Proton now has an end-to-end encrypted spreadsheet app

"Proton has added a new privacy-focused spreadsheet app to its productivity suite to tempt users over from Google and Microsoft's platforms. The new Proton Sheets tool provides real-time collaboration features and end-to-end encryption, according to Proton's announcement, "ensuring that no one else, not even Proton, can access your spreadsheet and the information it contains." A Proton Drive account (which provides a free tier with 5GB of storage) is required to use Proton Sheets."

"The design for Proton Sheets looks similar to Excel or Google Sheets, including the white grid, toolbar locations, and overall user interface. The visual similarities were an intentional decision, according to Proton Drive product lead Anant Vijay, helping to make the interface "immediately familiar" to anyone who's used a spreadsheet app before. The app also supports commonly-used formulas and the ability to import CSV and XLS files from other platforms"

"This latest release follows the launch of Proton Docs in July 2024, a word processor that similarly riffs on rival apps like Google Docs and Microsoft Word. Proton is launching the Sheets app in response to concerns around data harvesting practices used by Big Tech, especially regarding AI models like Gemini, which Google has now integrated into its own Sheets tool. "No one should need to expose their data to use a service. After Proton Docs, a spreadsheet tool was the next piece of the puzzle for a secure workspace," says Vijay. "You can now protect your entire workspace, from your email to your calendar, your documents to your spreadsheets. No surveillance. No data harvesting.""

Proton launched Proton Sheets, a privacy-focused spreadsheet app offering real-time collaboration and end-to-end encryption so no one, not even Proton, can access spreadsheet contents. A Proton Drive account with a free 5GB tier is required for use. Sheets runs in web browsers and the Proton Drive app and is accessible securely on any device. The interface mirrors Excel and Google Sheets, with familiar grid and toolbar layouts, supports common formulas, and imports CSV and XLS files. The release follows Proton Docs and targets data-harvesting concerns from Big Tech and AI integrations by offering an encrypted, surveillance-free workspace.

Read at The Verge