Restricted storage quota
Why a new account can start with 1 GB instead of the free plan's 10 GB, and how to ask for 10 GB.
What happened?
If a check matches when you sign up, we set your free storage to 1 GB instead of 10 GB.
You can upload and download files, up to 1 GB.
What do we check?
The signup form and the Terms of Service call a matching check a signal. We run the checks on our servers. We do not use the results to identify you, and we do not send them to anyone else.
Disposable email domain
Your email domain is on a public list of temporary email providers. We use the disposable-email-domains list and the eramitgupta disposable-email list. People use those domains to open throwaway accounts. Gmail, Outlook, ProtonMail, and most company and university domains are not on the lists.
VPN, datacenter, or Tor exit node
The IP address you used to sign up is on a public list of commercial VPN addresses, datacenter addresses, or Tor exit nodes. We use the X4BNet VPN list, the X4BNet datacenter list, and the Tor Project exit list. People use these addresses to open many accounts. A VPN matches when its addresses are on the VPN list or the datacenter list.
Hosting or cloud network
The network you connected from has an autonomous system number, or ASN, on the brianhama bad-asn-list. That list names cloud and hosting networks.
Multiple accounts from the same IP address
We set the quota to 1 GB when two accounts have already been created from the same IP address. You can match this check on a shared network even when you have not registered before. Shared networks include a home, an office, a university, and public Wi-Fi. Carrier-grade network address translation can match too, because the provider shares one public address among many customers.
Why did I get 1 GB?
The checks also match real signups. The usual cases are:
- You use a VPN such as Mullvad or ProtonVPN, and that VPN uses datacenter addresses.
- Your university or company uses an IP range that is also on the datacenter list.
- Your email domain is on a temporary-email list, and you use the address as your regular inbox.
- You use Tor Browser.
- Other people on your public IP address have already created two accounts.
These are normal ways to sign up. We are sorry about the lower quota. Without the lower quota, someone can open many free accounts and fill storage other people use.
Are paid accounts affected?
No. The 1 GB limit is the starting quota on the free plan. When you buy a plan, your quota becomes the amount you paid for. Open Settings, then Billing, and click Upgrade plan.
You can also stay on the free plan and ask us to review the account. The steps are in the next section.
How do I get my full 10 GB?
Email us at [email protected] with the subject line Quota review request. Include the email address you registered with, and a short note on why the check matched, for example "I use a VPN". We review the account. If we do not find other abuse, we raise the quota to 10 GB. You do not need to send documents or prove your identity.
Does this affect my privacy?
No. We run the checks once, at registration.
We hash the IP address with a secret key and store that hash with a count of successful signups. We do not store the IP address. We do not store your ASN. The count does not include failed signup attempts.
After we set the quota, we delete the record of which checks matched. The checks do not read your encryption keys, your files, or your vault password.
Where is this in the Terms of Service?
Section 5.6 of the Terms of Service is the rule for this 1 GB quota.