• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
RestorePrivacy

RestorePrivacy

Resources to stay safe and secure online

  • Tools
    • Secure Browser
    • VPN
    • Ad Blocker
    • Secure Email
    • Private Search Engine
    • Password Manager
    • Secure Messaging App
    • Tor
    • Identity Theft Protection
    • Unblock Websites
    • Privacy Tools
  • Email
    • Secure Email
    • ProtonMail Review
    • Tutanota Review
    • Mailfence Review
    • Mailbox.org Review
    • Hushmail Review
    • Posteo Review
    • Fastmail Review
    • Runbox Review
    • CTemplar Review
    • Temporary Disposable Email
    • Encrypted Email
    • Alternatives to Gmail
  • VPN
    • What is VPN
    • VPN Reviews
      • NordVPN Review
      • Surfshark Review
      • VyprVPN Review
      • Perfect Privacy Review
      • ExpressVPN Review
      • CyberGhost Review
      • AVG VPN Review
      • IPVanish Review
      • Hotspot Shield VPN Review
      • ProtonVPN Review
      • Atlas VPN Review
      • Private Internet Access Review
      • Avast VPN Review
      • TorGuard Review
      • PrivadoVPN Review
    • VPN Comparison
      • NordVPN vs ExpressVPN
      • NordVPN vs PIA
      • IPVanish vs ExpressVPN
      • CyberGhost vs NordVPN
      • Surfshark vs NordVPN
      • IPVanish vs NordVPN
      • ExpressVPN vs PIA
      • VyprVPN vs NordVPN
      • CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN
      • NordVPN vs HideMyAss
      • ExpressVPN vs ProtonVPN
      • ProtonVPN vs NordVPN
      • ExpressVPN vs Surfshark
      • Surfshark vs CyberGhost
      • Surfshark vs IPVanish
    • Best VPNs
      • Best VPN for Torrenting
      • Best VPN for Netflix
      • Best Free VPN
      • Best VPN for Fire TV Stick
      • Best VPN for Amazon Prime
      • Best VPN for Android
      • Best VPN for Gaming
      • Best VPN for PC
      • Best VPN for Disney Plus
      • Best VPN for Hulu
      • Best VPN for Mac
      • Best VPN for Streaming
      • Best VPN for Windows
      • Best VPN for iPhone
    • VPN Coupons
      • ExpressVPN Coupon
      • NordVPN Coupon
      • VPN Black Friday
    • VPN Guides
      • Free Trial VPN
      • Cheap VPNs
      • Static IP VPN
      • Chrome VPN
      • No Logs VPN
      • VPN for Binance
      • WireGuard VPN
      • VPN for Linux
      • VPN for Firefox
      • VPN for BBC iPlayer
    • By Country
      • Best VPN Canada
      • Best VPN USA
      • Best VPN UK
      • Best VPN Australia
      • VPN for Russia
    • VPN Router
  • Password
    • Best Password Managers
    • KeePass Review
    • NordPass Review
    • 1Password Review
    • Dashlane Review
    • LastPass Review
    • Bitwarden Review
  • Storage
    • Best Cloud Storage
    • pCloud Review
    • Nextcloud Review
    • IDrive Review
    • SpiderOak Review
    • Sync.com Review
    • MEGA Cloud Review
    • NordLocker Review
    • Tresorit Review
    • Google Drive Alternatives
  • Messenger
    • Secure Messaging Apps
    • Signal Review
    • Telegram Review
    • Wire Review
    • Threema Review
    • Session Review
  • News
  • Info
    • Mission
    • Press
    • Contact
  • Tools
    • Secure Browser
    • VPN
    • Ad Blocker
    • Secure Email
    • Private Search Engine
    • Password Manager
    • Secure Messaging App
    • Tor
    • Identity Theft Protection
    • Unblock Websites
    • Privacy Tools
  • Email
    • Secure Email
    • ProtonMail Review
    • Tutanota Review
    • Mailfence Review
    • Mailbox.org Review
    • Hushmail Review
    • Posteo Review
    • Fastmail Review
    • Runbox Review
    • CTemplar Review
    • Temporary Disposable Email
    • Encrypted Email
    • Alternatives to Gmail
  • VPN
    • What is VPN
    • VPN Reviews
      • NordVPN Review
      • Surfshark Review
      • VyprVPN Review
      • Perfect Privacy Review
      • ExpressVPN Review
      • CyberGhost Review
      • AVG VPN Review
      • IPVanish Review
      • Hotspot Shield VPN Review
      • ProtonVPN Review
      • Atlas VPN Review
      • Private Internet Access Review
      • Avast VPN Review
      • TorGuard Review
      • PrivadoVPN Review
    • VPN Comparison
      • NordVPN vs ExpressVPN
      • NordVPN vs PIA
      • IPVanish vs ExpressVPN
      • CyberGhost vs NordVPN
      • Surfshark vs NordVPN
      • IPVanish vs NordVPN
      • ExpressVPN vs PIA
      • VyprVPN vs NordVPN
      • CyberGhost vs ExpressVPN
      • NordVPN vs HideMyAss
      • ExpressVPN vs ProtonVPN
      • ProtonVPN vs NordVPN
      • ExpressVPN vs Surfshark
      • Surfshark vs CyberGhost
      • Surfshark vs IPVanish
    • Best VPNs
      • Best VPN for Torrenting
      • Best VPN for Netflix
      • Best Free VPN
      • Best VPN for Fire TV Stick
      • Best VPN for Amazon Prime
      • Best VPN for Android
      • Best VPN for Gaming
      • Best VPN for PC
      • Best VPN for Disney Plus
      • Best VPN for Hulu
      • Best VPN for Mac
      • Best VPN for Streaming
      • Best VPN for Windows
      • Best VPN for iPhone
    • VPN Coupons
      • ExpressVPN Coupon
      • NordVPN Coupon
      • VPN Black Friday
    • VPN Guides
      • Free Trial VPN
      • Cheap VPNs
      • Static IP VPN
      • Chrome VPN
      • No Logs VPN
      • VPN for Binance
      • WireGuard VPN
      • VPN for Linux
      • VPN for Firefox
      • VPN for BBC iPlayer
    • By Country
      • Best VPN Canada
      • Best VPN USA
      • Best VPN UK
      • Best VPN Australia
      • VPN for Russia
    • VPN Router
  • Password
    • Best Password Managers
    • KeePass Review
    • NordPass Review
    • 1Password Review
    • Dashlane Review
    • LastPass Review
    • Bitwarden Review
  • Storage
    • Best Cloud Storage
    • pCloud Review
    • Nextcloud Review
    • IDrive Review
    • SpiderOak Review
    • Sync.com Review
    • MEGA Cloud Review
    • NordLocker Review
    • Tresorit Review
    • Google Drive Alternatives
  • Messenger
    • Secure Messaging Apps
    • Signal Review
    • Telegram Review
    • Wire Review
    • Threema Review
    • Session Review
  • News
  • Info
    • Mission
    • Press
    • Contact

