The United States has become the world’s biggest bully, threatening any country that doesn’t do as it demands with tariffs, and its tech companies are taking full advantage by flexing their muscle and trying to avoid effective regulation around the world. The drawbacks of our dependence on US tech companies have become more obvious with every passing year, but now there can hardly be any denying that where we can pry ourselves away from them, we should make the effort to do so.

For the past couple months, I’ve been trying to replace the services I use with alternatives that are not based in the United States or heavily tied to it. I won’t lie: it’s not always an easy process. There are some services that have plenty of alternatives, but others where drawing back from those offered by US companies means retreating from communities that don’t exist elsewhere or have far less functionality. And that’s not even to get into how many non-US services are still hosted on servers owned by Amazon, Microsoft, or Google.

Being a purist isn’t possible, but what’s important is making the effort. If we can reduce the customer base for the dominant players and show there’s a market for a different way of approaching digital technology, that could help incentivize more non-US options and even get governments to put real resources behind a push for digital sovereignty.

The point of this article is to bring together what I’ve learned to try to give you an idea of alternatives you can adopt to begin your own journey away from US tech companies.

Before we get started, I want to make something abundantly clear: this guide is primarily designed for people without a lot of technical skill. I’m not going to be proposing alternatives that are going to be difficult for those who can’t code to set up and use — though I may occasionally mention some of those options too. This also isn’t a comprehensive list; it’s the options I’ve come across and think are worth giving a shot, even though some may have minor drawbacks of their own. Because of that, I’ll also include some additional resources at the end if you want to go deeper.

So, with all that said, let’s get started.

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This guide was last updated on January 5, 2026.

Suites

Google, Apple, and Microsoft aren’t the only companies that offer a suite of services like email, calendar, cloud storage, and productivity software. Finding an alternative suite, rather than a series of singular services, can be an easy way to quickly jettison a number of those offered by those major US tech companies.

Personally, I began shifting over to Proton 🇨🇭 a few years ago. That started with ditching Gmail for ProtonMail, but over time I began using its cloud storage, VPN, and password manager too. They’ve also been improving their calendar, and I’ve been playing with their Docs and Sheets services too. Basically, it offered a lot of what I was looking for and has continued to improve those offerings over time.

There was some controversy around Proton in early 2025, after Reddit picked up on a tweet made by its CEO supporting Donald Trump’s pick for antitrust cases. The accusation became that he supported Trump, but I think that was overblown because of the political moment. Either way, it hasn’t affected the service, but it’s worth knowing as there are people who continue to bring it up as a smear against Proton.

Proton isn’t the only suite of services though. Zoho 🇮🇳 is another I’ve seen many people recommend, but personally it felt like overkill for me with the number of services they offer. I also liked that Proton does not have a US office. Some great alternative options include Mailbox 🇩🇪 and Infomaniak 🇨🇭.

On the more techie side of things, there are alternatives like those offered by Framasoft 🇫🇷 or even NextCloud 🇩🇪, an open source suite which requires users to sort out their own hosting solution instead of signing up through the company itself. But if you do want to use NextCloud, it lists a bunch of resellers and service providers like The Good Cloud 🇳🇱 on its website to make the process relatively easy, and many web hosting providers also offer the option of setting up a NextCloud install. It can be a particularly good option for companies and organizations. Groups like Disroot 🇳🇱 also offer a collection of open-source services.

While suites make things easy, you don’t have to go that route or even use everything in them. There are plenty of other alternatives out there.

Essentials

Email

An email address feels like the first step in an online existence — or just being in the world these days. For me, the choice was Proton Mail 🇨🇭 — it’s encrypted, lets me use a custom domain, and the one issue I used to have with Outlook addresses receiving my emails has been fixed for at least a couple years. But that’s not the only option.

As I mentioned, Mailbox 🇩🇪, Infomaniak 🇨🇭, or Zoho Mail 🇮🇳 are possible alternatives, as are Posteo 🇩🇪 or Tuta 🇩🇪. Fastmail 🇦🇺 is another, but its servers are located in the United States. A lot of web hosting services will offer their own email services too, but personally I’ve never much liked the basic experience they tend to entail.

