# Recommended Tech

Published: 2020-02-17
URL: /recommended-tech/

I'm always asked what I use to keep my data private and secure. I've compiled the following recommended tech, which I'll continuously update. Some of these suggestions might be a bit techie and may not fit everyone's level of consumer polish. Learning how technology works and taking control of it is integral to becoming a true Data Overhauler. 😉

## Software

| Software | Replace This | With This | Complete Replacement |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Operating System | Microsoft Windows | [Linux Mint](https://linuxmint.com/) (or any Linux distribution), [Apple OSX](https://www.apple.com/macos/) | Yes |
| Productivity Software | Microsoft Office | [LibreOffice](https://www.libreoffice.org/), [FreeOffice](https://www.freeoffice.com/en/) | Yes |
| Browser | Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Apple Safari | [Firefox](https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/), [Brave](https://brave.com/), [Tor Browser](https://www.torproject.org/download/) | Yes |
| Digital Notebook | Microsoft OneNote, Google Keep, Apple Notes | [Joplin](https://joplinapp.org/), [Turtl](https://turtlapp.com/) | Yes |
| Password Manager | your brain/memory, sticky note on your monitor, [your phone's address book](https://www.wired.com/2016/09/people-please-dont-store-private-data-address-book/) etc | [Bitwarden](https://bitwarden.com/), a [KeePass Client](https://www.privacyguides.org/en/passwords/#local-storage),  
[1Password](https://www.roboform.com/) (commercial) | Yes |
| Two-Factor Authentication | not using it, codes sent via SMS | [Aegis](https://getaegis.app/), [FreeOTP](https://freeotp.github.io/), [AndOTP](https://github.com/andOTP/andOTP),   
[Nitrokey](https://www.nitrokey.com/), [YubiKey](https://www.yubico.com/) | Yes |
| PDF Reading | Adobe Acrobat Reader | Your browser | Yes |
| PDF Editing | Adobe Acrobat | [Master PDF Editor](https://code-industry.net/masterpdfeditor/) (not OSS) | Yes |

## Services

| Service | Replace This | With This | Complete Replacement |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Email, Calendar, Contacts | Gmail, iCloud, Outlook, etc | [Proton](/recommends/protonmail), [Tutanota](https://tutanota.com/), [Mailfence](/recommends/mailfence), [Disroot](https://disroot.org/en/), [Nextcloud](https://nextcloud.com/) | Yes |
| Online Storage | Google Drive, Amazon Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, etc | [Nextcloud](https://nextcloud.com/), [Internxt](/recommends/internxt-drive), [Keybase](https://keybase.io/), or use [Cryptomator](https://cryptomator.org/) | Yes |
| Bookmark Syncing | Google Chrome, Apple Safari | [Brave](https://brave.com/) | Yes |
| Printing | Google Cloud Print | WiFi or USB | Almost |
| Music | Google Play Music, Spotify, Pandora | [Plex](https://www.plex.tv/)  | No |
| VPN | Private Internet Access PIA | [Mullvad](https://mullvad.net/en/), [Tor Browser](https://www.torproject.org/download/), [ProtonVPN](/recommends/protonvpn) | Yes |
| Search Engine | Google, Bing | [DuckDuckGo](https://duckduckgo.com/), [Qwant](https://www.qwant.com/), [Searx](https://searx.space/) | Mostly |
| Credit Card | Giving your credit card number | [Privacy.com](/recommends/privacy-com) | Yes |
| Video Conferencing | Zoom, Join.me, WebEx, Microsoft Teams | [Jitsi Meet](https://meet.jit.si/) | Yes |
| Mobile Phone Service | AT&T, T-mobile, Verizon, etc | Prepaid providers like [Mint Mobile](/recommends/mint-mobile) or [Silent Link](https://silent.link/) | Yes |
| Video Streaming | YouTube | [Invidious](https://redirect.invidious.io/) & [LBRY](/recommends/lbry) | Yes |

## Hardware & Networking

| Hardware/Network | Replace This | With This | Complete Replacement |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Laptop | most consumer laptops | [Purism Librem Laptops](https://puri.sm/products/librem-13/), Apple laptops with attention to configuration | Yes |
| WiFi Router | Google WiFi, your provider's router | [anonabox](https://www.anonabox.com/), [FlashRouters](https://www.flashrouters.com/routers) | Yes |
| Home Assistant/ Automation | Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Apple HomePod | Don't use these, but maybe [Mycroft](https://mycroft.ai/) | No |
| DNS | Your ISP's or Google's DNS | [NextDNS](/recommends/nextdns) | Yes (WAY better) |