Alternatives to Google Products for 2021

August 24, 2021 By Sven Taylor — 486 Comments
alternatives to Google

This guide aims to be the most exhaustive resource available for documenting alternatives to Google products. It has become one of the most popular guides on Restore Privacy and is now updated for 2021.

With growing concerns over online privacy and securing personal data, more people than ever are considering alternatives to Google products.

After all, Google’s business model essentially revolves around data collection and advertisements, both of which infringe on your privacy. More data means better (more targeted) ads and consequently, more revenue for Google. The company pulled in over $146 billion in ad revenue in 2020 — and that number climbs higher every year.

But the word is getting out. A growing number of people are seeking alternatives to Google products that respect their privacy and data. Since you are reading this, we assume you are one of them.

Small steps to restoring your privacy

Before we dive in, a brief word of encouragement.

When beginning the journey of restoring digital privacy, some people get overwhelmed with all the work involved, and perhaps give up. Don’t let that be you. Understand that you don’t need to do everything right away. Instead, start small and go step by step at your own pace. With each step in the process, you get more security and control over your personal data, which is a small victory.

So don’t be overwhelmed and remember that there’s no “one size fits all” with this process. Even small changes, such as using a private search engine and a privacy-focused browser, are victories. So push on in your quest for more privacy and celebrate each step of the journey.

Note: The lists below are not necessarily in rank order. Choose the best products and services based on your own unique needs.

Google search alternatives

When it comes to privacy, using Google search is not a good idea. When you use their search engine, Google is recording your IP address, search terms, user agent, and often a unique identifier, which is stored in cookies.

