In an increasingly connected world, the question of where your data lives and who controls it has never been more critical. Marzipan is a UK-based company but we (proudly) host our websites, apps and, most importantly, our customers' data in the EU. We represent a growing movement of European businesses offering genuine alternatives to American tech giants — alternatives built on stronger privacy foundations, regulatory compliance, and respect for users' rights.
Location, Location, Location
When you use services from major American technology companies, your data operates under different legal frameworks and corporate policies — even when stored on locally based servers. Despite contractual arrangements like Standard Contractual Clauses, American companies ultimately remain subject to US laws that can require data disclosure, regardless of where their servers are physically located, often with limited transparency about these processes.
By contrast, our UK base and EU hosting means your data remains within local jurisdiction, protected by some of the world's strongest privacy laws. This isn't just about compliance — it's about creating a digital ecosystem that puts users first.
More Than Just Compliance
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) isn't merely a regulatory hurdle we have to navigate; it's the foundation of our privacy-by-design philosophy. Unlike companies that treat privacy, let alone GDPR, as an afterthought or burden, we embrace it and are heavily guided by the GDPR principles:
Data minimisation: we collect only what we need, when we need it, for defined purposes. No hidden data harvesting, no shadow profiles, no selling your information to third parties.
User control: your data belongs to you. Our systems are built to make exercising your rights — access, rectification, erasure, portability — simple and immediate, not buried in complex procedures designed to discourage use.
Transparent processing: we provide clear, understandable information about how we handle your data in our privacy policy but the long and short of it is: we wont do anything bad with the data you entrust to us.
Accountability: we build our systems with responsibility at their core, ensuring our practices align with privacy principles from the ground up.
The UK
The UK's GDPR is aligned with the EU GDPR and the EU Commission have adopted adequacy decisions for the UK GDPR and the Law Enforcement Directive. This means that the EU deems the UK to have an "essentially equivalent" level of data protection to the EU and data can continue to flow freely.
The UK provides a stable business environment with access to world-class talent, established financial systems, and a strong and robust legal system.
The EU
By hosting our infrastructure within the EU using our trusted providers - UpCloud, Bunny, Scaleway, and Hetzner - we ensure that your data stays within local jurisdiction and supports the regional technology ecosystem. This provides several benefits:
Legal protection: local courts and authorities have jurisdiction over data processing activities, providing you with meaningful legal recourse if issues arise.
Regulatory oversight: regional data protection authorities can directly audit and enforce compliance with privacy regulations, ensuring accountability.
Cultural values: the EU broadly prioritises privacy as a fundamental right, not a luxury good. This cultural context shapes how we build and operate our services.
Economic independence: partnering with regional infrastructure providers and service companies helps strengthen digital independence and creates a self-sustaining technology ecosystem that keeps investment and expertise local.
A Different Approach
The dominance of American technology giants has created limited choice, especially for users seeking European alternatives. For businesses and individuals who prefer to work with European companies that operate under European legal frameworks and privacy standards, options have traditionally been limited in many technology sectors.
We represent a different model:
Supporting local innovation: when you choose our services, your investment supports technology companies across the region, from our hosting partners to the skilled professionals who work for them. This creates a virtuous cycle of innovation and expertise.
Sustainable business models: we are building a business based on fair pricing for valuable services, creating alignment between our success and customer satisfaction.
Human-scale technology: instead of pursuing growth at any cost, we are focussed on building sustainable, user-friendly services that enhance rather than exploit human relationships and capabilities.
Community accountability: as a local company serving local users, we're accountable to the communities we serve. We can't hide behind distant corporate structures.
Innovation with purpose: we invest in technologies that solve real problems and improve lives, focusing on delivering genuine value to our users.
Your Choice Matters
Our digital future depends on users choosing solutions that align with their values. By keeping your data protected by strong privacy laws and served by companies that prioritise users, we're building the foundation for a more equitable and privacy-respecting digital future.
In choosing our services, you're not just selecting a technology provider — you're supporting a vision of digital technology that respects privacy, embraces transparency, and puts customer success first.
Together we can prove that innovative and competitive technology services can be built with strong values at their core. We can demonstrate that approaches to technology — grounded in user rights, transparent business practices, and respect for individual choice — offer a compelling alternative that benefits both users and the broader technology ecosystem.
If you're looking for EU based software alternatives try searching at european-alternatives.eu
