tech from europe
vsSkype

Nextcloud Talk vs Skype

Last updated October 2026

Looking for a European alternative to Skype? Here's how Nextcloud Talk compares, on EU hosting, GDPR and what it does.

Our pick for a European buyer: Nextcloud Talk. We weight data residency, GDPR and EU jurisdiction above everything else — that is the constraint this directory exists to solve.

Nextcloud Talk
Skype
What it is
Self-hosted video and chat from Switzerland with end-to-end encryption and EU hosting
Offers voice, video, and instant messaging over the internet.
Headquarters
🇨🇭 CH
🇺🇸 US · 2003
EU data residency
Yes, for all customers
not established
DSGVO / GDPR
Yes
not established
Certifications
ISO 27001
No
Price from
€42/user/yr
No
Free plan
No
No
Open Source
Yes
No
Ratings
G2 4.6/5 (189) · CAPTERRA 4.6/5 (442)
No
Integrations
Pexip, Microsoft Outlook (Sendent Add-in), Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Office Online Server +8
No

Where each one wins

Nextcloud Talk

Strengths

  • +Strong data privacy and sovereignty with self-hosting and full data control, ensuring GDPR compliance and preventing metadata leakage
  • +Excellent customer support with quick, precise responses, often directly from developers, especially in paid subscriptions
  • +Seamless integration with other Nextcloud apps (Files, Calendar, Contacts, Deck, Office) for unified collaboration
  • +Open-source flexibility allowing extensive customization and plugin/extension support
  • +User-friendly installation and maintenance, particularly with the All-in-One (AIO) Docker container
  • +Privacy-focused encrypted audio/video calls and chat with support for group calls, webinars, and screen sharing
  • +Cost-effective with a free community edition and flexible enterprise pricing
  • +Well-regarded mobile apps, particularly the Android version for usability

Limitations

  • −Mobile apps (especially iOS) suffer from bugs, unreliable notifications, and limited integration of features like calendar and mail
  • −Video call performance is unstable with more than 2-3 participants without the High-Performance Backend (HPB), which is complex and costly to set up
  • −Initial setup and configuration can be complex for non-technical users, with overwhelming feature options and insufficient documentation

Skype

Strengths

  • +Widely recognized for ease of use
  • +Reliable for international calls

Limitations

  • −Privacy concerns due to data collection practices
  • −Limited advanced features in free tier

Data residency & compliance

Nextcloud Talk
Skype
EU data residency
Yes, for all customers
not established
Transfer mechanism
Not required — data stays in the EU
not established
DPA
not established
not established
Sub-processors
Listed →
not established
Certifications
ISO 27001
No

Pricing

Nextcloud Talk

  • Nextcloud Enterprise Standard Starting at €42 per user / yearIncludes Nextcloud Talk for secure online meetings and chat · Starting at 100 users, billed annually · Optional High Performance Backend for webinars and SIP bridge

Pricing is net, excluding VAT. Nextcloud One offers a fully managed service for fewer than 100 users at separate pricing.

Skype

No published pricing we could verify.

Pricing details not publicly listed in the provided research.

Features

Nextcloud Talk

Communication & Collaboration
Group and private chat with message editing, reactions, and stickers, One-to-one and group audio/video calls with screen sharing, Webinars and public video conferences with lobby (requires High Performance Backend), SIP bridge for phone dial-in and dial-out (requires High Performance Backend)
Security & Privacy
Fully self-hosted on-premises solution with no metadata leakage, End-to-end encrypted calls (web and desktop client), Multi-layered encryption and brute-force protection, Passwordless login and AI-based suspicious login detection
Federation & Integration
Federated chat and video calls across different Nextcloud servers, Integration with Nextcloud Files and Groupware, Webhook-based bots for third-party service integration, Pexip integration for managing calls within Nextcloud apps
Usability & Scalability
Easy installation with hosted STUN server and optional local TURN server, Supports calls with thousands of participants in enterprise setups, Live AI transcription during calls, Conversation sorting, grouping, and layout options

Skype

Communication
Voice calls, Video calls, Instant messaging, Group chats
Accessibility
Cross-platform support, Mobile and desktop apps, Screen sharing
See Nextcloud Talk →More Skype alternatives