Here are eight Google search alternatives to consider:

  1. MetaGer – An open source metasearch engine with good features, based in Germany.
  2. SwissCows – A zero-tracking private search engine based in Switzerland, hosted on secure Swiss infrastructure.
  3. Searx – A privacy-friendly and versatile metasearch engine that’s also open source.
  4. Qwant – A private search engine based in France.
  5. DuckDuckGo – A private search engine based in the US.
  6. Mojeek – The only true search engine (rather than metasearch engine) that has its own crawler and index (based in the UK).
  7. YaCy – A decentralized, open source, peer-to-peer search engine.
  8. Givero – Based in Denmark, Givero offers more privacy than Google and combines search with charitable donations.

Note: With the exception of Mojeek, all of the private search engines above are technically metasearch engines, since they source their results from other search engines, such as Bing and Google.

See the new and updated best private search engines guide for additional information. Here we also explain that some “private search engines” are actually owned by advertising companies. Three examples of this are Startpage, Search Encrypt, and Ghostpeek.

Gmail alternatives

Gmail may be convenient and popular, but there are three major problems:

  1. Your inbox is used as a data collection tool. (Did you know Google tracks your purchasing history using the receipts in your inbox?)
  2. Rather than seeing just emails, your email inbox is also used for ads and marketing.
  3. The contents of your inbox are being shared with Google and other random third parties.

When you remain logged in to your Gmail account, Google can easily track your activities online as you browse different websites, which may be hosting Google Analytics or Google ads (Adsense).

Here are twelve alternatives to Gmail that do well in terms of privacy:

  1. ProtonMail – based in Switzerland; free accounts up to 500 MB
  2. Mailfence – based in Belgium; lots of features; free accounts up to 500 MB
  3. Tutanota – based in Germany; very secure and private; free accounts up to 1 GB
  4. Mailbox.org – based in Germany; €1/mo with 30 day free trial
  5. Posteo – based in Germany; €1/mo with 14 day refund window
  6. Runbox – based in Norway; lots of storage and features; $1.66/mo with 30 day free trial
  7. CounterMail – based in Sweden; $4.00/mo with 7 day free trial
  8. CTemplar – based in Iceland; free accounts up to 1 GB
  9. Kolab Now – based in Switzerland; €4.41/mo with 30 day money-back guarantee
  10. StartMail – based in Netherlands; $5.00/mo with 7 day free trial
  11. Soverin – based in Netherlands; €3.25/mo with partial 30 day refund window
  12. Thexyz – based in Canada; $1.95/mo with 30 day refund window

More information on these providers is available in the secure and private email services guide.

We also have a guide on the best Gmail alternatives.

Google Chrome alternatives

Google Chrome is a popular browser, but it’s also a data collection tool. Even major media outlets are starting to take notice, with the Washington Post stating that “Google’s web browser has become spy software” with 11,000 tracker cookies observed in a single week.

Google Chrome alternatives

Recently, Google has announced that it will ditch cookies in favor of a new tracking and data collection system called FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts). And as you would expect from the world’s largest advertising company, this new systems also comes with privacy problems.

Here are seven alternatives that offer more privacy while still being secure against hackers and other miscreants:

  1. Firefox browser – Firefox is a very customizable, open-source browser that is popular in privacy circles. There are also many different Firefox modifications and tweaks that will give you more privacy and security. Check out Firefox Focus for a strong mobile privacy option.
  2. Brave – Brave is a user-friendly, Chromium-based browser that is growing in popularity. It blocks trackers and ads by default while also implementing browser fingerprinting protection.
  3. Tor browser – A hardened and secured version of Firefox that runs on the Tor network by default. (It also does a good job against browser fingerprinting.)
  4. Ungoogled Chromium – Just as the name says, this is an open source version of Chromium that has been “ungoogled” and modified for more privacy.
  5. Bromite (for Android) – For those who are still using Android devices, the privacy-focused Bromite browser is a great alternative to Chrome. It has ad-blocking and other privacy enhancements by default, but no support for desktop operating systems.

Of course, there are other alternatives to Chrome. These include Safari (from Apple), Microsoft Internet Explorer/Edge, Opera, and Vivaldi among others. But each of these comes with privacy drawbacks. More discussion on this topic can be found in the guide on secure and private browsers.

