This guide is designed for anyone looking to take greater control of their digital life by choosing open-source solutions developed and maintained within Europe. It highlights projects that promote transparency, reduce reliance on non-European tech ecosystems, and align with Europe’s strong commitment to privacy and data protection. The goal is to support digital autonomy in Europe while uplifting the local developers and communities who build trustworthy, user-centric software.
Falkon, formerly QupZilla, is a QtWebEngine based cross-platform web browser.
It aims to be a lightweight web browser available through all major platforms.
Falkon has all standard functions you expect from a web browser. It includes bookmarks, history (both also in sidebar).
Ladybird is an open-source web browser currently in development, with an alpha version expected to launch in 2026.
This project is a custom and independent version of Firefox, with the primary goals of privacy, security and user freedom.
The Mullvad Browser is a privacy-focused web browser developed in a collaboration between Mullvad VPN and the Tor Project. It’s designed to minimize tracking and fingerprinting. You could say it’s a Tor Browser to use without the Tor Network.
An open-source web browser forked from Mozilla Firefox. It focuses on security, efficiency, customization, and no data gathering.
Waterfox is an open-source, privacy-focused browser based on the popular open source browser with a red panda as a mascot. It is designed to be a drop-in replacement for said browser that offers enhanced privacy features, performance improvements, and customizability while...
Privacy-centric, open-source browser with unique UI features like vertical tabs, Split View, and Zen Glance, focusing on security and tranquility.
Search aggregator that queries multiple engines and shows results in one place. You can add custom search engines, bang-command plugins, slot plugins (query-triggered panels above/below results or in the sidebar), and transports (custom HTTP fetch strategies like curl...
Mwmbl is a non-profit, ad-free, free-libre and free-lunch search engine with a focus on useability and speed. At the moment it is little more than an idea together with a proof of concept implementation of the web front-end and search technology on a small index.
Metasearch engine aggregating results from 251 services with strong privacy, script and cookie flexibility, Tor support, and user-controlled search preferences.
Spot is a fork of Searx which is a metasearch engine, aggregating the results of other search engines while not storing information about its users.
Open-source client enhancing Thunderbird with more features and bug fixes. Offers security patches and multi-row descriptions like Outlook.
JMAP Webmail built for the 21st Century. A modern, self-hosted email client for Stalwart Mail Server powered by the JMAP protocol. Email, calendar, contacts and files. Fast, private, and open source.
Production-ready fullstack but simple mail server (SMTP, IMAP, LDAP, Antispam, Antivirus, etc.) running inside a container.
Built from the ground up for speed. Flectar Mail delivers native performance, instant startup, and as little as 20 MB of RAM.
Privacy-friendly Swiss email solution with 20 GB free storage, custom domain options, contact and calendar sync, and cross-device access in a secure suite.
mailcow is a mail server suite based on Dovecot, Postfix, SOGo, Rspamd and other open source software, that provides a modern Web UI for administration.
Calendar interface for CalDAV, enabling cross-device event sync, web editing, recurring events, Nextcloud Contacts integration, WebCal support and attendee invites.
Free, open-source mail client with offline and online local search, privacy-focused design, cross-platform support, and no telemetry or external servers.
Web- and IMAP-based email service. 4GB cost 1€/month. Information is hosted on encrypted hard drives. Electricity from renewable resources is used.
Secure Swiss-based email with end-to-end encryption and zero third-party access. Available across devices, offering a free version to promote privacy.
Roundcube webmail is a browser-based multilingual IMAP client with an application-like user interface. It provides full functionality you expect from an e-mail client, including MIME support, address book, folder manipulation, message searching and spell checking.
Take your privacy to the next level with the secure Tuta Calendar app. This encrypted time-management tool is the most private way to organize your busy schedule – and it’s quick to navigate, comes with dark and light mode, plus, it’s perfectly integrated with the Tuta Mail app.
Tuta is an all-in-one email, calendar and contacts app which protects your data with full end-to-end encryption and it requires zero personal information. Tuta is built with open source software so you can inspect every piece of code running on your devices so you can be sure...
Cozy makes the personal cloud more accessible. Respectful of the user's privacy, Cozy simplifies daily tasks: synchronize and backup photos, automate bills downloading, manage expenses, etc. Flexible and easy to use, their Open Source platform allows users to create and...
Filen is a cutting-edge cloud storage provider that offers client-side, end-to-end, zero-knowledge encryption. Headquartered and operated entirely in Germany, Filen is at the forefront of combining comprehensive features with uncompromising privacy and security.
kDrive is a Swiss online storage service that respects its users' privacy and makes storing, sharing & collaborating on files a breeze.
