Best 5 European-Focused Cloud Alternatives to AWS Praised on Reddit

As data sovereignty, privacy regulations, and rising AWS costs continue to dominate discussions in developer communities, many European-focused cloud providers have gained strong reputations as credible alternatives. On Reddit, particularly in subreddits like r/sysadmin, r/devops, and r/selfhosted, users frequently share experiences about providers that combine strong performance, transparent pricing, and compliance with European regulations. This article explores five European-focused cloud platforms most often praised on Reddit as alternatives to AWS.

TLDR

TLDR: Reddit users often recommend European cloud providers that offer predictable pricing, GDPR compliance, and solid performance without AWS-level complexity. Hetzner, Scaleway, OVHcloud, UpCloud, and Exoscale stand out for cost efficiency and developer friendliness. These platforms are frequently chosen for startups, SaaS products, and privacy-sensitive workloads. While they may lack some advanced AWS services, they often exceed expectations for core infrastructure needs.

Why Reddit Users Look Beyond AWS

AWS is undeniably powerful, but Reddit discussions repeatedly highlight frustrations related to billing complexity, unexpected cost spikes, and vendor lock-in. European developers and businesses are also increasingly concerned with GDPR compliance and data residency, making US-based hyperscalers less appealing in some cases.

Another recurring point is operational simplicity. Many Redditors argue that smaller European providers deliver what most teams actually need: reliable compute, fast storage, and responsive support. This has fueled interest in regional cloud platforms that focus on infrastructure rather than sprawling ecosystems.

1. Hetzner Cloud

Hetzner is arguably the most frequently praised European cloud provider on Reddit. Based in Germany, it is known for aggressive pricing, high-quality hardware, and a surprisingly polished cloud platform.

• Strengths: Extremely competitive pricing, fast NVMe storage, generous bandwidth
• Popular Use Cases: Web hosting, SaaS backends, game servers, Kubernetes clusters
• Data Centers: Germany and Finland

Reddit users often mention that Hetzner makes it possible to run production workloads at a fraction of AWS costs. The cloud API, load balancers, and managed volumes are generally considered stable and easy to use. While some note that Hetzner’s support may be less hand-holding than AWS Enterprise Support, most agree the trade-off is worth it.

2. Scaleway

Scaleway, headquartered in France and part of the Iliad Group, is another provider frequently recommended on Reddit. It positions itself as a developer-first cloud with a modern interface and a strong European identity.

• Strengths: ARM servers, transparent pricing, wide range of instance types
• Popular Use Cases: Microservices, CI pipelines, container platforms
• Data Centers: France, Netherlands, Poland

Redditors often praise Scaleway for experimenting with new technologies, including ARM-based instances that can significantly reduce costs for certain workloads. The documentation and UX also receive positive feedback, especially compared to the complexity of AWS.

Some users caution that Scaleway’s platform occasionally changes rapidly, which may affect long-term stability for conservative enterprises. Still, it remains a favorite among startups and indie developers.

3. OVHcloud

OVHcloud is one of the largest European hyperscalers and a frequent topic in Reddit infrastructure discussions. With a broad product portfolio, it is often considered the closest European equivalent to AWS.

• Strengths: Global footprint, bare metal options, strong DDoS protection
• Popular Use Cases: Enterprise hosting, high-traffic websites, compliance-heavy industries
• Data Centers: Multiple locations across Europe and worldwide

Reddit feedback on OVHcloud is mixed but generally positive. Users appreciate the pricing and raw power, especially for bare metal servers. The built-in DDoS protection is frequently cited as a major advantage.

Criticism tends to focus on customer support responsiveness and the complexity of certain management interfaces. However, for organizations that need scale and European data residency, OVHcloud remains a strong contender.

Image not found in postmeta

4. UpCloud

UpCloud is a Finnish cloud provider often highlighted on Reddit for its performance reliability. It may not be as widely known as others on this list, but its reputation among experienced sysadmins is notably strong.

• Strengths: High IOPS storage, SLA-backed performance, simple pricing
• Popular Use Cases: Databases, latency-sensitive apps, production workloads
• Data Centers: Europe, US, Asia

Reddit users regularly praise UpCloud’s MaxIOPS storage, claiming it delivers consistently high performance without surprises. The control panel is considered straightforward, making it easier to manage virtual machines compared to AWS’s layered services.

On the downside, UpCloud offers fewer managed services than AWS, which may require more manual configuration. For teams comfortable with infrastructure management, this is often seen as a benefit rather than a drawback.

5. Exoscale

Exoscale, based in Switzerland, rounds out the list as a privacy-focused cloud provider with strong Reddit endorsements, especially from security-conscious users.

• Strengths: GDPR compliance, clear pricing, strong API support
• Popular Use Cases: SaaS platforms, regulated workloads, API-driven systems
• Data Centers: Switzerland, Germany, Austria

Exoscale frequently comes up in Reddit threads discussing data protection and legal jurisdiction. Switzerland’s strict privacy laws make it particularly attractive for companies handling sensitive data.

Although Exoscale does not attempt to replicate AWS’s enormous service catalog, Reddit users commend its focus on doing core cloud services well and keeping pricing easy to understand.

How These Providers Compare to AWS

Reddit discussions emphasize that these European cloud providers are not direct feature-for-feature replacements for AWS. Instead, they compete on different strengths:

• Simplicity: Fewer services, easier mental models
• Cost Control: Flat, predictable pricing
• Compliance: Strong alignment with GDPR and EU regulations

Most Redditors agree that for standard workloads such as virtual machines, databases, and containerized applications, these providers are more than sufficient. Advanced AWS offerings like Lambda or proprietary AI services may still require AWS, but many teams find they do not actually need them.

FAQ

• Are European cloud providers reliable enough for production?
  Yes. Reddit users regularly report running mission-critical workloads on these platforms with high uptime and consistent performance.
• Do these providers fully comply with GDPR?
  Most European-focused providers are designed with GDPR compliance in mind, and many offer clear data residency guarantees within the EU.
• Can these platforms replace AWS entirely?
  For many workloads, yes. However, highly specialized AWS services may not have direct equivalents.
• Which is the cheapest AWS alternative in Europe?
  Reddit users most often point to Hetzner as the most cost-effective option for general-purpose infrastructure.
• Are these providers suitable for startups?
  Absolutely. Startups often choose European cloud providers for predictable pricing and simpler infrastructure management.