Google Authenticator alternatives

Google Authenticator makes it easy to use 2FA (two factor authentication) on sites and services that support it. But it only works on your smartphone, and doesn’t save backups of your authentication keys. If your mobile device is lost or stolen, regaining access to all your sites and services can be a real headache. There are a number of alternatives out there, including:

  1. Authy – The main competitor to Google Authenticator. Can back up your authentication keys making it much easier to recover after a problem. Includes versions for iOS, Android, and desktops and can sync your keys between all of them.
    google authenticator alternative
    There’s only one drawback to Authy for us privacy types – it is not open source.
  2. FreeOTP – A free and open source replacement for Google Authenticator on iOS and Android devices. Attractive and easy to use, but features are limited.
  3. AndOTP – Another free and open source authenticator with backup/restore capability. Only works on Android devices.

Other alternatives to Google Authenticator include the authenticator built into some password managers (LastPass, for example) and hardware security keys like the Yubikey line of products.

Google Drive alternatives

If you’re looking for a private, secure cloud storage option, you can check out these Google Drive alternatives:

  1. Tresorit – A user-friendly cloud storage option based in Switzerland.
  2. Sync.com – Based in Canada, Sync offers a secure, encrypted cloud storage solution for businesses and individuals.
  3. MEGA – Based in New Zealand, MEGA offers very affordable plans and lots of secure cloud storage space.
  4. NordLocker – From the team behind NordVPN and also NordPass comes NordLocker. NordLocker is a hybrid encryption tool and secure cloud storage.
  5. Nextcloud – Nextcloud is an open source, self-hosted file sharing and collaboration platform, based in Germany.

There are many other well-known Google Drive alternatives like Dropbox, but they don’t score high marks in the privacy category.

Check out our roundup of the best cloud storage solutions for more info on these and others.

Google Calendar alternative

Here are some Google Calendar alternatives:

  1. Lightning Calendar – An open source calendar option developed by Mozilla. It is compatible with the Thunderbird email program and the Seamonkey software suite.
  2. Etar – An open source, basic calendar option for Android and iOS.

If you are looking for a solution that includes both email and calendar functionality, these providers offer that:

  • Mailfence
  • Kolab Now
  • Posteo
  • Mailbox.org
  • Tutanota
  • ProtonMail

Google Docs / Sheets / Slides alternative

There are many solid Google Docs alternatives available. The largest offline document editing suite is, of course, Microsoft Office. As most people know, however, Microsoft is not the best company for privacy. Nonetheless, there are a few other good Google Docs alternatives:

  1. CryptPad – CryptPad is a privacy-focused alternative with strong encryption, and it’s free.
  2. Etherpad – A self-hosted collaborative online editor that’s also open source.
  3. Mailfence Documents – From the Mailfence team, this is a secure file sharing, storage, and collaboration tool.
  4. Zoho Docs – This is another good Google Docs alternative with a clean interface and good functionality, although it isn’t the best choice if privacy is your top priority.
  5. OnlyOffice – OnlyOffice feels a bit more restricted than some of the other options in terms of features.
  6. Cryptee – This is a privacy-focused platform for photo and document storage and editing. It’s open source and based in Estonia.
  7. LibreOffice (offline) – You can use LibreOffice which is free and open source.
  8. Apache OpenOffice (offline) – Another good open source office suite.

Google Photos alternative

Here are a few good Google Photos alternatives:

  1. Piwigo – Piwigo is a great option that you can self-host. It is also free and open source.
  2. Lychee – Lychee is another self-hosted, open source photo management platform.
  3. Cryptee – Mentioned already above, Cyrptee is also a great option for securely storing photos.
  4. PhotoPrism – is an open source photo app that can be self-hosted, or run on a private server.

Note: In November 2020, Google announced major changes to their policy of free, unlimited photo storage. These changes go into effect June 1, 2021, making now the time to move to an alternate service.

YouTube alternatives

Unfortunately, YouTube alternatives can really be hit or miss, with most struggling to gain popularity.

  1. Peertube
  2. DTube
  3. Bitchute
  4. Rumble
  5. Vimeo
  6. Brighteon
  7. Bit.tube
  8. Dailymotion
  9. Hooktube

Note: Invidio.us was one of our favorite Youtube alternatives. It worked as a proxy, allowing you to watch any Youtube video without logging in, even if the video is somehow restricted. Unfortunately, Invidious.us shut down on September 1, 2020. There are some alternative sites out there, but we can’t vouch for their security, privacy, or anything else. If you want to give one or more of them a try, you’ll find a list of alternate Invidious instances here.

