Most of us don’t think twice before handing over our digital lives to big U.S.-based tech companies. Google, Dropbox, Microsoft, Apple — they’re baked into our daily routines. But here’s the thing: you don’t have to use them. There are excellent alternatives based in Europe, and they’re worth your attention.

A great place to start exploring is EU Alternatives, a website that curates a list of European-based IT services across categories like cloud storage, email, web hosting, and more. I stumbled across this site a few years ago, and it’s completely reshaped how I handle my digital tools.

For example, I’ve been using Filen.io as my go-to for online file storage and backup for the past three or four years. It’s secure, privacy-friendly, and has worked flawlessly. On the domain side, I moved my website to OVHcloud, which I also found via EU Alternatives. To be fair, OVH leans a bit more technical than some mainstream platforms I’ve used in the past — honestly, I wouldn’t mind if they simplified the interface a bit. But what you get in return is a fully featured, competitive service.

I also use Surfshark as my VPN provider, another solid EU-based option. It gives me peace of mind knowing my online activity is encrypted and private, especially when travelling or working on public Wi-Fi.

One thing I will point out — EU Alternatives includes services based in Switzerland. For most people, that’s perfectly fine. But technically, Switzerland isn’t part of the EU, and if political or legal frameworks shift there, it’s not as straightforward for an average EU citizen to push back. Within the EU, you can at least write your MEP, raise complaints, or lean on the collective weight of EU consumer protections. Not a dealbreaker, but something to keep in mind depending on how sensitive or critical your use case is.

So, why bother switching to EU-based services in the first place? Here are a few good reasons:

1. Stronger privacy protections
   The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is one of the toughest data protection laws in the world. It gives you meaningful rights over your personal data — including the right to know what’s collected, the right to have it deleted, and the right to move it elsewhere. U.S. laws simply don’t come close in terms of protecting individuals.
2. Better control over your data
   When you use a U.S. service, your data often falls under the reach of the U.S. CLOUD Act, which allows American authorities to demand access to data stored by U.S. companies, even if the servers are overseas. With EU-based providers, your data stays under European legal jurisdiction, making it less vulnerable to foreign government overreach.
3. Support for local businesses
   If you care about strengthening your local economy, using EU tech services is one way to do it. These companies hire locally, pay local taxes, and help nurture the European tech ecosystem, which is still punching up against massive U.S. players.
4. More stability and less political risk
   Recent shifts in U.S. politics have shown how quickly digital rights can come under threat. The previous U.S. administration’s stance on data privacy, encryption, and online surveillance was a wake-up call for many. Even now, regulatory uncertainty in the U.S. makes it riskier to park all your digital eggs in American baskets.
5. Sanity through separation
   Beyond politics, it just makes sense to put some boundaries between your personal, public, and work lives. Using different services for different needs — especially ones outside the Silicon Valley bubble — can help you stay sane in this hyper-connected world.

A side note worth mentioning: even in Europe, not every government decision hits the right note. The UK’s recent move to force Apple to disable Advanced Data Protection on its devices is a good example. This feature would have allowed end-to-end encryption for iCloud backups — meaning not even Apple could access your data. Forcing companies to remove this kind of protection weakens security for everyone and opens the door to abuse. It’s a backward step in a world where robust encryption has become essential, not optional.

At the end of the day, you don’t have to go full digital hermit or abandon every U.S.-based service overnight. But it’s smart to be aware that alternatives exist — high-quality, competitively priced, and often better aligned with your values and rights as an EU citizen. Switching over some of your key services is a practical way to reclaim a bit of control over your digital life.

For me, using Filen.io, OVHcloud, and Surfshark has been a small but meaningful shift. It feels good to know I’m supporting local companies, protecting my data, and setting healthier boundaries between the different parts of my online life.

So if you’ve been looking for ways to unplug from the U.S. tech machine — or just diversify your digital toolbox — take a look at EU Alternatives. You might be surprised by how much quality is already available close to home.

As always, be excellent to each other.