Our Methodology

Our Approach

BetterInEurope exists to highlight areas where European policies, services, and standards offer measurable advantages. We believe that informed choice requires honest comparison.

We are not claiming that everything is better in Europe — nor that the United States doesn't lead in many areas. What we do is present data-driven comparisons on specific topics, using official sources, so readers can draw their own conclusions.

Our editorial stance is that European consumers deserve to know about high-quality European alternatives to US tech products, and that policy comparisons can inspire better outcomes on both sides of the Atlantic.

Alternatives Scoring

Each European alternative on our site receives a rating from 1 to 5. This rating is based on six criteria:

Scoring Criteria

• Privacy & data protection — Is the service GDPR-compliant? Where is data stored? What data is collected?
• Pricing & value — How does the pricing compare to the US equivalent? Is there a meaningful free tier?
• User experience — Is the product polished, intuitive, and well-documented?
• Open source — Is the source code available? Can users self-host?
• Vendor lock-in — How easy is it to export your data and switch away?
• Sustainability — Does the company use renewable energy? Is the business model sustainable long-term?

Rating Scale

Ratings are subjective editorial assessments, not algorithmic scores. We revisit them periodically as products evolve. If you disagree with a rating, we welcome your feedback.

Comparison Data

Our Europe vs US comparison pages draw from official, independent data sources. We prioritise:

• International organisations: OECD, WHO, World Bank, Eurostat, UN agencies
• Government statistics: CDC, BLS, FBI (US); Eurostat, national statistics offices (EU)
• Academic research: peer-reviewed studies and university research centres
• Reputable journalism: investigative reporting from established outlets

Update Frequency

We aim to update comparison data when major new reports are published (typically annually for OECD, WHO, and similar sources). Each comparison page lists its specific sources with links so readers can verify claims independently.

Data Presentation

Where possible, we compare the US against the EU average or a representative set of European countries. We acknowledge that "Europe" is not monolithic — there is significant variation between EU member states. When a specific European country underperforms the US on a metric, we do not hide this.

Limitations

We believe in being upfront about what we don't do well:

• Selection bias: We choose topics where Europe generally performs well. This is inherent to our mission, but readers should know it.
• Aggregation: EU averages can mask significant variation. Romania's healthcare system is different from Denmark's.
• Currency & timing: Data from different sources may use different reference years or exchange rates.
• Subjectivity: Our alternative ratings involve editorial judgement. Reasonable people may disagree.
• Completeness: We cannot cover every nuance in a single comparison page. We encourage readers to explore our linked sources.

We are a small team and make mistakes. If you find an error, please let us know — we will correct it promptly and transparently.

Contact

Found an error? Disagree with a rating? Have a suggestion for a new comparison or alternative?

We take corrections seriously. If you provide a better source or identify an error, we will update the relevant page and credit you if you wish.