France swaps US tech for European alternatives to Zoom and ChatGPT
The use of American video conferencing tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams are to be phased out in the public sector
France has several competitive alternatives to the big tech firms
France is reducing its dependence on US Big Tech by replacing so ware with alternatives developed closer to home.
In January, the government announced plans to phase out the use of US video conferencing tools including Zoom and Microsoft Teams across the public sector, replacing them with the state-developed platform Visio by 2027.
It is also migrating 2.5 million government computers from the Microsoft Windows operating system to Linux.
Officials say the shift is aimed at strengthening data security, reducing reliance on foreign infrastructure, and cutting costs.
A government statement described the move as “an important step in strengthening our digital resilience”.
David Amiel, then delegated minister for the civil service, said France could not risk having its science, sensitive data or strategic innovations “exposed to non-European actors”.
“Digital sovereignty is simultaneously an imperative for our public services, an opportunity for our businesses, and a safeguard against future threats,” he added.
Here are some of the French and European alternatives currently available.
Payment systems and messaging apps
Swap Visa and Mastercard for Wero
European mobile payments system Wero launched in 2024, allowing users to send and receive money through peer-to-peer transfers.
The platform aims to compete with services including Visa, Mastercard and PayPal. It is currently available in France, Belgium and Germany, with plans to expand into other European countries.
Its website says users will soon be able to make in-store and online purchases and pay subscriptions through the service.
Wero is backed by the European Payments Initiative, a partnership of European banks and financial institutions.
Swap WhatsApp for Tchap
The French government has also developed its own messaging platform, Tchap, as an alternative to apps such as WhatsApp.
Currently reserved for civil servants, Tchap allows users to chat one-to-one or in groups and send documents securely.
Video calls, AI and office software
Swap Zoom and Microsoft Teams for Visio, Livestorm or Jitsi Meet
Visio, developed by the French government, has already been tested by around 40,000 civil servants.
The platform offers video calls as well as AI-generated transcriptions and meeting summaries. For now, it is only available within the public sector.
Other French alternatives include Livestorm, a webinar-focused video conferencing platform used in sectors including healthcare, marketing and government.
At a European level, Jitsi Meet provides a free, open-source video conferencing service. The project began in 2003 and was created by a student at the University of Strasbourg.
Swap ChatGPT for Mistral AI
French start-up Mistral AI was founded in Paris in 2023.
In early 2025, it launched Le Chat for iPhone and Android devices in direct competition with ChatGPT.
The company says its tools are already used by organisations including carmaker Stellantis, insurer AXA and the French defence ministry.
Swap Google for Qwant or Lilo
Search engine Qwant launched in 2013 with a strong focus on privacy.
It describes itself as “the search engine that doesn’t know anything about you”, contrasting itself with competitors that collect personal data for advertising purposes.
Lilo, meanwhile, markets itself as a “solidarity search engine” and says it helps fund social and environmental projects through user searches.
Swap Microsoft Office and Google Workspace for La Suite Numérique or CryptPad
La Suite Numérique is a government-backed suite of open-source tools that includes Tchap for messaging, Visio for video conferencing and Docs for collaborative documents.
At present, it is only available to government employees.
CryptPad is another European collaborative office suite offering tools including rich text documents, spreadsheets and presentation slides.
The service is fully open-source and free to use, with paid subscriptions ranging from €5 to €100 per month for extra storage and support.
Browser extension suggests European alternatives
Users looking to reduce their reliance on US tech can also install Charles, a free European-made browser extension available on Google Chrome.
The extension suggests European alternatives whenever users visit a US technology website.
Its developers say the tool helps promote “digital autonomy” and compliance with European data protection rules including GDPR.
Users can choose from several modes, ranging from simple notifications to fully blocking access to selected US-based websites.
