Putting the "EuroStack" to the test: A YouTuber's Real-World Experiment with European Software

The conversation around European digital sovereignty often revolves around high-level policy, infrastructure investments, and regulatory frameworks. While crucial, these discussions can sometimes feel abstract. That's why it's refreshing to see individuals or small businesses taking a hands-on approach, exploring the practical realities of reducing our dependence on non-European digital tools. A recent video by YouTuber Elvi does exactly this, asking a simple but far-reaching question: Can you replace an entire work setup using only European software?

Here's the video:

At the EuroStack Project, where we advocate for a sovereign, resilient, and values-driven European digital ecosystem, Elvi's experiment provides a valuable ground-level perspective. It moves beyond theoretical debates and dives into the usability, features, and overall experience of switching away from dominant US platforms like Google Workspace, Notion, Zoom, and Slack. We found her exploration insightful and encouraging, and believe it's worth sharing with our community.

Elvi's European Software Challenge

Following up on a previous video about essential EU digital alternatives, Elvi sets out to test a full work setup composed entirely of European software. She explores several categories:

1. Docs & Knowledge Management (Notion/Google Docs Alternatives): Elvi reviews several promising options like Capacities (Germany), Fiber (Estonia), Tana (Norway), Nucleino (Germany), Anytype (Netherlands), and the privacy-focused CryptPad. She finds Capacities particularly interesting for personal knowledge management and project planning due to its structured, object-based approach, while noting Fiber's strengths for team collaboration with its integrated CRM and project tools.
2. Meeting & Video Calls (Zoom/Teams Alternatives): She highlights Whereby (Norway) for its simple, browser-based interface (which she particularly loved) and mentions known privacy-focused options like Sendcall (Germany) and the open-source Jitsi Meet.
3. Team Chat (Slack Alternatives): Recognizing the need for team tools, she reviews open-source and privacy-conscious options like Mattermost, Element (France/UK, based on Matrix), and Rocket.Chat (Germany), finding their interfaces promising for a switch.
4. Email (Gmail Alternatives): Addressing the difficulty of leaving Gmail, Elvi explores encrypted options like Proton Mail (Switzerland), Tutanota (Germany), mailbox.org (Germany), and Infomaniak Mail (Switzerland). She takes the leap and switches her channel's email to Proton Mail, appreciating its interface and privacy features.

A Resounding "Yes," with Caveats

Elvi's conclusion? It is "absolutely yes" possible to replace a standard work setup with European alternatives. She emphasizes the significant advantage these tools often offer: stronger privacy protection and data encryption, frequently hosted within the EU. For her, tools like Proton Mail, Whereby, and Capacities stood out as highly functional and user-friendly, matching or exceeding their US counterparts in ways that matter for sovereignty and privacy. She also reinforces her positive experiences with DeepL, Vivaldi, and Mubi from her previous exploration.

However, she realistically acknowledges potential downsides: some European alternatives might not yet have the highly polished UI/UX of Big Tech competitors, and certain niche features might be missing in free or basic versions. One of our core messages is that it is only by actively choosing, using, and supporting these European alternatives, even when they aren't perfectly polished yet, that they will receive the resources, feedback, and market traction needed to mature and ultimately compete on every level.

Why This Matters for EuroStack

Elvi's journey resonates deeply with the EuroStack Project's mission. Her video provides a tangible example of how individuals and potentially organizations can actively choose digital sovereignty. It demonstrates:

• Viability: European alternatives exist and are functional for everyday work tasks.
• Privacy Advantage: The privacy-first ethos of many European tools aligns perfectly with European values and regulations like GDPR.
• Growing Ecosystem: Her research uncovers a range of options, hinting at the growing diversity of the European digital ecosystem. (Many of which are, or could be, featured in the EuroStack Directory).
• Open Source Presence: Several alternatives highlighted (Cryptpad, Sendcall, Jitsi, Mattermost, Element, Rocket.Chat) are open-source, aligning with our core principle that Open Source is a strategic imperative for transparency, security, and control.
• The "Win-Win": Elvi's conclusion reinforces our belief that choosing European and/or Open Source often means gaining enhanced privacy and control without significant functional sacrifices – a true win-win.

While there may be a lack of parity in UI/UX polish or features in some cases, first, this is not always the case, and second, these are often secondary concerns when weighed against the critical importance of data protection, user control, and building a resilient European digital infrastructure. Elvi's practical exploration makes the concept of digital sovereignty less daunting and more achievable.

Watch the Video, Consider Your Stack

We highly recommend watching Elvi's full video to see her exploration first-hand and get a feel for the tools she tested:

And here's another one of her videos on a similar topic:

Her experiment serves as excellent inspiration. Consider your own digital toolkit – at work and personally. Are there European or Open Source alternatives you could explore? Every switch, however small, contributes to a more diverse, resilient, and, ultimately, sovereign European digital ecosystem.