OneDrive alternative: find files and use them with Nex

What does Nexoria Drive offer as a OneDrive alternative?

Nexoria Drive combines file storage in Windows File Explorer with document search and the AI assistant Nex. You open and save files in the familiar drive. Shared content is indexed, document search finds relevant content, and Nex answers your questions with source references.

Files, the knowledge index and semantic search are located in Germany; answer generation is handled by Mistral AI. You can find the data flows under Security and privacy.

Editorially updated on 03.10.2026

For your comparison, we present file storage, search and working with Nex together. The storage is available to your company: 10 GB on the Base plan and 20 GB on the Pro plan. Storage requirements, workflows and sharing permissions form the basis for switching from OneDrive.

How file storage, search and Nex work together

Example of a joint demo: A small selection of typical files shows the process from drive to answer. One possible question for Nex: “Where is the agreed delivery deadline stated?”

1. Open a file: Open a shared test collection in Nexoria Drive via Windows File Explorer.
2. Find content: After indexing, search using document search or ask Nex a question about the shared content.
3. Check the source: View the source reference for the answer and trace the content in the corresponding file.

Discuss with us which files and questions you would like to see in the demo. The migration check guides you through planning the switch.

---

What OneDrive alternatives are there? An overview of the options

Start with your most important requirement. The following types of solution may overlap; the review questions help you compare specific offerings.

Microsoft OneDrive vs. Nexoria Drive

In Nexoria Drive, you open and save files via Windows File Explorer. For the switch, also check your Office files, sharing settings and previous versions. How Nexoria connects file storage, search and Nex is shown on the Drive product page.

---

Where your files are stored and who processes them

Data sovereignty: the US CLOUD Act

Microsoft is a US company. When assessing access by public authorities, the provider's legal framework must be considered alongside the storage location, including the US CLOUD Act. This alone does not lead to a blanket conclusion about whether a specific use is permissible under data protection law. Files and the knowledge index are stored in Germany. Mistral AI processes relevant content for AI answer generation. Other services and optional integrations are documented under Security and privacy .

In his statement on the report of 15 November 2025, the Hessian Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information explains that Microsoft 365 can be used in compliance with data protection law under suitable conditions. His assessment relates in particular to the contractual terms; individual services were not examined technically. Controllers must continue to assess their specific use.

On 3 September 2025, the General Court of the European Union dismissed the action in Case T-553/23 against the adequacy decision on the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. The ruling related to the circumstances at the time the contested decision was adopted. It does not replace an assessment of your specific processing.

Documents you can review

Check the current DPA, the services involved and the agreements that apply to your use. A storage location alone does not answer which further processing steps take place. Suitability for your use depends on the data processed, the features enabled and your requirements.

Files in Germany, AI processing via Mistral AI

Nexoria Drive stores your files on servers in Germany. Mistral AI processes relevant content for AI answer generation. Other services and optional integrations are documented under Security and privacy .

Enabled services and optional AI integrations

Depending on the features and integrations used, further providers are involved, including Sentry (based in the USA), Telnyx (headquarters USA, EU branch Ireland), Google and Microsoft. Check their respective purpose and data flow in the processing register and under Security and privacy. The overview maps the services involved to their respective tasks.

ChatGPT (OpenAI), Claude (Anthropic), Gemini (Google) and Langdock can optionally be connected to Nexoria. Nexoria also works without these integrations. When connected, shared content is transferred to the respective provider. That provider's terms, processing locations and settings apply.

Data flows at a glance

For a structured test with your own documents, use the Evaluator.

Virtual drive directly in Windows File Explorer

Nexoria Drive appears as a drive in Windows File Explorer. Creating folders and opening, saving and moving files remain familiar actions. Use a small test collection to check which of your existing workflows you will carry over before the full move.

AI answers via Mistral AI

Nex generates answers via the Mistral AI API. For this, relevant content is transmitted to Mistral AI. Before deployment, check use for training against the specific contractual terms and settings of the AI services involved.

---

Nexoria Drive at the core of the platform

Nexoria Drive forms the platform's storage. Shared files are indexed and become usable through Document search and Nex . Doc, Calc and Slides are included in the core product. Building on this, Workspaces and permissions organise access to shared content. Mail and Meet are available as an optional combined add-on.

