This list is a supplement to other resources like Privacy Guides, and aims to give privacy focused recommendations and/or suggestions for Android apps. I highly recommend looking through Privacy Guides first, as this list assumes some familiarity with the subject (e.g. what is F-Droid, what is FOSS). All offerings are FOSS unless specified otherwise, and all recommendation links should lead to a Github or F-Droid page where you can download the app.

This is not meant to be exhaustive or authoritative. Use your best judgement and individual needs when evaluating these offerings, and feel free to discuss or share such options in the comments.

Big thanks to @Pirate for creating the original version of this list over three years ago, and @kitten and @SirLotsaLocks for their contributions to that version.

How Do I Get All These Apps?

Check the “Obtaining Applications” page on Privacy Guides. It’s worth mentioning that there are third party F-Droid clients like Droid-ify and Neo Store, but while they look better than the stock client and have easier repo management they cause undue stress on F-Droid servers, and so should be avoided unless you really can’t do without those features.

General Utility Apps

Fossify offers a collection of apps forked from the popular Simple Mobile Tools, which was acquired and by an Israeli company and riddled with ads. This includes essentials like a photo gallery, calculator, music player, and more, all open source and privacy focused. You may see their apps pop up in other categories where applicable.

Here’s a few more apps in this category suggested by your fellow Hexbears!

• Gallery: Well featured and pretty gallery app with editor!
• OpenCalc: Lightweight calculator with Material You.

Browser Comparisons

Privacy Guides gives limited options for mobile browsers due to their strict criteria, but some may want more options. DivestOS has a comparison table showing more browsers alongside their strengths and weaknesses.

Youtube

• Newpipe: Frontend application that does not require Google Services or a Youtube account.

• LibreTube: Similar to Newpipe, even using the same API, but noticeably prettier.

You also have the option of patching the Youtube app via Revanced to remove ads, integrate Sponsorblock, enable background playback, and more. However, while Revanced itself is FOSS, it obviously has non-free dependencies like the Youtube app itself. It also requires more initial setup than other alternatives.

Reddit Apps

Most third party reddit apps were shut down following changes to Reddit’s API policy on July 5th, 2023. A limited cast of apps persisted, and thankfully FOSS options still exist!

• RedReader: Specifically exempted from the new API policy on accessibility grounds.

• Geddit: Notable for eschewing the API and instead using RSS/JSON feeds to display content. Does not require an account.

• Infinity: Open source, but requires a subscription.

There’s also the option of using Revanced to patch many of the apps that stopped working after the API change. However, these apps are generally closed source and have no guarantee of continued support, as they have been abandoned by their devs and now depend on volunteer work for patches.

Social Media

Third party clients for social media apps have seen a significant downturn in recent years due to hostility from social media companies. While some may still work, I can’t in good conscience recommend them due to lack of support and potential account bans. As it stands, the best option is to turn the mobile web pages for such services into Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), which have their own section further down below.

Depending on the social media in question, you might have the option to use a frontend as well. In addition to those listed by Privacy Guides, XCancel is a functional Twitter frontend.

Music Player

• Metro: Fork of Retro Music. Very well featured and pretty with Material You/3.

• Vinyl: Fork of Phonograph. Functional but uninspired Material Design 1.0 aesthetic.

• Fossify Music Player: Quite pretty IMO but minimal feature set. Use if it if you just want to play your music without any extras or fiddling.

• Auxio: Recommended by Luna! Simple gapless playback with a clean and customizable UI.

• Harmony Music: Another Luna banger. Youtube Music frontend without ads!

Video Player

• VLC: The one, the only. Supports every video format under the sun. Also does music!

Ebook Reader

• Librera Reader: Visually dated, but well-featured and supports a wide variety of formats. This version has the same features as the Pro version on Google Play.

• KoReader: Intended for e-ink devices, but also works on traditional displays.

• Book’s Story: Recent release with Material You design. Limited format support.

Adblocker

Although not explicitly listed as such, many of the DNS Resolvers recommended by Privacyguides.org offer adblocking lists, and are considered superior to app based solutions like Blokada.

