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.
AliasVault is an open-source password manager with built-in email aliases that helps protect your privacy by creating a unique digital identity for every website you use.
Free and open source password manager storing passwords in a local encrypted database with strong AES or Twofish encryption and master key access.
Open-source password manager storing passwords, notes, and attachments offline with AES-256 encryption, browser extensions, cross-platform support, and TOTP.
USB security device for encryption, digital signing, and secure login, featuring secret key storage, user PIN, tamper-proof smart card, and open source design.
Passbolt is an open source password manager for teams. It allows to securely share and store credentials. For instance, the wifi password of your office, or the administrator password of a router, or your organisation social media account password, all of them can be secured...
A password manager that ensures identity and password security with rigorous, end-to-end encryption, built by scientists from CERN, and recommended by the United Nations.
Self-hosted, lightweight password server compatible with Bitwarden clients, written in Rust, supporting organizations, attachments, and two-factor authentication.
Privacy-focused, encrypted and cross-platform data storage for documents, notes, photos, and files with advanced editing, live sync, and open-source features.
Digital workspace merging browser, file manager, and AI; supports local notes, applet creation, offline multimedia storage, and advanced multitasking interface.
Open source note-taking app with Markdown support, to-do integration, and synchronization with cloud services like Dropbox and OneDrive.
KleverNotes is a note-taking and management application for your mobile and desktop devices. It uses Markdown and allows you to preview your content.
Marknote lets you create rich text notes and easily organise them into notebooks. You can personalise your notebooks by choosing an icon and accent color for each one, making it easy to distinguish between them and keep your notes at your fingertips.
MindMapVault is a mind mapping and note-taking app with client-side encryption. It offers three versions: a free FOSS desktop version that doesn't require an account and stores data on your machine, a hosted version with optional encrypted sync, and a self-hosted version...
Distraction-free note-taking app with categories, Markdown formatting, favorites, and RESTful API. Integrates with Nextcloud clients for seamless syncing.
Plain text notepad with markdown support and todo list manager for Linux, Mac OS X and Windows, that works together with the notes application of ownCloud.
Desktop app for large markdown knowledge bases, using plain files, Git versioning, YAML frontmatter, offline use, open source, and Claude Code AI integration.
Comprehensive writing tool for notes, citations, and drafting with privacy-first features and multi-language support, perfect for diverse writing tasks.
Zim brings the concept of a wiki to your desktop. Store information, link pages and edit with WYSISYG markup or directly typing some lightweight markup syntax and see it previewed as-you-type. Creating a new page is easy by either clicking on the "Create new note"...
Uses email as a decentralized chat platform with modern interface, open source code, no central servers, strong privacy controls, and no account signup.
A secure collaboration app with end-to-end encryption and interoperability across web, desktop, and mobile. Includes chat, voice, and video calls.
Free open-source platform offering instant messaging, VoIP, private DMs, group chats, voice, video, markdown, moderation, search, customization, and self-hosting.
Privacy-focused video meetings with unlimited participants, secure AES-256 encryption, no data sale or registration, hosted in Switzerland and powered by renewable energy.
Open protocol for decentralized, end-to-end encrypted communication supporting instant messaging, VoIP, IoT, data persistence, and silos bridging over federated servers.
Fully self-hosted communication platform for audio, video, and chat with advanced encryption, metadata privacy, screensharing, and web conferencing features.
Offers end-to-end encrypted video calls, no tracking, guest links, privacy features like background blur, easy scheduling with calendar integration, and supports up to 50 free participants.
Decentralized messenger with end-to-end encryption, no registration, no tracking, metadata protection, secure file sharing, and multi-device syncing.
Encrypted platform supporting private, identifier-free messaging, group conversations, file sharing, and audio/video calling, using a double-ratchet protocol.
Instant messaging with text, voice, video calling, screen sharing, privacy controls, customizable permissions, moderation, bots, and open-source design.
User-friendly messaging platform with end-to-end encrypted chats, voice and video calls, self-deleting messages, file sharing features, and customizable interface.
Lemmy is similar to sites like Reddit, Lobste.rs, or Hacker News: you subscribe to forums you're interested in, post links and discussions, then vote, and comment on them. Behind the scenes, it is very different; anyone can easily run a server, and all these servers are...
Share, discover, and create short videos across the social web. An open-source alternative that puts creators and communities first, built on federated technology for true ownership and privacy.
Federated and open-source social network with no ads, 500-character limit, custom emojis, and content warnings, emphasizing privacy and personal interaction.
Federated image sharing platform prioritizing privacy, safety, and user control, ad-free operation, no algorithms, open-source, and supports self-hosting.
Open-source web maps platform featuring place search, street photos, and route planning for walking, cycling, public transit, and car-sharing. Hosted in France, privacy-focused.
CoMaps is a new community-driven map app project born out of the desire to create a truly open, transparent, and community-focused navigation app.
Browse, search and edit worldwide map data for roads, paths, places, buildings and natural features, then reuse it under an open data licence.
Privacy-focused GPS app with offline maps and community development, featuring real-time navigation, no location tracking, and open-source software.
Navigation app with offline and online OSM maps, turn-by-turn voice guidance, cycling and driving modes, GPX tracking, POI search, and monthly updates.
Alpine Linux is a security-oriented, lightweight Linux distribution based on musl libc and busybox.
CachyOS is designed to deliver lightning-fast speeds and stability, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable computing experience every time you use it. Whether you're a seasoned Linux user or just starting out, CachyOS is the ideal choice for those looking for a powerful...
The Debian Project is an association of individuals who have made common cause to create a free operating system. This operating system that we have created is called Debian.
EndeavourOS is an Arch-based distro that provides an Arch experience without the hassle of installing it manually for both x86_64 and ARM systems. After installation, you’re provided with a lightweight and almost barebones environment ready to be explored with your terminal...
*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.