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Independently verified · Quarterly re-audit
EU VETTED
Curated collection

Encrypted, EU-Hosted Cloud Storage

Cloud storage and file-sharing tools hosted in the European Union, with encryption and data-residency details checked per listing.

In short

EU-hosted cloud storage keeps files in EU-jurisdiction data centres, reducing GDPR transfer complexity. The key decision criterion is which combination you need: EU hosting (data residency), EU ownership (removes CLOUD Act exposure), and zero-knowledge encryption (provider cannot read your files). Tresorit, Proton Drive, and Infomaniak kDrive each cover different points on that triangle.

Last verified May 2026 DISCLOSURE Some links on this site are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Editorial signals and rankings are never influenced by affiliate relationships.

This hub collects cloud-storage and file-sharing products in the EU Vetted directory that are hosted within the European Union. The filterable matrix below lets you narrow the list by the criteria that matter to your situation; this introduction frames the topic so the matrix is easier to read.

"Encrypted cloud storage in Europe" covers a wide range of tools, from consumer file sync to team file-sharing platforms built for regulated industries. What they have in common here is EU data residency (files are stored in data centres inside the EU) combined with some form of encryption. Beyond that, the products differ significantly in ownership, encryption model and compliance documentation.

It is worth being precise about terms. EU hosting is a statement about where data physically sits. Encryption is a statement about who can read it. Ownership is a statement about which legal regimes could reach the provider. These are independent properties, and a provider can score well on one while raising questions on another. The directory records each of them separately rather than collapsing them into a single label.

Every listing carries its own independently checked data: hosting region, ownership signal, CLOUD Act exposure, and whether a Data Processing Agreement is offered. The aim is to let you apply your own priorities; a privacy-focused individual and a public-sector procurement team will reasonably weigh these fields differently.

Why it matters

For organisations subject to the GDPR, where personal data is stored and who can access it are not abstract concerns. Keeping data within the EU can simplify the legal basis for processing and reduce the documentation burden around international transfers. It does not remove the need for a proper Data Processing Agreement or for due diligence on sub-processors, but it changes the starting point.

The CLOUD Act question is the one most often misunderstood. The US CLOUD Act can, in principle, compel companies subject to US jurisdiction to produce data they control, regardless of where the servers are located. This means EU hosting can reduce exposure but does not by itself eliminate it; the provider's ownership and corporate structure also matter. Treating "hosted in the EU" as a complete answer to extraterritorial-law concerns is a common mistake; the more accurate view is that it is one factor among several.

Encryption changes the picture again. Where a provider operates a zero-knowledge model, it cannot read your files and therefore cannot produce readable content in response to a legal request, though it may still hold metadata, and the protection depends on a sound implementation. Where encryption is server-side only, the provider technically can access content. Knowing which model a product uses is essential before drawing any conclusions about what a legal request could reach.

Finally, ownership and hosting can point in different directions. Some EU-hosted services are owned outside the EU; some EU-owned services lean on non-EU infrastructure. Neither is automatically disqualifying, but the combination is what determines the real risk profile, which is why this directory exposes the signals separately rather than issuing a single pass-or-fail verdict.

How to choose

Start by deciding what you are actually optimising for. If your priority is GDPR data residency, EU hosting and a solid DPA are the first filters. If your priority is resistance to extraterritorial legal requests, ownership and corporate structure matter as much as hosting, and you will want to check the CLOUD Act exposure flag on each listing. If your priority is that the provider itself cannot read your files, the encryption model is the deciding factor. These goals overlap but are not identical, and the best product for one is not always the best for another.

Check the encryption model carefully. "Encrypted" can mean encryption in transit, encryption at rest, or full end-to-end (zero-knowledge) encryption; only the last is designed so the provider cannot read your content. Also consider what is not encrypted: file names, folder structure and sharing metadata are sometimes left in the clear even when file contents are protected. Match the model to your threat scenario rather than assuming the strongest interpretation.

Distinguish EU from EEA-adjacent. Several well-regarded privacy-focused storage providers are Swiss. Switzerland benefits from an EU adequacy decision, which eases data transfers, but it is not an EU or EEA member, so if your procurement rules specifically require EU jurisdiction, a Swiss provider may not qualify even though it is otherwise a strong privacy choice. Be precise about whether your requirement is "EU" or "Europe broadly".

For a procurement shortlist, work through the documented fields rather than marketing copy: hosting region, ownership signal, sub-processor list, DPA availability, encryption model and any certifications relevant to your sector. Each listing in this directory records these as independently checked fields, so you can filter the matrix down to a defensible shortlist and then take the final decision against your own risk appetite and regulatory obligations.

SWITCHING GUIDES

Switching from a US categories.file_sharing tool?

Side-by-side European alternatives — same hosting, ownership and CLOUD Act checks — for the most-replaced categories.file_sharing tools.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What does 'EU-hosted cloud storage' actually mean?
EU-hosted means the provider stores your files in data centres located inside the European Union. This keeps data within EU jurisdiction for residency purposes, which can simplify GDPR compliance. However, hosting location alone does not settle questions about who owns the provider, which sub-processors it uses, or whether a parent company is subject to extraterritorial laws; those are recorded separately on each listing.
Is EU hosting the same as EU ownership?
No. A provider can host data in the EU while being owned by a company headquartered elsewhere, and a provider can be EU-owned while relying on non-EU infrastructure. The two signals matter for different reasons: hosting affects data residency, while ownership affects which legal regimes (including extraterritorial ones like the US CLOUD Act) could in principle reach the provider. Each listing in this directory shows both.
What does zero-knowledge or end-to-end encryption protect against?
Zero-knowledge (also called end-to-end) encryption is designed so that only you hold the keys to decrypt your files, meaning the provider cannot read them and cannot hand over readable content in response to a legal request. It does not, by itself, hide metadata such as file names, sizes or sharing activity unless the provider specifically encrypts those too, and it depends on a correct implementation. It is one safeguard among several, not a complete answer.
Are Swiss providers considered EU options?
Switzerland is in Europe and is often grouped with EU privacy tools, but it is not an EU or EEA member state. Swiss data-protection law is recognised by the EU as providing adequate protection, which eases data transfers, but Swiss providers fall under Swiss jurisdiction rather than EU law. Where EU membership specifically matters to your procurement rules, treat Swiss options as EEA-adjacent rather than EU.
Does choosing an EU-hosted provider remove CLOUD Act exposure?
Not necessarily. The US CLOUD Act can, in principle, reach data held by companies subject to US jurisdiction regardless of where the servers sit. EU hosting can reduce exposure, but whether it eliminates it depends on the provider's ownership, corporate structure and sub-processors. This directory flags potential CLOUD Act exposure on each listing so you can weigh it yourself.
What should a procurement team check before adopting a storage provider?
At minimum: where data is hosted, who owns the provider, the list of sub-processors, whether a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) is offered, the encryption model, and any relevant certifications. Each listing in this directory records hosting region, ownership signal, CLOUD Act exposure and DPA availability as independently checked fields, so a shortlist can be assembled against your own priorities.
Methodology

How we verified every listing here.

For each product we read the public DPA, sub-processors document, hosting region declaration, certifications, and corporate ownership records. Each is timestamped. Signals are editorial, re-verified quarterly. We never accept self-attestation.

Read methodology →