European Alternative

European Alternatives to AWS / GCP

Deep product breadth, but often more governance complexity than smaller teams need. Here are 1 GDPR-compliant European software alternatives that give your team clearer data residency, stronger jurisdiction guarantees, and privacy-first defaults.

Why switch from AWS / GCP?

Many European teams are reconsidering their dependency on AWS / GCP due to evolving data protection requirements. Since the Schrems II ruling invalidated the EU-US Privacy Shield, transferring personal data to US-based services requires additional safeguards that can be complex to implement and maintain.

European alternatives offer structural advantages: data stays within EU or EEA jurisdiction by default, the provider operates under GDPR as primary law rather than an add-on, and procurement conversations become simpler when your tools share your regulatory framework.

Alternatives

1 European replacement for AWS / GCP

Each tool below is headquartered in Europe, offers EU-hosted infrastructure, and provides a credible migration path from AWS / GCP.

H
Hosting & Cloud

Hetzner

One of the most practical EU infrastructure defaults for startups that want predictable costs and regional clarity.

EU Germany and Finland
Strong infrastructure base for self-hosted or managed sovereign stacks. View profile →
Comparison

How they compare

Key differences between AWS / GCP and European alternatives.

Tool HQ Hosting Open Source Self-Hostable
Hetzner Germany Germany and Finland No No
Related

More European tools in this space

Other EU-hosted tools that complement these alternatives.

S
Hosting & Cloud

Scaleway

Public cloud and infrastructure platform for teams that want an explicitly European cloud provider with a modern product surface.

EU France and broader European regions
Best when you want a more sovereign cloud story than the hyperscaler defaults provide. View profile →
Comparisons

Detailed comparison guides

In-depth side-by-side comparisons with AWS / GCP.

Hetzner vs AWS / GCP

Side-by-side comparison of features, compliance, and hosting.

Frequently asked questions about AWS / GCP alternatives

Is AWS / GCP GDPR compliant?

While AWS / GCP offers GDPR features, the core challenge is that data may be processed in US jurisdiction, which creates complexity under Schrems II. European alternatives avoid this by keeping data within EU or EEA borders by default.

What is the best European alternative to AWS / GCP?

The best choice depends on your team's needs. Hetzner is a strong starting point — One of the most practical EU infrastructure defaults for startups that want predictable costs and regional clarity.

Can I migrate from AWS / GCP to a European tool?

Most European alternatives listed here provide migration tools and import paths to help teams transition from AWS / GCP with minimal disruption.