Internxt Review
Internxt is a secure and private cloud storage provider, but last time we reviewed it, Internxt offered few features and limited functionality. However, Internxt has matured since then. Learn what Internxt does right and where it can still improve in this full Internxt review.
— Last Updated: 2022-12-25T02:57:09+00:00 Facts checked by Vildana Bratic
The last time we did an Internxt review, the service was a new cloud storage provider. We found it to be a very secure yet bare-bones service. Since then, Internxt has added features and filled out its offerings. We felt it was time to revisit Internxt and see how it compares to our list of the best cloud storage services.
Key Takeaways:
- Internxt has matured in the few years since its launch, adding new features like backup and photos.
- Stand-alone tools include a password checker and a file virus scanner. Internxt Send is a secure file transfer service of up to 5GB.
- File sharing with Internxt is a basic experience; the only options are for generating a link and limiting the number of downloads.
Internxt bills itself as a secure and private cloud storage provider, which is certainly one area in which Internxt gets high marks. We will cover security and privacy in more detail, but you can feel safe using Internxt. Its combination of zero-knowledge encryption and end-to-end AES-256 data encryption are the standard for the most secure cloud storage providers.
Our biggest issue was the lack of features most people look for in a cloud storage service, which made it challenging to recommend Internxt over some of its competitors, such as pCloud (our review), Sync.com (our review) or MEGA (our review).
Have things improved for Internxt and you, a potential customer? We will answer that question in our updated Internxt review.
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11/02/2022 Facts checked
Rewrote the review to evaluate its new features, interface and performance results.
Yes, Internxt is a reliable, secure and private cloud storage provider that puts user privacy first.
Internxt is based out of Valencia, Spain, with its data infrastructure across the EU, making it GDPR-compliant.
We consistently rank Sync.com as one of the industry’s safest and most secure cloud storage services.
We find that pCloud offers excellent security and privacy, robust features and competitive pricing, making them a solid choice for cloud storage.
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Internxt Review: Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros:
- Sleek design & easy to use
- Backup & photos features
- Top-notch privacy & security
- Strong customer service
- Nice stand-alone tools
- Competitive 2TB plan
Cons:
- Very slow speeds
- No more lifetime plans
- Basic file sharing
- Not great for collaboration
Features
Internxt’s “drive” tab is the most prominent function of the service, and this is where you’ll upload and share all your files except for photos (more on that in a moment). It functions as you’d expect it would for your uploaded files — you can share, download, rename or get info.
One new feature that was absent the last time we reviewed the service is a file preview, but it only works with images and PDF files. Word documents didn’t load a preview when testing, nor did Google Docs, videos or music files.
Backup
Another option on Internxt’s interface is called “backups.” However, Internxt’s backup functionality is not a true online backup — though it’s possible to use it for backups on a paid plan with enough storage capacity.
Backing up works as you’d expect: Choose the folder (or folders), such as your documents, determine the backup frequency, and it saves the folder to your Internxt account — you can’t backup individual files.
However, you can backup only with the desktop app — this is the only way to set up and manage any backups. Additionally, it keeps only the last version of whatever you back up.
Unfortunately, there isn’t any file-versioning functionality with Internxt. The backup feature is the closest thing to file versioning, and that’s limited to the last version of a given file in the backup folder. Any files you change through the sync folder on the desktop app is the version saved to Internxt.
There doesn’t seem to be block-level syncing, either, meaning the service uploads and downloads the entire file whenever there’s a change.
Additionally, there isn’t a continuous backup option when you make changes to the folder contents. You’ll have to manually back up any changes to the designated folder(s) or wait for the backup to run at the frequency you set. Backup choices include every six hours, every 12 hours, daily or manually.
Any files in your Internxt drive folder can’t be moved to backup, as that would require the entire drive to be uploaded instead of any new or changed files. Also, if you need a single file from a folder in backup and you’re not on your computer, you’ll need to download the entire backup to get the file you need.
Photos
Internxt now has a dedicated photo gallery section, called “photos,” which is Internxt’s bid to compete with the best online storage for photos. Saving photos to your cloud storage isn’t a new concept. However, Internxt has made photos a focal point of its service.
Uploaded photos sync instantly to your account, allowing you to view and share through the app or on the web interface. It is worth noting that you don’t have to use the “photos” part of the service, as you can upload JPG, PNG or other file types to your drive. The photos feature just makes it easier to synchronize the images on your phone.