---

How much does the OneDrive alternative cost?

Nexoria costs €29 per user per month with 10 GB of storage per company and 3 million AI tokens per user. The package for 5 users costs €299 per month with 20 GB of storage per company and 5 million AI tokens per user. Each additional user costs €20 per month. Additional indexable storage above the included allowance costs €1.00 per GB per month, based on source bytes. You can find all terms under pricing page.

On 29 September 2026, the German Microsoft OneDrive pricing page shows, among other things, Microsoft 365 Business Basic with Teams for €6.07 and Microsoft 365 Business Standard with Teams together with Copilot Business for €20.36 per user per month. Both prices apply with annual billing, as an automatically renewing annual subscription, plus VAT; each lists 1 TB of cloud storage per user. The variants without Teams have different prices. Check the selected plan and its conditions before ordering.

When doing so, compare personal storage per Microsoft user with the shared company storage at Nexoria. What matters is data volume, the features you need and the total cost for your team.

---

Storage space compared

In Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Standard and Premium, the personal OneDrive storage comprises 1 TB per user. The shared SharePoint storage in these plans is 1 TB per organisation plus 10 GB per licence purchased. With twenty such licences, that means twenty personal quotas of 1 TB each and a shared pool of 1 TB plus 200 GB. The personal quotas are not a shared storage pool; other plans may differ.

Files in a personal OneDrive can also be shared. For shared company knowledge, what matters is controlled sharing, clear responsibilities and access permissions. Nexoria's shared company storage comprises 10 GB on the Base plan and 20 GB on the Pro plan. Microsoft offers a larger storage quota here. Nexoria combines shared storage, indexing and Nex in one platform plan. Compare the overall scope for your specific data.

The difference lies in what happens with the storage. Nexoria links the storage with the indexing of supported content: it is semantically searchable, and Nex answers questions from it with source references, without an additional licence. This turns your file storage into useful company knowledge. Additional Nexoria storage costs €1.00 per GB per month.

The indexed storage should hold what your team actually wants to find and have answered. We clarify in advance how much that amounts to for you, so that the quote contains a reliable figure.

---

Check the drive, indexing and offline work

Nexoria Drive integrates into Windows File Explorer as a virtual drive. Indexing prepares supported content for document search and Nex. After indexing, shared, supported content is available to document search and Nex.

For offline work, check before switching which required files are available locally and how changes are reconciled after reconnecting.

Cost example: 25 GB of additional storage costs €25 more per month, plus VAT and the platform plan. The included allowance applies per company: 10 GB on Base, 20 GB on Pro. Storage, users and the optional Mail and Meet package are calculated separately. Current pricing.

Which requirements favour OneDrive?

• Your company is deeply integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem, for example through Azure AD and SharePoint environments, and your organisation wants to keep this environment.
• Your team uses features of the OneDrive and SharePoint integration that go beyond file storage.
• Large file archives: Include the personal OneDrive quota and the shared SharePoint pool in your capacity and cost planning.
• You have checked the contractual terms, data flows and safeguards for your specific Microsoft deployment.
• International partner network: If your procurement includes a global Microsoft support and partner network, take the corresponding offerings into account.
• You need contractually guaranteed Data residency. Check Microsoft's Advanced Data Residency for your tenant: the add-on subscription has certain prerequisites and covers certain customer data at rest, for SharePoint and OneDrive the site content and uploaded files respectively. It is not a blanket commitment for all processing steps. Compare the committed scope with your requirements and the Nexoria contract documents.

When Nexoria Drive is right for you

• You value documented storage and processing locations. Check the providers involved and the enabled integrations under Security and privacy in light of your data protection requirements.

• You want a virtual drive in Windows File Explorer with your files stored in Germany.
• You want file storage, Office and Nex in one package; Mail and Meet can be added together.

---

Switching from OneDrive: five steps for the migration check

1. Record the inventory and storage. Note down files and folders, data volume, responsible people and required sharing permissions. Decide which content should be findable as company knowledge.
2. Check files with real work examples. Open, edit and save some typical and complex documents. Compare layout, formulas and important outputs with the original; record macros and add-ins separately. The Excel checklist covers workbooks and automations in more depth.
3. Define sharing permissions and versions. Decide which previous versions, links and permissions are still needed. Check in the test which information can be transferred and which needs to be set up again. We agree the transfer scope on the basis of this test.
4. Check access and search with two accounts. Check a shared test collection from the perspective of an authorised and an unauthorised account: file, search results and answer source. Record the expected and observed results.
5. Agree on the switchover and a fallback. Define responsibilities, timing and a retained original copy. Only plan the full move after the test collection has been checked.

