plusserver

plusserver is a Cologne-based cloud provider that sells sovereignty as a product, backed by audits rather than only by a data centre location. Its main public cloud, pluscloud open, runs on the open-source Sovereign Cloud Stack (OpenStack) and is operated from its own data centres in Cologne, Duesseldorf and Hamburg. The vendor states the platform is not subject to the US CLOUD Act and that customers pay no transfer costs when moving data away, which directly addresses lock-in worries.

The catalogue goes well beyond virtual machines: a CNCF-certified managed Kubernetes engine (PSKE), pluscloud VMware for existing VMware estates, managed PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB and Valkey caching, S3-compatible object storage, backup, Keycloak as a service, an AI platform and a security portfolio with SOC and EDR as a service. Everything is operated with 24/7 support in German or English.

The compliance list is the strongest in this category for regulated buyers: BSI C5 Type II, ISAE 3402 Type II, BSI IT-Grundschutz, ISO 27001, ISO 9001 and ISO 50001. The trade-off is that plusserver targets mid-sized companies, public clients, finance and healthcare, so the self-service offer and public price list are thinner than at Hetzner or Scaleway, and larger projects go through consulting.

What plusserver does well

• BSI C5 Type II and ISAE 3402 Type II audited, plus BSI IT-Grundschutz and ISO 27001
• Own data centres in Cologne, Duesseldorf and Hamburg, jurisdiction fully in Germany
• Open-source pluscloud open (OpenStack/SCS) with no transfer costs when leaving
• CNCF-certified managed Kubernetes plus VMware cloud for legacy estates
• 24/7 support in German or English with managed hosting and security services

Where plusserver falls short

• Only Germany as a location, no other EU countries
• Public pricing is limited, many projects start with a consultation
• Aimed at mid-sized and regulated customers, less suited to hobby or tiny workloads
• Smaller developer ecosystem and community than Scaleway or OVHcloud

Standout feature. Audited sovereignty: plusserver pairs an open-source OpenStack cloud with BSI C5 Type II attestation, which few providers in this category can show.