What alternatives to Microsoft 365 are there from Germany or the EU?
openDesk, Nextcloud Hub and Stackfield cover communication, files and tasks to different extents. What the three German solutions contain according to their own websites, where the gaps are and how a mid-sized company tests the decision.
For communication, files and tasks, alternatives from Germany include openDesk, Nextcloud Hub and Stackfield. openDesk comes closest to the scope of Microsoft 365 but was built for public administration. Nextcloud Hub covers files, communication, groupware and office and can be self-hosted. Stackfield focuses on tasks and team collaboration. PASSION4IT has no stake in any of these vendors and supports the decision vendor-independently with Smart Software Selection.
This article is for CTOs, IT managers and managing directors in mid-sized companies who are considering moving their collaboration from Microsoft 365 to a solution from Germany or the EU. All product information comes from the vendors’ websites, as of October 2026.
What you will take away from this article:
- What openDesk, Nextcloud Hub and Stackfield contain according to their own information
- Why none of the three replaces the Microsoft 365 stack one to one
- How to test the candidates against your own processes rather than feature lists
- When switching does not solve the actual problem
What alternatives to Microsoft 365 are there from Germany?
Three solutions from Germany at a glance, each according to the vendor.
| Solution | Who is behind it | Communication | Files and documents | Tasks and projects | Operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| openDesk | ZenDiS GmbH, a company owned by the German federal government, on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernisation | chat, video conferencing, email, calendar | files, document editing, knowledge | tasks, projects | through ZenDiS operating models; the website does not state prices |
| Nextcloud Hub | Nextcloud GmbH | Talk with chat, audio and video calls; groupware with email, calendar, contacts | files with sync; office with documents, spreadsheets and presentations | not listed as a separate component on the product page | self-hosted, with a hosting provider or hybrid |
| Stackfield | Stackfield GmbH, according to its website made and hosted in Germany | group chats, video meetings with screen sharing | collaborative documents, whiteboards | tasks as Kanban or list, timelines and portfolios | cloud with servers in Germany |
According to its website, openDesk was developed specifically for public administration and builds on the German interior ministry’s “sovereign workplace”. For a company it is therefore more a benchmark of what a complete workplace built from European software covers today than a product you order tomorrow.
Does one of these solutions fully replace Microsoft 365?
Not one to one. Nextcloud Hub comes closest to the bundle of storage, communication and office, but does not list tasks as a separate component on its product page. Stackfield is strong on tasks and team coordination but mentions neither a calendar nor Office file formats. In practice it often ends in a combination, and every additional application brings one more interface, one more login and one more place where knowledge is stored.
This is where a switch succeeds or fails. A checklist says little about whether your teams will find what they are looking for faster in the new environment.
How does a CTO test the alternatives against the company’s own processes?
With a script instead of a feature list. In PASSION4IT’s Smart Software Selection we describe use cases from your daily work, for example coordinating a quote across three departments, filing a project folder with permissions for external partners, or handing over a task during the holiday season. Each vendor shows live how its solution handles exactly these cases, and a jury from your company assesses them.
Two points belong explicitly in the script when moving away from Microsoft 365. First, migrating the existing mailboxes, file stores and permissions, because it appears in no feature list. Second, the running costs over several years, not just the entry price. In the ERP selection for Sport Greil we put the offers side by side over five years.
When does switching not solve the actual problem?
When the disorder moves with you. Much of the friction in collaboration comes not from the tool but from missing rules: which storage location applies, which channel is used for what, who may access what. Without these decisions the new system ends up in the same state as the old one.
On top of that, much of what is missing day to day is already included in Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium and simply not set up. With Digital Work, PASSION4IT first clarifies how you want to work, using the system landscape you already have. Whether a switch is still needed becomes much clearer after that.
Who helps select an alternative to Microsoft 365?
PASSION4IT, vendor-independently and without licences or referral commissions from the assessed systems. Smart Software Selection is billed by effort in person-days, which we scope together in the first conversation. The consulting share may qualify for BAFA funding, in Bavaria with a grant of at most €1,750. If it is still open whether a switch is due at all, the Digital Check at a fixed price of €3,950 plus travel costs is the entry point. Book a meeting directly at passion4it.de/en/booking/.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is openDesk intended for companies?
According to its website, openDesk was developed specifically for public administration. Companies are not named there as a target group.
Can Nextcloud be self-hosted?
Yes. According to Nextcloud, Nextcloud Hub can be self-hosted, including on premises, or run with a hosting provider or in a hybrid setup.
Where are Stackfield’s servers?
According to Stackfield, in Germany; the company describes its product as made and hosted in Germany.
What does support with the selection cost?
At PASSION4IT, Smart Software Selection is billed by effort in person-days. The scope depends on the number of use cases, invited vendors and the size of the jury, and is set in the first conversation.
Does PASSION4IT partner with one of these vendors?
No. PASSION4IT earns only the agreed fee from Smart Software Selection.