SharePoint, OneDrive and Google Drive can be connected as knowledge sources on request. We set up the connection depending on your environment and permissions. On request, we also assess connecting further storage, CRM, ERP and in-house systems. More on this: View integrations.

For existing file servers: Make file server content searchable with document search.

We can prepare the data and the process with you. Discuss migration.

---

Acceptance for your test collection

After the migration check, record for a manageable, shared test collection which workflows work and which questions are still open. The template belongs in your own project documentation; it is not filled in or submitted on this page.

Template to copy: fill in the blank fields in your own documentation

Work scenario	Target / required scope	Result / next step
Transfer files and formats	…	…
Check authorised and unauthorised test roles	…	…
Required versions and recovery	…	…
Working when the connection is interrupted	…	…
Check a question to Nex against a valid source	…	…
Remaining systems and responsibilities	…	…

Document the observed result and the environment tested. Agree on the required sharing permissions, transfer methods and offline workflows before the move. Only migrate further content once the checkpoints that are critical for your operations have been resolved.

Go through the test collection and the switch together

Frequently asked questions about the OneDrive alternative

Is Nexoria Drive comparable to OneDrive?

Both solutions provide file access in Windows File Explorer: OneDrive uses a synced folder with Files On-Demand, Nexoria Drive a virtual drive. Nexoria combines file storage with document search and answers from Nex based on shared content. Before switching, compare storage capacity, Office files, sync, offline and sharing features against your workflows. At Nexoria, files and the knowledge index are stored in Germany; answer generation is handled by Mistral AI. Other services and enabled integrations are documented under Security and privacy .

Where are my files stored with Nexoria Drive?

Your files and the knowledge index are stored on servers in German data centres. Mistral AI processes relevant content for AI answer generation. Other services and optional integrations are documented under Security and privacy . Before deployment, check use for training against the specific contractual terms and settings of the AI services involved.

How does migration from OneDrive work?

The move starts with a documented inventory of your data and a small test with typical files. Nexoria Office supports .docx, .xlsx and .pptx; you check layout, formulas, macros and add-ins with your own work examples. Files, previous versions, sharing settings and permissions are defined separately within the migration scope. We plan the specific process together with you; the migration check on this page sets out the five steps.

Is an AI like Microsoft Copilot included?

Yes. Nex is included in Base and Pro. At Microsoft, web-grounded Copilot Chat is included at no additional cost in eligible Microsoft 365 subscriptions. Work-grounded chat requires a Microsoft Copilot licence. For this reason, compare the features you need and the specific plan. At Nexoria, Nex is not an add-on but an integral part of Base (€29 per user per month) and Pro (€299 per month including 5 users), so every user has Nex at no extra charge. Mistral AI processes relevant content for answer generation. Before deployment, check use for training against the specific contractual terms and settings of the AI services involved. Other services and optional integrations are documented under Security and privacy .

Which is better for me, SharePoint or OneDrive?

For choosing between personal file storage and team file storage, the SharePoint comparison provides further guidance.

How does Microsoft OneDrive compare with other providers?

Compare OneDrive and other providers in terms of storage capacity, file synchronisation, sharing, Office compatibility, AI features and the documented processing chain. Nexoria Drive combines file storage in Windows File Explorer with indexed company knowledge and answers from Nex with source references. Before switching, check the storage you need, your file formats, permissions and the migration effort. The differences between OneDrive and Nexoria Drive are set out in the comparison table on this page.

---

More comparisons

• SharePoint comparison: team file storage and collaboration
• Nextcloud comparison: self-hosting and managed hosting
• Cloud storage with AI: file storage and use of knowledge
• Overview of all Nexoria features
• Pricing
• Contact

Other Microsoft products compared

• Excel alternative: Calc as the spreadsheet application for your .xlsx files

---

Date and context of the comparison

This comparison is based on publicly available information about Microsoft OneDrive (date of access for each source in the list of sources) and on the documented properties of Nexoria Drive. File Explorer access, Files On-Demand, sharing and data residency were checked on 29 September 2026 against the Microsoft sources cited. Microsoft regularly updates its product scope and terms. Check the current Microsoft documentation for the Microsoft position that currently applies.

