WILL BE UPDATE OFTEN Last update : 1/05/24
THE GUIDE FOR DE-GOOGLED APPS
(🏆 = just the best app ; ❤️ = a more than excellent app)
REMEMBER : Do not install every apps you find, for your security and privacy only install needed apps.
ANDROID
1- Phone and messaging
Phone --> Fossify Phone 🏆
Messages --> Quik SMS 🏆
Contacts --> Fossify contacts 🏆
Whatsapp --> Molly (Signal fork) ❤️ Briar (For advanced users, maximum privacy concerns)
2- Networking
Chrome (browser) --> Cromite ❤️ (must be configured) Mull (slower but not chromium-based, must be configured)
Discord --> Element (matrix.org client)
Reddit --> Jerboa (a Lemmy client)
3- Multimedia
YouTube --> Libretube 🏆
Spotify --> RiMusic 🏆
Google podcasts (podcasts) --> Antenna Pod ❤️
Gallery --> Fossify Galley ❤️ (Basic app) Aves ❤️ (Advanced gallery)
4- Tools
QrScanner --> Binary eye 🏆
Gboard --> HeliBoard ❤️ (OpenBoard fork)
IME keyboard --> Sayboard
Local sharing --> LocalSend ❤️
Google authenticator (2FA) --> Aegis ❤️
Lastpass (password manager) --> Bitwarden 🏆 (Self-hosted) KeePassDX 🏆 (local storage)
Gcam --> Open camera
5- Others
Clock --> Clock You
Google calendar --> Etar ❤️
PDF viewer --> MJ PDF
Office --> LibreOffice Viewer ❤️ (Only for reading)
LINUX
For more convenience, you can download your apps using the command line and flatpak (Flathub.org)
1- OS
Some Linux distributions recommendations :
- Linux Mint and Pop OS (for all levels)
- Arch (mainly for gaming but you can use it as working OS)
- Debian (for productivity (greatest compatibility) )
For most basic users I recommend using Gnome desktop environment
2- Softwares
Browser --> Firefox 🏆 (It’s recommended to tweaks and the settings and use custom user.js (Explanations about user.js)) Librewolf ❤️ (For an out-of-the-box great experience)
Office --> The LibreOffice Suite ❤️
File sharing --> Local Send ❤️
YouTube --> FreeTube
Adobe Illustrator --> Inkscape
Lemmy --> Photon
Matrix --> Element
That’s all, hope you enjoy, do not hesitate to save the post for future updates and comment your recommendations below ⬇️⬇️
Not comparable. Briar is distributed & a battery drain even if it is private. Conversations is decentralized, but still uses servers. Conversations is a replacement/upgrade to Element.
You’re right but in this case maybe you should envisage using Signal 🤷♂️ I don’t really know this app but is it cross-platforms, has threads…?
Signal is centralized & requires you have a SIM card + an Android or iOS primary device just to open an account. The Electron app on desktop uses a lot of resources and only using the Molly fork on Android can you get some of the features that Signal should have upstream but don’t seem to be interested in making things more secure.