Microsoft 365 stores your business data in American data centres, subject to the CLOUD Act. Canvos offers the same functionality, entirely within Europe.
The same functionality, fundamentally different choices about your data.
| Feature | Canvos | Microsoft 365 |
|---|---|---|
| Price (25 users) | €395/month | €155 - €1,855/month (depending on licences + add-ons) |
| Data location | 100% EU (Belgium) | US, with optional EU residency (limited) |
| CLOUD Act exposure | None | Yes — Microsoft is an American company |
| Governance / DLP | Included in every plan | Only in E5 licence (+€36/user/month) |
| AI assistant privacy | Local AI (Ollama), no external API | Copilot sends data to OpenAI (US) |
| Vendor lock-in | None — open standards, exportable | Strong — proprietary formats, complex migration |
| Office Suite | ONLYOFFICE Docs (included) | Word, Excel, PowerPoint |
| Own mail server (Mailcow) | Exchange Online | |
| Chat & video | Matrix + Jitsi (self-hosted) | Microsoft Teams |
| File storage | Nextcloud (self-hosted) | OneDrive / SharePoint |
| Open source | 100% open-source stack | Proprietary |
| Schrems II compliant | Fully | Legally uncertain |
| Data classification | Included (4 levels) | Microsoft Purview (extra licence) |
| Private browser | Included | Not available |
It's not about the software — it's about the jurisdiction and the business model behind it.
The US government can compel Microsoft to hand over customer data — even if that data is stored in an EU data centre. Your business data is not safe under American law.
The European Court of Justice ruled that data transfers to the US are insufficiently protected. Microsoft 365 uses infrastructure that falls under this ruling.
Microsoft Copilot processes your documents, emails and chat via OpenAI servers in the US. Your confidential business information becomes input for an American AI system.
Microsoft raises 365 licence prices annually. Copilot costs €30/user/month extra. Governance requires an E5 licence. The actual costs add up quickly.
Proprietary formats, complex export procedures and integrations that only work within the Microsoft ecosystem make switching increasingly difficult the longer you are a customer.
Microsoft collects extensive usage data via telemetry. The German and Dutch governments have repeatedly raised concerns about the scale of this data collection.
14+ modules included in every plan. No extra licences, no surprises.
Full-featured email client with your own domain. Shared mailboxes, AI analysis, phishing reporting and governance email policies.
Writer, Calc and Impress — fully compatible with .docx, .xlsx and .pptx. Co-edit in real time, documents stay on your server.
Real-time team chat and video calls via Jitsi Meet. External participants join via link, no account needed.
Local AI via Ollama — no data sent to external servers. Write emails, schedule appointments, summarise documents.
Data classification, sharing policies, DLP rules, retention policies and compliance reporting. Included in every plan.
SharePoint-like shared folders per team. File management with classification, version control and audit trail.
No weeks of preparation. We migrate your data quickly and securely.
We inventory your current M365 environment: mailboxes, files, shared folders, calendars and contacts.
Emails, files, contacts and calendar items are imported into your new Canvos environment. No data loss.
Your domain name is connected to the new mail server. We test everything before going live.
Your team logs into Canvos and continues working immediately. Support available for the first 30 days.
No sales pitches — just an honest conversation about your data, your compliance and your budget.