Cloud Storage
Object Storage
best object storage for personal data
Finding the Best Object Storage for Personal Data in the EU
Storing personal data brings immense responsibility, especially under strict EU regulations. Traditional cloud storage often introduces unpredictable costs and compliance risks tied to non-EU laws. A sovereign, EU-based object storage solution offers a clear path to control and security.
Key Takeaways
The best object storage for personal data prioritises EU data sovereignty to ensure GDPR compliance and avoid exposure to foreign laws like the US CLOUD Act.
A transparent pricing model with no egress fees or API call costs is critical for predictable budgeting and preventing vendor lock-in.
Immutable Storage with Object Lock provides a powerful, non-negotiable defense against ransomware by making backup data unchangeable.
A strong majority of EU decision-makers now demand European solutions for critical infrastructure, making EU data residency a key selection criterion. The challenge is finding a service that delivers sovereignty without sacrificing performance or creating budget uncertainty. The best object storage for personal data must provide robust security, full S3 compatibility for easy integration, and a transparent economic model. This approach eliminates vendor lock-in and ensures your data remains under EU legal governance, safe from foreign regulations like the CLOUD Act.
Prioritise EU Sovereignty to Secure Personal Data
In 2025, digital sovereignty is a strategic requirement, not an option. With 92% of Western data stored in the US, European companies face significant exposure to foreign laws. The best object storage for personal data must guarantee it stays within the EU, governed exclusively by EU rules. This ensures compliance with GDPR and avoids conflicts with extraterritorial laws like the US CLOUD Act.
Impossible Cloud is sovereign by design, operating only in certified European data centers. We offer country-level geofencing, giving you precise control over data residency. This architecture provides the legal certainty needed for regulated workloads. Choosing a true European cloud provider is the first step toward genuine data control.
This focus on sovereignty directly addresses the core compliance challenges many IT leaders face.
Achieve Predictable Costs and Eliminate Vendor Lock-In
Many organisations feel locked into their cloud providers due to complex pricing and high exit barriers. A significant share of businesses now prefer a German or EU provider to regain control. Our pricing model is predictable by design, featuring zero egress fees, no API call costs, and no minimum storage durations. This transparency allows for precise budget planning with an average of 80% cost savings.
The upcoming EU Data Act, applicable from September 2025, reinforces the right to data portability. Our platform is built on this principle, ensuring you can always move your data without financial penalties. This commitment to open standards protects your long-term freedom of action. Explore our transparent pricing model to see the difference.
Predictable economics are only part of the equation; performance and resilience are equally essential.
Deploy an Enterprise-Ready Architecture for High Availability
The best object storage for personal data must deliver consistent performance and availability. Our architecture is built for resilience, eliminating single points of failure and ensuring strong read/write consistency. We provide an “Always-Hot” object storage model, making 100% of your data immediately accessible without tier-restore delays or fees.
This approach avoids the pitfalls of complex tiering policies, which often lead to API timeouts and hidden operational costs. Key architectural benefits include:
Full S3 Compatibility: Protect your investments in existing tools and scripts with an API that supports advanced features like versioning and lifecycle management.
Consistent Performance: Predictable latencies support everything from millions of small files to large-scale archival workloads.
Multi-AZ Replication: Your data is automatically replicated across multiple availability zones for integrity and resilience.
Simplified Operations: The Always-Hot model reduces complexity and keeps third-party tools stable.
Our S3-compatible API ensures your migration is seamless, requiring no code rewrites. This robust security architecture is the foundation for protecting your data from modern threats.
Implement Advanced Security Against Ransomware Threats
Ransomware remains a top threat, with global expenditures projected to reach $10.5 trillion annually by 2025. Protecting personal data requires more than just perimeter defenses; it demands unchangeable data protection. Our platform includes Immutable Storage with Object Lock, a critical defense against ransomware that makes your backups tamper-proof for a set period.
