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 the technology works and taking control of it is an integral part of becoming a true Data Overhauler. 😉
Table of Contents
Software
| Software | Replace This | With This | Complete Replacement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Microsoft Windows | Linux Mint (or any Linux distribution), Apple OSX | Yes |
| Productivity software | Microsoft Office | LibreOffice, FreeOffice | Yes |
| Browser | Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Apple Safari | Firefox, Brave, Tor Browser | Yes |
| Digital Notebook | Microsoft OneNote, Google Keep, Apple Notes | Joplin, Turtl | Yes |
| Password Manager | your brain/memory, sticky note on your monitor, your phone’s addressbook etc | Bitwarden or the retail service RoboForm | Yes |
| Two-Factor Authentication | not using it, codes sent via SMS | Aegis, FreeOTP, AndOTP, Nitrokey, YubiKey | Yes |
| PDF Reading | Adobe Acrobat Reader | Your browser | Yes |
| PDF Editing | Adobe Acrobat | Master PDF Editor | Yes |
Services
| Service | Replace This | With This | Complete Replacement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email, Calendar, Contacts | Gmail, iCloud, Outloook, etc | Mailfence*, Tutanota, ProtonMail* | Yes |
| Online Storage | Google Drive, Amazon Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, etc | Nextcloud, Keybase, Sync.com*, or use Cryptomator | Yes |
| Bookmark Syncing | Google Chrome, Apple Safari | Brave | Yes |
| Printing | Google Cloud Print | Wifi or USB | Almost |
| Music | Google Play Music, Spotify, Pandora | Plex (my owned music) | No |
| VPN | Private Internet Access PIA | Mullvad, Tor Browser, ProtonVPN* | Yes |
| Search Engine | Google, Bing | DuckDuckGo, Qwant, Searx | Mostly |
| Credit Card | Giving your credit card number | Privacy.com* | Yes |
| Video Conferencing | Zoom, Join.me, WebEx, Microsoft Teams | Jitsi Meet | Yes |
| Video Streaming | YouTube | Invidious & LBRY* | Yes |
Hardware
| Hardware | Replace This | With This | Complete Replacement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laptop | most consumer laptops | Purism Librem Laptops, Apple laptops with attention to configuration | Yes |
| Wifi Router | Google Wifi, your provider’s router | anonabox, FlashRouters | Yes |
| Home Assistant/ Automation | Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Apple HomePod | Don’t use these, but maybe Mycroft | No |
Mobile
| Hardware/App | Replace This | With This | Complete Replacement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smartphone | Apple iPhone, most commercial Android-based phones | CalyxOS, GrapheneOS, Purism Librem Phone, Pinephone | Almost |
| Messaging | iMessage, Android Messages | Signal, Briar, Jami | Yes |
| Browser | Chrome, Safari | Brave, Bromite, Firefox Focus/Klar | Yes |
| Keyboard | Gboard | AnySoftKeyboard, Grammarly | Mostly |
| WiFi manager | Not using one | WiFi Automatic | Yes |
| VPN | Google or others | Mullvad, Tor Browser, ProtonVPN*, Wireguard (with trusted VPN) | Yes |
| App Firewall | Not using one | TrackerControl, NetGuard, Lockdown | Yes |
| Weather | Google Weather, WeatherBug, etc | Forecastie | Yes |
| PDF & Book reading, TTS | Adobe, iBooks, Foxit | Librera PRO | Yes |
| Audiobook | Smart AudioBook Player, Listen Audiobook Player | Voice | Yes |
| Podcast | Anything from Google Play | AntennaPod | Yes |
| Android App Launcher | Your manufacturer’s launcher | KISS launcher, reviewed others | Yes |
| Email App | Gmail, Outlook | Nine Email, K-9 Mail, ProtonMail*, Tutanota | Yes |
| Background Noise Generators for Focus and Productivity | White Noise, Sleepa, etc | Noice, Binaural Beats | Yes |
| Voice Recorder | built-in | Voice Recorder, Audio Recorder | Yes |
| Location Services | Google Maps or Apple Find My | Hauk, OpenTracks | Mostly |
Want More Recommendations?
Throughout this blog, I’m constantly referring to other resources, channels, etc in the industry. Explore more with me:
Tools We Use To Bring You This Site
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| Missinglettr* | Generate creative social media posts and schedule their release. |
| Beacon* | Produce beautiful guides, checklists, ebooks, etc using existing blog entries or easily create from scratch. |
| RelayThat | Create eye-catching thumbnails for videos and social media along with informative infographics. |
| TextGoods* | Pen highly-researched and concise articles about any topic you can imagine and of course Internet Privacy. 😉 |
| Grammarly* | Forge consistent compositions with industry-leading grammar checking and plagiarism detection. |
| Dreamstime* | Hunt down the perfect illustration, photo, or video for your projects. |
| Happy Scribe* | Create amazingly accurate subtitles and transcripts for your videos with a blazingly fast editor that includes multi-language translations. |
| Ezoic* | Accelerates website performance and includes AI-powered display advertising. |
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