Sustainable Substitutes for OneDrive

A cloud storage provider intertwined with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

Reasons to avoid OneDrive

OneDrive the Big Tech cloud storage service embedded into Microsoft 365 comes with and vendor lock-in effects.

Microsoft lacks transparency in its data collection practices and its data monopolies make it a non-viable option for conscious users. Go with privacy-friendly alternatives instead.

Ethical and Sustainable OneDrive Alternatives

Nextcloud

Nextcloud is a German self-hostable, open-source cloud storage and collaboration platform.

Nextcloud does not track users or sell personal data, ensuring a private and secure experience with optional end-to-end encryption.
Nextcloud is fully compatible with Microsoft Office and OpenDocument formats.
Nextcloud syncs files to your device. You can edit files offline, and changes will sync automatically once you reconnect to the internet.
Nextcloud allows for real-time same-document collaboration.
Some third party providers offer free plans with up to 5GB of storage. The self-hostable community edition is free and without licensing costs.
Nextcloud became the first cloud software platform to earn the Blauer Engel ecolabel, emphasizing environmental responsibility.
Nextcloud is designed to be self-hosted, giving users full control over their data and infrastructure.
Nextcloud is based in Germany, ensuring compliance with strong European privacy laws.
Nextcloud’s core software is fully open-source, allowing for independent audits and community-driven development.
Nextcloud is ad free and does not monetise user-data.
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Tresorit

Tresorit is a Swiss end-to-end encrypted cloud storage service with a focus on security.

Tresorit uses end-to-end encryption (zero-knowledge), meaning files are encrypted locally before upload, and only the user holds the decryption keys.
Tresorit is based in Switzerland, ensuring compliance with strong European privacy laws.
Tresorit avoids unnecessary data consumption, focusing on efficient and secure file storage without AI-driven bloat.
Tresorit offers a free, basic plan with up to 3GB of encrypted storage.
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pCloud

pCloud is a Swiss secure cloud storage service with lifetime plans.

pCloud does not track users unnecessarily, and its optional zero-knowledge encryption ensures that files are encrypted locally before being uploaded to the cloud.
pCloud is based in Switzerland, ensuring compliance with strong European privacy laws.
pCloud offers 10GB of unencrypted storage with a free account and promises that it will be free forever.
pCloud offers affordable plans that allow users to pay for storage once and use it forever (or as long as the company exists).
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The 6 main issues with OneDrive

Big Tech - Big Tech companies do not nourish people and planet. This is especially true in times of political tension.

Microsoft is one of the largest tech companies, contributing to market monopolisation and locking users into proprietary, cloud-dependent ecosystems. Source: heise online: Germany falls into the data trap in the Microsoft cloud

Privacy Concerns - User data is likely to be stored and used against users' best interest.

Microsoft 365 (which OneDrive is part of) collects and analyses user data, raising significant privacy concerns, as highlighted by the EU Commission’s GDPR violations and ongoing data sovereignty issues. Source: The Register: EU Commission broke data protection law with Microsoft 365

Lack of Transparency - Opacity in operations, data handling, or supply chains, making it difficult for users to understand practices.

Microsoft lacks transparency in its data collection and usage practices, with the EU Data Protection Supervisor citing insufficient documentation and user control.Microsoft claims to enable GDPR compliancy with its EU located servers, but the US CLOUD act stands in direct conflict to these claims. Source: heise online: EU Commission fulfills data requirements for Microsoft 365Heise: Microsoft's sovereignty debacle: Between "flowery advertising" and "no panic" (2025)

Data Monopolies - Control of vast amounts of user data, creating risks for privacy and potential misuse.

Microsoft 365 and OneDrive contribute to Microsoft’s vast data monopolies, with concerns over US surveillance laws and forced cloud migration undermining user privacy and autonomy. Source: The Register: Microsoft’s data sovereignty: Now with extra sovereignty!

Support of Authoritarian Regimes - Companies actively supporting, financing and legitimising regimes and unethical policies.

Microsoft is financing Donald Trumps plans to create a new ballroom in the white house, hoping to benefit from upcoming laws. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella donated $1 Million to Trumps inauguration fund.Sources: OpenSecrets: Trump ballroom donors poised to benefit from AI plan they helped shape (2026)The Verge: Tech’s shift to Trump: all the companies and execs kissing the ring (2025)

Tax Avoidance - Aggressive strategies are being deployed to avoid paying taxes.

Microsoft is known for using aggressive tax avoidance schemes and has been fined for it. Source: The Guardian: This article is more than 11 years old US tech giants launch fierce fightback against global tax avoidance crackdown (2015)