European alternatives to Amazon Web Services (AWS)
AWS is the largest cloud provider in the world, but it is subject to US law. For workloads with high data-sovereignty requirements, there are powerful European cloud alternatives.
Why look for an alternative?
Reasons include digital sovereignty, EU data residency, predictable costs (especially for data transfer) and independence from US providers. For standard workloads, European clouds are often significantly cheaper.
What to look for in an alternative
- EU data residency and European provider headquarters
- Suitable services: compute, storage, Kubernetes, databases
- Certifications (e.g. ISO 27001, SecNumCloud where applicable)
- Transparent prices, fair data transfer costs
- Migration effort and existing team know-how
The best European alternatives at a glance
Sorted by suitability as a replacement for the tool you searched. The Sovereignty Score independently rates how European and data-sovereign a provider is – so the two values can differ.
German cloud and server provider with very good value for money and data centers in DE/FI.
Europe's largest cloud provider from France – from bare metal to public cloud, with SecNumCloud and HDS qualification.
Developer-friendly French cloud (iliad Group) with modern API, Kubernetes and serverless offerings.
Large German hosting and cloud provider with a broad offering from web hosting to enterprise cloud.
Independent Swiss cloud and hosting provider with own data centers – from web hosting and email to public cloud, 100% green electricity.
Comparison table
| Providers | Fit | Sovereignty | Headquarters | Open Source | Self-hosting | EU hosting | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hetzner | 85 | 85 | Germany | from 3,79 € / Monat | |||
| OVHcloud | 84 | 86 | France | from 4,54 $ / Monat | |||
| Scaleway | 82 | 84 | France | Pay-as-you-go | |||
| IONOS | 78 | 80 | Germany | from 1 € / Monat | |||
| Infomaniak | 76 | 86 | Switzerland | Web hosting / cloud (pay-as-you-go) |
The top providers in detail
Hetzner is one of the best-known European hosting providers and operates its own data centers in Nuremberg and Falkenstein (Germany) as well as Helsinki (Finland). These are certified according to ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and additionally attested according to BSI C5 Type 2; a GDPR-compliant DPA can be concluded electronically. The offering ranges from low-cost cloud servers (from approx. €3.79 per month) to dedicated machines and object storage. For many developers and companies, Hetzner is the most price-attractive European AWS alternative for standard workloads.
Strengths
- Very low, transparent prices (cloud from approx. €3.79/month)
- Own data centers in Germany and Finland, ISO 27001:2022 + BSI C5
- Reliable cloud and dedicated servers
Weaknesses
- Smaller managed-services portfolio than AWS/Azure
- Fewer ready-made PaaS building blocks
OVHcloud is the largest European cloud provider with its own data center network. The portfolio ranges from dedicated servers and VPS (from approx. $4.54 per month) to public and private cloud and managed Kubernetes. The cloud offerings are certified according to ISO/IEC 27001, 27017, 27018 and 27701; for particularly sensitive workloads, OVHcloud offers SecNumCloud-qualified environments in France that are operated exclusively by personnel based in the EU and whose data does not leave the EU. HDS (health data) and SOC 2 Type 2 evidence are also available.
Strengths
- Very broad cloud and bare-metal portfolio
- Extensive certifications: ISO 27001/27701, SecNumCloud, HDS, SOC 2
- Own infrastructure, good scalability
Weaknesses
- Managed-service depth is lower than with US hyperscalers
- Interface and documentation are sometimes complex
Scaleway is a French cloud platform (part of the iliad Group) with a clear developer focus: clean API, managed Kubernetes, serverless functions, object storage and databases. All data centers are located in Europe; Scaleway is certified according to ISO/IEC 27001, SOC 2 Type II and HDS (health data, since 2024). Billing is usage-based – development instances start at around €0.43 per month. For teams looking for a modern, API-first cloud from Europe, Scaleway is one of the most obvious alternatives to US providers.
Strengths
- Modern, developer-friendly API and products
- All data centers in Europe; ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, HDS
- Serverless and managed Kubernetes offerings, low-cost entry
Weaknesses
- Smaller ecosystem than the major hyperscalers
- Not all managed services are available at the same maturity level
Migration effort
| Providers | Migration effort | Fit |
|---|---|---|
| Hetzner | medium | 85/100 |
| OVHcloud | medium | 84/100 |
| Scaleway | medium | 82/100 |
| IONOS | medium | 78/100 |
| Infomaniak | medium | 76/100 |
When switching pays off
For many standard workloads – web servers, containers, databases, object storage – Hetzner, OVHcloud or Scaleway are mature and affordable alternatives.
When to stick with your current tool
If your architecture depends heavily on specific managed AWS services (e.g. Lambda, DynamoDB, extensive AI services), migration is time-consuming. Check which services the European providers offer at an equivalent level.
Frequently asked questions
Are European clouds cheaper than AWS?
The Sovereignty Score is an editorial orientation aid, not legal advice. How we rate.