The US is putting pressure on Europe: Your 28 tools for digital independence
Free yourself from Big Tech and US dependency. The ultimate list of data-sovereign software 'Made in Europe' for every area of life.
In 2025, we witnessed multiple times just how vulnerable we are: when giants like AWS and Cloudflare went down, large parts of the internet stood still. If these services can fail due to technical errors, they can also be deliberately shut down to enforce political demands. Your trade secrets, your private communication, and your digital accessibility hang by the thread of American foreign policy.
Laws like the US CLOUD Act effectively nullify our European data protection (GDPR) by granting US authorities access to data held by US companies—regardless of whether the server is located in Frankfurt or Dublin.
This must end now. 2026 is the year we become independent. It is about resilience and data sovereignty.
Europe is not sleeping. We have built an ecosystem of powerful alternatives. Here is your ultimate guide with 28 alternatives to free yourself from Big Tech and stay "Always Online"—regardless of decisions made in the White House.
1. Email & Calendar
The US Trap: Gmail, Outlook. Your emails are scanned; encryption is often optional or complicated.
The Alternative: Tuta (formerly Tutanota)
Why it's better: Automatic end-to-end encryption for emails, calendars, and contacts. Even Tuta cannot read your data. Green energy, server location in Germany.
2. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The US Trap: ChatGPT (OpenAI), Gemini (Google). Your prompts train their models. Your ideas no longer belong to you.
The Alternative: xPrivo
Why it's better: xPrivo follows a radical approach: access to the best AI models, but with a strict No-Logs Guarantee. Your chats are neither stored nor used for training. For maximum sovereignty, you can even host xPrivo locally.
3. Cloud Storage
The US Trap: Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive. Your files lie open to the provider on their servers.
The Alternative: Filen.io
Why it's better: Zero-knowledge encryption directly on the device. No one but you holds the key to your files.
4. Web Search
The US Trap: Google, Bing. They create a seamless profile of your interests, fears, and desires.
The Alternative: Qwant
Why it's better: The search engine that wants to know nothing about you. Qwant does not track you and delivers neutral results without a filter bubble.
5. Photo Management
The US Trap: Google Photos, iCloud. Your most private moments are used for facial recognition algorithms.
The Alternative: Immich
Why it's better: An incredibly fast, modern app that you run on your own server (e.g., NAS). You keep features like facial recognition and map search, but the AI runs locally at your home.
6. Translation
The US Trap: Google Translate. Fast, but Google reads and processes every text you enter.
The Alternative: DeepL
Why it's better: The Cologne-based company delivers the world's best translation results, often more precise than Google. The Pro version guarantees immediate data deletion after translation.
7. Server Infrastructure
The US Trap: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud. The backbone of the internet is in US hands.
The Alternative: Hetzner Online
Why it's better: One of the most powerful hosting providers in the world with its own data centers in Germany and Finland. Independent of US hyperscalers and extremely reliable.
8. Edge & CDN
The US Trap: Cloudflare. They control who reaches your website.
The Alternative: Gcore
Why it's better: First-class performance, DDoS protection, and cloud services from the heart of Europe.
9. Instant Messaging
The Alternative: Olvid
Why it's better: Instead of WhatsApp or Signal: The most secure messenger in the world. Requires no phone number, no address book synchronization. Certified by the French cybersecurity agency ANSSI.
10. Web Browser
The Alternative: Vivaldi
Why it's better: Instead of Chrome: Blocks trackers and ads out of the box. Actively fights against the Google monopoly.
11. Password Manager
The Alternative: Passbolt
Why it's better: Instead of LastPass: A password manager built for high security standards in the heart of the EU. Full transparency through Open Source.
12. Document Collaboration
The Alternative: CryptPad
Why it's better: Instead of Google Docs: Real-time collaboration in the browser where everything is encrypted. No one can spy on you.
13. Navigation & Maps
The Alternative: OsmAnd
Why it's better: Instead of Google Maps: Works completely offline, no tracking of your movements.
14. Social Media
The Alternative: Mastodon
Why it's better: Instead of X (Twitter): Decentralized network without algorithms that promote rage. You control your feed.
15. Mobile Operating System
The Alternative: /e/OS/
Why it's better: Instead of Android/iOS: A "de-Googled" Android that works right away and sends no data to Google.
16. Web Analytics (Simple)
The Alternative: Plausible
Why it's better: Instead of Google Analytics: Lightweight, GDPR-compliant, and no annoying cookie banners needed.
17. Web Analytics (Enterprise)
The Alternative: Matomo
Why it's better: Instead of Google Analytics 360: The standard for true data sovereignty. You own 100% of the data.
18. UI/UX Design
The Alternative: Penpot
Why it's better: Instead of Figma: The first real open-source design tool for teams, based on open web standards.
19. Code Hosting
The Alternative: Codeberg
Why it's better: Instead of GitHub: A non-profit platform for free code. No tracking, no investors.
20. VPN
The Alternative: Mullvad VPN
Why it's better: Instead of NordVPN/ExpressVPN: No email needed, no logs. You are just a number.
21. Notes & Second Brain
The Alternative: Nextcloud Hub
Why it's better: Instead of Notion: With the apps "Notes", "Deck" and "Collectives" you build your own knowledge management. Your data stays on your server, safe from prying eyes.
22. DNS Resolver
The Alternative: DNS0.EU
Why it's better: Instead of 8.8.8.8 (Google): Non-profit protection against malware, no selling of your browsing history. A DNS service explicitly for the European Union.
23. Forms & Surveys
The Alternative: Tally
Why it's better: Instead of Typeform: Simple, beautiful, and free for almost all features. Hosted in Europe.
24. Video Conferencing
The Alternative: Jitsi Meet
Why it's better: Instead of Zoom: No account required. Send link, talk, close window, data gone.
25. Virtualization
The US Trap: VMware (Broadcom). Skyrocketing license costs and dependency.
The Alternative: Proxmox
Why it's better: Instead of VMware: The leading open-source platform for enterprise virtualization. Complete control over your servers, no license fees, full independence.
26. Smart Home
The Alternative: Home Assistant
Why it's better: Instead of Alexa: Your house belongs to you. Automation that works without the cloud and never leaves your WiFi.
BONUS
27. Desktop Operating System
The US Trap: Microsoft Windows. Surveillance through "Recall" features, forced telemetry, and constant pestering with updates.
The Alternative: Linux (e.g. Linux Mint)
Why it's better: Think this is just for nerds? Wrong. Schleswig-Holstein is leading the way: The German state is currently migrating 30,000 government jobs completely from Windows to Linux and LibreOffice. If an entire state administration can do it, so can you. Modern Linux systems like Mint are easier to use than Windows, require no virus scanner, and respect your privacy.
28. Office Suite
The US Trap: Microsoft Office 365. Forced subscriptions and cloud dependency for your sensitive documents.
The Alternative: LibreOffice
Why it's better: The gold standard for free office software. It reads and writes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, costs nothing, and doesn't phone home. Just like with the operating system, the Schleswig-Holstein example applies here: thousands of civil servants work productively with it—without Microsoft.
Conclusion: Choose Freedom
Every tool you install from this list is a small victory for your independence and a signal to the industry. We don't need Silicon Valley to be productive, creative, and connected.
Don't wait until access is restricted. Start your digital migration today. It is much easier than you think.