Google Translate alternative

Here are a few Google translate alternatives I have come across:

  1. DeepL – DeepL is a solid Google Translate alternative that seems to give great results. Like Google Translate, DeepL allows you to post up to 5,000 characters at a time (but the pro version is unlimited). The user interface is good and there is also a built-in dictionary feature. Additionally, DeepL offers a Pro version that supports an unlimited number of characters. They also offer apps for Windows and Mac that are faster and easier to use than the web app.
    google translate alternative
  2. Linguee – Linguee does not allow you to post large blocks of text like DeepL. However, it will give you very accurate translations for single words or phrases, along with context examples.
  3. dict.cc – This Google Translate alternative seems to do a decent job on single-world lookups, but it also feels a bit outdated.

If you want to translate blocks of text, check out DeepL. If you want in-depth translations for single words or phrases, then Linguee is a good choice.

Note: Swisscows used to offer a good translation service that supported many languages, but that has been discontinued.

Google analytics alternative

For website admins, there are many reasons to use an alternative to Google analytics. Aside from privacy concerns, there are also faster and more user-friendly alternatives that will respect your visitors’ privacy.

  1. Clicky – A great alternative to Google Analytics that truncates and anonymizes visitor IP addresses by default. It is lightweight, user-friendly, and fully compliant with GDPR regulations.
  2. Matomo (formerly Piwik) – An open-source analytics platform that respects the privacy of visitors by anonymizing and truncating visitor IP addresses (if enabled by the website admin). It is also certified to respect user privacy.
  3. Fathom Analytics – An open source alternative to Google Analytics that’s available on Github here. It’s minimal, fast, and lightweight.
  4. Get Insights – Another privacy-focused analytics platform, with a full analytics suite. The front-end client is open source and available here.
  5. AT Internet – A France-based analytics provider that is fully GDPR compliant, with all data stored on French servers, and a good track record going back to 1996.

Many websites host Google Analytics because they run Google Adsense campaigns. Without Google Analytics, tracking the performance of these campaigns would be difficult. Nonetheless, there are definitely better options for privacy.

Google Maps alternative

A map alternative for PCs is OpenStreetMap.

A few Google Maps alternatives for mobile devices include:

  1. OsmAnd – a free and open-source mobile maps app for both Android and iOS (based on OpenStreetMap data).
  2. Maps (F Droid) – uses OpenStreetMap data (offline).
  3. MapHub – based on OpenStreeMap data and it does not collect locations or user IP addresses.
  4. Here WeGo – a free (ad supported) service that complies with GDPR privacy requirements for all users worldwide.

Note: Waze was a popular alternative to Google Maps until it was acquired by Google.

Google Play Store alternative

Currently the best Google Play Store alternative is to use F-Droid. As explained on the official site, F-Droid is an installable catalog of FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) applications for the Android platform.

See the F-Droid website or the official GitHub page for more info. Other alternatives to the Google Play Store include:

  • Aptoide – An independent marketplace for Android apps. Be aware that Aptoide suffered a major hack in 2020, exposing more than 20,000,000 accounts. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether you are willing to use this service.
  • APKMirror – This is a large library of APK files uploaded by different users (be careful).
  • Aurora Store – A fork of the Yalp Store.

Google Chrome OS alternative

Want to ditch the Chromebook and Chrome OS? Here are a few alternatives:

  1. Linux – Of course, Linux is arguably the best alternative, being a free, open-source operating system with lots of different flavors. Versions of Linux are available for virtually any computing platform. We’re talking supercomputers (all of the top 500 supercomputers run Linux), standard desktops, Chromebooks, even tiny single-board computers like the Raspberry Pi.
  2. Tails – Tails is a free, privacy-focused operating system based on Linux that routes all traffic through the Tor network.
  3. QubesOS – Recommended by Edward Snowden, free and open source.

The two operating systems most popular with the general public are Microsoft Windows and Apple’s operating system for MacBooks – Mac OS. Techies have voiced privacy concerns about Windows for many years. For various reasons, Windows has earned a bad reputation for protecting your privacy. Windows 10, the newest version of the product, is also the worst when it comes to violating user privacy.

While slightly better than Windows, Apple uses Mac OS to collect user data and has partnered with government agencies for surveillance.

