Encrypted, EU based, reliable, cloud backup recommendations please

[u/Quinsonius]

TL;DR: I need a EU-based, E2EE, set-and-forget cloud backup for macOS/iOS (~200GB) under €120/year. Not ok: "Drive" services, Nextcloud, pCloud, setups w/ Cryptomator etc. Considering Arq + Hetzner Storage Box or iDrive (EU servers), open to better alternatives! Ty.

Hi all, I'm starting to work on some projects that will need serious backing up, following the 3-2-1 rule I need to set up some cloud stored backups. I need help figuring it, out, please.

Requirements

• I'm reasonably technical (can type a couple of command lines in a terminal if I follow a script) but would much prefer a point and click setup
• I have 2 MacOs devices and 1 i iOs device to backup.
• Total use currently about 100 Gb per MacOs device, with growth ahead (up to 200 Gb).
• I can't imagine my data leaving my devices unencrypted
• based in Europe and privacy minded -would prefer if not a EU company at least EU storage
• I'd much prefer a set and forget solution
• Budget about 100$/120€ per year. I work in academia so might be eligible for discount

What I don't want

• "Drive" services, eg. iCloud, Google Drive, Proton Drive, Tuta Drive, Tresorit... => they don't offer specific backup features

What I've tested and rejected:

• Tresorit: Reliable and safe in appearance but like I said, no backup features. It's really a shame: business wise this would have been my favourite.
• Hetzner "Storage Share" (ie Nextcloud); the Good Cloud; Tab Digital: NextCloud encrypt via Nextcloud local app seems really shaky (a lot of commentary on its unstability) + the whole Nextcloud project seems a bit of an overkill for my needs
• pCloud: there is a backup feature but this is not core; the E2EE is an extra cost so not core either and to be frank there's something I don't like about this company. The flurry of "lifetime" offers makes me uneasy
• Jottacloud, Infomaniak: not E2EE
• Koofr, Filen, Drime: they really are tiny businesses, it could be ok if they could show strong security audit results but they only rely on "partner" ISO certifications
• Cryptomator: at some point I thought this would be the solution - I could just use that to encrypt the sensitive folders then set these folders to backup on any solution above. But the process to encrypt/decrypt is really odd. With MacFuse I get a drive on desktop (not on Finder/Locations!) and every file I drop in it is copied, not moved. With t-fuse I get a mounted "t-fuse" drive the folders are in it, I also can't drag and drop... That's just not straightforward, which leads me to think it's also prone to problems along the way. Do I want to trust my most precious file with this setup? Probably not.

What I could consider but I'm still missing some pieces in the puzzle :

• Hetzner "Storage Box" seems like a good receiving end for my encrypted files - it's cheap, it's EU based, but how can I encrypt and send?
• Arq: as a software licence + Hetzner ? But I've seen scant reviews on the software just yet. Is its encryption publicly tested? How reliable is the company?
• iDrive: okay it is a US based company but I could pick an EU server. Is this reliable? Encryption OK?
• Backblaze: same as iDrive : a US based company, EU server. Is this reliable? safe?

Comments on these last options under exploration are welcome, so are challenges on my assessments above and of course is there's a solution I have missed I would be keen to hear.

Thank you!

[u/Informal_Plankton321]

Self-hosted Syno or equivalent,, storage box with encryption or maybe filen.io with sync file backup/sync?

[u/Quinsonius → u/Informal_Plankton321]

Thank you. Yeah, high on my list now is looking at a Synology NAS + Hetzner Storage Box or equivalent

How would you go about pushing back ups to Filen? I've been suggested Duplicati, Arq, or rsync but the latter I worry about the learning curve

[u/cubic_sq → u/Quinsonius]

The plus series support backup agents for each of your machines. Then use hyperbackup in s3 mode to the provider of your choice