After getting an email address, finding your way around the web is essential, and for most people that means a trip to Google — or, for a much smaller number, Bing. There are alternatives, but already this is where things get tough.

Personally, I think the best non-US alternatives are Ecosia 🇩🇪 and Qwant 🇫🇷, though Startpage 🇳🇱 is another option. I used to think they were rather limited, but the more I’ve been using Qwant, the more comfortable I am using it for a wider range of queries, meaning I head back to Google less and less. The problem here is that pretty much any alternative search engine is still going to be pulling at least some of their results from Bing or Google because they have the most comprehensive search indexes.

Ecosia and Qwant began serving some of their search results from their European search index in August 2025, but it’s still a work in progress. Mojeek 🇬🇧 is one of the rare non-US search engines that does rely solely on its own index, but (truly no offence to the folks behind it) I did not find it very reliable.

Browser

To do anything online, you’re going to need a browser. Most people are using Chrome, with Firefox and Safari grabbing big chunks of the market too. But there are some great alternatives.

I’ve taken to using Vivaldi 🇳🇴 on my computer and my phone, and it’s great. I find the cloud tab syncing works better and more reliably than Safari did across Apple devices. Opera 🇳🇴/🇨🇳 is another option, or even Mullvad 🇸🇪, though I haven’t tried that one personally. My vote here is Vivaldi.

Office

Microsoft Office used to be the 800-pound gorilla in office software, but now people are increasingly using the Google Docs suite. This is one I’ve found myself having a hard time escaping from, because even if I use a different service, people still send me things in Google Docs to review or edit, and you can’t just open them in another service like you can with a DOCX file.

I’m still trying to figure out how to handle that, but in the meantime, there are alternatives for when people aren’t forcing Google Docs onto you. I’ve been playing around with the slowly improving word and spreadsheet apps offered by Proton 🇨🇭, but Zoho 🇮🇳, Mailbox 🇩🇪, and Infomaniak 🇨🇭 all have productivity suites of their own. There’s also OnlyOffice 🇱🇻 and Collabora Office 🇬🇧 (more enterprise focused) or, for the more technically inclined, setting up NextCloud 🇩🇪. Framasoft 🇫🇷 also has a basic option for this or Cryptpad 🇫🇷 provides an encrypted alternative.

For software installed on your actual machine, LibreOffice 🇩🇪 is the open-source alternative to Microsoft Office. I’ve only used it a bit, but it seemed quite capable for the things I needed it for, after I installed a different theme than the dated default appearance it has. I do most of my writing in Ulysses 🇩🇪 though. I’ve heard a lot of people also like a similar program called iA Writer 🇯🇵 or, for those endeavouring to write a book, Scrivener 🇬🇧 could be an option.

News/RSS

Google Reader 🪦 is long dead, but I still find having an RSS reader to be useful. A few years ago, I was using Feedly until they pushed a service to help companies track protests and strikes that could be used against workers. At that moment, I switched to Inoreader 🇧🇬 and I’ve really had no complaints since doing so. If I wasn’t already using them, I might have looked closer at the RSS reader built into Vivaldi 🇳🇴 . I’m sure there are others out there, but I haven’t felt the need to seek them out.

Passwords/2FA

I wouldn’t be surprised that if most people are storing passwords, they’re doing it through Apple or Google. I was using the former, but moved mine over the Proton Pass 🇨🇭 a few months back, which easily integrated with Vivaldi. I also transferred my two-factor codes from Authy to Proton Authenticator.

I’ve chosen to rely on the Proton suite, but there are other options out there. 1Password 🇨🇦 is one I’ve heard about a lot. I was going to use them myself, but I found out they use AWS and when I asked the company if they plan to migrate off, they told me they do not. They do have servers in Canada and Europe though, if AWS doesn’t bother you as much. Aegis 🇳🇱 is an open-source option for Android, while KeePass 🇩🇪 is available on multiple platforms. There may be more options in the additional resources at the end.

