European Alternatives to Google Docs
Looking for a European alternative to Google Docs? Google's document editor is powerful, but it processes your data on US servers and uses your content to improve its AI. For businesses and individuals who value privacy, GDPR compliance, and data sovereignty, European document editors offer compelling options.
We've curated the best privacy-focused document editors and collaborative writing tools built in Europe. These alternatives provide powerful editing capabilities while keeping your documents protected under European law.
Why Choose a European Alternative to Google Docs?
Document Privacy
Your documents stay private and aren't used to train AI models.
EU Data Centers
Documents processed and stored exclusively within the European Union.
End-to-End Encryption
Many alternatives offer zero-knowledge encryption for sensitive documents.
Open Source
Many European document editors are open source, ensuring transparency.
Best European Alternatives to Google Docs
We've curated the best privacy-focused document editors from European companies. Each alternative has been evaluated for features, privacy, and GDPR compliance.
OnlyOffice
Full-featured open-source office suite with excellent compatibility
CryptPad
End-to-end encrypted collaborative office suite from France
Collabora Online
Enterprise-ready LibreOffice-powered online office suite
Frequently Asked Questions
OnlyOffice is considered the leading European alternative to Google Docs. Based in Latvia, OnlyOffice offers excellent Google Docs and Microsoft Office compatibility while keeping your data in Europe. For maximum privacy, CryptPad from France offers end-to-end encrypted document editing.
Yes, all the European alternatives we recommend support real-time collaboration. OnlyOffice, CryptPad, Collabora Online, and Nextcloud Office all allow multiple users to edit documents simultaneously, with features like cursor tracking, comments, and change history.
Yes, OnlyOffice, Collabora Online, and LibreOffice all have excellent compatibility with Microsoft Office formats including .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx. OnlyOffice is particularly known for maintaining formatting fidelity when working with Office documents.
Yes, OnlyOffice, CryptPad, Collabora Online, and Nextcloud Office all offer self-hosted options. This gives you complete control over your documents and ensures they never leave your infrastructure. Many organizations use these with European cloud providers like Hetzner or OVHcloud.
Yes, CryptPad offers a generous free tier with end-to-end encryption. LibreOffice is completely free and open source. OnlyOffice also has a free cloud tier and free desktop applications. All these options provide excellent document editing without any cost.
Most European alternatives can open Google Docs files directly. You can export your documents from Google Drive as .docx or .odt files using Google Takeout, then import them into your new platform. OnlyOffice and Nextcloud also offer migration tools to help transfer your entire document library.
Explore More European Alternatives
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