The photos feature sorts your images by date, letting you filter by days, months or years. When uploading with the mobile app, Internxt automatically places a photo into your gallery. This functionality is notable since you upload all file types on the mobile app the same way — by using the “+” button.
To upload any image to your photo galley, you’ll need to download the mobile application, similar to the backup feature. This requirement is somewhat odd because there’s no limitation to uploading photos to your Internxt drive folder.
As far as the features you get with an account, paid or free, that’s about it. There aren’t any third-party app integrations, which makes sense, given how Internxt secures your data. Internxt also doesn’t have any native productivity apps. Perhaps that’s something for a future service iteration, but nothing on their site suggests as much.
Stand-Alone Services
Anyone can take advantage of Internxt’s two other services: a password checker and a file virus scanner. Both are available on the Internxt website — located through a link in the footer — and have user security at their roots.
The password checker gives you a strength rating after you enter a password into the form, ensuring you create the best password. Results include how many times your password was found in data leaks and the average time it would take to crack it. It’s somewhat enjoyable to test out passwords and see the feedback.
The file virus scanner takes your file — up to 1GB — and scans it for viruses or malware. It’s a great additional tool to provide a little peace of mind before opening or sending a file. The password checker and file virus scanner are nice side features available for anyone.
Internxt Features Overview
 | |
|---|---|
| Sync | |
| Sync Folder | |
| Block-Level Sync | |
| Selective Sync | |
| Bandwidth management | |
| Sync Any Folder | |
| File Sharing | |
| File Link Sharing | |
| Link Passwords | |
| Link Expiry Dates | |
| Folder Sharing | |
| Folder Permissions | |
| Link Download Limits | |
| Upload Links | |
| Productivity | |
| File Previews | |
| Edit Files | |
| In-App Collaboration | |
| Office Online | |
| Google Docs | |
| Notes App | |
| Media Playback | |
| Mobile Apps | |
| Deleted File Retention | |
| Versioning | |
| WebDAV | |
| Security | |
| At-Rest Encryption | |
| In-Transit Encryption | |
| Encryption Protocol | AES 256-bit |
| Zero Knowledge | |
| Two-Factor Authentication | |
| Server Location | EU |
| Support | |
| 24/7 Support | |
| Live Chat Support | |
| Telephone Support | |
| Email Support | |
| User Forum | |
| Knowledgebase | |
| Misc | |
| Free Plan |
Pricing
Internxt offers a 10GB free plan. This allotment is substantially increased compared to the 2GB plan it offered at launch. That is, until you read the fine print and see that a free account comes with up to 10GB.
To unlock the remaining 8GB of storage, you must complete a checklist of simple tasks, including sharing a link, downloading the mobile app and completing a survey. You’ll need to complete some of these tasks to get the most out of your Internxt account, but more on that in the next section.
Paid plans for Internxt range from 20GB for $0.89 per month annually to 2TB for $8.99 per month annually.
Internxt claims that its most popular plan is 200GB for $3.49 per month. All of these are the monthly amount when paid annually. If you want to pay by the month, the prices increase to $0.99, $4.49 and $9.99, respectively.
- 2GB
- Price per user, minimum of 2 users
- 200GB
- Price per user, minimum of 2 users
- 2TB
- Price per user, minimum of 2 users
- 20TB
Much like our conclusion before, only the 2TB plan is relatively close to what its competitors offer. The other two paid plans don’t compete for the cheapest cloud storage options.
For comparison, MEGA offers 20GB for free, while you have to pay for that storage amount with Internxt. Internxt’s popular 200GB plan for $41.88 per year falls short of pCloud, which offers 500GB for $49.99 per year, and Sync.com offers a full 2TB for $96 per year.
Internxt Business Plans
Internxt has also added business plans since our last review. The initial offering has 200GB at $3.49 per user. The other two options are 2TB for $8.99 per user and 20TB at $93.99 per user. These prices are for the annual option, with a minimum of two users on each plan.
Internxt added business plans to compete for business cloud storage customers. However, its business pricing seems to run on the higher side, as well.
Aside from calling them business plans, it’s hard to see the difference between the business plans and the personal plans for the same storage and price. Sync.com and pCloud offer business plans with unlimited storage options per user at a competitive price.
Internxt no longer offers lifetime storage plans, which is a shame, as lifetime storage plans are typically an excellent value for long-term customers.
Ease of Use
Aesthetically, Internxt presents a clean and sleek user interface that is easy to use and navigate. The uncluttered layout adds to the experience, and you’re not in danger of getting lost or turned around while clicking around in your account. Perhaps this is partly due to the limitations of what you can do with your files, but it feels more like a deliberate design choice that presents well.
