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From: Jim Jackson <jj@franjam.org.uk>
Newsgroups: comp.mobile.android
Subject: Re: The dirty dozen Google apps which must be 1:1 replaced to have
 any privacy
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2025 18:57:50 -0000 (UTC)
Organization: A noiseless patient Spider
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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/