TL;DR
The author documents a step-by-step effort to replace US-based tech services with non-US alternatives that are easy for nontechnical users to adopt. The guide lists suite and single-service options for email, search, browsers, office software, RSS, and password managers while noting limitations such as hosting on US cloud providers and some community gaps.
What happened
Paris Marx wrote a how-to guide describing a multi-month project to move away from services tied to US technology companies. The piece is aimed at users without deep technical skills and prioritizes alternatives that are straightforward to switch to. Marx describes replacing Gmail and Google services with non-US suites such as Proton (Switzerland) and mentions other suite providers including Zoho (India), Mailbox (Germany) and Infomaniak (Switzerland). The guide also covers single-service swaps: email (Posteo, Tuta), search (Ecosia, Qwant, Startpage, Mojeek), browsers (Vivaldi, Opera), office tools (Proton’s Docs/Sheets, OnlyOffice, Collabora, LibreOffice), RSS readers (Inoreader), and password/2FA options (Proton Pass, Proton Authenticator). The author flags practical constraints: some non-US offerings still rely on US cloud infrastructure, some communities and features are harder to replicate outside dominant US platforms, and a few providers have attracted controversy without service interruption.
Why it matters
- Reducing reliance on major US tech firms can support efforts toward digital sovereignty and diversify market options.
- Non-US providers may offer different privacy and data-jurisdiction profiles, affecting user control over data.
- Shifts in customer demand could encourage more investment in alternative services and infrastructure outside the US.
- Even when switching vendors, dependence on US cloud hosting remains common, limiting the extent of decoupling.
Key facts
- The guide was authored by Paris Marx and last updated January 5, 2026.
- Proton (Switzerland) is the author’s primary suite choice, covering email, cloud storage, VPN, password manager, and productivity tools.
- Other suite alternatives mentioned include Zoho (India), Mailbox (Germany), and Infomaniak (Switzerland).
- Search alternatives listed: Ecosia (Germany), Qwant (France), Startpage (Netherlands), and Mojeek (UK); Mojeek uses its own index.
- Ecosia and Qwant began serving some results from a European search index in August 2025, though this work is ongoing.
- Fastmail is based in Australia but operates servers located in the United States.
- 1Password is noted to use Amazon Web Services; the company told the author it does not plan to migrate off AWS and maintains servers in Canada and Europe.
- NextCloud (Germany) is presented as an open-source suite that can be self-hosted or installed via resellers such as The Good Cloud (Netherlands).
- The author switched from Feedly to Inoreader (Bulgaria) after concerns about Feedly adding a feature for corporate tracking.
- Some non-US services still rely on servers from Amazon, Microsoft, or Google, limiting absolute separation from US infrastructure.
What to watch next
- Ecosia and Qwant’s ongoing progress expanding their European search index and reducing reliance on US search results.
- not confirmed in the source
- not confirmed in the source
Quick glossary
- Digital sovereignty: The principle that individuals, organizations or governments should control their own digital infrastructure, data, and online services rather than depending on foreign providers.
- Cloud hosting: A model for delivering computing services—like servers, storage and applications—over the internet using shared infrastructure managed by third parties.
- Open source: Software whose source code is publicly available for anyone to inspect, modify and distribute, often enabling community-driven development and self-hosting options.
- VPN (Virtual Private Network): A service that routes your internet traffic through a remote server to help protect privacy and mask your IP address.
- Two-factor authentication (2FA): An additional security step that requires a second verification method—such as a code from an authenticator app—alongside a password.
Reader FAQ
Is it possible to completely avoid US tech companies?
The author says being a complete purist is not realistic; many non-US options still rely on US cloud infrastructure.
Are there non-US email and productivity suites that work for nontechnical users?
Yes—examples given include Proton, Zoho, Mailbox and Infomaniak; some open-source options like NextCloud have resellers to simplify setup.
Did Proton face any controversy?
The guide notes a 2025 incident where a tweet by Proton’s CEO drew criticism; the author says it did not affect service availability.
Do non-US search engines avoid using Google or Bing results?
Not entirely—many still rely on results from the larger indexes, though Ecosia and Qwant have started serving some results from a European index.
Getting off US tech: a guide I’m in the process of dropping US tech services. Here’s how I did it, and options you should consider. by Paris Marx July 18,…
Sources
- Getting off US tech: a guide
- November 2025
- How can Europe overcome reliance on US-based tech …
- A Practical Guide to Minimizing Big Tech Manipulation and …
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