Easter update

The Trump administration is now using tariffs to shield Big Tech from regulation. This week, Senator Elizabeth Warren published a letter to the US Trade Representative demanding to know why the White House threatened European countries with trade penalties after they investigated Elon Musk's xAI for generating millions of sexually explicit deepfakes. Big Tech companies have received tariff exemptions. Everyone else gets punished for trying to hold them accountable.

Meanwhile, the CBI warns that Section 301 investigations are coming for the UK's Digital Services Tax. The same mechanism the US uses to punish countries that dare to tax American tech giants on revenue earned in their own markets. The UK charges 2% on search engines, social media, and online marketplaces that make more than $500m globally. Washington considers this an act of aggression.

And closer to home, the Data (Use and Access) Act is now in force. Since February, the UK has its most substantial data protection reform since Brexit. The ICO has new enforcement powers. Organisations processing personal data have new obligations around automated decision-making, purpose limitation, and recognised legitimate interests.

Three stories. One message. Your data lives somewhere. Your software is owned by someone. Both of those facts have consequences.

We skipped a week (sorry), so this fortnight we found eleven.

Pandle

Alternative to: Xero, QuickBooks Online

Cloud accounting software from Wirral, Merseyside. Founded 2009. Free tier for basic bookkeeping and VAT returns. Pro tier at five quid a month. Over 100,000 business users. MTD-compliant. No VC, no PE, no holding company layers. Just a bloke in the Wirral building accounting software.

View on alternatives-in.uk | LinkedIn

Clear Books

Alternative to: Xero, QuickBooks Online

Online accounting and payroll for small businesses, limited companies, charities, and CICs. Based in Covent Garden, London. FCA registered (843585). Accredited by the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers. Free MTD tier available.

View on alternatives-in.uk | LinkedIn

Marvel

Alternative to: Adobe XD, Figma

Browser-based design platform for wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and developer handoff. Founded in London in 2013. Legal entity is Ballpark Labs Ltd (formerly Marvel Prototyping Limited). Serves teams from startups to Fortune 100 companies. Free tier with no time limits.

View on alternatives-in.uk | LinkedIn

Ticket Tailor

Alternative to: Eventbrite, Ticketmaster

Event ticketing with flat-fee pricing. No percentage-based booking fees. Founded 2010 in London.

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TicketSource

Alternative to: Eventbrite, Ticketmaster

Free event ticketing and box office management from Penarth, Wales. Founded 2004 by Alex McLauchlan and Simon Wilsher. Over 20,000 event organisers. Professional-level features at no upfront cost.

View on alternatives-in.uk | LinkedIn

Intruder

Alternative to: Checkmarx, Qualys, Tenable

Vulnerability management and attack surface monitoring. Based in London. GCHQ Cyber Accelerator alumnus. CREST-accredited. Deloitte Tech Fast 50 2023 as the fastest-growing cybersecurity company in the UK. Over 3,000 customers. Revenue north of $16m. When we say UK cybersecurity, we mean it.

View on alternatives-in.uk | LinkedIn

SwiftCase

Alternative to: ClickUp, Basecamp, Monday.com, Linear

Workflow automation and project management from Oldham, Greater Manchester. Founded 2013 by Nik Ellis and Dr Adam Sykes. Visual no-code workflow engine, case management, built-in CRM, document generation. 40,000+ users. The first UK-owned alternative in the ClickUp category. Data hosted in UK data centres.

View on alternatives-in.uk | LinkedIn

VEED.IO

Alternative to: Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva

AI-powered online video editing and creation. Browser-based, no installation needed. Founded 2019 in London. Over a million users. Offers text-to-video AI generation, auto-subtitles, screen recording, and AI avatars.

View on alternatives-in.uk | LinkedIn

Sparkol (VideoScribe)

Alternative to: Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva

Whiteboard animation software from Bristol. The company has been around since 2008. VideoScribe is used in over 180 countries for marketing, education, training, and internal comms. Bristol tech at its finest.

View on alternatives-in.uk | LinkedIn

Panintelligence

Alternative to: Tableau, Power BI, Looker

Embedded BI and analytics platform from Leeds. The platform can be deployed in-place so your data never leaves your infrastructure. 350+ global clients across fintech, edtech, healthcare, and retail. GenAI analytics built in.

View on alternatives-in.uk | LinkedIn

Jezzam

Alternative to: Calendly, Acuity Scheduling, Cal.com

Online appointment booking from Oxford. Founded 2010. Targets service businesses, fitness studios, tutors, salons. Sixteen years of independent operation. That is practically geological in SaaS terms.

View on alternatives-in.uk | LinkedIn