T
EU
Switzerland
Threema
No phone number required, Swiss-hosted messaging
European Alternatives to WhatsApp
Looking for a European alternative to WhatsApp? Owned by Meta/Facebook, WhatsApp shares data with its parent company and stores metadata on US servers despite end-to-end encryption.
European messaging apps offer true privacy with no data sharing, minimal metadata collection, and servers in Europe.
4
Alternatives
100%
GDPR Compliant
Why Choose a European Alternative to WhatsApp?
GDPR Protection
Your data stays in Europe, protected by the world's strongest privacy laws.
EU Data Centers
Data processed and stored exclusively within the European Union.
No US Surveillance
Free from CLOUD Act and other US data access laws.
Quality Alternatives
Comparable features with European quality and support.
Best European Alternatives to WhatsApp
We've curated the best privacy-focused alternatives from European companies. Each alternative has been evaluated for features, privacy, and GDPR compliance.
Key features to look for:
End-to-end encryption
No phone number required
Group chats
Voice calls
No metadata collection
E
EU
United Kingdom
Element
Decentralized messaging based on Matrix protocol
W
EU
Switzerland
Wire
End-to-end encrypted messaging and calls
B
EU
Open Source
Briar
Peer-to-peer messaging that works without internet
Frequently Asked Questions
Threema is widely considered the best European alternative to WhatsApp. Based in Switzerland, it offers no phone number required, swiss-hosted messaging. Other excellent options include Element and Wire.
Yes, all European alternatives listed on this page are fully GDPR compliant. They process and store data within the European Union, following strict privacy regulations that protect your personal information.
European alternatives offer better data privacy under GDPR, data stored exclusively in EU data centers, no exposure to US surveillance laws like the CLOUD Act, and support for European digital sovereignty. They're ideal for businesses handling sensitive data and privacy-conscious individuals.
Explore More European Alternatives
Discover privacy-focused European alternatives to other popular US tech services.