLoc.

AuroraZero · April 15

@bikegremlin can I put my pron in here?

bikegremlin · April 15

@AuroraZero said:
@bikegremlin can I put my pron in here?

It's what it's for!

willie · April 15

Could someone plainly say how much this costs per TB? Thanks.

ialexpw · April 15

@willie said:
Could someone plainly say how much this costs per TB? Thanks.

Normal pricing is below, they do BF deals though (both monthly & lifetime) and most of the time do a lifetime 100GB at 29.99 eur. (all stackable).

annual is 10x the montly price.

somik · April 16

Looked at it, signed up with a throwaway email (using the refferal) and then looked at their API documentation. Seems too troublesome to upload even 1 file as they need the files to be in 1M chunks and AES encrypted, and each chunk to be uploaded one after another. So gave up.

Here is a chatGPT created python sample code to upload/download a file. Again, this is AI generated so will probably need a LOT of modifications for it to work...

import requests
import os
import uuid
import base64
from Crypto.Cipher import AES
from Crypto.Random import get_random_bytes
from hashlib import sha256

# === CONFIGURATION ===
EMAIL = "[email protected]"
PASSWORD = "your-password"
FILE_PATH = "your_file_to_upload.txt"
CHUNK_SIZE = 1024 * 1024  # 1 MiB

# === ENCRYPTION ===

def pad(data):
    padding_len = 16 - len(data) % 16
    return data + bytes([padding_len] * padding_len)

def encrypt_data(data, key):
    iv = get_random_bytes(16)
    cipher = AES.new(key, AES.MODE_CBC, iv)
    encrypted = cipher.encrypt(pad(data))
    return iv + encrypted

def encrypt_filename(plain_name, key):
    plain_bytes = plain_name.encode()
    iv = get_random_bytes(16)
    cipher = AES.new(key, AES.MODE_CBC, iv)
    encrypted = cipher.encrypt(pad(plain_bytes))
    return base64.b64encode(iv + encrypted).decode()

# === LOGIN ===

def login(email, password):
    url = "https://api.filen.io/v1/user/login"
    payload = {"email": email, "password": password}
    response = requests.post(url, json=payload)
    response.raise_for_status()
    return response.json()["token"]

# === RESERVE UPLOAD ===

def request_upload(token, encrypted_name, file_size, parent_id, chunks):
    url = "https://api.filen.io/v3/upload/request"
    headers = {"Authorization": token}
    payload = {
        "name": encrypted_name,
        "size": file_size,
        "parent": parent_id,
        "chunks": chunks
    }
    response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=payload)
    response.raise_for_status()
    return response.json()["chunks"]

# === CHUNK UPLOAD ===

def upload_chunks(chunks, encrypted_data):
    total_chunks = len(chunks)
    for i, chunk_info in enumerate(chunks):
        start = i * CHUNK_SIZE
        end = start + CHUNK_SIZE
        chunk_data = encrypted_data[start:end]
        upload_url = chunk_info["url"]

        print(f"Uploading chunk {i+1}/{total_chunks}...")
        res = requests.put(upload_url, data=chunk_data, headers={"Content-Type": "application/octet-stream"})
        res.raise_for_status()

# === FINALIZE UPLOAD ===

def finalize_upload(token, file_uuid):
    url = "https://api.filen.io/v3/upload/done"
    headers = {"Authorization": token}
    payload = {"uuid": file_uuid}
    response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=payload)
    response.raise_for_status()
    print("Upload finalized successfully!")

# === MAIN ===

def main():
    token = login(EMAIL, PASSWORD)
    print(f"Logged in, token acquired.")

    file_uuid = str(uuid.uuid4())
    parent_id = "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000"

    master_key = get_random_bytes(32)  # Typically this is derived from your account's real key.
    upload_key = get_random_bytes(32)  # Per-file key.

    # Encrypt filename
    encrypted_filename = encrypt_filename(os.path.basename(FILE_PATH), upload_key)

    # Encrypt file data
    with open(FILE_PATH, "rb") as f:
        plain_data = f.read()

    encrypted_data = encrypt_data(plain_data, upload_key)

    file_size = len(encrypted_data)
    total_chunks = (file_size + CHUNK_SIZE - 1) // CHUNK_SIZE

    # Reserve space on Filen
    chunks = request_upload(token, encrypted_filename, file_size, parent_id, total_chunks)

    # Upload chunks
    upload_chunks(chunks, encrypted_data)

    # Finalize
    finalize_upload(token, file_uuid)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

Linux · April 16

@somik said:
Looked at it, signed up with a throwaway email (using the refferal) and then looked at their API documentation. Seems too troublesome to upload even 1 file as they need the files to be in 1M chunks and AES encrypted, and each chunk to be uploaded one after another. So gave up.

