Since Google's grasp over our all lives continues to tighten, i dedicate this thread to discussing and recommending more privacy friendly alternatives and how to block Google entirely. Feel free to talk about your experiences with alternatives or recommend new ones.
The only thing i still use from google is YouTube in my browser. Which will change in the future if the FreeTubeApp (YT front end application) leaves beta and is more stable.
Self-Hosted = use your own PC/Server to host your services
Hosted = use someone elses PC/Server and service
Web Services
The list isn't final and i will keep updating it so you might wanna visit it again later.
Since this will be a long list use "Control" + "F" on your keyboard to search for Apps, Services or Hardware.
Since this will be a long list use "Control" + "F" on your keyboard to search for Apps, Services or Hardware.
The only thing i still use from google is YouTube in my browser. Which will change in the future if the FreeTubeApp (YT front end application) leaves beta and is more stable.
The content of the list is not an outright recommendation. Some are more private/better than other. Do your own research!
If you are interested in more privacy friendly software check out my weekly software recommendations.
If you are interested in more privacy friendly software check out my weekly software recommendations.
Self-Hosted = use your own PC/Server to host your services
Hosted = use someone elses PC/Server and service
Web Services
Application/Service | Google Product | Alternatives |
---|---|---|
Search Engine | Google Search | Self-Hosted:
|
Video/Streaming Platform | YouTube | Self-Hosted: PeerTube; Hosted (no YT content): Odysee; BitChute; Flote; Front-end for YT: Invidious (Web); FreeTube (Desktop); NewPipe (Mobile) (see my rambling); |
Music Platform | Google Play Music | Self-Hosted: Jellyfin; Hosted: Funkwhale; Libre.fm; NewPipe (Mobile); |
E-Books | Google Play Books | calibre; Content (use at own risk): |
; Social Media | Google+ i know its dead | Pleroma (join our varis instance); 10friends; Flote; |
Gmail | Self-Hosted: Postfix; Dovecot; Exim; Hosted: ProtonMail; Tutanota; (see more alternatives with details) Avoid CTemplar: Had total data loss and won't use backups for "security reasons" Mail Client: Thunderbird; Claws Mail; K-9 Mail; | |
Messaging and Videochat | Google Hangouts Google Voice and Video Chat | Self-Hosted: Nextcloud Talk; Jitsi; Matrix; RocketChat; Session; XMPP; Hosted: Signal; Session; Matrix; RocketChat; XMPP; Avoid WhatsApp: closed source, owned by Facebook and default enabled cloud Backups circumvent E2EE (Google can see all messages) Avoid iMessage: closed source and by default enabled cloud Backups circumvent E2EE (Apple can see all messages) Avoid Telegram: no local encryption, E2EE has to be enabled, Phone numbers are stored in cleartext, includes Google tracker Avoid Zoom: Lied about E2EE for 5 Years and sends data to Facebook and Google without user consent |
News Aggregator | Google News | AllSides; HackerNews; |
Navigation Maps | Google Maps | Web: OpenStreetMap; DuckDuckGo; Qwant; App: OSMAnd (F-Droid); Transportr; |
Satellite/3D World Map | Google Earth | NASA WorldWind; Marble; |
Calendar | Google Calendar | Self-Hosted: Nextcloud, Radicale; Hosted: ProtonMail; Tutanota; Offline: Simple Calendar (Mobile) (F-Droid); Etar (Mobile); |
Notes | Google Keep | Joplin; Simplenote; Simple Notes Pro (F-Droid); |
Tasks | Google Tasks | Joplin; Thunderbird; CherryTree; |
Online Docs, Slides and more | Google Docs Editors | Self-Hosted: Collabora Online in Nextcloud; libreoffice; Hosted: CryptPad; Framacalc; Etherpad; Ethercalc; Only Office; |
Translation | Google Translate | Front-end (Text): Simple Web Translator (no JS); Lingva; Front-end (Image) translateimages Independent (Text): libretranslate; Apertium; DeepL; dict.cc (Gecko/Firefox Addon); Websites (limited and still in development): Vivaldi (Browser); Mozilla Project Bergamot (Gecko/Firefox Addon) (Browser); |
Dictionary | Google Dictionary | Wiktionary; Dictionary Anywhere (Gecko/Firefox Addon) |
