Swiss server or low-cost EU hosting?
We run vant.ch and our services on a Swiss server in Geneva. The websites of our clients in Colombia and our own online shop Animalina, on the other hand, are hosted with a European provider. Here is how we decide and what each option costs.
What data is on the server
Hosting is first of all a legal question. A server always sits in a jurisdiction, and whoever operates it must provide information to the authorities of that jurisdiction. If the provider belongs to a US group, this also applies to a data centre in Frankfurt: under the US CLOUD Act, US authorities can access data that a US company stores abroad.
Swiss data protection law does not prescribe a server location. The Swiss Federal Council has found that the EU member states protect personal data adequately. Customer data may therefore also be held by a provider in the EU, as long as no US group is behind it. What matters is how sensitive the data is and who prescribes the location.
When a Swiss server is the right choice
If one of these points applies, the project belongs on a Swiss server.
Confidential client documents
Law firm, fiduciary, accounting. Anyone who keeps case files, financial statements, tax documents and payroll records for clients must be able to show that no unauthorised person can access the data. A Swiss server under your own control makes that easiest.
Internal tools
File storage, password management, automations, personnel files. What is only used internally and keeps the business running is kept on our own infrastructure.
Clients require it
Public tenders and larger clients can specify the server location in the contract.
You want control
Your own instance, your own database, no analysis for advertising, no overnight change to the terms of use.
The services we offer (Nextcloud, Tymeslot, Vaultwarden, n8n, RustDesk) therefore run on our server at Infomaniak in Geneva.
When a European host is enough
A company website, a landing page, a club website, a project abroad or an online shop with orders and customer accounts: these contain names, addresses and orders, but no confidential documents such as contracts, financial statements or case files. A European host is the sensible choice for them. It costs a few francs a month, is quickly set up and can be left again later.
We do the same ourselves. Our online shop Animalina with customer accounts and orders is hosted by Hostinger in a data centre in the EU. So are the websites and operations apps we built for ALTTO and Las Papas in Colombia. Hostinger's CDN delivers their pages via servers in Latin America, close to their guests. Both websites score 100 out of 100 on PageSpeed in all four categories (measured in July 2026).
We are a Hostinger partner and host our own shop and the websites of several client projects there.
On pricing: with most mass-market hosts, the low introductory price only applies to the first term. After that, the plan renews at the regular rate, which is often twice as high. Plan with the renewal price.
How the two options differ
| Criterion | Mass-market host (EU) | Own Swiss server |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | a few francs a month | significantly higher, but predictable |
| Jurisdiction | EU law, depending on the provider | Swiss law (FADP) |
| Setup | done quickly | project with concept and handover |
| Control | shared environment, provider's rules | own instance, own data |
| Own services | not intended | Nextcloud, Tymeslot, Vaultwarden etc. |
| Suited for | websites and shops with ordinary customer data | law firms, fiduciaries, accounting, internal tools |
| Moving later | easy for static sites | complex for grown systems |
Monthly prices are hard to compare. On one side is shared storage space, on the other a server including operation and responsibility. The more telling question is what happens in case of damage and who takes care of it then.
How we handle it ourselves
vant.ch and the services we offer run on our server at Infomaniak in Geneva. Websites and the Animalina online shop are hosted by Hostinger in the EU. We decide per project, based on the data it contains.
If you are unsure where your project belongs: a short conversation usually settles it.
Frequently asked questions
Does a website have to be hosted in Switzerland?
Is hosting in the EU compliant with data protection law?
May an online shop be hosted with an EU provider?
How much does Swiss hosting cost in comparison?
Can I change provider later?
How do I know whether my project needs Swiss hosting?
What about email?
Disclosure: The link to Hostinger is a partner link. If you book a plan through it, we receive a commission; the price does not change for you. We name Hostinger because our own projects run there.
Not sure where your project belongs?
In fifteen minutes we can clarify whether your project needs a Swiss server or whether a European host is enough.