Here is a chatGPT created python sample code to upload/download a file. Again, this is AI generated so will probably need a LOT of modifications for it to work...

import requests
import os
import uuid
import base64
from Crypto.Cipher import AES
from Crypto.Random import get_random_bytes
from hashlib import sha256

# === CONFIGURATION ===
EMAIL = "[email protected]"
PASSWORD = "your-password"
FILE_PATH = "your_file_to_upload.txt"
CHUNK_SIZE = 1024 * 1024  # 1 MiB

# === ENCRYPTION ===

def pad(data):
    padding_len = 16 - len(data) % 16
    return data + bytes([padding_len] * padding_len)

def encrypt_data(data, key):
    iv = get_random_bytes(16)
    cipher = AES.new(key, AES.MODE_CBC, iv)
    encrypted = cipher.encrypt(pad(data))
    return iv + encrypted

def encrypt_filename(plain_name, key):
    plain_bytes = plain_name.encode()
    iv = get_random_bytes(16)
    cipher = AES.new(key, AES.MODE_CBC, iv)
    encrypted = cipher.encrypt(pad(plain_bytes))
    return base64.b64encode(iv + encrypted).decode()

# === LOGIN ===

def login(email, password):
    url = "https://api.filen.io/v1/user/login"
    payload = {"email": email, "password": password}
    response = requests.post(url, json=payload)
    response.raise_for_status()
    return response.json()["token"]

# === RESERVE UPLOAD ===

def request_upload(token, encrypted_name, file_size, parent_id, chunks):
    url = "https://api.filen.io/v3/upload/request"
    headers = {"Authorization": token}
    payload = {
        "name": encrypted_name,
        "size": file_size,
        "parent": parent_id,
        "chunks": chunks
    }
    response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=payload)
    response.raise_for_status()
    return response.json()["chunks"]

# === CHUNK UPLOAD ===

def upload_chunks(chunks, encrypted_data):
    total_chunks = len(chunks)
    for i, chunk_info in enumerate(chunks):
        start = i * CHUNK_SIZE
        end = start + CHUNK_SIZE
        chunk_data = encrypted_data[start:end]
        upload_url = chunk_info["url"]

        print(f"Uploading chunk {i+1}/{total_chunks}...")
        res = requests.put(upload_url, data=chunk_data, headers={"Content-Type": "application/octet-stream"})
        res.raise_for_status()

# === FINALIZE UPLOAD ===

def finalize_upload(token, file_uuid):
    url = "https://api.filen.io/v3/upload/done"
    headers = {"Authorization": token}
    payload = {"uuid": file_uuid}
    response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=payload)
    response.raise_for_status()
    print("Upload finalized successfully!")

# === MAIN ===

def main():
    token = login(EMAIL, PASSWORD)
    print(f"Logged in, token acquired.")

    file_uuid = str(uuid.uuid4())
    parent_id = "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000"

    master_key = get_random_bytes(32)  # Typically this is derived from your account's real key.
    upload_key = get_random_bytes(32)  # Per-file key.

    # Encrypt filename
    encrypted_filename = encrypt_filename(os.path.basename(FILE_PATH), upload_key)

    # Encrypt file data
    with open(FILE_PATH, "rb") as f:
        plain_data = f.read()

    encrypted_data = encrypt_data(plain_data, upload_key)

    file_size = len(encrypted_data)
    total_chunks = (file_size + CHUNK_SIZE - 1) // CHUNK_SIZE

    # Reserve space on Filen
    chunks = request_upload(token, encrypted_filename, file_size, parent_id, total_chunks)

    # Upload chunks
    upload_chunks(chunks, encrypted_data)

    # Finalize
    finalize_upload(token, file_uuid)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

I have never used this service but according to their blog they are working on Rclone integration which is now in beta phase
https://blog.filen.io/rclone-beta-test-windows-mac-testers-wanted/

willie · April 16

@ialexpw said: Normal pricing is below, they do BF deals though (both monthly & lifetime) and most of the time do a lifetime 100GB at 29.99 eur. (all stackable).

I thought we were sophisiticated users who knew better than to believe "lifetime" offers. Treating "lifetime" as 5 years (60 months), that is 0.5 euro per 100GB or 5 euro per GB, pretty terrible for plain storage, might be ok for well-performing S3 if there are no traffic fees for a reasonable amount of traffic. Still, seems like a yawner.

bikegremlin · April 17

@willie said:

@ialexpw said: Normal pricing is below, they do BF deals though (both monthly & lifetime) and most of the time do a lifetime 100GB at 29.99 eur. (all stackable).

I thought we were sophisiticated users who knew better than to believe "lifetime" offers. Treating "lifetime" as 5 years (60 months), that is 0.5 euro per 100GB or 5 euro per GB, pretty terrible for plain storage, might be ok for well-performing S3 if there are no traffic fees for a reasonable amount of traffic. Still, seems like a yawner.

I agree - the regular prices, just like pCloud for that matter, are too high.

Black Friday discount prices at 50+ % off do make more sense.

somik · April 17

@bikegremlin said:

@willie said:

@ialexpw said: Normal pricing is below, they do BF deals though (both monthly & lifetime) and most of the time do a lifetime 100GB at 29.99 eur. (all stackable).

