Looking to buy European mobile phones? Compare the best models 🇪🇺

The sustainability leader: Fairphone (Netherlands)

Are you looking for a phone that’ll last as long as you do? Then the Dutch Fairphone is the undisputed king. Whilst other brands push you towards a new handset after two years, Fairphone is designed to last.

With the latest generation, you’re getting a modular marvel. Cracked screen? Battery running low? You can simply click a new part into place without any tools or technical knowledge.

Why choose Fairphone?

• Modular design: Repair it yourself in minutes.
• Software support: Up to 8 years of updates – longer than any major manufacturer (Samsung and Google promise 7 years).
• Ethical materials: Conflict-free raw materials and fair wages throughout the supply chain.

Design & innovation: Nothing & HMD

Do you want a European brand, but don’t want to compromise on ‘cool factor’ or specs? Then Nothing (United Kingdom) and HMD (Finland) are your go-to brands.

Nothing: tech with its own identity

London-based Nothing breaks through the dull uniformity of the smartphone market. Think transparent designs and the unique Glyph lighting on the back. It’s the perfect choice if you’re looking for a high-end Android experience designed in Europe.

HMD: Finnish reliability, now under its own name

HMD manufactured Nokia phones for many years, but that chapter is all but over: Nokia smartphones are no longer in production and the licence expires in early 2026. HMD now sells its smartphones under its own name, with the same focus on repairability and ‘digital detox’. You’ll only see the Nokia name on basic mobile phones now: for those who really want to go offline for a while, you’ll find them among the dumbphones.

Privacy & de-Google: in control of your own data

A key reason to buy European is privacy (GDPR). Many European brands run on a ‘clean’ version of Android, without unnecessary bloatware from Asia. Want to go one step further? Then look for devices compatible with or Murena. This allows you to largely cut ties with Google, whilst still using your favourite apps.

Reality check: vote with your wallet

Let’s be honest: a 100% European phone doesn’t exist (yet). Chips and screens almost always come from Asia. But where do the profits go? With these brands, they stay in Europe. Incidentally, the GDPR applies to every manufacturer selling here, including American and Chinese ones; the difference lies in software that collects less data by default and in where the profits and jobs end up. So you’re not just buying a phone, you’re investing in a fairer industry.

Other European players

• 🇦🇹 emporia
• 🇩🇪 Gigaset
• 🇳🇱 Senifone

Do you notice Alcatel is missing from this list? That’s deliberate. The brand name sounds French, but Alcatel phones have been manufactured and sold by the Chinese company TCL since 2005. So, it has European heritage, but it isn’t a European phone.

Make your phone truly European

Hardware is step one. Software is the second step. Replace these American services with European, privacy-friendly alternatives:

It might seem like a big step, but in practice it’s not that difficult. You don’t have to switch everything over all at once. Simply start by replacing your browser or chat app. Every app you replace is another piece of personal data that stays safely in Europe rather than on a server in California.