Head-to-head · 2026

Clearhaus vs First Data

Clearhaus is a European alternative to First Data: same payments & finance use case, headquartered in Denmark and operating under GDPR by default, while First Data (Fiserv) is based in the United States.

By the EU Alternatives team Last updated

European alternative
Clearhaus logo
Clearhaus
Denmark
Jurisdiction
EU / EEA
GDPR by default
Yes
US CLOUD Act exposure
No
Open source
No
Free tier
No
See full Clearhaus profile
Non-EU
First Data logo
First Data
Fiserv · US

First Data by Fiserv.

Jurisdiction
US
GDPR by default
Requires DPA + TIA
US CLOUD Act exposure
Yes
All European alternatives to First Data

Clearhaus vs First Data at a glance

Clearhaus First Data
Headquarters Denmark US
Data jurisdiction EU / EEA US law applies
GDPR by default Yes Requires DPA + transfer assessment
US CLOUD Act exposure No Yes
Open source No —
Free tier No —
Best for Teams that need payments & finance with EU data residency Teams already invested in the Fiserv ecosystem

Choose Clearhaus if…

  • You want your data to stay under EU law without extra legal paperwork
  • GDPR compliance or public-sector requirements apply to you
  • You'd rather back the European tech ecosystem

Stick with First Data if…

  • You depend on integrations only available in the Fiserv ecosystem
  • Your organisation has no EU data-residency constraints
  • Migration costs outweigh the jurisdiction benefits for now

Why choose Clearhaus over First Data?

The decisive argument is data jurisdiction. First Data is headquartered in US, which means personal data processed through it can be subject to non-EU legal regimes: the US CLOUD Act, FISA 702, or similar laws depending on the provider. After the 2020 Schrems II ruling, EU organisations must carry out a transfer impact assessment for every such data flow.

Clearhaus removes that overhead. As a Denmark-based provider, it operates natively under GDPR, and data stays inside the EU/EEA by default. For regulated sectors such as health, public administration, and finance, that's not a nice-to-have but a requirement. For everyone else, it's concentration-risk insurance: you avoid depending on a single non-EU jurisdiction that can change the rules without warning.

Frequently asked questions

Is Clearhaus a good alternative to First Data?
Yes. Clearhaus is one of the top-ranked European alternatives to First Data in our directory, covering the same payments & finance use case. It is headquartered in Denmark, keeping your data under EU law by default.
What's the main difference between Clearhaus and First Data?
The biggest difference is jurisdiction: Clearhaus is based in Denmark and operates under GDPR and EU data-protection law, while First Data is headquartered in US and may transfer data outside the EU. For regulated industries or organisations following Schrems II guidance, this difference is decisive.
Is Clearhaus GDPR-compliant?
Clearhaus is a European company based in Denmark, so GDPR compliance is the default operating model rather than a bolt-on. No transfer impact assessment is required for EU customers, unlike when using First Data.
How do I migrate from First Data to Clearhaus?
Start by exporting your data from First Data (most providers offer an export in their settings). Then import into Clearhaus using its native import tool or migration guide. Running both in parallel for a week catches any feature or workflow gaps before you fully switch.