I thought we were sophisiticated users who knew better than to believe "lifetime" offers. Treating "lifetime" as 5 years (60 months), that is 0.5 euro per 100GB or 5 euro per GB, pretty terrible for plain storage, might be ok for well-performing S3 if there are no traffic fees for a reasonable amount of traffic. Still, seems like a yawner.

I agree - the regular prices, just like pCloud for that matter, are too high.

Black Friday discount prices at 50+ % off do make more sense.

Agree. AVOID lifetime deals, no matter how cheap it seems, unless it is a software product where you get the offline installer and can use the software offline.

bikegremlin · April 17

@somik said:

@bikegremlin said:

@willie said:

@ialexpw said: Normal pricing is below, they do BF deals though (both monthly & lifetime) and most of the time do a lifetime 100GB at 29.99 eur. (all stackable).

I thought we were sophisiticated users who knew better than to believe "lifetime" offers. Treating "lifetime" as 5 years (60 months), that is 0.5 euro per 100GB or 5 euro per GB, pretty terrible for plain storage, might be ok for well-performing S3 if there are no traffic fees for a reasonable amount of traffic. Still, seems like a yawner.

I agree - the regular prices, just like pCloud for that matter, are too high.

Black Friday discount prices at 50+ % off do make more sense.

Agree. AVOID lifetime deals, no matter how cheap it seems, unless it is a software product where you get the offline installer and can use the software offline.

Lifetime deals can be OK with some limits and consideration. My longer writeup on that topic:
https://io.bikegremlin.com/25228/lifetime-offers-worth-buying/

(section 1 defines it, section 2 is where I discuss the realistic expectations)

I'm still happy with some lifetime deals that fit your description, but also some that are 100% online services (like MXroute to name one).

For this use case in particular (storage, backups), a remote computer with a decent HDD is hard to beat in terms of price, so it's even tougher. An extra "out-of-the-flood-fire-and-bomb-zone" location for the really important stuff? Even for that it is hard to beat the simple Hetzner storage box (with a monthly subscription, but also with a normal & convenient sFTP access). Still - with a good enough discount, if it survives for as long as pCloud has. Who knows?

ialexpw · April 17

Agree with @bikegremlin - some lifetime deals are ok if they are actually calculated in. Filen removes them based on amount of subscriptions vs lifetimes as far as I'm aware and they only really offer them on BF (apart from the small 100GB one).

I've had a Zap lifetime dedicated server for ~2 years now which is now working out at about 20eur per month for it which is a bargain.

Some lifetime offers from companies are pretty obvious they're not sustainable, but it's possible to have them and still survive.

bikegremlin · April 17

Filen.io had their entire network down for a while on Sunday (4 days ago). It took over 30 minutes for that to be shown on their status page, a few hours to get it fixed, and still no report of how and what happened:

https://status.filen.io/incident/544157

treesmokah · April 17

@bikegremlin said: Filen.io had their entire network down for a while on Sunday (4 days ago). It took over 30 minutes for that to be shown on their status page, a few hours to get it fixed, and still no report of how and what happened:

This is concerning. They should be more transparent, this was a significant downtime.

bikegremlin · April 17

@treesmokah said:

@bikegremlin said: Filen.io had their entire network down for a while on Sunday (4 days ago). It took over 30 minutes for that to be shown on their status page, a few hours to get it fixed, and still no report of how and what happened:

This is concerning. They should be more transparent, this was a significant downtime.

The plus side is that they do provide the stats publicly so you can see the outage frequency (still early to 100% confirm that though).

Mumbly · April 18

@bikegremlin said: I agree - the regular prices, just like pCloud for that matter, are too high.

Black Friday discount prices at 50+ % off do make more sense.

That's still available as well. In business since 2013:

https://www.stacksocial.com/sales/koofr-cloud-storage-plans-lifetime-subscription-1tb

Koofr Cloud Storage: Lifetime Subscription (1TB)
Subtotal $159.99
Discount- $40.02 (with code: KOOFR)
TaxCalculated at next step
Order Total $119.97

You know what "kofer" means ;-)

bikegremlin · April 18

@Mumbly said:

@bikegremlin said: I agree - the regular prices, just like pCloud for that matter, are too high.

Black Friday discount prices at 50+ % off do make more sense.

That's still available as well. In business since 2013:

https://www.stacksocial.com/sales/koofr-cloud-storage-plans-lifetime-subscription-1tb

Koofr Cloud Storage: Lifetime Subscription (1TB)
Subtotal $159.99
Discount- $40.02 (with code: KOOFR)
TaxCalculated at next step
Order Total $119.97

You know what "kofer" means ;-)

An important difference is that Kofer (LOL) plans don't add/stack up.
pCloud and Filen plans do AFAIK.

Mumbly · April 18

Yeah, that's true.

There are other pluses (for me). I can regularly check that they are still in the green with slow but steady growth and how they also milk make some money through public tenders, etc., which gives me confidence that my lifetime deal will last for a lifetime (whatever that means...).

Filen.io - the German cloud storage

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