German company Ecosia has released a Linux version of its browser, targeting European users and businesses seeking alternatives to American software. The browser is available through the Ubuntu Software Center and the Snap store. Ecosia, headquartered in Berlin and founded in 2009, also offers its browser for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
The move comes amid a growing trend in the European Union where cities and countries are shifting away from Windows and Microsoft Office in favor of sovereign solutions, such as Linux distributions and LibreOffice. Some regions have even adopted Euro-Office, a suite based on Russian code. According to StatCounter, the market share of Linux in Europe grew from 3.63% in August 2024 to 6.41% in August 2026.
While Windows market share in Europe dropped from 78.35% in August 2024 to 68.62% in August 2026, macOS market share grew from 0% to 10.4% in the same period. The Ecosia browser is built on the open-source Chromium engine, which is developed by Google, despite the company's support for European technological sovereignty. Ecosia's own browser code remains closed.