Notes/calendar/tasks

I’m still locked into Apple Notes and Reminders at the moment, and have been debating what to replace them with. I was going to use Todoist, but realized it was registered in the US. Then figured or tasks, I’m waiting to see when Proton 🇨🇭 will add tasks to its calendar, as it’s supposed to be in the works. Things 🇩🇪 or Superlist 🇩🇪 could also serve that purpose though.

For notes, I’ve been looking at Bear 🇮🇹 and Obsidian 🇨🇦. Bear reminds me a lot of Ulysses, which I use for writing, but I like the idea of going Canadian. Obsidian added the ability for users to choose whether their data will be stored in the United States, Frankfurt, Sydney, or Singapore (though still through US company DigitalOcean). Bear only syncs though iCloud. Joplin 🇫🇷 is another open-source option, and Evernote 🇮🇹 was actually acquired and fully moved to Italy (though maintains a registered US corporation). I would love to recommend Standard Notes, but despite being acquired by Proton, it’s still based in Chicago.

On the calendar side, it’s probably easiest to use whichever one is linked with the email service you choose. I used to use Apple’s calendar app, but I migrated over to Proton Calendar recently. It has a few fewer features, but I haven’t run into any drawbacks that made me look elsewhere. Tuta 🇩🇪, as an alternative, is focused on email and a connected calendar, but most suites or email services named above will come with an optional calendar.

Weather

Maybe your built-in weather app doesn’t bother you, but as a user of Apple products, I’ve found its weather app increasingly unreliable. When I’m in Canada, I’ve switched over to using WeatherCAN 🇨🇦, the Canadian government’s weather app. It’s not as sleek, but I find it more accurate, with detailed descriptions not just of coming storms, but also in-depth analysis of major weather events and monthly trends. I’m sure you can find something similar in your own country, like the Met Office 🇬🇧 or BBC Weather 🇬🇧, Met Éireann 🇮🇪, BOM Weather 🇦🇺, the MetService 🇳🇿, METEO France 🇫🇷, or DWD WarnWetter 🇩🇪.

National apps are great and incredibly reliable, but sometimes you’ll be traveling beyond your borders. That’s when I’ve been falling back on the Apple weather app, but I want to change that. Meteoblue 🇨🇭 is the one I’m trying now. Windy 🇨🇿 is also very popular (and owns Meteoblue as of 2024), but seems a bit overkill for what I need. I’ve also seen recommendations for OpenWeather 🇬🇧, but haven’t tried it myself.

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Communication

Social media

Here is where things get more difficult. Due to my work, but also wanting to keep up with people, I don’t feel it’s feasible to give up all US social media. I’ve definitely been cutting back over the past year, to the degree that Bluesky is my main platform now and I mainly only use my other accounts to share my work. While I’ve taken most off my phone, I won’t be deleting the accounts anytime soon.

I do, of course, also have an account on Mastodon 🇩🇪, and there are other decentralized alternatives like PeerTube 🇫🇷, Frendica 🇩🇪, and Pixelfed 🇨🇦 — though, admittedly, I haven’t tried those out. I wonder if there will be more experimentation with alternatives in the coming years, but for the moment, this is where I’ve found myself.

Messaging

Messaging is another place where giving up US platforms doesn’t seem wholly possible. Even though Signal is based in the US, it’s become the app I try to use most for this. It’s not pursuing the growth-at-all-costs mindset and I trust its leadership, so it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Unfortunately, I often also have to use Whatsapp when I travel because so much of the world effectively treats it as infrastructure. I wonder if that will change will the growing hostility to US tech and Meta’s decision to begin adding advertising to the service; I guess we’ll have to see.

There are alternative options like Wire 🇩🇪, Threema 🇨🇭, or Element 🇬🇧, which is built on Matrix 🇬🇧, but they have much smaller user bases, making it hard to use them to chat with people. In certain countries, there may be widely used domestic alternatives, like KakaoTalk 🇰🇷 in South Korea.

