European alternatives to Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is a team communication and collaboration platform, widely used for messaging, video meetings, and file sharing within organisations. Some EU businesses look for alternatives due to questions about data residency, vendor dependency on US-based infrastructure, and GDPR compliance. This page lists EU-based and EU-hosted software in the team communication and messaging category that is commonly used as an alternative to Microsoft Teams.

Common options by use case

The following tools are commonly used software for the mentioned use cases. These groupings are intended to help navigation. They are not rankings or recommendations.

Ginlo business

For solopreneurs

Wire

For small teams

Element

For larger organisations

All listed EU alternatives

All tools listed below are linked to Microsoft Teams as an alternative. Tools are sorted alphabetically and are not ranked or scored.

  • alfaview

    EU-based

    alfaview Video Conferencing Systems GmbH & Co. KG

    Germany

    alfaview is a video conferencing platform developed by alfaview Video Conferencing Systems GmbH & Co. KG. It is typically used for online meetings, webinars, virtual training sessions, and large-scale live events. The provider is based in Germany and focuses on GDPR-compliant conferencing hosted exclusively on German servers.

    View profile

  • Element

    EU-based

    Element Creations Limited

    United Kingdom

    Element is a team communication and collaboration platform developed by Element Creations Limited. It is typically used for secure messaging, video calls, file sharing, and channel-based team communication. The provider is based in the United Kingdom and focuses on data sovereignty, open-source transparency, and interoperability via the Matrix open standard.

    View profile

  • Ginlo Business

    EU-based

    ginlo.net GmbH

    Germany

    Ginlo Business is a secure business messaging platform developed by ginlo.net GmbH. It is typically used for encrypted team messaging, voice messaging, video calls, and file sharing within organisations. The provider is based in Munich, Germany, and focuses on end-to-end encryption, data hosting exclusively in Germany, and compliance with BSI and GDPR requirements.

    View profile

  • Mattermost by Stackhero

    EU-hosted (non-EU vendor)

    Stackhero (managed hosting) / Mattermost Inc. (software)

    France

    Mattermost by Stackhero is a managed cloud instance of the open-source Mattermost platform, hosted by the French provider Stackhero. It is typically used for channel-based team messaging, file sharing, and developer-oriented collaboration. Stackhero is based in France and hosts on Scaleway and Hetzner infrastructure, with EU region selection available.

    View profile

  • Nextcloud Talk

    EU-based

    Nextcloud GmbH

    Germany

    Nextcloud Talk is a video conferencing and team communication tool developed by Nextcloud GmbH. It is typically used for video calls, group meetings, and internal team messaging. The provider is based in Germany and focuses on self-hosted, open-source infrastructure that keeps data under the control of the organisation running it.

    View profile

  • OpenTalk

    EU-based

    OpenTalk GmbH

    Germany

    OpenTalk is a video conferencing platform developed by OpenTalk GmbH. It is typically used for secure online meetings, virtual workshops, and structured team communication. The provider is based in Germany and focuses on open-source, GDPR-compliant conferencing operated on German servers.

    View profile

  • Private Discuss

    EU-based

    Private Discuss SAS

    France

    Private Discuss is a secure team communication and video conferencing platform developed by a French company headquartered in Lyon. It is typically used for encrypted messaging, high-definition video conferencing, webinars, and collaborative file sharing. The provider is based in France and focuses on end-to-end encrypted communications, data sovereignty, and compliance with French and European security standards.

    View profile

  • Twake

    EU-based

    Linagora

    France

    Twake is an open-source team communication and collaboration platform developed by Linagora. It is typically used for channel-based messaging, video conferencing, file sharing, and project management within teams. The provider is based in France and focuses on open-source software, EU data sovereignty, and hosting on certified French infrastructure.

    View profile

  • Wire

    EU-based

    Wire Group Holdings GmbH

    Germany

    Wire is a secure team communication platform developed by Wire Group Holdings GmbH. It is typically used for end-to-end encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, file sharing, and team collaboration. The provider is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, and focuses on end-to-end encryption, zero-knowledge architecture, and European data residency.

    View profile

Before choosing software

Software suitability depends on your organisation’s size, technical capacity, budget, existing systems, and compliance needs. Review the provider’s own documentation before making a decision. Information on this page is provided for orientation and may not reflect the most recent changes to a product or vendor.

Frequently asked questions

Before switching, consider how your organisation currently uses Teams: primarily for messaging, video meetings, or both. Check whether the alternative supports your existing file storage setup, and whether your team uses Teams as part of a broader Microsoft 365 subscription. If so, switching the communication layer alone may not remove your dependency on Microsoft infrastructure. Review the alternative provider’s documentation on migration, onboarding, and any integration requirements before making a decision.

Not automatically. EU-based means the vendor’s headquarters and ownership meet European criteria, but data hosting arrangements can vary. Some providers offer EU data hosting as a default, others as an option, and some offer on-premises deployment where your organisation controls the hosting location entirely. Always check the provider’s documentation on where data is stored and whether EU-only hosting is available on the plan relevant to you.

Focus on the criteria that matter for your situation: where data is hosted, whether the product is self-hosted or cloud-based, which platforms are supported (desktop, mobile, browser), whether video calls are included, and what the onboarding process looks like for non-technical users. Most providers offer a free trial or free tier, which is often the most practical way to assess fit for your team before committing.

Browse the EU Directory

Tools listed on this platform are selected based on defined criteria: European headquarters, majority EU ownership, and European data residency as a standard option. Some pages may also include tools from non-EU vendors that offer European data hosting, these are clearly labelled. Listings do not constitute recommendations.