Smartphone

Only runs on Google hardware for now, but a Motorola partnership has been officially announced by the team and the OEM. Allow you to have more control over your device, its app permissions and harden security. Allow you to install Sandboxed Google Services as standard apps, meaning Play Store and so on have standard acess to permission unlike stock Android where they have higher privileges. Meaning you get very good compatibility in the profile these services are running. I installed mine in the Private Space, meaning they run only when I unlock it and in a separate user profile. Elsewhere I don't run Google Services on my device.

There is still some incompatibility with some apps and Google Wallet feature are not working, you can use Garmin Pay if you own a compatible Garmin Smartwatch. My banking apps are working fine with Google Services.

Worth mentioning : Check out this ressource to learn more: https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm

• iodéOS LineageOS but degoogled and with some interesting privacy features. Provided by a french association.
• /e/ Especially for Fairphone and Murena hardware, based on Lineage but degoogled and provide a privacy friendly ecosystem. Lack behind a couple of Android features version. And security fixes seems to arrive a bit later than on other projects. From a foundation in France.
• LineageOS for microG Not secure but support a large pannel of devices.
• LineageOS Not secure and not fully degoogled but support the larger pannel of devices.

I almost never use my iPhone but have one for testing stuff mainly. Not daily driving this closed DRM machine.

PC Gaming

My gaming rig is running this.

Worth mentioning :

• Bazzite
• GLF OS
• Linux Mint

Laptop and homelab

They are runnig this OS, radically different than other GNU/Linux philosphy. Fully declarative using Nix language and extensive nixpkgs.

Worth mentioning:

• Zorin OS
• Linux Mint
• Kubuntu
• Fedora
• Debian
• CachyOS

For more advanced privacy and security : Qubes OS Everything is sandboxed, very interesting Whonix Alpine Linux

For my HTPC

Worth mentioning:

• Bazzite Nobara Linux

For my work laptop !

If you don't use iCloud and the Apple App Store macOS is quite a solide option in my opinion ! I get some of my apps from Homebrew and Homebrew Cask .

I use LuLu to have better control. But you could use :

• Little Snitch Well known but paid upgrades
• Radio Silence Cheaper, simpler, a bit less powerful than Little Snitch

Worth mentioning :

• ravynOS Early stage of dev, but interesting to look at
• Asahi Linux Run linux on older Apple Silicon

A liveOS that you can run on any PC since you install it on a USB stick ! It clean EVERYTHING after you shutdown the machine, amnesic style !

DDG is my go to recommendation as it's a powerful Google competitor and the default on the Tor Browser ! They also have an HTML-only version and a Lite version + an onion site.

Worth mentioning :

• Brave Search Nice index ??
• Startpage Google index but private ??
• MetaGer 100% renewable energy + non-profit ??
• Kagi Search Paid
• Mojeek The OG of private search engine ????
• Spot Search Engine Public SearXNG instance

Self hosted options :

• SearXNG Open source multi search engine scrapper
• LibreY Open source multi search engine scrapper

I would recommend to read their privacy policy :

https://duckduckgo.com/privacy https://search.brave.com/help/privacy-policy https://www.startpage.com/privacy-policy/ https://metager.org/datenschutz https://kagi.com/privacy https://www.mojeek.com/about/privacy/

Or compare them with this website : https://searchengine.party/

For GrapheneOS

I use the default GrapheneOS browser on my phone, it's a degoogled chromium harden for security.

On non-GrapheneOS Android device try these:

• Cromite Similar to Vanadium, slower on security update push
• IronFox Based on Firefox Gecko engine from Mozilla
• Brave A bit bloated, this guide is nice if you want to improve its privacy and security settings.

Computer

My mine browser, a Firefox fork inspired by Arc Browser UX.

Computer

Secondary browser based on chromium blink.

Worth mentioning:

• Orion Browser Based on Safari Webkit macOS only

Computer

Tiercary private browser based on Firefox.

Worth mentioning:

• LibreWolf

My browser selector on Linux kernel

My browser selector on macOS

The browser selector I would use on Windows 10

Worth mentioning: Browser Picker

This one is a must. If you just installing it will automatically blocks all ads and most trackers. But it has more features than that. I recommend you to look at the doc.

