The verdict in three sentences
In 2026, hosting your data in France or the EU with OVHcloud or Scaleway is the shortest path to GDPR compliance, avoiding legally fragile non-EU transfers. Infrastructure cost stays modest — EUR 5 to 40/month for a brochure or B2B site — but the real spend is compliance work (DPA, records, encryption, backups) of EUR 1,000 to 4,000. US cloud is not banned, but it demands extra safeguards that thicken the regulator's file.
EU host comparison in 2026
The choice hinges less on price than on data localization, support, and ecosystem. Here are the 2026 orders of magnitude.
| Criterion | OVHcloud | Scaleway | US cloud (AWS/GCP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brochure-site price/month | EUR 5 to 30 | EUR 6 to 35 | EUR 10 to 50 |
| EU data localization | France, guaranteed | France/Netherlands | EU possible, with conditions |
| Legal sovereignty | French/EU law | French/EU law | Subject to US law (Cloud Act) |
| GDPR compliance | Native, DPA provided | Native, DPA provided | DPA + standard clauses required |
| Local-language support | Yes | Yes | Variable |
| Best for | SMEs, public sector | Startups, dev, scale | International scale |
For a European SME or a sovereignty-conscious institution, OVH and Scaleway cover 90% of needs without the legal risk of non-EU transfers.
GDPR hosting compliance checklist
The host alone is not enough: compliance is a set of obligations. Here are the items to verify and their setup cost.
| Compliance item | Requirement | Estimated cost (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Signed DPA (processing agreement) | Contract with the host | Included (OVH/Scaleway) |
| EU data localization | EU servers, no non-EU transfer | Included if EU |
| Encryption in transit (TLS) + at rest | SSL certificate + encrypted disks | 0 to 300 |
| Encrypted backups + recovery plan | Tested daily backups | 200 to 800 |
| Records of processing activities | Regulator documentation | 500 to 1,500 |
| Privacy policy + cookie banner | Compliant banner, notices | 300 to 900 |
| Rights handling (access, erasure) | Documented procedure | 300 to 1,000 |
All told, full compliance for a B2B site runs between EUR 1,000 and 4,000, with the upper band for sensitive data (health, finance, HR).
Mini case study
Claire, DPO of a financial-services SME, must secure a site collecting prospect data. She migrates from a US host to Scaleway (France) at EUR 18/month. The compliance project costs EUR 2,600: DPA, encrypted disks, tested daily backups, records of processing, and a rebuilt cookie banner. Result: no more non-EU transfers, a solid regulator file, and a concrete sales argument with enterprise clients who require sovereign hosting. The annual infrastructure cost (EUR 216) is negligible against the risk of a GDPR fine, which can reach 4% of revenue.
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FAQ
Must I host in France to be GDPR-compliant?
No, the EU is enough. GDPR does not mandate France, but EU hosting avoids non-EU transfers, which require extra safeguards (standard contractual clauses) that are legally more fragile since the Privacy Shield was invalidated.
Is US cloud banned?
No, but it subjects you to the US Cloud Act and requires standard clauses plus a reinforced compliance file. For sensitive data or the public sector, EU hosting remains clearly safer and easier to defend.
OVH or Scaleway, which to choose?
OVH for robustness, breadth, and public sector; Scaleway for technical projects and startups. Both offer EU localization, a DPA, and local-language support. For brochure use, the difference is marginal.
What is the risk of non-compliance?
GDPR fines can reach EUR 20 million or 4% of global revenue. Beyond that, a breach of poorly protected data costs reputation and customer trust, often far more than the penalty itself.
Is SSL enough to be compliant?
No. TLS encryption protects data in transit, but compliance also covers encryption at rest, backups, records of processing, and rights handling. SSL is necessary, not sufficient.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your sector, data sensitivity, and current host, and we'll price an EU migration (OVH/Scaleway) and GDPR compliance work (EUR 1,000 to 4,000). Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