Android alternatives

The biggest alternative to Android is iOS from Apple. But iOS is no big winner when it comes to privacy either. Here are a few Android OS alternatives that can really boost your mobile privacy:

  1. LineageOS – A free and open-source operating system for phones and tablets based on Android.
  2. Ubuntu Touch – A mobile version of the Ubuntu operating system.
  3. Plasma Mobile – An open source, Linux-based operating system with active development.
  4. Sailfish OS – Another open source, Linux-based mobile OS.
  5. Replicant – A fully free Android distribution with an emphasis on freedom, privacy, and security.
  6. /e/ – This is another open source project with a focus on privacy and security.
  7. Purism is addressing the issue of mobile phone privacy by bringing out their own phone, called the Librem 5.

Google Hangouts alternatives

Here are some Google Hangouts alternatives:

  1. Wire – A great all-around secure messenger, video, and chat app, but somewhat limited on the number of people who can chat together in a group conversation via voice or video.
  2. Signal – A good secure messenger platform from Open Whisper Systems.
  3. Telegram – A longtime secure messenger app, formerly based in Russia, now in Dubai.
  4. Element.io – A privacy-focused encrypted chat service that is also open source. Formerly known as riot.im.

To learn about these and other Google Hangouts alternatives that protect your privacy, check out our guide to the best secure messenger apps available.

Google Domains alternative

Google Domains is a domain registration service. Here are a few alternatives:

  1. Namecheap – I like Namecheap because all domain purchases now come with free WhoisGuard protection for life, which protects your contact information from third parties. Namecheap also accepts Bitcoin and offers domain registration, hosting, email, SSL certs, and a variety of other products.
  2. Njalla – Njalla is a privacy-focused domain registration service based in Nevis. They offer hosting options, too, and also accept cryptocurrency payments.
  3. OrangeWebsite – OrangeWebsite offers anonymous domain registration services and also accepts cryptocurrency payments, based in Iceland.

Other Google alternatives

Here more alternatives for various Google products:

Google forms alternative – JotForm is a free online form builder.

Google Keep alternative – Below are a few different Google Keep alternatives:

  • Standard Notes is a great alternative for a note-taking service. It is secure, encrypted, and free with apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android (web-based also available).
  • Joplin is another great option that is open source and works on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.
  • Zoho Notebook from Zoho, with apps for desktop and mobile devices.
  • QOwnNotes is an open source file editor with Nextcloud integration.

Google Fonts alternative – Many websites load Google fonts through Google APIs, but that’s not necessary. One alternative to this is to use Font Squirrel, which has a large selection of both Google and non-Google fonts which are free to download and use.

Google Voice alternatives – JMP.chat (both free and paid), Line2 (paid)

G Suite alternative – Zoho is probably the best option

Google Firebase alternative – Kuzzle (free and open source)

Google Blogger alternatives – WordPress, Medium, and Ghost are all good options.


Do you care about your privacy?

Most people looking for Google alternatives have woken up to the fact that they are paying for free products with their private data.

But what about your internet service provider?

In the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, internet service providers are also recording your online activity. This information can be legally sold to third parties (in the US), or saved in government databases (UK, US, and Australia).

Aside from government surveillance agencies, there are many private companies tracking your data (in addition to Google, Facebook, and the other usual suspects).

To retain a basic level of privacy and security online, you need three tools:

1. Private and secure browser

We covered seven Chrome alternatives above, but the secure and private browser guide dives into this issue more intensely. Your browser can reveal lots of private and sensitive data to third parties; be sure to choose carefully.

2. Virtual Private Network (VPN)

A VPN will encrypt and anonymize your online activity from third parties, while also hiding your true IP address and location. Simply install the VPN app on your device, connect to a VPN server, then go about your business as normal. This effectively solves the ISP spying problem.

A VPN will effectively block your internet provider and third parties from snooping your activity and tracking you by your real IP address. In the best VPN services list, I examine some of the top VPN providers while also looking at a few direct comparisons. Here are my favorites:

  1. NordVPN – A privacy-focused VPN with no logs, user-friendly apps, fast servers, and many privacy features [68% discount coupon]
  2. Surfshark – This VPN is user-friendly and also fully-featured with good speeds and support
  3. ExpressVPN – A reliable and secure VPN, also works well for streaming and general privacy

3. Ad blocker

Many ads also function as tracking for large advertising networks. A good ad blocker is an important privacy tool that will also improve page load speeds and de-clutter your browser. For a good understanding of the issues along with recommended products, check out this ad-blocker guide.

The privacy tools guide discusses other solutions as well, including password managers, secure messenger services and more.

Do you have any other tips or suggestions for Google alternatives?

