Replacing WhatsApp, Gmail and Teams: Swiss or European messaging, e-mail and video calls
Threema, Wire, Olvid, Proton Mail, Infomaniak, Tuta, kMeet: the Swiss and European equivalents of WhatsApp, Gmail and Teams, what changes for a team, and where to start.
Published on 17 September 2026 by Lumineth
Daily communication is the first place client data passes through: a phone number, a file sent “quickly” on WhatsApp, an attachment in Gmail. It is also the family of tools where Swiss equivalents are most mature. Second part of the digital sovereignty series.
Instant messaging: replacing WhatsApp
| Solution | Country / publisher | Origin | Open source | Self-hostable | Pricing model | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threema / Threema Work | Switzerland | Switzerland | Yes (apps) | No (Threema OnPrem optional) | Paid | No phone number required |
| Wire | Switzerland / Germany | Switzerland | Yes | Yes | Freemium | Business-oriented |
| Olvid | France | EU | Yes (apps) | No | Freemium | Certified by ANSSI |
| Element (Matrix) | United Kingdom | Europe outside the EU | Yes | Yes | Freemium | Open Matrix protocol |
Threema Work is the simplest choice for a Swiss team: no phone number to expose, an admin console, servers in Switzerland. Wire suits organisations that want to host themselves. Element relies on Matrix, an open protocol; it is the most flexible and the most technical.
E-mail: replacing Gmail
| Solution | Country / publisher | Origin | Open source | Pricing model | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proton Mail | Switzerland | Switzerland | Yes (apps) | Freemium | End-to-end encryption |
| Infomaniak Mail | Switzerland | Switzerland | No | Freemium | Part of kSuite |
| Tuta | Germany | EU | Yes (apps) | Freemium | End-to-end encryption |
| mailbox.org | Germany | EU | No | Paid | Mail + calendar + documents suite |
E-mail is the heaviest migration: addresses, archives, calendars, contacts, filters, and the habits of the whole team. Proton Mail brings end-to-end encryption, useful for health or legal data; Infomaniak Mail is part of kSuite (documents, kDrive, kChat, kMeet), which makes it a complete suite to replace Google Workspace in one go.
Video calls: replacing Teams and Google Meet
| Solution | Country / publisher | Origin | Open source | Self-hostable | Pricing model | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| kMeet (Infomaniak) | Switzerland | Switzerland | Yes (based on Jitsi) | No | Free | |
| Jitsi Meet | American publisher (8x8) | International (open source) | Yes | Yes | Free | To self-host in Europe |
kMeet is Jitsi hosted in Switzerland by Infomaniak, with no account required for guests. Proton also offers Proton Meet, end-to-end encrypted, in its suite. It is the easiest migration of the whole series: one link to change in the invitations.
Where to start
- Video, in a day: a kMeet link replaces the Teams link.
- Messaging, in a week: Threema Work deployed, groups recreated, WhatsApp closed for professional exchanges.
- E-mail, in a quarter: new domain or migration of the existing one, archive transfer, a period of double reception, then cut-over.
I put this kind of migration in place with your teams: inventory, choices by data sensitivity, staged switch-over, operations. A first conversation is enough to know where to start.
Get in touchFAQ
Frequently asked questions
Threema or Wire for a team?
Threema Work if you want a simple, administered Swiss solution that does not expose phone numbers. Wire if you want to host yourself or if the team spans several organisations.
Can we keep our e-mail address when changing provider?
Yes, if you own your domain name. The DNS records are pointed to the new provider; addresses stay the same.
Is end-to-end encryption necessary?
For health, legal or financial data it brings a strong guarantee. For everyday communication, Swiss hosting with a serious provider is often enough.
A concrete case on your side?
Tell me what costs you time or what you want to take back control of; I get back within 24 business hours with a first read, no obligation.