Privacy tools I use
Privacy is not a one-time thing where you start using a service and you’ll be fine forever; it’s about having control over your own data.
These are the privacy tools I use to protect my data, and they’re by no means the only alternatives.
Search Engines
Over 4 billion people use Google Search, with 13 billion searches conducted every day. It’s the biggest search engine, but it doesn’t respect your privacy.
I initially tried SearX, StartPage, and DuckDuckGo when considering leaving Google Search.
My primary search engine is now DuckDuckGo, which utilizes Bing and has its own search engine to obtain results.
I generally stay away from using their mobile version due to the controversy they had in 2022, which allowed Microsoft web trackers on the mobile app.
You can use StartPage if you want similar search results to Google, since they use Google search to obtain their results.
Browser
What is the best browser? It’s always debatable; people have different preferences, and the same browser you liked might become your least favorite after its update.
Although it’s hard to choose the best one, AI browsers are the last thing I want.
I use Firefox as my main desktop browser with extra configuration and the UBlock Origin extension to block third-party trackers and ads.
One of my main issues with Firefox was watching YouTube videos without it bugging, and Brave has become a good alternative for this. I use it solely for watching YouTube videos.
Tor Browser is another tool I use when I want to surf the web anonymously. I don’t log in to any service that ties to me using Tor.
You can use this website (https://browserleaks.com/) to test the security and privacy of your browser, it shows you what information your web browser reveals when you visit websites.
Yahoo was my first email service, and then I switched to Gmail because it was convenient within Google’s ecosystem.
I now use ProtonMail as my main email provider; it’s the best alternative to Gmail, Yahoo, or any big tech email providers.
For email aliasing, I use SimpleLogin. It hides my main email and forwards any emails I receive to my inbox.
Photos
Where do you store your photos? I use Ente Photo, which is an end-to-end encrypted photo backup service that supports automatic backups.
There are other alternatives, such as PhotoPrims and Internxt, but I have never tried them.
Messages
This is by far the hardest one for me; everybody I know uses Telegram, WhatsApp, or simple text messages to communicate. I only have a few people around me who use Signal for communication.
By the end of 2026, I may finally convince most of my friends and family members to use Signal.
I have read many positive reviews on Briar and Session as well; if you’d like to check them out.
Notes
I take a lot of notes, so I have tried many note-taking apps and ultimately settled on both Obsidian and StandardNote.
I have tried Joplin for a while, Notesnook for at least a year. While they’re great privacy-respecting alternatives, I prefer to use Obsidian as my main note-taking app.
Drive
I have recently started using Filen as my Drive storage. I like it so far; previously, it used to be Google Drive and Mega.
I know Proton also has a drive. These days, they have a whole ecosystem of apps, but in general, it’s not a good idea to put all your eggs in one basket, even if it’s a privacy-respecting company like Proton.
Password Managers
I’m sure you want your passwords to be secure, private, and autofilled when you use a service. If you need a password manager that does all of that, consider using Bitwarden.
It’s a cloud-based, free, and open-source password and passkey manager.
You can also self-host Bitwarden if you want to.
There is also a password manager that can store your passwords locally, called KeePassXC for desktop and KeePassDX for Android, as well as KeePassium for iOS & macOS. I have only tried it for a few days to see what it looks like.
Multi-factor Authentication (2FA)
I use EnteAuth, from the same company that created EntePhoto. I used to use Aegis, which is an Android free and open-source 2FA token manager, but I switched to EnteAuth because I wanted to access it via the web app.
There are also physical security keys for extreme protection; they’re immune to phishing and cannot be compromised without physical possession of the key itself.
Some of the most famous ones are Yubico Security Key, YubiKey, and Nitrokey, but I have never tried them before.
Calendar
I avoid using Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Outlook Calendar. There are alternatives, such as Tuta Calendar and Proton Calendar. Currently, I use Proton Calendar because I want my calendar to be integrated with my personal email.
PlayStore/AppStore
Apple doesn’t allow side-loading apps, but fortunately, you can do so with Android using these services.
F-Droid for free and open-source Android apps, and the Aurora store for apps that can only be found on the Play Store. However, Google appears to be preventing side-loading starting next year.
Phone OS
The last smartphone I had was an Android phone. I no longer own any phone, but I want to try GrapheneOS when I buy one. If you hit follow and share this article, I might be able to afford a Pixel Phone, so I can finally use GrapheneOS.
Ironically, GrapehenOS only works on Google Pixel devices; they argue that these are the most secure phones with open source compatibility.
Computer OS
I was a Windows user before I was converted to Linux by fellow communities in tech forums. I have tried Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, and Pop! _ OS.
I’m now stuck with Pop! _ OS, and I have a dual boot with Windows, because I can’t play games well on my Linux machine.
Linux Mint remains my favorite Linux distribution.
VPN
VPNs are controversial, but ultimately, it’s better to use one that respects your privacy more. I mostly use Windscribe, and sometimes ProtonVPN, but let me know if you have better alternatives that you’ve tried.
AI Assistant
Cloud-based AI software often collects your data and inputs. It has a risk of data breach and the possibility of leaking your conversation to another user in a future conversation.
The best solution I have found for this is using LLMs locally for personal use.
They won’t be super fast or smart like the cloud ones, but they’re decent for personal use.
You can refer to these two videos for that
For research and coding, I utilize most cloud AI services available.
Proton also has a cloud-based AI called Lumo that claims to be private, but I’m hesitant about that.
Maps
The best alternatives I have found for Google and Apple Maps are OsmAnd and Organic Maps; they both use OpenStreetMap as their base map source, a free and open-source map.
I have found using OsmAnd works well for me, it’s highly customizable and feature-rich
As I mentioned, these are by no means the only alternatives, and using them doesn’t guarantee 100% privacy, but it’s a significant step toward taking ownership of your data.
Please let me know in the comments what you think about my lists, any items I may have missed, or any recommendations you have.