The verdict in three sentences
Hosting your multilingual B2B site inside the European Union (OVHcloud or Scaleway) costs 12 to 150 EUR/month depending on the management level, while guaranteeing GDPR compliance with no risky non-EU transfers. It is a direct commercial argument against enterprise buyers who demand EU data residency in their tenders. Measurable benefits: < 30 ms latency in Europe, daily backups, and clear data-processing clauses.
OVHcloud vs Scaleway comparison 2026
Both European providers cover the core B2B needs with datacenters across the EU. Here are 2026 ballparks.
| Offer | OVHcloud | Scaleway | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry VPS | 12 - 25 EUR/month | 14 - 28 EUR/month | Multilingual brochure site |
| Performance VPS | 30 - 60 EUR/month | 32 - 65 EUR/month | Sustained traffic + CMS |
| Managed hosting | 40 - 120 EUR/month | 45 - 150 EUR/month | No in-house ops |
| Object Storage (100 GB) | 5 - 10 EUR/month | 6 - 12 EUR/month | Media, backups |
| EU CDN | 20 - 60 EUR/month | 25 - 80 EUR/month | Multi-country perf |
| SSL certificate | Included (Let's Encrypt) | Included | HTTPS mandatory |
For a mid-traffic multilingual B2B site, a realistic monthly budget lands between 70 and 180 EUR/month all-in (compute + storage + CDN).
EU vs US cloud: the real compliance stake
The choice is not just about price but the legal regime governing the data. A US cloud exposes you to non-EU transfers that regulators scrutinise closely.
| Criterion | EU hosting (OVH/Scaleway) | US cloud (hyperscaler) |
|---|---|---|
| Guaranteed data residency | Yes, EU datacenter | Variable, complex clauses |
| US Cloud Act exposure | No | Yes (US jurisdiction) |
| GDPR compliance by default | Native | Requires DPA + TIA |
| Europe latency | < 30 ms | 30 - 90 ms by region |
| Enterprise sales argument | Strong | Weak to neutral |
| Equivalent monthly cost | 70 - 180 EUR | 90 - 250 EUR |
In 2026, a growing share of B2B and public tenders explicitly require EU hosting: sometimes it is a knock-out criterion.
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Mini case study
Bram, director of a 30-person B2B SME in Amsterdam, bids for a tender from an industrial group requiring EU data residency and a recovery plan. He migrates his trilingual site from a shared US host (28 EUR/month) to a managed Scaleway VPS at 95 EUR/month with Object Storage and an EU CDN. Extra cost: 67 EUR/month (804 EUR/year). Result: compliant bid accepted, framework contract signed at 48,000 EUR/year. The hosting premium is 1.7 % of the contract won, an obvious trade-off.
FAQ
Are OVH and Scaleway truly sovereign? They are European companies with EU datacenters, outside US Cloud Act jurisdiction. For enhanced sovereignty, Scaleway offers qualified tiers and OVH provides dedicated zones depending on needs.
Does GDPR require EU hosting? Not strictly, but hosting in the EU radically simplifies compliance: no transfer impact assessment (TIA), no complex standard contractual clauses. It is the safest, cheapest path in legal overhead.
What latency for my European clients? From a datacenter in Amsterdam or Paris, expect under 30 ms to most EU capitals. An EU CDN brings media load time under 50 ms across Europe.
Is backup included? With managed hosting, yes: daily backup with 7 to 30 days retention depending on the plan. On a bare VPS, plan an automated backup (5 to 12 EUR/month of object storage).
Can I switch host later without breaking everything? Yes if your site is containerised or static/headless: portability is good. Allow 1 to 3 days for an EU-to-EU host migration, redirects and DNS included.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your traffic, languages and compliance requirements: we recommend an EU architecture and a monthly budget between 70 and 180 EUR. 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.
