De-Google your life: These 17 privacy-obsessed apps will set you free

Google is aware of what we seek for, the place we go, who we e-mail—and diligently shops all of it as effectively. For many customers, this has lengthy been an excessive amount of of a “good thing”. If you need to reside a extra digitally self-determined life, you may steadily flip your again on the info big from Silicon Valley.

But to do this means you’ll additionally want to seek out alternate options for companies reminiscent of Google Search, Gmail, Maps and so on. Sounds like lots of effort? It doesn’t must be. We present you how one can acquire extra privateness with just some clicks. Without sacrificing comfort:

Replace Google search: No extra information snooping

Google search delivers good outcomes—but it surely lets them look deep into your private life. If you don’t need to be tracked whereas browsing, you may depend on search engines like google and yahoo that take privateness severely.

DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo is probably the best-known Google various. It fully dispenses with monitoring, doesn’t retailer IP addresses and nonetheless delivers stable outcomes, particularly for basic search queries. No person profiles are created and no search histories are recorded. The outcomes come from a mixture of its personal crawlers and partly from Bing, however often with barely much less accuracy in comparison with Google.

• Pro: Pure information safety, fast and easy changeover from different search engines like google and yahoo (additionally cellular).
• Cons: Fewer customized hits, weaker outcomes for area of interest subjects.

Startpage

Startpage exhibits anonymized Google search outcomes—with none monitoring, cookies or customized promoting. This means we get the same old high quality of Google searches with out our private information being saved. The service originates from the Netherlands and is topic to European information safety requirements.

• Pro: Best outcomes with privateness.
• Cons: Slightly longer loading occasions, adverts within the combine (however they’re discreet).

Gmail? No thanks: Emails with out readers

Sam Singleton

Google scans emails (often robotically) to personalize promoting and companies. If you favor a extra discreet strategy, change to a mail supplier with a concentrate on safety. Thankfully, now we have loads of selections, as Gmail is likely one of the Google companies that’s best to exchange.

Proton Mail

Proton Mail is a safe e-mail service from Switzerland that persistently focusses on information safety. Emails between Proton Mail customers are robotically end-to-end encrypted, and password safety could be arrange for exterior recipients. The servers are positioned in Switzerland and are due to this fact topic to strict information safety legal guidelines. The internet interface is fashionable and straightforward to grasp, there are apps for Android and iOS in addition to a bridge for traditional mail applications.

• Pro: Strong encryption, servers exterior the USA.
• Cons: Interface takes some getting used to, restricted storage within the free plan.

Do with out Android: De-Googling your smartphone

Sam Singleton

Android could also be open supply, however the Google companies it comprises usually are not. If you need a smartphone that’s as “Google-free” as attainable, you need to dig deeper into your bag of tips—or attempt one thing fully new.

/e/OS

/e/OS is a privacy-friendly Android working system that works fully with out Google companies. Instead, it provides its personal apps, an alternate app retailer (Aurora Store) and synchronization through its personal /e/ cloud. Many well-known smartphones (reminiscent of Samsung and Fairphone) could be reloaded with /e/OS or bought pre-installed as a “de-Googled Phone”. It’s ultimate for everybody who desires to make use of Android with out being tracked by Google.

• Pro: Compatible with Android apps, many units supported.
• Cons: Somewhat technical to arrange, not all apps run completely.

GrapheneOS (for superior customers)

GrapheneOS is a very safe Android spinoff that was specifically developed for Pixel smartphones. It is geared toward skilled customers and focusses on most safety, system hardening, and information safety. Google companies usually are not included as normal, however could be put in manually if required (sandboxed)—GrapheneOS shouldn’t be designed for the “normal” use of Google companies.

• Pro: Extremely safe, hardly any information leakage.
• Cons: For know-how followers, not “plug & play”, requires some know-how and energy

Goodbye Google Maps: How to navigate with privateness

Sam Singleton

Google Maps is aware of our routes—oftentimes higher than we do. Fortunately, there are alternate options for privateness followers that include much less prying eyes.

Organic Maps

Organic Maps is an open supply navigation app that’s based mostly on OSM (OpenRoadMap) maps and works fully with out an web connection. The app doesn’t use monitoring or promoting, which makes it notably privacy-friendly. Ideal for out of doors lovers and anybody who desires to navigate reliably offline, Organic Maps additionally provides sensible features reminiscent of route planning and voice prompts.

• Pro: Works with out the web, ultimate for travelling.
• Cons: No site visitors information, weaker POI search.

Magic Earth

The Magic Earth map service combines OpenRoadMap information with its personal maps and offers a privacy-friendly various to Google Maps. In addition to navigation, the app additionally provides real-time site visitors info, offline maps and an outline of cycle paths and footpaths. With a concentrate on privateness, Magic Earth does away with person monitoring and promoting, however stays useful and user-friendly.

• Pro: Good maps, many options, no information switch.
• Cons: Less well-known locations are typically tougher to seek out.

Byebye Google Chrome: Fast, however nosy

Sam Singleton

Chrome is the highest canine amongst browsers, but it surely’s additionally an actual information hoover. If you need to surf with out being watched, you may change to those alternate options:

Firefox

Firefox is the basic amongst free browsers—quick, safe, expandable. Developed by the Mozilla Foundation, Firefox locations nice emphasis on transparency and information safety. The browser is versatile and could be extremely custom-made with quite a few add-ons: from advert blockers to cookie management.