Internxt’s interface includes a right sidebar with tabs including “drive,” “photos,” “backup” and “shared links.” The “shared links” option lets you manage your links, which is handy if you’ve shared many files.
It’s easy enough to see what types of files you uploaded, with familiar icons next to each type. You can create as many folders as needed to keep your drive account organized.
For each file in your Internxt drive folder, there are three options. You can download your file, share it through a link or delete it. A little pencil icon next to the file name lets you rename the file. Selecting multiple files reduces the choices to either downloading or deleting; you can’t share multiple files simultaneously.
Desktop and Mobile Apps
It’s difficult to determine whether the requirement to use both the desktop and mobile app to take full advantage of Internxt’s service is positive or negative.
The desktop app has a sync folder located in your primary home folder, respective to the operating system. On a Mac, there’s an icon in the menu bar, which is the best way to interact with the desktop app.
The functionality works as you’d expect. The world icon takes you to your account on the web. The folder icon opens your sync folder(s). To synchronize your files, click the “play” icon.
The mobile app looks similar to the desktop app, with the main difference being photo synchronization. The “+” icon allows you to create a folder, upload files, upload photos from your saved pictures or take a photo. The image icon called “photos” is how you sync your photos. You can sync all of them or select individual photos.
It is worth noting that the two apps and the web interface work quite well together. Since there is an app requirement for some of Internxt’s features, the desktop app works on Mac, Linux or Windows. The mobile app is available for iOS and Android.
File Sharing & Synchronization
File sharing and file synchronization are core features of any cloud storage service, but they offer a minimalist experience with Internxt. You can’t edit or update files using the web interface. However, there is a sync folder on the desktop app, and any work you do on the documents updates automatically.
The sync folder is not the same as the backup feature. Backup is only available on the desktop app and runs at the intervals you set up. It doesn’t matter if you make small changes or none at all; backup uploads the entire contents of your folders each time it runs.
With the photos feature, you can download, share or delete your photos using the mobile app or on the web. Uploading or synchronizing your phone’s photos requires the mobile app.
File size limits depend on how and where you upload your data. The desktop app gives you the largest limit of 10GB. The file size limit on the web depends on your web browser. Chrome and Edge have a 3GB limit, while other web browsers are limited to 1GB. Finally, on the mobile app, you can upload files as large as 3GB.
Internxt File Sharing
Sharing files happens on the web or mobile app by creating a shareable link. There’s no option to add individual email addresses — you can share your file with a link or not at all. Additionally, the only control option is the ability to set download limits on a file. However, this feature is only available on a paid account.
File sharing from the desktop app isn’t an option, nor can you see your shared links. You can, however, create links and view all your shared links on the mobile app. File sharing on the web or through the mobile app has a size limit of 1GB, although Internxt plans to increase this at some point in the future.
Ironically, there’s no size limit on shared folders.
Internxt Send
Internxt offers a large-file sharing service, called Send, that anyone can use without creating an account. It lets you securely transfer files, up to 5GB, to anyone. Simply add the file or files you want, up to the 5GB limit, and send via a link or email. The link or email is valid for two weeks before it expires.
Internxt Send is similar to features offered by other services, such as pCloud’s Transfer. The main limitation with it is the lack of customization, especially with security. There’s no option to set a download limit or create another layer of protection by adding a password. However, all files sent with Internxt Send are encrypted.
Speed
When we first reviewed Internxt’s upload and download speed, it was far slower than any competitor we tested (read our fastest cloud storage comparison for more details).
Unfortunately, that hasn’t changed, as their speeds using our control method showed no improvement. In fact, during one of our tests — we tested upload and download speeds twice for consistency — the results were slower than when we tested Internxt the first time.
We use a virtual Windows machine, hosted in Dublin, Ireland, with an overall speed of 1Gbps. However, to ensure a consistent test environment, we throttled the speed down to 100 Mbps. The overall folder size was 5GB and included a variety of files such as videos, documents and images. Our time expectations were six minutes and 40 seconds for both upload and download.
| 1st attempt: | 2nd attempt: | Average: | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upload | 2:21:00 | 3:23:12 | 2:52:06 |
| Download | 0:26:00 | 0:31:52 | 0:28:56 |
Internxt’s slow upload and download speeds aren’t exceptional from any user perspective, especially if you use cloud storage for business or productivity. If you need speed in your cloud storage, look elsewhere. If speed is not a concern, then you’ll have no issues on that front with Internxt.