Alerts | Google Alerts | F5Bot; |
Cloud Storage | Google Drive | Self-Hosted: Nextcloud; Hosted (always encrypt data before uploading e.g. with Cryptomator): ProtonDrive (beta); SpiderOak; Mega;Avoid Backblaze: submitted unknowingly (to users and them) private file data to Facebook! Filesharing without Account: Disroot; |
Link/URL Shortener | Google URL Shortener | Kutt; |
DNS | Google Public DNS | Self-Hosted: Unbound; BIND; PowerDNS; Public DNS: (see more alternatives with details); |
VPN | Google One | Self-Hosted: OpenVPN; SoftEther; Hosted: Mullvad; ProtonVPN; (see more alternatives with details); Avoid Windscribe: Servers seized by Ukrainian authorities weren’t encrypted, revealed private key and used old vulnerable software settings Avoid HideMyAss: Keeps logs and shares them with authorities |
Online file and website Antivirus scanner | VirusTotal | Hosted (Data uploaded will be shared with Antivirus provider!): MetaDefender; Hybrid Analysis; Jotti; |
Software & Hardware
Application/Service | Google Product | Alternatives |
---|---|---|
Browser | Google Chrome |
|
Laptop, Phone, Tablet and Smartwatch Hardware(+OS) | Chromebooks WearOS | Hardware+OS: System76; PinePhone/PineBook/PineWatch/PineTab; StarBook; Tuxedo; Purism; |
Phone OS | Stock Android | Android Open Source Project (AOSP): LineageOS (no Google Play Services) /e/ (fork of LineageOS with preinstalled MicroG = working Google Play Services) GrapheneOS (requires Pixel Phone / experimental and limited Google Play Services) (see my rambling); CalyxOS (fork of GrapheneOS with preinstalled MicroG = working Google Play Services) Android De-Google App compatibility checker: plexus.techlore.tech Linux: Ubuntu Touch; PostmarketOS; Sailfish OS; |
Smart TV | Android TV | OSMC; KODI; |
Android Background Service and API rootkit | Google Play Services | MicroG; |
Android Push Notification | Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) | Server-Sent Events (SSE); WebSocket; |
Android App Store | Google PlayStore | Free and Open Source Apps: F-Droid (see my rambling); PlayStore Apps: Aurora Store; |
Track mobile device location | Find your phone | FindMyDevice; |
Camera App | Google Camera (Gcam) | Gcam Services Provider; MicroG; |
Photos | Google Photos | Self-Hosted: Nextcloud; Offline: Simple Gallery Pro (F-Droid); |
Contacts | Google Contacts | Self-Hosted: Nextcloud Contacts; Offline: Simple Contacts(F-Droid); |
Docs | Google Docs | LibreOffice (Desktop); Collabora Office (Mobile); |
Podcast | Google Podcasts | AntennaPod (Android); gPodder (Desktop) |
Multi-factor authentication (2FA) | Google Authenticator | andOTP (see my rambling); FreeOTP; Aegis Authenticator; |
Password Manager | Google Password Manager Google Smart Lock | KeePass (KeePass1&2 ((see my rambling)), KeePassXC, KeePassDX); Bitwarden; |
Webhosting
Application/Service | Google Product | Alternatives |
---|---|---|
CAPTCHA | ReCAPTCHA | Friendly Captcha; hCaptcha; TextCaptcha; Securimage: |
Web Analytics | Google Analytics | Matomo; Plausible ;Open Web Analytics; GoAccess; AWStats; |
Crash Analytics/Reports | Firebase Crashlytics | Sentry; |
Block Google
- In the web browser (Easy):
- uBlock Origin blocks (google) Ads and Tracking by default. Manually add google sites e.g.
||google.com
inSettings
>My filter
to block specific sites or use filter lists
- uBlock Origin blocks (google) Ads and Tracking by default. Manually add google sites e.g.
- On the whole Device with a Host file (Medium depending on the OS):
- Windows
- Edit
C:/Windows/System32/drivers/etc/hosts
and add google sites e.g.0.0.0.0 google.com
at the bottom
- Edit
- Linux
- Edit
/etc/hosts
and add google sites e.g.0.0.0.0 google.com
at the bottom
- Edit
- Mac
- Edit
/private/etc/hosts
and add google sites e.g.0.0.0.0 google.com
at the bottom
- Edit
- Android
- iOS
- Windows
- On the whole internal network -> All devices (Advanced):
- With your Router like pfsense/opnsense, openwrt or Pi-hole and filter lists
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