Feel free to drop a comment below. This guide will be regularly updated to reflect the latest information and user feedback.

Stay safe and secure in 2021 and beyond!

Related guides on Restore Privacy:

How to Secure Your Android Device and Have More Privacy

Change These Windows 10 Settings Right Now to Protect Your Privacy

This Alternatives to Google Products guide was last updated on August 24, 2021.

About Sven Taylor

Sven Taylor is a digital privacy expert who has been writing about privacy and security online since 2016. With a passion for digital privacy and online freedom, he created RestorePrivacy to provide you with honest, useful, and up-to-date information about online privacy, security, and related topics.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jamie

    May 23, 2022

    Surprised you didn’t mention Aegis for a Google Authenticator replacement.
    Open source, and attractive design with encrypted backups.

    Reply
    • Mike

      May 25, 2022

      Aegis is a very good 2FA app and thanks for pointing that out. It along with AndOTP are the two best 2FA apps for Android, in my view.

      https://getaegis.app/

      Reply
  2. Mike

    May 22, 2022

    “The ad identifier is a string of letters and numbers that uniquely identifies your phone, tablet, or other smart device. It exists for one purpose: to help companies track you. ”

    https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/05/how-disable-ad-id-tracking-ios-and-android-and-why-you-should-do-it-now

    Reply
  3. Mike

    April 26, 2022

    Google has resorted to an “inclusive language” police for it’s documents program. However, it isn’t going very well.

    https://www.techradar.com/news/google-docs-is-having-some-serious-issues-with-its-new-inclusive-language-warnings

    Reply
  4. Buff

    April 9, 2022

    Android auto – any alternatives for casting on car display

    Reply
    • Mike

      April 14, 2022

      OpenAuto might be one:

      https://opensource.com/article/18/3/openauto-emulator-Raspberry-Pi

      If not, the best way to find out is to search for on here:

      https://alternativeto.net

      Reply
  5. Mike

    March 31, 2022

    Google search will highlight “highly cited” sources (i.e. play favorites) and engage in even more censorship with their search engine.

    https://9to5google.com/2022/03/31/google-search-highly-cited-label/

    Reply
  6. Mike

    March 30, 2022

    Two more alternatives for domain registration and hosting are:

    1) 1984 – https://1984.hosting/ (based in Iceland)

    2) Bahnhof – https://bahnhof.cloud/en/ (based in Sweden)

    Bahnhof can also provide encrypted cloud service for NextCloud users.

    Reply
  7. Mike

    March 28, 2022

    Some people use RSS Feeds for keeping up on their favorite websites or newscasts but, unfortunately, they can also be used to mine your data too. Thankfully, there are privacy-oriented alternatives.

    1) NetNewsWire (iOS Only) – https://netnewswire.com/

    2) Feeder (Android Only) – https://feeder.co/

    Feeder also has an extension available for Chrome browsers too and is on F-Droid. Both services are open source.

    Reply
  8. Mike

    March 28, 2022

    For a time I used DeepL interpreter but their Android app was sacked leaving me to have to use my browser in order to translate websites or messages I got in foreign languages. I have, however, found some alternatives.

    1) LibreTranslate – https://libretranslate.com/

    2) Lingva Translate – https://lingva.ml/

    I have used LibreTranslate for a few months and it does very well. The languages Libre can translate may be limited. Both of these translators are open source.

    Reply
  9. Mike

    March 25, 2022

    I think this might be the maps app that outdoes all of the others. Organic Maps is a free, open source maps application available for Android and iOS, can be downloaded with F-Droid that is built on OpenStreetMap and is made by MapsWithMe founders. No ads, no tracking or phoning home.

    https://organicmaps.app/

    Reply
  10. Séguy

    March 20, 2022

    Hi,
    On android 10.
    About “services google play”, J say “services” not google play alone, without it you can’t make a click, you can stop it, you can deactivate it, but even stopped and deactivated this sort of OS returns to run despite its alarm message to reactivate it, it is executing automatically again at the slightest click.
    In your article do you spell this service google play : google chrome OS ?
    J want to work on my tablet without it, what is the alternatif please ?
    About clipboard, all copy-cut-paste are stored in the clipboard, not all just about 40, you can delete them, but j know they are stored even you delete them, following the reappearance of a deleted clipboard several days after. They are stored in the clipboard of the samsung keyboard even you use anysoftkeyboard.
    What kind of keyboard can avoid this clipboard storage by google ? Or any other général solution involving OS change.
    Regards and thanks for your answer.