• Pro: Many information safety add-ons, energetic group.
• Cons: Sometimes a bit slower than Chrome.

Brave

Brave is a Chromium browser with in-built monitoring safety and advert blocker. It blocks adverts, trackers, and fingerprinting by default, even with out extensions.

• Pro: Very quick, good privateness by default.
• Cons: Partial crypto integration, which not everybody desires.

No extra Google Docs: texts and spreadsheets with higher information protections

Sam Singleton

Practical, collaborative, usable in every single place: these are the strengths of Google Docs. But when you don’t need to retailer your paperwork on US servers, there are additionally good alternate options.

ONLYOFFICE

ONLYOFFICE is a strong workplace suite that works with Word, Excel and PowerPoint-compatible paperwork and works each on-line and offline. The platform is especially appropriate for staff collaboration and provides in depth features for phrase processing, spreadsheets, and shows. Compared to Google Docs, ONLYOFFICE provides extra management over your personal information, because the software program will also be put in by yourself servers.

• Pro: Compatible with Word, Excel & Co.
• Cons: Somewhat technical to get began (however straightforward to make use of within the cloud).

CryptPad

CryptPad is a web-based workplace suite that locations explicit emphasis on information safety and safety by storing all information end-to-end encrypted. Users can work collectively on paperwork, spreadsheets or shows with out the operator accessing the content material. Ideal for anybody who values nameless use and most information sovereignty. CryptPad additionally provides features reminiscent of surveys, whiteboards, and markdown editors.

• Pro: Can be used fully anonymously, no registration required.
• Cons: Fewer features, not ultimate for giant groups.

Alternatives for Google Drive: Cloud storage with out information snooping

Sam Singleton

Google Drive is handy, however scans content material for its personal functions. If you favor encrypted storage, you need to check out these companies:

Tresorit

The cloud storage service Tresorit is predicated in Switzerland and focuses on safety and end-to-end encryption. Files are encrypted earlier than being uploaded in order that even Tresorit has no entry to the content material. The servers are positioned in Europe, which is a transparent benefit for customers from the EU by way of information safety. Ideal for corporations and personal people who need to retailer and share delicate information securely on-line.

• Pro: End-to-end encryption, GDPR-compliant.
• Cons: More costly than Google Drive.

Snyc.com

The Canadian cloud service Sync.com depends on zero-knowledge encryption. This signifies that solely you have got entry to your information, not the supplier. The service is simple to make use of, provides apps for all platforms and is right for staff collaboration. There aren’t any trackers or adverts right here both, and even with the free entry-level plan you may get quite a bit accomplished. It’s a powerful Google Drive substitute with considerably extra privateness.

• Pro: Good usability, will also be used freed from cost.
• Cons: Sometimes slower uploads, English-language model.

Google Photos shouldn’t be irreplaceable: Archive your recollections with out the prying eyes

Sam Singleton

Google acknowledges faces, locations, and objects in photos. And whereas that is spectacular, it’s an excessive amount of for many individuals. If you need to retailer your pictures securely, you want alternate options.

Immich

Immich is an open-source answer for managing and backing up pictures by yourself server or NAS. The person interface is harking back to Google Photos—together with face recognition, albums, timelines and AI-supported search. All information stays native and below your personal management. Ideal for anybody who desires most privateness and is ready to convey some technical know-how to the desk.

• Pro: Face recognition regionally, no cloud compulsion.
• Cons: Technical experience required.

Internxt Photos

Simple cloud service with a concentrate on encryption: Internxt Photos shops photographs within the cloud—fully end-to-end encrypted in order that nobody however you may entry them. The app is straightforward, useful and accessible for desktop and cellular units. It has server places in quite a few place together with within the EU, and no promoting or monitoring. Particularly appropriate for anybody who desires to retailer their pictures securely on-line with out counting on massive tech suppliers.

• Pro: GDPR-compliant, intuitive operation.
• Cons: Fewer options than Google Photos.

Bonus tip: Independence from YouTube—is that even attainable?

Sam Singleton

To be trustworthy: probably not. YouTube is not only a video portal, however has lengthy been a big archive for tutorials, documentaries, music, reside streams and nerd data. If you don’t use it in any respect, you’re lacking out on quite a bit. Nevertheless, there are methods to turn out to be no less than a bit extra impartial—or to make use of YouTube extra sparingly.

NewPipe

NewPipe is an alternate YouTube app for Android (for utilizing YouTube) that works and not using a Google account, doesn’t present adverts and in addition has a background mode on board.

• Pro: No registration required, no monitoring, movies could be downloaded immediately.
• Cons: Only for Android, no commenting or liking attainable.

Peertube

Peertube is a free, decentralized video community that sees itself as a counterpart to YouTube. Content comes from many small cases, and not using a nosy massive company behind it. Unlike the NewPipe app offered above, it’s a real various to YouTube with its very personal content material.

• Pro: Open supply, ad-free, community-based.
• Cons: Smaller providing, tough to browse.

Conclusion: Escaping the Google universe step-by-step

In the fashionable, digitalized world, dwelling with out Google is sort of as tough as dwelling with out electrical energy. But it’s attainable, no less than partly. If you consciously search for alternate options, you may scale back monitoring, strengthen information safety, and acquire extra management over your personal information. Opting out doesn’t must be a radical break: even small steps (such instead browser or a brand new search engine) can have a big effect.