Degoogling - Gridranger

Degoogling - 2025-03-08 (last update: 2025-05-01)

Greetings Programs,

as a first post, I'll create for myself a degoogle checklist to track my progress of leaving the GAFAM behind.

Selection criteria:

preferably from Europe

don't cooperate with autocrats

being open source is a big plus

being free and open source is even better

Color codes: 🟥 looking for ideas; 🟦 testing a candidate; 🟨 not replaced fully; ✅ replaced

status	original	candidate	notes
✅	Windows	Linux Mint	still have Win11 as backup system
🟥	Android	?	tough one, as I often use the work profile that requires Google services.
🟦	Android Camera	Open Camera	Android Cam is integrated to Google Pics, so it has to go.
🟦	Office	OnlyOffice	Tried Nextcould, running it on a raspberry constantly is not much cheaper than Proton and that seems to be better. I might pay for Proton once they fixed their Drive. Libre Office was too oldschool for me.
✅	Chrome / Edge	Vivaldi	I moved to Edge, then Ms started cooperate with autocrats...
✅	GBoard	FlorisBoard	Has better accented letter placement for non-Englinsh languages than HeliBoard.
✅	Github	Framagit	Even pages part works perfectly. This very page is hosted there right now.
🟨	Google / Bing	Ecoisa	just started to accept Bing, when Ms ruined itself in my eyes. Not perfect as Ecosia uses Bing behind the scenes.
✅	Google Caller	Fossfiy Phone	Important: don't disable the default app, emergency calls works only if that is still enabled!
✅	Google Contacts	Fossify Contacts + Proton Contacts	I use Fossify for the phone, Filen for backup and Proton for the mail.
✅	Google Drive / OneDrive	Filen	Filen seems to be fine. Proton drive is out of the questions until they won't make Pictures accessible on file level.
✅	Google Files (Android)	Fossify File Manager + com.android.documentsui	I didn't like FX's UI. If only I could use com.android.documentsui...
🟦	Google Maps	Here We Go	Magic Earth worked well but it featured no desktop version. Let's see how the former Nokian map app performs.
✅	Google Messages	Fossify Messages
✅	Google Passwords	ProtonPass
✅	Google Photos	Fossify Gallery
✅	Google Translate	DeepL
✅	Gmail / Outlook	Proton Mail (Plus)	Noone understands how to spell @tuta.com. Vivaldi mail looked fine, but I don't want to chain myself to a browser again. Proton is capable to download old content from Outlook and Gmail, and that spared me a lot of time.
✅	Facebook	Mastodon	that was the first step
✅	Instagram	-	I don't use it anymore
🟥	Messenger	?	That's a hard one. It would be nice to move to Viber, that is at least owned by a Japanese company. I would try Signal too, but how make my contacts move?
✅	Copilot / ChatGPT	Le Chat (Mistral)
✅	Microsoft Authenticator	Ente Auth
🟨	PlayStore	Aurora, f-Droid	not a full solution but better
🟨	YouTube	Freetube / NewPipe	not a full solution but better

Completeness: 85%

Others will be added later.

These times offer a unique opportunity for companies. They can decide whether they go for short term profit by serving autocratic regimes or by praying on those to want alternatives to GAFAM apps. Or they can work for the freedom of all by supporting those who are looking for solution.