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Visual Studio vs JetBrains: Which Excels in Collaboration?

Explore how US-based Visual Studio and EU's JetBrains enhance document collaboration. Discover which tool better connects global teams efficiently.

Last updated: February 19, 2026Reviewed by Built in EU Team

Should You Switch to JetBrains?

What You Gain

Enhanced privacy, EU server location, and intelligent tools

Privacy advantage
Trade-offs

Potential loss of extensive extensions and Azure integration

Visual Studio has more features
Bottom Line

Switch for better privacy; developers valuing features may hesitate

At a Glance

Data Location
🇺🇸US

US data laws

🇪🇺EU

GDPR protected

Pricing

Visual Studio

freemium

JetBrains

subscription

Migration
Medium difficulty~2-4 hours

Privacy & Compliance Comparison

Critical data sovereignty factors at a glance

CriteriaVisual StudioJetBrains
Server Location
US (Azure), EU (optional)EU
GDPR Compliance
Partial (SCCs)Full
Open Source
E2E Encryption
Enterprise onlyOptional
Data Portability
PartialFull export

CLOUD Act Notice

Visual Studio is a US company and must comply with CLOUD Act data requests, even for data stored in EU data centers. JetBrains is not subject to US jurisdiction.

Switching from
Visual Studio logo

Visual Studio

🇺🇸

Visual Studio

VS
Switching to
JetBrains logo

JetBrains

🇪🇺

JetBrains

US Data Storage

Data subject to US CLOUD Act and may be accessed by US authorities

EU Data Protection

Data protected under GDPR with EU-only data residency

Certifications & Compliance

No certifications listed

GDPR Compliant
Open Source

Reasons to Switch

  • GDPR compliance ensures data protection in the EU.
  • IntelliJ IDEA excels in Java development with advanced refactoring.
  • Kotlin support is native, enhancing development for Android apps.
  • JetBrains offers open-source tools, fostering community collaboration.

Things to Consider

  • !Migration from Visual Studio can be time-consuming.
  • !JetBrains lacks built-in Azure cloud integration.
  • !Learning curve for IntelliJ IDEA's unique interface.
Migration difficulty:
Medium
~2-4 hours

Migration Overview

Full guide
Difficulty
Medium
Time Estimate
~2-4 hours

Depends on data size and complexity

Quick Steps

1

Create JetBrains account and configure settings

2

Export and prepare data from Visual Studio

3

Import data, test integrations, and migrate users

Note: Switching from one IDE to another may require adjustment to different workflows and tools.

Ready to make the switch?

Start using JetBrains today and take control of your data privacy.