GDPR Compliant Cloud Computing Platforms — European Alternatives
European Infrastructure-as-a-Service providers that offer compute, storage, and networking — viable alternatives to AWS, Azure, and GCP with full GDPR compliance and data sovereignty.
Why choose a European cloud computing platforms?
- Keep your infrastructure under EU jurisdiction — no CLOUD Act exposure
- GDPR compliance built into the platform, not bolted on afterwards
- Competitive pricing — often 3-5x cheaper than US hyperscalers
- Supports EU digital sovereignty goals and NIS2 compliance
Aruba Cloud
🇮🇹 Italy, Ponte San PietroItaly's leading cloud provider with budget-friendly pricing
Alternative to: AWS, Azure
Elastx
🇸🇪 Sweden, StockholmOpenStack-based Swedish cloud for compliance-sensitive workloads
Alternative to: AWS, Azure
Hetzner Cloud
🇩🇪 Germany, GunzenhausenUnbeatable price-to-performance cloud infrastructure from Germany
Alternative to: AWS, DigitalOcean, GCP
IONOS Cloud
🇩🇪 Germany, MontabaurEnterprise IaaS with 100% renewable energy and strong compliance certifications
Alternative to: AWS, Azure
OVHcloud
🇫🇷 France, RoubaixEurope's largest cloud provider with 43+ company-owned data centers
Alternative to: AWS, Azure, GCP
Scaleway
🇫🇷 France, ParisFull-stack European cloud with AI-native services, powered by Iliad Group
Alternative to: AWS, Azure, GCP
STACKIT
🇩🇪 Germany, NeckarsulmSovereign German cloud backed by Schwarz Group (Lidl/Kaufland)
Alternative to: AWS, Azure, GCP
UpCloud
🇫🇮 Finland, HelsinkiHigh-performance cloud with MaxIOPS storage and 100% uptime SLA
Alternative to: DigitalOcean, AWS, Linode
Quick Comparison
| Product | Country | Open Source | Free Tier | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OVHcloud | 🇫🇷 France | No | Yes | 1999 |
| Scaleway | 🇫🇷 France | No | Yes | 1999 |
| Hetzner Cloud | 🇩🇪 Germany | No | No | 1997 |
| IONOS Cloud | 🇩🇪 Germany | No | Yes | 1988 |
| STACKIT | 🇩🇪 Germany | No | No | 2018 |
| Aruba Cloud | 🇮🇹 Italy | No | Yes | 1994 |
| UpCloud | 🇫🇮 Finland | No | Yes | 2011 |
| Elastx | 🇸🇪 Sweden | No | No | 2012 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best European alternative to AWS?
OVHcloud and Hetzner Cloud are the most popular. OVHcloud offers the broadest service range, while Hetzner leads on price-to-performance.
Are European cloud providers GDPR compliant?
Yes — European providers store and process data within EU borders by default, making GDPR compliance straightforward without complex Data Processing Agreements.
Can I migrate from AWS to a European cloud provider?
Most EU providers support standard APIs, Terraform, and Kubernetes, making migration feasible. We will publish detailed migration guides in Phase 2.
Are European clouds cheaper than AWS?
Generally yes. Hetzner Cloud is often 3-5x cheaper for equivalent compute. OVHcloud and Scaleway also undercut hyperscaler pricing significantly.
Need help migrating?
We're building step-by-step guides for switching from AWS, Microsoft Azure to European alternatives. Request a guide and we'll prioritise it.