Security
Internxt bills itself as the most secure cloud storage provider available, centered around what it calls its zero-trust principle. Part of this philosophy comes from their open-source commitment to transparency. To Internxt’s credit, its code is available for anyone to review on GitHub.
The service encrypts your data through a decentralized process, meaning your data isn’t sent in its entirety to a single, centrally controlled server. Decentralized cloud storage proves effective in the event of a catastrophic failure or a security breach. For any file you upload, Internxt automatically encrypts it by scrambling the data and distributing it throughout its network.
Internxt’s end-to-end encryption revolves around a mnemonic associated with your account upon creation. Internxt generates a passphrase and places it in a client attached to your account. The passphrase assigned to your account is the mnemonic. When you log in, the password you chose decrypts the mnemonic.
Is Internxt Safe?
By all measures, Internxt is a safe and secure cloud storage service. Additional security features include using the AES 256 encryption algorithm and the option to enable two-factor authentication. Customers can download a backup key in the event of a forgotten password.
User-specific security features — including enabling two-factor authentication and accessing your backup key — are found in the settings on the web interface or the mobile app. As an added layer of security, you need your password to access the security section, even after logging in.
Privacy
Internxt considers privacy to be a fundamental human right. Although some of the biggest services in the tech space collect user data and build profiles for profit, Internxt is adamant that it does not. Backing up this claim is the company’s commitment to zero-knowledge encryption and end-to-end encryption, which ensures that only you have access to your data.
Based out of Valencia, Spain, and with its data infrastructure across the EU, Internxt is GDPR-compliant. Additionally, Internxt maintains a curated data privacy directory of organizations that put people’s privacy first.
Ironically, Internxt does not provide a link to its privacy policy on its webpage dedicated to privacy efforts. However, there is a full privacy policy as part of the overall terms and conditions page.
Internxt complies with important EU privacy laws, such as the Information Society Services and Electronic Commerce and Protection of Personal Data. Each of these laws protects personal data and digital rights.
The way Internxt uses any data it collects on you or your activities (if at all) pertains mainly to its services. None of Internxt’s data collection stands out as worrisome, with most efforts going toward improving its services. The most interesting part of its privacy policy relates to your devices and Internxt’s decentralization infrastructure.
Internxt’s Decentralized Encryption Model
No matter how you connect to Internxt to access your account, whether through a computer or a mobile, that device becomes part of Internxt’s distributed network. That means your device communicates with other devices while on the network. More so, other devices — or nodes — can collect information about your computer or activities.
This revelation may seem alarming, but this sort of interaction happens every time you use a web browser, for example. Some of the data other devices on Internxt’s network collects includes your IP address and something called a node ID, which basically means your device itself.
This sharing of information among devices connected to Internxt’s network is a byproduct of its decentralization encryption.
Customer Support
Customer support with Internxt comes in a few forms. The primary method revolves around its support FAQ page, which is a searchable forum full of answers. One of these answers contains additional ways of contacting support, which is odd as this information doesn’t seem to be listed elsewhere.
To Internxt’s credit, sending an email to ask a question usually comes with a quick response within a few hours. It has customer service representatives available 24/7, so getting a response within a reasonable time shouldn’t be an issue anywhere in the world.
While researching this article, we received a prompt response, including a follow-up answer to a second question (although the interaction didn’t resolve the question).
Internxt plans to add a live chat feature to its customer support department in the future. Currently, there’s an icon in the lower right on most pages that looks like a live chat function, but it’s not.
Opening the icon gives you quick access to the FAQ, plus a few top articles and the online status of their systems. However, the system status might be a placeholder since the date listed hasn’t happened as of the writing of this article.
The Verdict
After our first Internxt review, we came away feeling that it was a young service built with stellar privacy and security. Internxt has matured with added features and still gets top marks for privacy and security.
Adding backup and photo functionality broadens the appeal to different users, and navigation on the web interface or within the apps is easy and intuitive. Increasing up to 10GB for a free plan is a major step in the right direction.
Stand-alone features include a password checker, a file virus scanner and a file transfer service called Send. All three are nice additions, but exist independently of an account.
What you won’t find with Internxt are robust sharing and collaboration features, file versioning or third-party app integrations. Coupled with expensive paid plans and some of the slowest speeds we’ve tested, it is hard to recommend Internxt over some of our best-reviewed cloud providers.
Internxt has come a long way in a short time since its launch. We are genuinely excited to see what Internxt adds next and see if it can elbow its way on to the list of the best cloud storage providers on the market.
