DRIVUNO vs Google Chat
Same spaces, threads and mentions. A different answer to 'who holds the key?'.
Google Chat is convenient because it lives inside Google Workspace: identity, files, calendar and conversations under one provider, encrypted in transit and at rest with provider-managed keys, and governed by administrative retention and investigation tooling that requires content to be readable. DRIVUNO Rooms keeps the space/thread/mention model but seals every message and attachment on the device, so the provider relays ciphertext it cannot open.
DRIVUNO is a zero-knowledge Dropbox + Slack: files, chat and mail are encrypted on your device, the keys never leave it, 1 GB free, paid plans from $9.99/month.
People reach this page searching for google chat alternative, google workspace chat encryption. This is the direct answer: DRIVUNO is the Google Chat alternative where the provider holds no key.
| Feature | DRIVUNO | Google Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption model | End-to-end, client-side, keys per member | In transit and at rest; provider-managed keys |
| Provider can read messages | No | Technically yes |
| Admin content export | Not possible — no key on our side | Available through Workspace administration tooling |
| Search | Blind-index HMAC search, computed on device | Server-side index over content |
| Files inside conversations | Encrypted before upload, client-side previews, encrypted ZIP download | Attachments stored in provider-readable Drive |
| Calls | Peer-to-peer DTLS-SRTP, optional relay/strict IP modes | Provider-hosted meetings |
| Leaving members | Key rotation on removal | Access revoked; content remains provider-readable |
| Attached workspace storage | Encrypted drive, photos, Team Drive, encrypted mail | Google Drive and Workspace apps |
Comparison based on publicly available documentation at time of writing. DRIVUNO does not make absolute claims about competitor security; we describe architectural differences.
DRIVUNO pricing vs Google Chat
Free tier: 1 GB, with the same zero-knowledge architecture as every paid plan.
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $9.99 | $99 | 250 GB |
| Premium | $19.99 | $199 | 600 GB |
| Pro | $29.99 | $299 | 1 TB |
| Deluxe | $49.99 | $499 | 2 TB |
| Titan | $179.99 | $1799 | 10 TB |
| Business | $14.99 | $149 | 400 GB per user (pooled, from 5 users) |
Frequently asked questions
Is this comparison fair?
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We compare architectural characteristics publicly documented by each vendor at the time of writing. We never call a competitor insecure — only 'not zero-knowledge by default' where that is the case.
What does zero-knowledge change for a chat tool?
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Message payloads are sealed on the device under a room key wrapped per member. The provider relays envelopes it cannot open, so there is no admin export of content, no server-side scanning and nothing readable to disclose.
Do we lose features by encrypting everything?
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You keep channels, threads, mentions, reactions, file drops, galleries, encrypted ZIP downloads, calls and search. Search runs on blind indexes computed on your device instead of server-side plaintext indexing.
How do we migrate a team?
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Invite members by email; keys are generated on their first login and channel keys are sealed to each member. Files can be dragged in, or mirrored continuously from a local folder with Live Clone.
Your sensitive files deserve more than a traditional cloud.
Start free with 1 GB. Zero-knowledge encryption from the first upload — no admin override, no AI scanning, no plaintext on the server.
