The Great Switch: Switching Cloud Storage Providers (European & non-US Dropbox Alternatives)
This is the first in a regular series (weekly-ish) in which I explore how to make The Great Switch from the US-based, technology behemoths to alternatives that are either Open Source, or European-based (European companies, European servers etc.), or based in other countries/regions that are, to my mind, ethical, sustainable and/or worth supporting. I offer several non-US digital alternatives, and tell you what I’ve decided to do and how it’s going.
Today: Alternatives to Dropbox, OneDrive, and Other US-Based Cloud Storage Providers
TL;DR – My Top 3 Choices
These aren’t affiliate links—just direct links to what worked best for me:
- pCloud – My choice for switching from Dropbox. A Swiss company with Luxembourg-based servers, great encryption options (at extra cost), and a lifetime package (€399 for 2TB). With my previous Dropbox cost of ~€150/year, I’ll break even in 2.3 years. Plus, they offer an automatic Dropbox-to-pCloud transfer service.
- Internxt – A strong contender. Spanish-based, highly ethical and sustainable, with built-in encryption, Open Source transparency, live support, and a lifetime 3TB package for €380.
- Jottacloud – A Norwegian service offering ample storage, affordable pricing, and 256-bit AES encryption (often called “military-grade encryption”).
A Deeper Dive (Still Scannable, I promise!)
What is a Cloud File Hosting Service?
If you’re unsure, Wikipedia defines it as an “internet hosting service specifically designed to host user files.” Users upload files accessible online via authentication, often with additional services like remote backups, real-time syncing, and content hosting (e.g., images and videos).
Non-US Alternatives (Open Source, European- and non-US Based, or Ethical & Sustainable)
Below is a list of promising services, most with free trials. Again, there are no affiliate links here, so I am not swayed by the money I’ll make by making you “click”. Instead, I’ve provided a quick overview of features that might be useful, from providers based (mostly) in Europe, as well as a few providers that I think are noteworthy outside Europe.
pCloud
- Services based in Luxembourg.
- Apps offered for all platforms.
- Browser add-ons available.
- Ability to stream media from service if desired.
- Browser add-ons for additional features.
- Store everything in the cloud and access files locally through cache (saves space on hard drive).
- Dropbox transfer service.
- Add-on package if you want zero-knowledge encryption.
- Lifetime package.
See pricing and details:
https://www.pcloud.com/cloud-storage-pricing-plans.html
Jottacloud
- Services based in Norway – data centres in Oslo and Stavanger.
- Zero-knowledge encrypted storage included in all packages.
- Simple to use for personal and business users.
- Office documents can be viewed and edited directly in the application.
- Command-line tool (CLI).
- Generously-sized packages at affordable prices.
See pricing and details:
https://jottacloud.com/
MEGA
- Based in New Zealand with data centers worldwide, including France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain. Also one in Canada.
- No US data centres, so free from intrusive “government friendly” US privacy laws.
- Zero-knowledge encrypted storage included in all packages.
- Secure video calls and private messaging – really interesting feature for those wondering what to do about Zoom…
- Large plans (lots of space!).
See pricing and details:
https://mega.io/pricing
Internxt
- Services based in Spain.
- Zero-knowledge encrypted storage included in all packages.
- Password-protected file sharing.
- Based on Open Source code (transparency).
- Live support.
- No data trackers.
- Lifetime package.
See pricing and details:
https://internxt.com/pricing
Icedrive
- UK-based with server locations in Germany for EU-companies.
- Not useful for cloud features but excellent for backups and have a good desktop application.
- Use this as a virtual drive to save space on your local machine or device.
- No virtual drive for macOS and Linux.
See pricing and details:
https://icedrive.net/plans
Sync.com
- Servers based in Canada.
- Zero-knowledge encrypted storage included in all packages.
- Supports instant video streaming on the Pro plan.
- Not the best solution if you want to use it as a collaboration tool.
- Affordable pricing.
See pricing and details:
https://www.sync.com/pricing/
Koofr
- Service based in Slovenia with servers in Germany.
- Zero-knowledge only for a separate folder.
- Save to Koofr browser extension/add-on.
- Great third-party integration, including MS 365 (although MS is a problem, too).
- Expensive in comparison to some of the others mentioned.
See pricing and details:
https://koofr.eu/pricing/
Honourable mention:
Infomaniak kDrive
I am really interested in this company as they present themselves as “Ethical Cloud with no bullshit” and are committed to “Developing technological independence in Europe. Without compromising on ecology, privacy or people.” They have a whole suite of offerings that I need to dive into when time allows.
- Services based in Switzerland.
- For a small fee, use all of their productivity tools – email, collaboration, calendar. Could be a whole new eco-system that is free from the US big-name providers.
- Selective folder synchronisation.
- Good statistics.
- Good pricing.
See pricing and details:
https://www.infomaniak.com/en/ksuite/kdrive/prices.
Others that I came across but only glanced at:
- Filen (Germany)
https://filen.io/pricing - Cozy Cloud (France)
https://cozy.io/en/ - Proton Drive (Switzerland)
https://proton.me/drive - Powerfolder (Germany – self-hosting)
https://www.powerfolder.com/ - Umbono Cloud Services (South Africa)
https://www.umbonocloud.com/
And of course, there are more options at European Alternatives:
The Great Switch: My Journey So Far
In each updates, I try to provide a quick outline of my progress in switching providers. Last week, I assessed my digital tools and services. Some were already independent of US providers:
- Email & Calendar → Switched to Fastmail years ago.
- Time Tracking → Used Toggl for ages.
- Office Suite → Migrating from MS Office to LibreOffice (started in 2025 and now an active work in progress).
I was also exploring newsletter tools when I realised my Dropbox renewal was due—so I reprioritised.
Latest Switches:
✔ March 2025: Dropbox → pCloud (plus local backup).
And that’s it!
Hopefully this was useful and not to arduous to scan.
If you want to reduce reliance on US-based services, follow The Great Switch. Sign up for my newsletter on LinkedIn or at The Great Switch for weekly(-ish) updates, alternative software ideas, and insights into my own steps to move away from US-based digital tools and services. No ads, no affiliate links—just practical recommendations to help you make the switch, support European digital businesses (along with Open Source developers and businesses that look interesting outside the US), and build resilience in uncertain times.
Here’s to co-creating hopeful, sustainable futures,
Useful resources:
- European Alternatives:
https://european-alternatives.eu/