Video calling

There are plenty of non-US options to connect with people over video, especially to replace the apps we usually use for meetings and work calls. Suites like Proton 🇨🇭, Mailbox 🇩🇪, and Infomaniak 🇨🇭 all have video calling available, not unlike Google Meet, while many messaging apps like Signal (see above) or Threema 🇨🇭 have alternatives to Facetime or Facebook Messenger. There are more work-focused options to directly replace Zoom or Microsoft Teams too, like Whereby 🇳🇴, the NextCloud 🇩🇪 suite, or open-source alternative Jitsi.

With Maps, there’s Google and then there’s everyone else. Sadly, that remains the case, and I’ve found there are times when I have no problem using an alternative, but other times — especially when I travel, depending on the country — where I feel like I need to boot up Google Maps once again, often because of its business information (like opening hours and things like that). So, what are the alternatives?

I found Here WeGo 🇳🇱 to be the most comprehensive, non-US mapping and navigation alternative, whether for car or transit directions. It does not have the scale and accuracy of business information that Google has, but it’s still decent, and I’ve been told it’s often better than Google in many parts of the Global South (not something I’ve been able to test myself).

Beyond that, TomTom Go 🇳🇱 is fantastic for driving directions but useless for anything else. Transit 🇨🇦 provides reliable public transit directions. The OpenStreetMap 🇬🇧 network is also an alternative, including apps like OsmAnd 🇳🇱 and Organic Maps 🇪🇪, and is particularly good for walking and cycling directions. I haven’t tested them, but I’ve been told Mapy 🇨🇿, Citymapper 🇬🇧, and Magic Earth 🇳🇱 are also comprehensive alternatives. In different parts of the world, there may be services that work great just in their country, like Naver Map 🇰🇷 and Kakao Map 🇰🇷 do in South Korea.

Translation

When it comes to translation apps, it feels like there’s Google Translate and then there’s everything else. While I had Apple Translate on my device, Google’s service is the one I used most often. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t perfectly good alternatives.

The non-US go-to is DeepL 🇩🇪, though I’ve seen plenty of recommendations for Reverso 🇫🇷 too. The main drawback with these is that since they aren’t part of some big conglomerate, their free tiers are more limited, so if you’re a regular user of translation services you will have to get a subscription. Outside the European language zone, you’d be looking at services like Naver Papago 🇰🇷.

Entertainment

Streaming video

I know we’re used to having Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime (an even bigger range of issues there), and all these US-owned streaming services, but I feel like I’m coming at this from two directions. First, I’m trying to be more intentional about what I watch, instead of just whatever is new on these services, even if it’s slop — in part to spend more time reading. Second, there are often decent non-US alternatives.

Personally, I haven’t had Netflix since the password-sharing crackdown. I had Disney+ for free from my telecom provider, but then will be ending soon. The only subscription I have is to Apple TV, but I’ll be canceling the bundle it’s part of soon. This is how I approach the US streaming services now: I’m not a regular subscriber, but if enough I want to see builds up, I’ll subscribe for a month or two to watch, then cancel again.

In Canada, Crave 🇨🇦 has plenty of US shows (almost anything on HBO Max), along with Canadian and international content too. There’s also CBC Gem 🇨🇦 or ICI TOU.TV 🇨🇦, along with all the films available from the National Film Board 🇨🇦. Britbox 🇬🇧 is also an option, as is Mubi 🇬🇧, which I reluctantly signed up for even though they defended taking money from Sequoia Capital, which funds Israeli defense company Kela.

There are plenty of options in markets beyond Canada too. Just to give a few examples, Australia has ABC iView 🇦🇺, Stan 🇦🇺 and (recently downgraded) Binge 🇦🇺, while New Zealand has Neon 🇳🇿 and the catalog of NZ On Screen 🇳🇿. It’s worth looking to see what’s available on local services instead of the international, US-based ones in your own country.

There’s also the old-school, non-streaming option: Many libraries have big catalogs of DVDs and Blu-rays, especially now that video rental stores have been consigned to the dustbin of history. Maybe instead of streaming, you can get a library card and go back to physical media.

Streaming music

Spotify may technically be Swedish, but I ruled it out because of its significant US footprint, the ongoing issues artists have with the platform, and CEO Daniel Ek’s €600-million investment in AI-powered drone maker Helsing.