---

Sources

Each statement about the competitor is individually referenced below, with title, publisher, year or stated as-of date, full address and date of access. If a source does not itself state a date, this is noted explicitly. Information about Nexoria refers to the documented scope of services of our platform. You can find additional information under Security and in the processing register.

• OneDrive service description. Microsoft Learn, as of 23 July 2026. Service description. Personal quotas, supported usage and plan-dependent storage limits. Accessed on 29 September 2026.
• SharePoint limits. Microsoft Learn, as of 6 November 2025. Limits per plan. Shared organisation storage and plan exceptions. Accessed on 29 September 2026.
• Compare OneDrive for Business plans. Microsoft. German plan overview. Source for the example plans, billing and storage mentioned above. Pricing sections and footnotes checked on 29 September 2026.
• License options for Microsoft Copilot. Microsoft Learn. Licence scope and Copilot Chat. Distinguishes between included web-grounded chat and work-grounded chat with a Copilot licence. Page as of 25 September 2026; accessed on 29 September 2026.
• Where your Microsoft 365 customer data is stored. Microsoft Learn, 2026. learn.microsoft.com: Microsoft 365 data locations. Evidence that the storage region depends on the tenant and the data residency options, and that Germany is listed as a Local Region Geography. Accessed on 29 September 2026.
• Sync your computer’s files and folders with OneDrive. Microsoft Support, with no publication or update date shown in the view used. Microsoft: OneDrive sync. Evidence for the synced OneDrive folder on the computer. Accessed on 29 September 2026.
• Save disk space with OneDrive Files On-Demand for Windows. Microsoft Support, with no publication or update date shown in the view used. Microsoft: Files On-Demand. Evidence for Files On-Demand when accessing OneDrive files on Windows. Accessed on 29 September 2026.
• Share files and folders in Microsoft OneDrive. Microsoft Support, with no publication or update date shown in the view used. Microsoft: Share files and folders. Evidence that files and folders in a personal OneDrive can also be shared. Accessed on 29 September 2026.
• Data Residency for SharePoint and OneDrive. Microsoft Learn. Prerequisites for the data residency options. Accessed on 29 September 2026. See also: Advanced Data Residency Commitments, as of 30 January 2026, accessed on 29 September 2026; scope of certain customer data at rest.
• Microsoft Product Terms, Privacy & Security Terms. Microsoft. Privacy and Security Terms. General DPA reference and section on the storage of certain customer data at rest checked on 29 September 2026. The selected service and the specific contract programme determine what applies.
• Microsoft Products and Services Data Protection Addendum (DPA). Microsoft. Directory of contract versions. Overview page accessed on 29 September 2026; the version applicable to each contract must be determined separately.
• HBDI: Microsoft 365 can be used in compliance with data protection law. Hessian Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, statement of 14 November 2025 on the report of 15 November 2025. Context and limits of the examination. Accessed on 29 September 2026.
• Latombe v Commission, T-553/23. Court of Justice of the European Union, Press Release No 106/25 on the judgment of the General Court of 3 September 2025. Summary of the judgment. Accessed on 29 September 2026. The press release is a non-binding summary of the judgment.
• US CLOUD Act, 18 U.S.C. § 2713. U.S. Government Publishing Office, GovInfo. Required preservation and disclosure of communications and records. Inserted on 23 March 2018 by Public Law 115-141, Division V, § 103(a)(1). The provision concerns the obligations under this chapter for data in the provider's possession, custody or control, regardless of whether the storage location is inside or outside the USA. Accessed on 29 September 2026.

Microsoft, Microsoft 365, OneDrive, SharePoint, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, Azure and Copilot are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. They are mentioned solely for the purpose of objective comparison. Information about Nexoria refers to the documented scope of services of Nexoria Systems UG (haftungsbeschränkt), Kelkheim.

---

Plan your OneDrive switch together

See in a joint demo how Nexoria Drive, document search and Nex work together with a suitable test collection. We then plan your storage requirements, sharing permissions and the migration check for your OneDrive files with you.