This feature ensures that even if attackers breach your network, they cannot encrypt or delete your backup data. Our security measures include:
Multi-Layer Encryption: Data is encrypted both in transit and at rest, with keys managed under strict EU control.
Immutable Backups: Use Object Lock to create WORM (Write Once, Read Many) compliant backups, making recovery reliable.
Granular IAM: Implement role-driven policies with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and support for external IdPs via SAML/OIDC.
Verified Compliance: Our operations align with GDPR and support geofencing for regulated workloads.
Immutable backups provide a guaranteed recovery point, neutralizing the threat of data hostage situations. Learn more about our security best practices.
These enterprise-grade features are also designed to empower our channel partners.
Leverage a Partner-Ready Platform Built for MSPs
For Managed Service Providers, resellers, and system integrators, predictable margins are essential. Our partner program is built on our transparent pricing model, which means you can offer Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS) and archiving solutions with defensible margins. With zero egress or API fees, your costs remain stable even as data usage grows.
Our partner-ready console simplifies management with multi-tenant capabilities, RBAC, and MFA. Automation via our full S3-compatible API/CLI streamlines onboarding and operations. We are expanding local access for partners, with distribution now available through api in Germany and our first UK distributor, Northamber plc. This ecosystem includes key integrations, such as our collaboration with NovaBackup for MSP-focused compliance solutions.
This growing partner network makes it easier than ever to deliver sovereign cloud solutions to your clients.
Ensure Regulatory Readiness for a Competitive Advantage
Staying ahead of regulations is key to maintaining trust and market position. Our platform is designed to meet evolving EU rules, giving you a competitive edge. We help you comply with the NIS-2 directive's requirements for continuous security processes and supply-chain assurance, which are baked into our operations.
Our adherence to standards like the BSI C5 catalogue provides a verified baseline for cloud security. This is essential for organisations working with German government agencies and is increasingly adopted by the private sector. By choosing a provider aligned with GDPR and the upcoming Data Act, you turn regulatory readiness into a core business strength.
More Links
Data Protection Conference (DSK) provides a position paper on cloud computing, outlining its stance and recommendations regarding data protection in cloud environments.
European Commission offers comprehensive information on data protection policies, detailing the EU's approach to data protection in the digital age, including relevant regulations and initiatives.
FAQ
Why is EU data sovereignty important for storing personal data?
EU data sovereignty ensures your personal data is subject only to European laws and regulations, primarily GDPR. It prevents foreign governments from accessing your data via laws like the US CLOUD Act, which can apply to US-based providers even if their data centers are in Europe. This provides legal certainty and protects user privacy.
What is Immutable Storage and how does it protect against ransomware?
Immutable Storage, often enabled via S3 Object Lock, makes data unchangeable for a specified period. Once written, it cannot be altered, encrypted, or deleted by anyone—including ransomware. If you are attacked, you can restore your systems from these clean, tamper-proof backups without paying a ransom.
What does 'S3-compatible' mean for my business?
S3 compatibility means the object storage service uses the same API as Amazon S3. This allows your existing applications, backup software, and management tools that work with S3 to work seamlessly with the new provider. It eliminates the need for costly and time-consuming code changes during migration.
How does a 'no egress fee' model benefit my organization?
A model with no egress or API call fees provides complete cost predictability. You can access, download, and move your data as needed without incurring surprise charges. This eliminates a major source of vendor lock-in and allows you to budget for storage with confidence.
Is your platform suitable for Managed Service Providers (MSPs)?
Yes, our platform is designed for MSPs. It features a multi-tenant management console, automation via API/CLI, and a predictable pricing model with no hidden fees, which allows MSPs to build profitable Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS) and archiving solutions with stable margins.
How do you ensure data is kept within a specific country?
We use a feature called country-level geofencing. This allows you to select the specific European country where your data will be physically stored. All data and its replicas will remain within that predefined region, ensuring compliance with strict data residency requirements.