## Mobile

| Hardware/App | Replace This | With This | Complete Replacement |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Smartphone | Apple iPhone, most commercial Android-based phones | [CalyxOS](https://calyxos.org/), [GrapheneOS](https://grapheneos.org/), [Purism Librem Phone](https://puri.sm/products/librem-5/), [Pinephone](https://www.pine64.org/pinephone/) | Almost |
| Messaging | iMessage, Android Messages | [Signal](https://signal.org/), [Briar](https://briarproject.org/), [Jami](https://jami.net/) | Yes |
| Browser | Chrome, Safari | [Brave](https://brave.com/), [Bromite](https://www.bromite.org/), [Firefox Focus/Klar](https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/focus) | Yes |
| Keyboard | Gboard | [AnySoftKeyboard](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.menny.android.anysoftkeyboard/), [Grammarly](https://www.grammarly.com/keyboard) | Mostly |
| WiFi manager | Not using one | [WiFi Automatic](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.j4velin.wifiAutoOff/) | Yes |
| VPN | Google or others | [Mullvad](https://mullvad.net/en/), [Tor Browser](https://www.torproject.org/download/), [ProtonVPN](/recommends/protonvpn), [Wireguard](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.wireguard.android/) (with trusted VPN) | Yes |
| App Firewall | Not using one | [TrackerControl](https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://trackercontrol.org/), [NetGuard](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/eu.faircode.netguard/), [Lockdown](https://lockdownhq.com/) | Yes |
| Weather | Google Weather, WeatherBug, etc | [Forecastie](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/cz.martykan.forecastie/) or [OpenWeather](https://openweathermap.org/) | Yes |
| PDF & Book reading, TTS | Adobe, iBooks, Foxit | [Librera PRO](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.foobnix.pro.pdf.reader/) | Yes |
| Audiobook | Smart AudioBook Player, Listen Audiobook Player | [Voice](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.ph1b.audiobook/) | Yes |
| Podcast | Anything from Google Play | [AntennaPod](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.danoeh.antennapod/) | Yes |
| Android App Launcher | Your manufacturer's launcher | [KISS launcher](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/fr.neamar.kiss/), [reviewed others](/best-minimalist-android-launchers/) | Yes |
| Email App | Gmail, Outlook | [Nine Email](https://www.9folders.com/en/index.html), [K-9 Mail](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.fsck.k9/), [ProtonMail](/recommends/protonmail), [Tutanota](https://www.tutanota.com/) | Yes |
| Background Noise Generators for Focus and Productivity | White Noise, Sleepa, etc | [Noice](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.github.ashutoshgngwr.noice/), [Binaural Beats](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.github.axet.binauralbeats/) | Yes |
| Voice Recorder | built-in | [Voice Recorder](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.simplemobiletools.voicerecorder/), [Audio Recorder](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.github.axet.audiorecorder/) | Yes |
| Location Services | Google Maps or Apple Find My | [Hauk](https://www.f-droid.org/en/packages/info.varden.hauk/), [OpenTracks](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.dennisguse.opentracks/) | Mostly |

## Want More Recommendations?

Throughout this blog, I'm constantly referring to other resources, channels, etc., in the industry. Explore more with me:

- [PrivacyGuides.org](https://www.privacyguides.org/)

- [The HatedOne](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjr2bPAyPV7t35MvcgT3W8Q)

- [Techlore](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6KfncB4OV6Vug4o_bzijg)

- [ThioJoe](https://www.youtube.com/user/ThioJoe)

- [Naomi Brockwell](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSuHzQ3GrHSzoBbwrIq3LLA)

## Tools We Use To Bring You This Site

| Tool | What it does |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Missinglettr](/recommends/missinglettr) | Generate creative social media posts and schedule their release on Twitter, Mastodon, and other social networks. |  |
| [Beacon](/recommends/beacon) | Produce beautiful guides, checklists, e-books, etc. using existing blog entries or easily create from scratch. |  |
| [RelayThat](https://www.relaythat.com/) | Create eye-catching thumbnails for videos and social media, along with informative infographics. |  |
| [Grammarly](/recommends/grammarly) | Forge consistent compositions with industry-leading grammar checking and plagiarism detection. Mostly open-source alternative: [LanguageTool](https://languagetool.org/) |  |
| [Dreamstime](/recommends/dreamstime) | Hunt down the perfect illustration, photo, or video for your projects. |  |
| [Happy Scribe](/recommends/happyscribe) | Create amazingly accurate subtitles and transcripts for your videos with a blazingly fast editor that includes multi-language translations. |  |
| [Wise](/recommends/wise) | Easiest online business bank for storing and transferring multiple currencies. I use these guys for personal and business banking. |  |
| [YNAB](/recommends/ynab) | Yes, You Need A Budget can handle your business books too. I use the [Profit First](https://profitfirstbook.com/) method with it. |  |
| [Ezoic](/recommends/ezoic) | Accelerates website performance and includes AI-powered display advertising. |  |