European alternatives to 1Password
1Password is a popular password manager from Canada. If you would rather manage credentials with a European provider or self-hosted, Europe offers open-source and GDPR-oriented alternatives – from a simple cloud vault to a self-hosted team solution.
Why look for an alternative?
Reasons include EU data processing, open source for independent security auditability, and – with self-hosting – full control over the password vault. For teams, granular permissions and a DPA are important criteria.
What to look for in an alternative
- End-to-end encryption, zero-knowledge architecture
- Provider location/data processing in Europe (or Switzerland)
- Open source and independent security audits
- Self-hosting option for full data sovereignty
- Team features: sharing, roles, SSO/directory
The best European alternatives at a glance
Sorted by suitability as a replacement for the tool you searched. The Sovereignty Score independently rates how European and data-sovereign a provider is – so the two values can differ.
Swiss privacy suite with end-to-end encrypted email, calendar, drive, password manager and VPN.
Open-source password manager for teams from Luxembourg – self-hostable with strong rights management.
Open-source password manager from Germany with client-side end-to-end encryption – self-hostable or as SaaS.
Comparison table
The top providers in detail
Proton offers an entire ecosystem around encrypted communication: Mail, Calendar, Drive, Pass (passwords) and VPN. Its headquarters in Switzerland, end-to-end encryption and own server hardware in Switzerland and Germany make Proton one of the best-known privacy alternatives to Google and Microsoft. All apps are open source; Proton is ISO/IEC 27001 certified and has a SOC 2 Type II report. Proton Mail Plus starts at €4.99 per month (€3.99 with annual billing), the Proton Unlimited bundle at €12.99 per month.
Strengths
- End-to-end encryption across the whole suite
- Own server hardware (Switzerland/Germany), no hyperscaler
- Open source, ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II
Weaknesses
- Headquartered in Switzerland (EFTA), not in the EU/EEA
- No self-hosting
- Encryption limits some convenience features
Passbolt is an open-source password manager (AGPLv3) designed for teams and based in Luxembourg. The focus is on securely sharing credentials in organizations, granular rights management and self-hosting. The Community Edition can be self-hosted for free; the cloud variants are operated in Europe – Business on Google Cloud (Belgium/Germany), Sovereign/Enterprise in a sovereign data center in Luxembourg (ISO 27001, DORA/PFS). This makes Passbolt particularly interesting for privacy-conscious companies.
Strengths
- Open source and self-hostable (Community Edition free)
- Strong rights and sharing management for teams
- Sovereign cloud option in Luxembourg (ISO 27001, DORA)
Weaknesses
- Cloud Business runs on Google Cloud (EU region)
- Fewer convenience features for individual users
- Setup is more demanding than with cloud consumer tools
Psono (esaqa GmbH) is an open-source password manager for teams and companies. Passwords and secrets are end-to-end encrypted on the client side, so the server only stores encrypted data. The server is open source and can be fully self-hosted – for maximum data sovereignty – or used as a hosted SaaS. For businesses, Psono offers SAML/LDAP integration, audit logs and sharing; the self-hosted community edition is free. Security audits (e.g. by Cure53) are publicly available.
Strengths
- Open source and fully self-hostable (full data sovereignty)
- Client-side end-to-end encryption
- Provider and servers based in Germany
- Enterprise features (SAML, LDAP, audit logs), public pentests
Weaknesses
- Self-hosting requires technical know-how and maintenance
- Less well known, with a smaller ecosystem than large providers
Migration effort
| Providers | Migration effort | Fit |
|---|---|---|
| Proton | low | 88/100 |
| Passbolt | medium | 84/100 |
| Psono | medium | 82/100 |
When switching pays off
Switching is worthwhile if you prefer open source or want to self-host the vault. Proton Pass is the simplest cloud alternative with Swiss privacy; Passbolt and Psono are ideal for teams that want self-hosting.
When to stick with your current tool
If you rely heavily on specific 1Password features or integrations, check in advance whether the alternative covers them. For most personal and team use cases, the European tools are fully sufficient.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an open-source alternative to 1Password?
Can I import my passwords from 1Password?
The Sovereignty Score is an editorial orientation aid, not legal advice. How we rate.