Filen
Plan snapshot
Filen
- Free storage / trial
- 10 GB free encrypted storage.
- Separate limits
- Referral bonuses may add space, but baseline free accounts should be planned around 10 GB.
- Billing trigger
- Free accounts are available; paid plans increase encrypted storage.
- Best fit
- Zero-knowledge personal cloud storage where encryption is the primary requirement.
Checked 2026-05-13: Filen docs
AeroFTP connects to Filen's end-to-end encrypted cloud storage. All file contents and metadata are encrypted client-side with AES-256 before upload. Filen provides 10 GB of free storage.
Two ways to connect: this page covers the native API integration (the recommended path - direct, E2E, 2FA-aware). If you have Filen Desktop installed and want to ride its built-in Network Drive bridges, see Filen Desktop bridges instead.
Connection Settings
| Field | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Your Filen account email | ||
| Password | Your Filen password | Used to derive the encryption master key |
| 2FA Code | TOTP code (if enabled) | 6-digit authenticator code |
2FA Support
If your Filen account has two-factor authentication enabled, AeroFTP shows a conditional 2FA code field. The TOTP code is sent with the login request. If 2FA is not enabled, AeroFTP sends the default placeholder value XXXXXX as required by Filen's API.
Auth version (v1 / v2 / v3)
Filen has rolled out three generations of credential derivation. AeroFTP supports all three, surfaces a colour-coded Auth version badge on the saved server card after the first successful connect, and picks the right path automatically based on the auth/info response:
| Auth version | KDF | Status in AeroFTP |
|---|---|---|
| v1 | SHA-512 | Supported (legacy accounts) |
| v2 | PBKDF2-SHA512 | Supported |
| v3 | Argon2id (t=3, m=65536, p=4, v=0x13, dkLen=64) | Supported since v3.7.1 |
The v3 path matches the official Filen SDK byte-for-byte: hex-decoded salt, the same Argon2id parameters, and the same 64-byte derived key length. New Filen accounts that were rejected with a generic auth error before v3.7.1 connect on the first try now.
Features
- End-to-End Encryption: File contents are encrypted with AES-256 on your device. File metadata (names, paths) is also encrypted. Filen has zero knowledge of your data.
- Client-Side Key Derivation: Your password is used locally to derive encryption keys. It is never sent to Filen's servers.
- Streaming Encryption: Files are encrypted and decrypted on the fly during transfers.
- Cipher-strength badge: AeroFTP shows
E2E 256-bitnext to Filen profiles - AES-256 plus the auth version badge so you can confirm the credential generation at a glance.
Tips
- Filen's 10 GB free tier includes E2E encryption -- most competitors charge for client-side encryption.
- Filen does not expose a trash or versioning API. Deleted files cannot be recovered through AeroFTP.
- Because all file metadata is encrypted, directory listings require decrypting each entry's metadata. This can be slower than non-encrypted providers for large directories.
- For AeroSync with Filen, use the size compare mode since encrypted timestamps may differ from local file times.
- If you also use Filen Desktop, keep the native provider as your primary - it is the only path that gets v3 auth, share links, and the metadata-encrypted listing fast path. The Network Drive bridges are great for tooling that already speaks WebDAV / S3, not as a replacement for the native API.
Related
- Filen Desktop bridges - local WebDAV / S3 listeners exposed by the desktop app.