Everything you need to know about secure, private cloud storage without the clutter.
Passage is a secure cloud storage platform that puts you in control of your data. Unlike traditional cloud storage providers, we use SSE-C encryption so only you can access your files. We combine enterprise-grade security with an intuitive interface and competitive pricing.
The biggest difference is true zero-knowledge encryption. With Dropbox and Google Drive, the provider holds your encryption keys and can technically access your files. With Passage, your encryption key is unique to you. We physically cannot read your data on the storage provider end. Plus, we are price-competitive with the majors.
SSE-C (Server-Side Encryption with Customer-Provided Keys) means your files are encrypted on the storage server using a key that only you control. Here is how it works:
1. You get a unique encryption key when you sign up
2. Every time you upload or download a file, your key is sent securely to the storage server
3. The server uses your key to encrypt/decrypt the file, then immediately discards the key
4. The server never stores your key - it is used only for the instant of the operation
This means even if someone gained access to the storage servers, they would only find encrypted data that is useless without your specific key.
This is a known limitation of mobile browsers, particularly Safari on iOS and Chrome on Android. Mobile browsers have strict memory limits, and uploading many files simultaneously with encryption processing can exceed these limits, causing the browser to reload the tab.
Workaround: Upload files in smaller batches of 10-12 files at a time. We are actively working on a mobile-optimized upload queue that will handle this automatically in a future update. Our desktop sync client handles large batch uploads without this limitation.
This is lazy loading by design to optimize performance and reduce data transfer costs. When you navigate into a subfolder, we load content in pages rather than fetching everything at once. This is especially important because each file listing requires encrypted metadata processing.
Scrolling to the bottom triggers the next page load. We are working on making this more seamless with automatic pre-fetching so you will not notice the pagination in future updates.
We follow the S3 storage standard which treats object keys as case-sensitive. This means Documents/ and documents/ are genuinely different locations.
We chose to preserve this behavior because: 1) It matches how Linux and macOS file systems work, 2) Changing it could lead to data conflicts and silent overwrites, and 3) Enterprise users transferring from Linux servers expect case sensitivity.
We may add an optional case-insensitive mode in the future, but the default will remain case-sensitive to prevent any possibility of data loss.
You can upload files up to 5 TB per file using our multipart upload system. Large files are automatically split into smaller chunks, uploaded in parallel, and reassembled on the server - all while maintaining full SSE-C encryption on every chunk.
For files over 100MB, we recommend using our desktop sync client for the best experience, as browser uploads may be interrupted by network issues.
Yes! You can upload entire folders through our web interface on desktop browsers. The folder structure is preserved exactly as it exists on your computer.
Our desktop sync client also supports bidirectional folder syncing - any changes you make locally are automatically encrypted and uploaded to your Passage storage, and vice versa.
No. This is our core promise. Your encryption key is stored separately from your file data, and our architecture means that even with full access to all our systems, Passage employees cannot decrypt your files on the storage provider end. The encryption key is only combined with your data during active upload/download operations and is never persisted on the storage server.
Your encryption key is managed through our secure escrow system. As long as you can log into your Passage account, you have access to your encryption key. We designed the system so you do not need to manage raw encryption keys yourself.
However, if you lose access to your account entirely (forgotten password, lost email access, etc.), we cannot recover your data due to our zero-knowledge design. Always keep your account recovery options up to date.
Your files are stored on enterprise-grade infrastructure. Depending on your plan and configuration, storage backends include:
Seagate Lyve Cloud - Cost-optimized object storage with zero egress fees
Amazon S3 - Industry-standard cloud storage with global availability
Regardless of the backend, all files are encrypted with your unique SSE-C key. The storage provider only ever sees encrypted data.
We keep costs low by using a multi-backend storage strategy. Our primary storage partner (Seagate Lyve Cloud) offers significantly lower per-TB costs than what traditional cloud storage providers pay, and we pass those savings to you. We also have a lean operation focused on building great software rather than maintaining expensive sales teams.
Yes! You can upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time. When you upgrade, you get immediate access to the additional storage. When you downgrade, the change takes effect at the end of your current billing period. All plan changes are prorated fairly.
If you exceed your storage quota, you will still be able to download and manage existing files, but new uploads will be paused until you either delete files to get under your limit or upgrade to a larger plan. We will never delete your files due to being over quota - we will simply notify you and give you time to resolve it.
No installation required for basic use! Our web interface works in any modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge). Just sign up, and you can start uploading files immediately.
For automatic file syncing, we offer a desktop client for Windows (with macOS and Linux coming soon) that runs in the background and keeps your files synchronized.
Install our desktop sync client and point it at any folder on your computer. The client will automatically monitor that folder for changes and upload new or modified files to your Passage storage with full encryption. You can sync multiple folders and configure sync direction (upload only, download only, or bidirectional).
We are here to help! You can reach us at:
Email: support@passage.guru
Response time: We aim to respond to all support requests within 24 hours during business days.
For enterprise customers, we offer dedicated support channels with faster response times and direct access to our engineering team.
No. As of the last update to this FAQ, Cloud Innovations LLC (the company behind passage.guru) has never received any government subpoena, national security letter, or court order compelling disclosure of customer data. In the event we ever did, our zero-knowledge architecture means we could only provide encrypted data that is useless without the customer encryption key, which we do not hold on the storage provider end.
Absolutely not. We could not even if we wanted to - your files are encrypted with your unique key, and we cannot read them. We do not scan, index, analyze, or process your file contents in any way. Your data exists solely as encrypted objects on the storage backend, accessible only by you.