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What apps have you tried to "de-google" yourself? (reddthat.com)

submitted 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) by pleasestopasking@reddthat.com to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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Right now a lot of us are trying to divest and diversify from having our entire lives on Google both because of the way Google spends its money and the long-standing privacy concerns seeming a bit more scary now.

What services have you switched to and what has your experience been? What do you like, what don't you like, would you recommend them?

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[-] rraggl@feddit.nl 3 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

Desktop: Linux (Tuxedo)
Browser: Vivaldi
Search: Ecosia & DDG
Mail / Groupware / Calendar / Contacts / Cloud Drive / Meet: Infomaniak kSuite Pro
Backup: Syncthing
Movies / Netflix / Amazon Prime: buying DVD / Bluray and ripping to my home media server with Jellyfin and Videoland.nl
Mobile Phone: Fairphone with /e/OS or Calyx
Whatsapp: Signal, Matrix / Element, Briar, Threema
YouTube: Grayjay, Floatplane, Nebula, Curiosity Stream
Maps: Magic Earth
Photos: ente.io
Authenticator: Ente Auth
Twitter / X: Mastodon
Cards: Catima
Keep / Evernote: Notesnook / Anytype
Backup comms: Meshtastic / UHF / VHF
Translate: DeepL
Podcasts: Antennapod
Google Home: Home Assistant
Google Assistant / Gemini: Mistral Le Chat / LLama
Router: openWRT (GL.iNET Flint2)
Firewall: opnSense (Deciso)
Pushbullet: KDE Connect
speedtest.net: LibreSpeed
Fing: Ning
Kobo / Kindle: Pocketbook
Amazon: Local / European dealers
Pocket: Wallabag
Creality / Bambulab: Prusa
VPN: Proton, Wireguard, Tailscale

[-] 1rre@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 49 minutes ago

for speedtest, fast.com is pretty great as it's a pretty lightweight page and uses netflix's servers which mean it's not really possible for ISPs to game it

[-] Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works 1 points 13 minutes ago

Cloudflares test site is more informative btw

[-] Bronzie@sh.itjust.works 5 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Almost everything, finally!
OS: GrapheneOS
Calendar: Proton
Browser: Firefox
Storage: NAS
Youtube: NewPipe and SmartTube

I’m still stuck with Maps and Android in my car as it has Android Automotive, but I’m happy with my progress so far

[-] orcrist@lemm.ee 1 points 5 hours ago

Tried? That is boring. Stick with what we kept using.

[-] SexDwarf@lemmy.world 5 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago)

Replaced

Gmail -> Proton Mail
Keep -> Joplin
Docs -> LibreOffice + OpenDocument Reader
Drive 100 Gb -> Proton Drive (free 5 Gb)
Photos -> ente photos
Play Books -> ReadEra Premium + Kobo
Translate & Lens -> DeepL

Haven't been able to replace (just yet)

Wallet
Maps & Earth
Sheets
Home
Calendar

[-] lud@lemm.ee 2 points 5 hours ago

Since you already use proton you should check out proton calendar.

[-] SexDwarf@lemmy.world 2 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

We tried it but my wife hated it. With Proton, you have choose one subscription. I already use Pass plus so I can't have Mail plus (shared calendars) without Proton ultimate which is an overkill in my situation and too expensive.

[-] Liljekonvalj@feddit.org 5 points 6 hours ago

Tutamail has a calendar. Tutamail hasn't said anything positive or factual about the republican parties either. They've made no statements

[-] SexDwarf@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago

Tutamail shared calendars (which is a must) subscription was so confusing I didn't understand it. Like their whole subscription model is needlessly complicated.

[-] iborrelli@lemm.ee 2 points 9 hours ago

Google sheets is simply... Really good. I haven't been able to find anything else close. I've tried libre and even excel but sheets is by far my favourite. And I really love spreadsheets so I feel I'm in a horrible position and so torn.

[-] lud@lemm.ee 1 points 5 hours ago

I'm no accountant, but isn't excel way better than sheets?

[-] orcrist@lemm.ee 2 points 5 hours ago

LibreOffice is solid, too.

[-] SexDwarf@lemmy.world 1 points 9 hours ago

Tell me about it. Wallet is literally the only good option. The alternatives to Maps don't come even close, it's simply the best and most convenient app. Same with Earth (use it rarely but still).

[-] somenonewho@feddit.org 5 points 8 hours ago

My selfhosted Nextcloud does:

Cloud storage (including photo storage)
Contact/Calendar/Task Sync (DAV Droid)
Notes
Podcast subscription and progress sync (gpodder)

While I use OSMAnd for offline navigation MAPS is still my go-to for navigation/discovering places.

My phone is currently running stock Android

[-] Niquarl@lemmy.ml 1 points 6 hours ago

What podcast apps do you use with gPodder?

[-] somenonewho@feddit.org 6 points 5 hours ago

Honestly I just use AntennaPod on Android. I've used Gpodder Desktop before but I don't really listen to podcasts on desktop... So I don't really need the sync but it's nice to have especially if you're moving phones/OS

Regarding AntennaPod it's honestly the perfect podcast app it does everything (chapters/chapter images ...) I want from a podcast app and it's open source

[-] OADINC@feddit.nl 1 points 4 hours ago

I use Antennapod too, I really like it :)

[-] Lyra_Lycan 2 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

I guess I'll share my setup aha. Forewarning: I invested heavily into self hosting and being in full control of as much as possible, mainly to try to be 'Internet independent'.

Google ads, APIs, telemetry and everything else that is not necessary: AdGuard Home (selfhosted)
Android app store: Fdroid with IzzyOnDroid repo, failing that Aurora Store, if apps still whine about not being to use Play Services then I use the Play Store
Gmail: Mailcow Dockerized (selfhosted) with K9 Android client
SMS (not that I use it anyway): Fossify SMS
Instant messaging: Matrix (selfhosted) for Discord/Telegram style with Element client, or Telegram FOSS
File Manager (I goddamn hate that Google Files forces itself onto any phone after initial setup, even when there's a manufacturer installed one already): Material Files
GBoard (It's also really fucking invasive): HeliBoard
YouTube: via Revanced Manager, with Odysee as a hopeful replacement. Much lower userbase though, obviously.
Google Photos (refuses to settle for less than 100% file access): Part of a self hosted Samba share that I keep synced to via FolderSync (from Play Store - they charge €10 for the app outside of Google)
Chrome: Brave (I downloaded a script to debloat it of crypto and AI)
Google Search: My partner uses Ecosia for environment reasons, and I use DuckDuckGo for privacy reasons
Chromecast: I recommend a Roku
AndroidOS: CalyxOS if Pixel, LineageOS if not
Play Services: Gapps pico or nano because some things are still tied to Play Services
Maps is superior, unfortunately, but OSMAnd is a good alt
Google DNS, used by default by a lot of things like routers: Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1

[-] kamen@lemmy.world 1 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

I've tried HeliBoard as already suggested elsewhere, but I find its autocorrect and suggestions absolutely abysmal in English and even worse in my native Bulgarian. With Gboard I can usually type a letter or two and it already knows what's up, and it often knows what's the next word based just on the previous one.

How's your experience with it?

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this post was submitted on 15 Mar 2025

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