European options and the jobs they do
LibreOffice is the leading European-rooted open-source desktop office suite, while Nextcloud Hub provides a German open-source collaboration layer for files, groupware, calls, and integrated document editing. A European-hosted combination can replace much of Microsoft 365, but organisations must separately plan identity, email, calendars, meetings, macros, and specialised Office formats.
Microsoft 365 is not just Word and Excel. It combines identity, device policy, email, storage, collaboration, meetings, security, workflow automation, and a large partner ecosystem. A serious alternative project starts by mapping dependencies rather than promising instant feature parity.
What to compare before switching
A work tool becomes infrastructure once teams build documents, workflows, and institutional memory inside it. Portability, open formats, self-hosting, administrator controls, integrations, and a credible exit plan can matter more than feature-count parity on day one.
Use LibreOffice for local document creation and strong support for open formats. Use Nextcloud Hub when files and collaboration should run on chosen infrastructure. Add a European mail, meeting, identity, and office-editing provider as needed. Pilot the hardest spreadsheets, templates, and accessibility workflows first.
Ownership, scope and the shortlist
This guide uses European in a precise, disclosed way. Some options are based in the EU, some elsewhere in Europe, and some are open-source projects whose jurisdiction depends on the host you choose. None of those labels automatically guarantees privacy, security, good labour practices, or a perfect fit.
Treat this page as a shortlist, not a verdict. Federal Europa does not rank countries or sell placement in this guide. The useful outcome is a more contestable European market in which people and organisations can switch, export their data, and keep more than one credible door open.