My go-to F-Droid client. I have third party repo on it especially IzzyOnDroid.

Worth mentioning:

• Droid-ify
• F-Droid

If you need apps that are only on the Google Play Store you can download them here without any account. You can also download paid apps you bought by loging in your Google account.

If you're on iOS the easiest, legal way to sideload apps is AltStore. Unfortunately it's not comparable to any third party store on Android but hey it work and does not break Apple Terms of Services !

AltStore PAL is a better version for a selected list of region such as EU and Japan.

Worth mentioning: SideStore

Worth mentioning : Notesnook Freshly open source (E2EE cloud sync)

E2EE note-taking app with cross devices sync !

Worth mentioning :

• Joplin OG and open source (E2EE cloud sync)
• Standard Notes
• Obsidian Closed source but local data or E2EE cloud sync on premium

Monero(XMR) is the digital-cash. Almost untraceable, anonymous and secure by default ! To me it's a cheaper way to get anonymity payment online than Bitcoin.

Learn more on their website and in this amazing book

ONLY USE WALLET RECOMMENDED ON getmonero.org

Bitcoin(BTC) is the first cryptocurrency. It's ultra secure but not anonymous by default, even if people think so.

Actually it's not private at all since the blockchain is public and that nowadays people uses KYC services while buying crypto. Look at it like the digital-gold. It's more accepted than Monero though.

BTC for computer and/or Signing devices (hardware wallets)

The Bitcoin wallet I use with my signing device.

Worth mentioning: Liana Advanced Bitcoin miniscript for complex multi-sig and timelock stuff. Perfect for inheritance or distributed governance.

BTC for Android

THE best crypto-wallet for Android (better than any iPhone wallet) if using bitcoin privately matters to you ! BTC only

Worth mentioning :

• BlueWallet iOS and Android
• Blockstream App (Green) Cross-platform

Multi coin wallet cross-platdorm

One of the best XMR Wallet on mobile

A XMR only version of cake wallet is available on Monero.com for both iOS and Android ! You can now exchange coin with both Monero.com and Cake Wallet !

Worth mentioning :

• Monerujo XMR only for Android only (community driven)
• Unstoppable Wallet Multi coin

I gave up on Bitcoin Lightning so I use Phoenix with offer good trade-off for me.

Worth mentioning:

• ZeusLN
• BitBanana

KYC-free p2p exchange to buy and sell Bitcoin only

Worth mentioning:

• Vexl
• RetoSwap (Haveno)
• Bisq

For Android & iOS

My favourite map app is a community fork of the popular Organic Maps .

Worth mentioning :

• Cartes WebApp and not global yet (europe focus)
• Magic Earth Closed source but strong privacy policy
• OsmAnd For map nerds

Online easy to use

Online, easy to use. Need an account for reasonning

Locally on Apple Silicon macs

Worth mentioning:

• Ollama Much slower but available on Linux too
• Osaurus Mac only

Online

For Android

A nice free and open source client for Android that let you listen to audio in the background and does have PiP mode. This is a fork of the popular NewPipe with SponsorBlock !

For your computer

An almost nice free and open source client for Desktop. Support SponsorBlock (limited feature). It's not super fast as an Electron app but it does the job. Edit : Sometimes it really slow and can be unusable from time to time

Worth mentioning : Yattee For macOS only

For Android

A nice free and open source client for Android that let you listen to audio in the background and does have PiP mode. There is a fork with SponsorBlock !

Worth mentioning : SongTube Better modern UI (focused on music) LibreTube Use Piped In BETA VueTube In BETA

For iOS or other Apple devices

If you want to completely avoid YouTube. Odysee (https://alternativeto.net/software/lbry/about/ instance) is the best alternative content wise IMO but it's not really private and it's cryptocrap bloated !

Worth mentioning :

• PeerTube Better technically

My daily messenger app. It's free so easy to move your friends on it and the UI/UX is really good. You can do audio and video calls. The security of Signal is gold standard. A phone number is requiere tho.

Worth mentioning :

• Threema Paid, phone number or email adress can be optionnaly linked to your account
• SimpleX Chat Most private option, still a bit early
• bitchat Mesh over bluetooth
• Delta Chat intersting foss