Hi everyone,

I wanted to share my current status quo of gradually moving away from US-based services and products and replacing them with European alternatives where possible.

This is not about perfection or ideological purity — more about direction, values, and supporting EU-based ecosystems when reasonable alternatives exist.

What I’ve Already Switched

Email / Cloud / VPN

I’m fully aware that Proton is a European company based in Switzerland. My decision to move away from Proton was not about trust or geography, but about risk concentration.

I was using Proton Mail, Proton Drive, and Proton VPN at the same time and decided to follow the principle of:

“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”

So I deliberately split these services across different providers:

• Proton Mail → TutaMail (Germany)
• Proton Drive → Filen (Germany)
• Proton VPN → Mullvad VPN (Sweden) (when I actually need a VPN)

This is more about resilience and diversification than distrust.

Music Streaming

• Deezer → Qobuz (France)
  • While Deezer is often seen as European, I decided to move away after learning more about its ownership and investor structure.
  • A significant share is held by non-EU stakeholders partly linked to the US, which didn’t align with what I want to support long-term.
  • Qobuz feels more in line with my values, and the switch was a nice improvement in sound quality.

Messaging

• WhatsApp → Threema + Signal
  • WhatsApp is completely gone.
  • Signal is still US-based, but currently required for activism/political work.

Language Models

• ChatGPT → Le Chat

Charging Devices

• Anker → recable (Germany)

Voice Chat

• Discord → TeamSpeak

OS

• Windows → Linux Mint (Oh boy, do I love Linux Mint <3 Fck Windows)

Office / Creative Software

• Microsoft Office → LibreOffice (rarely needed anyway)
• For most creative work, I use Affinity Publisher, Designer & Photo

Entertainment

• Cancelled several US streaming services (e.g., Disney+)

Navigation

• Apple Maps → TomTom

Payments

• PayPal → Wero

Clothing

• While Adidas is a German brand, a lot of their production happens outside the EU, which I want to move away from over time.
• Ideal goal: Support European production under reasonable conditions.
  • Shoes: Switching from Adidas → TREAZY (EU production, plant-based materials)
  • Socks: Planning to switch to TREAZY socks (made in Portugal)
  • Underwear — Open Question
    • Looking for high-quality men’s underwear (trunks) that:
      • Is genuinely produced in Europe,
      • Feels really comfortable,
      • Actually lasts a long time (doesn’t stretch out or fall apart after a few months).
    • Do you have recommendations? Something you’ve had for years and still feel comfortable in, made in Europe?

Audio / Hardware

• Initially planned: Shure SM7B
• Decided on: Sennheiser MD 421 Mark II (Supporting a European audio manufacturer felt like the better fit for me.)

What I Still Use (Reluctantly / Pragmatically)

• Netflix (No real EU alternative with a comparable catalog — I only subscribe occasionally, 1 month every few months.)
• Gaming: Steam (ecosystem reasons)
• Password Manager: 1Password (Canada — not EU, but best fit for my needs so far)

Big Open Topic: Smartphone

• Currently using an iPhone 15 Pro
• Considering a Fairphone with LineageOS
• Waiting to see developments around Fairphone 6
• Would love to see some experiences here.

Where I’d Really Love Community Input

• Messaging: Thoughts on Element / Matrix / XMPP?
• Streaming: Any serious European Netflix alternatives you like?
• Underwear: European underwear brands/experiences that are truly high-quality & long-lasting?
• General: EU services/products you’d strongly recommend or avoid?

This is very much a work in progress, not a finished state. Happy to learn, adjust, and iterate — feedback welcome! 😊

Thanks!

Edit: Improved structure and readability.