Hosted in Germany vs. hosting in Germany: Why the difference is decisive for your company

In an increasingly digitalized world, the question of the secure, sovereign and privacy-compliant storage and processing of corporate data is more important than ever. Companies must decide whether they want to buy software that stores their data in the public cloud or on their own servers in a data center (Private cloud) want to accommodate. In this context, the terms “hosting in Germany” and “hosted in Germany” often appear. But what exactly do these terms mean and how do they differ?

In the following, we take a look at the differences between “Hosting in Germany” and “Hosted in Germany” and explain why Flexopus' dedicated servers in Germany are a particularly attractive option for companies that place the highest demands on data protection and data security and for whom data sovereignty is also particularly important.

Basic terms: What does “hosting in Germany” and “hosted in Germany” mean?

1. Hosting in Germany

The term “hosting in Germany” primarily describes the physical location of the servers. This means that the servers are located in a data center in Germany. This term therefore indicates that the server hardware and data are stored locally in Germany. A typical example of hosting in Germany is the use of AWS (Amazon Web Services) in the “eu-central-1” region, which operates servers in Frankfurt.

However, it is important to understand that the term “hosting in Germany” does not make any statement about the legal framework the provider is subject to. An American company such as AWS, which operates data centers in Germany, is still subject to US law, such as CLOUD Act, which the Patriot Act is subject to. This means that US authorities be able to access the data under certain circumstances, even if they are stored in Germany.

2. Hosted in Germany

In contrast, “hosted in Germany” refers to both the physical location of the servers and the legal framework to which the provider is subject. A company that offers “Hosted in Germany” is a German company that is based in Germany, employs German staff and is subject to German law and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Well-known providers who offer “Hosted in Germany” include Hetzner, Ionos or plusserver.

The advantage of this solution is that all legal issues are regulated in Germany and companies do not have to worry about the transfer of data to third countries or the potential application of foreign laws. This is particularly important for companies that are subject to strict data protection requirements, such as in the healthcare sector, the financial sector or public institutions.

Comparison: AWS (hosting in Germany) vs. dedicated servers with German providers (hosted in Germany)

To further illustrate the differences between “Hosting in Germany” and “Hosted in Germany,” let's look at the comparison between AWS (Amazon Web Services) and a German hosting provider such as Hetzner.

Why Flexopus opts for “hosted in Germany”

As part of digital transformation and the growth of flexible working models such as Desk sharing and Home office It is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to maintain control of their data and IT infrastructure. Data security and compliance requirements such as the GDPR are of central importance for companies of all sizes and industries, not only to avoid legal consequences, but also to secure the trust of customers and partners.

data sovereignty is particularly important in this context, as companies that implement desk sharing rely on cloud services are instructed. Data must be accessible everywhere, but this also entails risks, especially when data is stored on servers outside Europe. To ensure that sensitive company data and personal employee information do not reach uncontrolled, foreign jurisdictions, it is crucial that the data remains within one's own sovereignty and complies with European data protection standards.

With Flexopus and the use of Hetzner Online GmbH's own servers, we guarantee you complete control and transparency over your data. We operate our dedicated servers in Hetzner's data centers in Falkenstein and Nuremberg. We administer our servers ourselves so that our hosting partner Hetzner only operates the data center and provides the hardware, but has no access to the data. This is how 100% of your data remains with us in Germany, subject to German law and strict German law privacy policiesso that we can offer you full data sovereignty.

Although many market players advertise “hosting in Germany,” their servers are located in data centers of international and US companies. Even if the server is located in Germany, it cannot be fully guaranteed that data will flow abroad, e.g. through the US Cloud Act.

Conclusion: “Hosted in Germany” or “Hosting in Germany” - Which is better?

For companies that place the highest demands on data protection, compliance and data sovereignty, “Hosted in Germany” is the safer and more reliable choice. Dedicated servers not only offer legal security, but also full control over the infrastructure and data. In contrast, “Hosting in Germany” offers scalability and flexibility for providers such as AWS, but also risks with regard to access by foreign authorities and legal uncertainties. So if you want to be on the safe side, you rely on a provider that operates its own infrastructure with a German hosting partner in a German data center.