European software instead of US tools: Practical alternatives for companies

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Why choose European alternatives?

Ever since GDPR, Schrems II, and increasing compliance requirements, many IT managers have been asking themselves the same question: How dependent do we want to be on US providers?

Typical challenges with American software:

• Unclear data flows outside the EU
• Dependence on cloud infrastructures subject to US law
• Difficulties with audits, data protection impact assessments, and customer inquiries
• Licensing models that change at short notice

European software addresses these issues in a targeted manner—not theoretically, but in a very practical way.

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Category 1: Collaboration & Office

Microsoft 365 → European alternatives

Typical use:
Email, calendar, documents, teamwork

European options:

• Nextcloud (DE)

  • File sharing, Office integration, calendar, Talk (chat/video)
  • Hosting on-premises or with EU providers
  • Ideal for companies with their own servers or a sovereign cloud strategy

• ONLYOFFICE (LV)

  • Powerful office suite with Word/Excel/PowerPoint compatibility
  • Often combined with Nextcloud

Practical example:
A medium-sized company replaces OneDrive and SharePoint with Nextcloud. External partners receive temporary access, and documents remain entirely on German servers.

Visual example:
Screenshot of a Nextcloud interface with folder sharing, comments, and version history.

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Category 2: Business Intelligence & Reporting

Power BI → European BI tools

Typical use:
Dashboards, KPIs, management reports

European alternatives:

• Metabase (FR)

• Open source, very quick to get started

• SQL-based, ideal for data-driven teams

  • Hosting entirely possible within the EU

• Knowage (IT)

  • Enterprise BI with complex reporting functions
  • Particularly interesting for regulated industries

Practical example:
A controlling team replaces Power BI with Metabase and accesses PostgreSQL and MySQL databases directly. Dashboards are shared internally – without the need for the cloud.

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Category 3: Project management & communication

Jira / Slack → European solutions

European alternatives:

• OpenProject (DE)

  • Project management, tickets, roadmaps
  • GDPR-compliant, on-premises or EU cloud
  • Particularly popular in the public sector

• Mattermost (DE/US, EU hosting possible)

  • Slack alternative with full data control
  • Integration into DevOps workflows

Practical example:
An IT service provider migrates from Jira Cloud to OpenProject On-Prem to manage customer projects separately and in an audit-proof manner.

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Category 4: CMS & web platforms

Proprietary website builders → Headless & open source from Europe

European solutions:

• TYPO3 (DE)

  • Enterprise CMS with extremely fine-grained rights management
  • Ideal for complex websites and multisite structures

• Directus (EU team)

  • Headless CMS with a database-first approach
  • Perfect for apps, portals, and APIs

Practical example:
A company uses Directus as the central content API for its website, customer portal, and mobile app—all on its own infrastructure.

Illustrative description:
Diagram: Directus as the central layer between the database, website, and app.

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Category 5: Automation & integration

Zapier → European workflow automation

European alternative:

• n8n (DE)
  • Open source, self-hosted
  • Full control over data flows
  • Ideal for sensitive processes (HR, finance, CRM)

Practical example:
Automatic processing of incoming PDF invoices:
Email → Document analysis → Database → Approval workflow – all within the EU.

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Typical concerns – and the reality

“European tools are less capable.”
→ In practice: Focus on core functions, less overhead, often more stable.

“Migration is too costly.”
→ Easily feasible with clear planning and hybrid transitions.

“Our employees are only familiar with US tools.”
→ Modern European software is intuitive – training costs are manageable.

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When the switch is particularly worthwhile

• GDPR-sensitive industries (healthcare, finance, HR)
• Public sector & education
• Companies with their own servers or private cloud
• Customers who actively demand data protection

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Conclusion: Digital sovereignty is achievable

European software is no longer a stopgap solution, but a strategic decision. It offers:

• More control over data
• Legal certainty
• Long-term planning
• Technically mature solutions for everyday use

The decisive factor is not the tool itself, but the right architecture and implementation.

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Your next step

Would you like to know which European alternatives are specifically suited to your company?
Or are you planning to migrate away from US software – step by step and without any loss of productivity?

👉 Let's talk about it:
https://simplify-data.de/kontakt/

Simplify Data GmbH supports you from analysis and selection to technical implementation—in a practical, transparent, and future-proof manner.