Digital sovereignty: How European companies choose European software

Digital suverænitet is no longer a niche concept for public authorities and IT specialists. An increasing number of European companies are actively working to ensure control over their data, digital infrastructure, and software choices.

In practice, this means reducing dependence on non-European vendors and instead choosing solutions based in Europe.

What does digital sovereignty mean

Digital sovereignty refers to the right and ability to control your own data, systems, and digital processes. For companies, this means retaining control over where data is stored, who has access to it, and which legislation applies.

When a company uses software from vendors outside the EU, data may potentially be subject to foreign legislation. This can create uncertainty around data protection, compliance, and business-critical information. Digital sovereignty therefore concerns data security, legal clarity, and strategic independence.

This does not mean that all non-European software is problematic, but that companies should make conscious choices. By prioritizing European software and infrastructure, organizations can better ensure that data is processed under EU regulations and European values.

Why digital sovereignty is being discussed

Independence from American software

Many of the world’s largest software providers are American. This includes everything from office suites and cloud solutions to social media platforms and analytics tools. These solutions are often technologically mature and widely used, but they are also subject to US legislation. In a time of geopolitical uncertainty, more organizations are seeking to reduce their dependence on American software.

Many companies want to minimize legal and strategic risks by reducing this dependency. By choosing European alternatives, organizations gain greater transparency in data processing and better control over the supply chain.

Based in European software

Software based in Europe is developed and operated by companies subject to EU legislation. This provides a more consistent legal framework, particularly in relation to GDPR, data processing agreements, and data sovereignty.
At the same time, companies reduce the risk of operational disruption in the event of political or regulatory measures outside Europe that could affect access to critical digital services.

In addition, European vendors can often offer local support, stronger linguistic and cultural understanding, and hosting in European data centers.

Digital infrastructure

Digital sovereignty is not only about applications, but also about the underlying infrastructure: hosting, cloud, networks, and hardware. If the entire digital value chain is located outside Europe, it can create vulnerability.

By combining European software with European hosting and data centers, companies can strengthen their overall digital resilience.

What are the alternatives

Office suite and email

The most widely used solutions globally are Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. European alternatives include LibreOffice (open source, global community-based and not specifically European), OnlyOffice (Latvia), Proton (Switzerland), Nextcloud (Germany) and OpenDesk (Germany).

LibreOffice is not a European company, but an international open source project with contributors from around the world. OnlyOffice and Nextcloud are Europe-based, while Proton offers encrypted email and cloud services from Switzerland.

Social Media

Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram dominate the market.

An alternative is BeReal, a social media platform created in France.

In addition, there are open source-based networks such as Mastodon, which was founded in Germany but is now operated in a decentralized manner by many independent actors globally and is therefore not tied to a single national base.

Search engine

Google is the most widely used search engine.

European alternatives include Qwant (France) and Startpage (the Netherlands), which focus on privacy and European data protection.

Website

Many use WordPress (global open source), Wix, or Squarespace.

A European alternative is Flex4B, which offers a modern drag-and-drop editor and hosting with a focus on European businesses. Flex4B is operated as a SaaS (Software as a Service) company, meaning your website is always kept modern and up to date with free updates.

Video conferencing software / meeting platforms

Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams are widely used globally but are American. 

European alternatives include Whereby (Norway) and Jitsi (open source, global community-based).

Browser

Google Chrome is the market leader, and the Safari browser is also widely used – but both are American.

Vivaldi (Norway) is a European browser.

Chromium is open source and developed by a global community, including Google, and is therefore not a European solution in itself. However, Chromium is not dependent on Google in the same way as Chrome, making it possible to use a modern browser without relying on an American corporation.

AI

ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and other American AI solutions dominate the market and are US-based. There are also several Chinese solutions. 

Mistral (France) is a European AI company developing advanced language models based in the EU. These models can meet most everyday and business AI needs.

Newsletters

Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign are often used, but again these are American software solutions. 

Brevo (France) is a European alternative with data centers in the EU.

Ticketing system including webshop

Ticketmaster (ticket sales for third parties) and Shopify (e-commerce) are widespread, but are owned by companies outside Europe. Although Ticketmaster operates in various European markets, the company itself is headquartered in the United States. 

If you need a ticketing system with a dedicated webshop for ticket sales, Flex4B is a European alternative that provides free updates and is continuously kept up to date.

Analytics tools

Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager are the standard for many organizations. 

European alternatives include Plausible (Estonia), Simple Analytics (the Netherlands), and as a non-European alternative, Matomo (originally from New Zealand, now global open source with EU hosting options).

Payment solution

Stripe and PayPal are global giants that are often used.

ePay (Denmark, Norway, etc.) is a European payment solution with local anchoring.

Card system for the experience industry (annual passes, season passes)

Flex4B offers a card system for annual passes, monthly passes, season passes, and similar solutions for companies in the experience industry. This solution is based in Europe.

Mapping system (directions and navigation)

Google Maps and Apple Maps are the most widely used mapping services globally, but both are American and an integrated part of larger technology ecosystems.

OpenStreetMap (OSM) is an open source mapping project driven by a global community. It is not a European company, but the data can be freely used and hosted on your own or European servers, providing high flexibility and control.

HERE Technologies has European roots and delivers professional mapping and location data. The solution is particularly relevant for companies requiring enterprise features and European data processing.

TomTom is a Dutch company offering mapping, traffic, and navigation data via API. A relevant European alternative to commercial mapping solutions.

OpenMapTiles is a European project based on OpenStreetMap. Map data can be self-hosted or placed in European data centers for increased data sovereignty.

Computer and operating system

Windows and macOS dominate the market and have been standards for many years.

Linux is open source and developed by a global community. It is not a European solution, but an international collaborative project with contributions from around the world.

Smartphone

Android and iOS are the most widely used systems.

Ubuntu Touch is an open source project with European involvement but developed by a global community.

Conclusion

Digital sovereignty is about making conscious choices. For European companies, this means assessing where data is stored, which legislation applies, and which vendors they want to depend on.

By prioritizing software based in Europe – and supplementing with open source solutions where relevant – companies can strengthen their data security, compliance, and strategic resilience. Digital sovereignty is not a single product choice, but a comprehensive approach to the company’s digital foundation.