Re: The dirty dozen Google apps which must be 1:1 replaced to have any privacy

On 2025-03-20, Marion <marion@facts.com> wrote:

I wrote this up for another thread, but doing so brings up the fact that I
should always check with the team to work together in order to see if you
have better (non root) privacy-aware 1:1 replacements for Google apps.
>
Do you have better alternatives than those below for replacing Google apps?
>
(Each of these apps provides more functionality than the native Google app
it replaces, but the goal here is privacy more so than functionality).
>
1. Google Play Store client ==> Aurora play store client
   <https://gitlab.com/AuroraOSS/AuroraStore/-/releases>
2. Google Play Store search engine ==> Skyica play store search engine
   <https://skyica.com/appfinder/get/>
3. Android App Drawer ==> Muntashirakon App Manager
   <https://github.com/MuntashirAkon/AppManager> (apk)
   <https://muntashirakon.github.io/AppManager/vi/> (doc)
4. Google YouTube client ==> Newpipe youtube client
   <https://newpipe.net>
5. Google Chrome web browser ==> Bromite web browser
   <https://www.bromite.org/>
   <https://github.com/bromite/bromite/releases>
   <https://www.bromite.org/fdroid>
6. Google GBoard keyboard ==> OpenBoard keyboard or HeliBoard keyboard
   <https://github.com/openboard-team/openboard>
   <https://github.com/Helium314/HeliBoard>

Hacker's Keyboard    Four- or five-row soft-keyboard
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.pocketworkstation.pckeyboard/

7. Google Contacts ==> OpenContacts
   <https://f-droid.org/en/packages/opencontacts.open.com.opencontacts/>

Fossify contacts
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.fossify.contacts/

8. Google GMail client (MUA) ==> FairEmail client (MUA) or K9 Mail
   <https://email.faircode.eu/>
   <https://github.com/M66B/FairEmail/releases>
   <https://f-droid.org/en/packages/eu.faircode.email/>
   <https://k9mail.app/>
   <https://github.com/thundernest/k-9/releases>
   <https://f-droid.org/packages/com.fsck.k9/>
9. Google Calendar ==> Etar calendar
    <https://github.com/Etar-Group/Etar-Calendar>
    <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ws.xsoh.etar>
    <https://f-droid.org/packages/ws.xsoh.etar/>

Fossify Calendar
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.fossify.calendar/

10. Google Messenger SMS/MMS ==> Pulse SMS free version
   (Pulse SMS 5.4.6.2816 by Luke & Jake Klinker - last known good version)
   <https://mobile.softpedia.com/apk/pulse/5.6.4.2880/>

QUIK SMS
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/dev.octoshrimpy.quik/

11. NetGuard Firewall
   <https://netguard.me/>
   <https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/releases>
12. Pixel Launcher or Samsung One UI Home launcher ==> Nova free launcher
   (Nova Launcher 7.0.57 by TeslaCoil Apps - last known good version)
   <https://mobile.softpedia.com/apk/nova-launcher/7.0.57/>
   <https://filehippo.com/android/download_nova-launcher/7.0.57/>
>
What other Google apps should we strive to replace on a 1:1 basis
for privacy (and/or functionality) reasons? What do you know that I don't?

Fossify Phone
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.fossify.phone/

Fossify Notes Beta  (I don;t think this replaces anything)
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.fossify.notes/

Fossify File Manager
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.fossify.notes/

Fossify Gallery
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.fossify.gallery/

I've not tries the Fossify Clock yet
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.fossify.clock/

OSMand~ Map App   
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/net.osmand.plus/