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 ⬇️⬇️

  • foremanguyOP
    1·
    3 months ago

    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…?

    • toastal
      1·
      3 months ago

      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.