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

On 20/03/2025 04:23, Marion 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>
7. Google Contacts ==> OpenContacts
    <https://f-droid.org/en/packages/opencontacts.open.com.opencontacts/>
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/>
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/>
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?

A very useful list. I use F-Droid, but while checking something else came across this website: <https://alternativeto.net/>. Looks like it does the same sort of thing as F-Droid, but may some other apps, and also has some news on its home page which might be of interest.
--
Jeff