Replacing US Big Tech: My Ongoing Shift Toward European Digital Alternatives

— Posted inEurope, Software, Technology — 2 min read

For some time now, I’ve been gradually replacing U.S.-dominated digital services with European-developed alternatives — both on my PC and my phone. This isn’t a one-time switch, but an ongoing experiment in digital autonomy, privacy, and balance.

The screenshot shows one screen of my phone, featuring European apps and platforms that I actively use or am currently testing. These include alternatives to browsers, email, messaging, navigation, video, search, and more.

This journey was inspired in part by the European Alternatives directory — a fantastic, regularly updated list of digital tools created and hosted in Europe. The project was started by Constantin Graf, an Austrian developer who maintains the initiative.

Here’s a selection of European apps I’m actively using or currently testing — some of which appear in the screenshot:

  • Vivaldi: A privacy-focused Norwegian browser
  • Mastodon: Federated microblogging platform. I’m also testing Rodent, a Mastodon client that feels more complete in terms of UX/UI.
  • Pixelfed: Federated image-sharing platform, focused on privacy and decentralization.
  • Qwant: A French search engine
  • Threema: Swiss secure messenger
  • Proton Mail: Swiss encrypted email
  • PeerTube: Decentralized video platform
  • pCloud: European cloud storage
  • Mullvad VPN: Swedish privacy-first VPN
  • Spotify: Swedish-based streaming service — although some question its alignment with European digital sovereignty
  • HERE WeGo: Navigation app developed in Germany (is this fully independent of US resources?). I’m also testing Lokjo, a promising open-source alternative using OpenStreetMap.
  • Le Chat: Chatbot interface for Mistral AI’s French language models
  • European Alternatives: Mobile version of the directory itself

This isn’t about cutting all ties with US services overnight. It’s about creating space — to support platforms that reflect European values like transparency, sustainability, and decentralization.

If you’re curious to explore alternatives, the European Alternatives directory is a great place to start.

Also on Mastodon: @[email protected]

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