I’ve been on Apple Music for the past few years, but recently switched to Deezer 🇫🇷 and don’t see why I would need to go back given the catalogs of music-streaming services are pretty similar — unlike on the video side of things. Maybe another plus: Deezer isn’t trying to push video at me like Spotify does.

Tidal would have been an alternative, but it was acquired by Square in 2021. There’s also Qobuz 🇫🇷, which seems more targeted toward those looking for the best quality. I’ve heard its library is much more limited though. Like streaming video though, there is another option: grabbing an old iPod or new MP3 player and loading it up with the music you want to listen to.

Video games

If you’re a gamer, getting off US tech might prove to be a challenge. On the console side of things, Sony/Playstation 🇯🇵 and Nintendo 🇯🇵 are both Japanese, making Microsoft/Xbox the only console maker that would be off limits (unless we’re counting the forthcoming Steam Machine). Xbox is also a target of the BDS movement, given the role Microsoft has played in aiding Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

More of a PC gamer? Well, things are tough there too. Avoiding US tech means Steam, Epic Games Store, and even itch.io are out (maybe you choose to ignore that for the latter, since it’s so focused on helping indies). GOG.com 🇵🇱 would be your new games portal. I have more on hardware below, but on the gaming side you’d be looking at products from companies like ASUS 🇹🇼, Lenovo 🇨🇳, Logitech 🇨🇭, MSI 🇹🇼, and SteelSeries 🇩🇰.

You might also want to consider where the games you play are actually made. There will be a lot of US-made games, but you could be surprised by which are not. For example, recent Game of the Year winner Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was actually developed in France and published by a British company.

Podcasts

There was a brief period where I used Spotify for podcasts, but for the most part I’ve always listened through Apple Podcasts — until recently. I tried a few non-US alternatives that were annoying and stuffed with ads, making them a terrible experience, until I found two open-source alternatives I feel happy to recommend.

For Android users, AntennaPod 🇩🇪 is supposedly the way to go. But I’m not on Android, so I also had to find one on iOS. An great option for iPhone users is Anytime Podcast Player 🇬🇧. It’s a pretty simple podcast app that just lists the shows you’re subscribed to, then you check and see if there are new episodes instead of having a feed of everything. Some people might not like that design choice, but I loved it. Now it’s up to me to check if there are new episodes instead of having them served up to me.

Utility

Hardware

This section could be really long, but I’m going to try to keep it rather short. Right now, I have a Mac and an iPhone and that won’t be changing anytime soon. They’re not very old and I’ve been using Apple products for a long time. Switching out services is easier than taking myself out of this entire ecosystem and joining a new one, especially when Windows is also controlled by a US company. I am going to find someone to show me around Linux though to see if I might consider it in future.

If you’re not as concerned about the operating system, there are options for non-US hardware though. There are plenty of hardware makers based outside the United States — for example, most of my home entertainment and gaming stuff is Sony/Playstation 🇯🇵. For computers, tablets, and (sometimes) phones, there are plenty of options: Asus 🇹🇼, Acer 🇹🇼, Lenovo 🇨🇳, LG 🇰🇷, MSI 🇹🇼, Samsung 🇰🇷, or even Huawei 🇨🇳. On the phone side of things, there’s always FairPhone 🇳🇱 and companies like HMD 🇫🇮 and Nothing 🇬🇧. Instead of a Kindle, you could get a Kobo 🇨🇦/🇯🇵. Instead of a tablet, E Ink devices like reMarkable 🇳🇴, Supernote 🇨🇳, or Onyx Boox 🇨🇳 could be an option.

Web hosting/domains

Hosting and domain registration are one of those areas where you’ll have plenty of options. Most of my websites and domains used to be hosted with Namecheap, but I did some digging into Canadian alternatives and chose to move over to FullHost 🇨🇦 with no regrets. I could make a list of different suggestions in different parts of the world, but I think it’s better just to check out the additional resources at the end — or simply do some searching to see what good web hosts and domain registrars are in your jurisdiction.