Launchers

Use this comparison table to pick one that’s right for you. I currently use Lawnchair Launcher for a Pixel-esque experience.

Maps

Fair warning: these apps will likely be less reliable and accurate than Google Maps or others due to their dependence on the community driven OpenStreetMap for data, although by the same token it might have better coverage or detail in some areas if someone has put in the effort. I would caution using these for any really important navigation scenarios.

• OsmAnd~: The most well known mapping alternative. Can be used fully offline for navigation.

• Organic Maps: Reportedly has less of a learning curve than OsmAnd. Public transportation info only has “experimental support” that’s tricky to get working. Also capable of fully offline navigation.

File Sharing

• KDE Connect: Easy file transfer between devices and pretty much all operating systems.

Keyboard

It’s worth noting that these options may lack features you take for granted with stock and/or commercial keyboards like glide typing, predictive text, and emoji search, or may require additional steps to get them to work.

• AnySoftKeyboard: One of the oldest custom keyboards. Appears to be under active development despite the last GitHub release being from 2022.

• Heliboard: An updated fork of the popular OpenBoard. Probably the most feature rich and developed FOSS keyboard available.

• FUTOBoard: A newcomer to the scene. Importantly not strictly FOSS, although people debate how close it is and how much it matters.

• Florisboard: While the stable release is from 2022, development is ongoing and beta releases are posted every few months at time of writing.

• Fossify Keyboard: From our previously mentioned friends at Fossify! Pretty basic, but clean and private.

Weather

There’s actually a lot of FOSS weather apps out there, but none of them are perfect and generally lack at least one key feature. It’s up to you to decide what you’re willing to forgo, but to help here’s a few to consider:

• Overmorrow: Slick design with radar and customizable units. No widgets or notifications, but the dev is only 15 so I’ll cut them some slack.

• Breezy Weather: Fork of the popular Geometric Weather with material design (but not Material Design 3/You). Lacks radar.

• Weather: Feature rich and translated into many languages, but visually lacking and requires additional setup with an API key to actually get weather info.

There are more available on F-Droid if none of the above take your fancy!

Document Scanner

• OpenScan: Easy document scanning and conversion to PDF/JPG.

Camera

• OpenCamera: Developed since 2013 and known for extensive feature set. Can optionally remove exif data from photos.

• SecureCamera: Designed for GrapheneOS, but available for everyone. Removes exif data from photos by default.

Podcasts

• AntennaPod: The most popular and polished option. Others are available on F-Droid.

Twitch

• Twire: Decent looking and fairly customizable, with built-in adblock, Twitch account support, and BTTV/FFZ/7TV emotes (although they don’t always work in my experience).

• Xtra: Feature list is somewhat barebones and I haven’t used it myself, but regularly updated. May be worth a shot if you don’t like Twire for whatever reason.

Progressive Web Apps

Progressive Web Apps or PWAs are basically apps that run through your browser while still feeling like a native app (AKA the ones you install from F-Droid or the Play Store). This can offer performance benefits, security benefits over a native app thanks to your browser’s sandboxing capabilities, as well as the opportunity to use browser extensions on the site, like adblockers. On mobile, Chromium browsers have the best support for PWAs and reap the benefits of site isolation, while Firefox and its offshoots have less support and no site isolation.

• Installing on Chromium

• Installing on Firefox

Changes

7/28/2024

• Condensed the following basic utility apps into the “General Purpose Apps” category:

  • Gallery

  • Calendar

• Condensed the following social media apps/frontends into the “Social Media” category:

  • Twitter

  • Facebook

  • Instagram

• Converted “Browser” category into “Browser Comparisons”

• Converted “For websites that don’t have an app” into “Progressive Web Apps”

• Removed following app categories already addressed by Privacy Guides:

  • Google Play

  • Email

  • Google (Search Engine)

  • Password Manager

  • Shelter

  • Messaging

  • Zoom alternative

  • File syncing

  • Notes

  • Scrambled Exif & ImagePipe

  • Office

  • RSS reader

• Removed following app categories that felt extraneous

  • Memes

  • Anki

  • Games