Koofr is a safe, secure and simple way to store, backup and share your documents, photos, videos and more. It offers up to 10 GB of free safe storage for your files with affordable upgrades and options to connect multiple cloud accounts.
On-premises file sync, universal access, integrated collaboration, real-time communication with privacy and data control focus.
PixelUnion is a privacy-focused, EU-based photo storage service alternative to Google Photos. It offers lossless uploads, free 16 GB starter storage, AI-powered face recognition, and more.
Emphasizes privacy with end-to-end encryption, Proton Drive safely stores, synchronizes, and shares files across devices via web and mobile applications.
Sync-in is a secure, open-source platform for file storage, synchronization, and team collaboration — designed to give organizations full control over their data and workflows, while remaining flexible enough for individual needs.
Open-source, decentralized alternative ensuring data ownership with encrypted communication and peer-to-peer sync, void of central server reliance.
End-to-end encrypted cloud storage using quantum-resistant cryptography prevents any third-party, including service administrators, from accessing confidential files.
Enterprise-ready on-premise suite with advanced word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation tools, maximizing interoperability and file compatibility.
CryptPad is a private-by-design alternative to popular office tools and cloud services. All the content stored on CryptPad is encrypted before being sent, which means nobody can access your data unless you give them the keys.
Disroot is a platform providing online services based on principles of freedom, privacy, federation and decentralization.
Collaborative platform for real-time note-taking, documentation, and wikis, with offline support, granular permissions, AI tools, and multiple export formats.
Free and open-source office suite with advanced word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, vector graphics, math formula editor, and database tools.
Nextcloud is the most deployed on-premises file share and collaboration platform. Access & collaborate across your devices. As fully on-premises solution, Nextcloud Hub provides the benefits of online collaboration without the compliance and security risks.
Open-source suite for editing documents, spreadsheets, presentations, forms, and PDF files with co-editing modes, plugin support, AI assistant, and integration across 40+ platforms.
*Loops and Pixelfed are Canadian, but they are the best FOSS alternatives to Instagram and Tiktok.
Comments
Thanks for this list! A few more for consideration (which I am using myself):
Thanks for your feedback and suggestions!
I'll look into adding them as soon as I can.
I've added all of your suggestions, with the exception of FileZilla and Ancestris.
I've seen reports of users installing the official FileZilla client and encountering malware or unwanted software, so I wouldn't feel comfortable recommending it to others.
As for Ancestris, I couldn't find a public link to its source code, so I can't verify that it meets the open-source criteria for this list. If you know where the source code is hosted, feel free to share the link. Until then, I won't be adding it to the list.
Koofr is also a great european cloud storage provider, very privacy oriented, and Bunny.net, they are both from Slovenia.
Thank you for the suggestions! Koofr has now been added to the list.
The list is based on two criteria:
There are no exceptions to the first criteria. For the second one, exceptions may apply in certain cases. For example if the software is developed internationally (such as LibreWolf or VSCodium) or if no European alternatives exist (e.g. Pixelfed or Loops as alternatives to Instagram and TikTok).
For this reason, Bunny.net will not be added to the list, as the software is not open-source.
Never knew Krita was European, do you know of any specifically German open source projects?
Yes, Krita is actually part of the KDE ecosystem, which is a German-based FOSS community. KDE is best known for the KDE Plasma desktop (Linux), but they also develop a huge collection of applications across many categories.
Some prominent KDE apps include Kdenlive (video editing), Okular (document viewer), Gwenview (image viewer), Dolphin (file manager) and many more. All FOSS and actively developed in Europe.
Germany in general has a very strong open-source scene.
Wow, I thought that I was the only person loving European open-source projects! Maybe we need to a collaborate? Just to help you, Infomaniak isn't that privacy focused: when you sign up, you (sometimes) have to make a selfie and give a lot of personal information... In general this list looks amazing and your username is awesome. Let's go Europe!
Thanks! Always great to meet another person who cares about European FOSS projects
I’m definitely curious about collaboration. Did you have anything in mind? It could be anything from sharing resources, testing projects, contributing to open-source or even writing about European alternatives together.
And you’re absolutely right about Infomaniak: they’re not the most privacy-focused option out there. For me it’s a pragmatic choice right now - European jurisdiction, transparent, sustainable and very competitive pricing. I see them as a “good enough” step away from US hyperscalers, not a perfect privacy solution.