Cybersecurity

European alternatives to Norton and McAfee. GDPR-compliant, headquartered in the EU.

5 verified providers GDPR-compliant

Why US security software is problematic

Norton and McAfee are based in the US and subject to the CLOUD Act. US authorities can therefore theoretically demand access to scan data. This is particularly sensitive with security software that has deep system access. European providers are subject exclusively to EU law.

Quick Switch

From US security software to European alternatives

Instead of
Norton 360
EU alternative
Bitdefender
Instead of
McAfee Total Protection
EU alternative
ESET

All Providers in Detail

Hand-picked European cybersecurity solutions. All providers tested and compared.

Bitdefender

Antivirus software with EU privacy standards

Romania
instead of Norton / McAfee
  • Regular test winner at AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives
  • Protection for up to 10 devices (Windows, Mac, Android, iOS)
  • Integrated VPN, anti-tracker and password manager
  • Ransomware protection and multi-layer technology
Antivirus Plus from €24.99/year · Total Security from €34.99/year · 30-day free trial

ESET

Antivirus software with machine learning engine

Slovakia
instead of Norton / McAfee
  • ESET NOD32: one of the most resource-efficient antiviruses
  • Over 30 years of experience in IT security
  • Multiple test winner (VB100, AV-Comparatives)
  • Protection for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS
NOD32 Antivirus from €29.99/year · Internet Security from €39.99/year · Smart Security Premium from €49.99/year

Modat Magnify

Submitted

Internet asset discovery from the Netherlands with real-time inventory

Netherlands
instead of Shodan
  • Real-time view of publicly exposed infrastructure
  • AI models for threat and anomaly detection
  • Device fingerprinting and behavior analysis
  • Identification of attacker infrastructure
Pricing on request. Target audiences include cybersecurity vendors, operators of critical infrastructure, financial services, government agencies, MSSPs and individuals.

Private Captcha

Submitted

Privacy-friendly captcha with infrastructure exclusively in the EU

Estonia
instead of Google reCAPTCHA / hCaptcha
  • Invisible cryptographic challenge without user interaction
  • Infrastructure exclusively in the EU (Bunny CDN, Hetzner, Scaleway)
  • No cookies, no tracking
  • Adaptive difficulty against bots
From €9/month (10,000 requests) · €108/year · VAT not included

Friendly Captcha

Submitted

Invisible proof-of-work CAPTCHA from Germany

Germany
instead of Google reCAPTCHA / hCaptcha
  • Invisible CAPTCHA without clicks or image puzzles
  • GDPR-compliant and fully accessible (BFSG)
  • Multilingual UI for 30+ languages
  • Risk analysis, bot detection, and IP intelligence
Free for non-commercial use · Starter from €9/month · Growth from €39/month · Advanced from €200/month · Enterprise on request

Frequently Asked Questions

How do European antivirus solutions perform in independent tests?

Bitdefender and ESET achieve high ratings in independent tests at AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives. The difference from US providers lies in the legal framework: European providers are subject to GDPR and not the US CLOUD Act.

Why is the CLOUD Act a problem with security software?

Security software like antivirus has deep access to the system. It scans files, programs, and sometimes messages. With US-based providers, US authorities can theoretically demand access to this scan data. European providers are subject exclusively to EU law.

Which options exist for home users?

Bitdefender Total Security protects multiple devices (Windows, Mac, Android, iOS), uses few system resources per the vendor, and includes a VPN and password manager. ESET Internet Security is designed for resource-efficient operation.