Podcast/newsletter hosting

Beyond web hosting, you may be looking to host a specific kind of content. For blogs and newsletters, a WordPress install hosted on non-US servers remains a good option, or simply using Ghost 🇸🇬 (servers in 🇳🇱). On the podcast side of things, Captivate 🇬🇧 and Transistor 🇨🇦 are good options. The video end is more difficult though, as it’s hard to escape the pull of YouTube. You could look at Dailymotion 🇫🇷 or PeerTube 🇫🇷.

Cloud/File transfer

I still have files in Apple’s iCloud because of the hardware ecosystem I’m using, but I’ve been using Proton Drive 🇨🇭 more often in recent months — and plan to move more over to it. Some of the other suites have their own cloud solutions, and if you set up NextCloud 🇩🇪, that will also allow for cloud storage. But there are other options like Sync.com 🇨🇦, Tresorit 🇨🇭, pCloud 🇨🇭, and most web hosts will offer cloud options too.

WeTransfer 🇳🇱 used to be the file transfer service I used most often. It did come in for criticism lately after changes to its terms of service over AI training, but the company claims it was all a misunderstanding. These days I often just upload files to Proton Drive and send the link to whoever needs it, but SwissTransfer 🇨🇭 or SendGB 🇪🇪/🇹🇷 are some other options.

Web forms

I feel like Google Forms or SurveyMonkey are the most common apps you see if you need someone to fill out a form or survey, but plenty of good alternatives have arisen in recent years, including some you can easily use without paying if your needs aren’t too great. The ones I’ve tried out and quite liked are Tally 🇧🇪 and Forms.app 🇧🇪. I ended up using the latter for a recent contest I did on Tech Won’t Save Us, but only because the former didn’t easily allow me to share the results page publicly.

Graphic design

I’ve been using Pixelmator for graphic design/photo editing for years, but it was acquired by Apple in 2024. It seems Affinity 🇬🇧/🇦🇺 may fill the void, but I haven’t tested it yet. Some other options would be to make use of Canva 🇦🇺, despite its embrace of AI, or an open-source tool like GIMP.

Money transfers

I’ve never really understood the US obsession with apps like Venmo. In other parts of the world, our banks typically just have simple ways to transfer money between one another. It’s international transfers where some other service becomes necessary. While PayPal has often played this role, I’ve found Wise 🇬🇧 to be fantastic both for transfers, getting paid by foreign companies, and even just holding different currencies. I really can’t sing its praises enough.

Do we really need this much?

As I continue this journey, I haven’t just been thinking about how to replace many of the US services I use with alternatives, but also how much of all this I actually need at the end of the day. As I’ve cut back on US streaming services, I’ve found myself simply watching less instead of completely replacing my viewing with domestic services. That’s made more time for things like reading and playing games, which I’m happy about.

After speaking with Casey Johnston about her own efforts to cut back on her screen time and the intrusiveness of her smartphone, I’ve been endeavouring to do a bit more of that myself: setting limits on the amount of time I use social media, deleting a bunch of apps from my phone, and blocking those that are left after 7pm on most nights of the week. It’s notably cut the amount of time I spend looking at my phone.

We need to reassess our relationship to digital tech
Getting off US tech led me to a wider questioning of digital convenience
DisconnectParis Marx

But I’ve also been reflecting a lot on Dan McQuillan’s writings on decomputing and whether we really need all this digital tech taking over our lives in the first place. I think it’s all gone a little too far, and only feel that more and more with each passing month.

Individual action is one thing, and not one we can ignore. But our choices are limited by the economic and social structures we live in. That’s why government action is so important — not just to rein in the biggest drawbacks of digital technology, but to provide proper resourcing to develop alternatives. Ideally, they wouldn’t just replicate the problems of tech services emanating from Silicon Valley, but would be built on a very different model — one that focuses on the public good over shareholder profits.

I’m convinced the technology that would emerge from such a process would be very different that what we use right now. But for the time being, I’m going to do what I can to make the tech that’s out there work for me. I hope this guide will help you take back a little control for yourself too.

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Additional resources