    Reply
    • Mike

      March 23, 2022

      @seguy the only way to stop Google from monitoring you is to replace your device’s operating system. There are some OS’s listed above save for one I like called Calyx. There are instructions on how to do this on YouTube.

      As to keyboards and your clipboard retention, there are open source keyboard apps such as Open Keyboard or FlorisBoard you can use that might make it harder to monitor you. But be aware Google may have algorithms that can monitor and record your key strokes too and even your cellular company can have mechanisms in place with their apps to accomplish the same thing.

      While you use Android you are subject to Google’s rules and the same is true if you were an iPhone customer being subject to Apple’s. There are trade-offs but if you want to get away from Google, it would be best to replace your device’s operating system(s). Hope this answers and good luck!

      Reply
  11. Lance

    February 14, 2022

    Why would you recommend Namecheap. Look at Spamhaus and see the true Namecheap.

    Namecheap is consistently at the top or very near the top as the most abused registrar quarter after quarter and year after year. Other registrars that are the same size (in terms of domains registered through them) and even larger registrars don’t even make the top 20. So it is not the number of domains held by a registrar that means they are on the list, but the practices that the registrar has in place. In many cases, Namecheap has refused to take action against domains registered through them as there is not enough evidence. The gTLD on the other-hand used the same information and immediately removed the domain. The evidence clearly showed the domain was used for illegal purposes and was registered using fake information. In another case, the gTLD saw that hundreds and hundreds of domains were all registered by the same person and they removed them all. When someone buys a domain that is just random words put together or just random letters that mean nothing, the very next day is used for illegal purposes, it speaks to what those domains will be used for. Namecheap doesn’t care based upon their actions. Don’t let their AUP fool you, it is just words.

    Their Whois server at one point was also down, which is a violation of ICANN requirements. Did Namecheap do anything when they were notified? Nope. Did they do something after ICANN was notified and ICANN told them to fix it? Yep. So why couldn’t they fix it after they were notified?

    There are much better registrars out there. I wouldn’t trust Namecheap with anything; not even a dirty diaper.

    Reply
  12. J K Birks

    February 10, 2022

    SafeID Authenticator is a viable alternative to google and microsoft authenticators;
    https://deepnetsecurity.com/otp-authenticator-app/

    cloud backup, multiple platforms and devices and enhanced security are the main advantages.

    Reply
    • Mike

      March 2, 2022

      Is it open source?

      Reply
  13. Mike

    January 27, 2022

    This article is very encouraging news! It makes the case that the increased interest in privacy-oriented web browsers, pointing to Brave’s recent success and popularity, demonstrates that privacy overall is gaining traction with the general population.

    That could also include other services such as those used for communication or other protections (like VPN’s). It is largely being driven by tech companies, like Google and Facebook, and the growing distrust being directed at them resulting from the many times they have violated consumer privacy despite claiming the companies were protecting it.

    https://www.techradar.com/news/the-success-of-web-browser-brave-is-a-bad-sign-for-google-heres-why

    Reply
  14. Mike

    January 25, 2022

    A lawsuit filed last month against Google and Facebook alleges the two tech giants colluded in online ad sales, misleading and cheating publishers and advertisers for years.

    https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-misled-publishers-and-advertisers-unredacted-lawsuit-alleges-11642176036?mod=hp_lead_pos4

    Reply
  15. Mike

    January 25, 2022

    Goodbye FLoC, hello “Topics.” Instead of using cookies, Google will use your browsing data to feed you advertisements.

    https://techcrunch.com/2022/01/25/google-kills-off-floc-replaces-it-with-topics/

    Reply
  16. Felix

    January 21, 2022

    What is the best alternative to Google Contacts, which is either free or reasonably priced? I am looking for something which can be accessed by Web browser and multiple Android phones and synchronised.

    Reply
    • Mike

      January 25, 2022

      The “Contacts” app with Simple Mobile Tools is the best I have used so far. It will run you a little over $1US and I do not think it can be accessed via a web browser. If you still want one that does that, the best place to find it is at AlternativeTo:

      https://alternativeto.net

      Reply
      • Felix

        January 31, 2022

        Thanks for your response. I’ve been saving and transferring my contacts over the years from Nokia PC Suite to Palm Desktop and finally to Google Contacts, having not lost a single detail over the years.

        Presently, any change I make (reference to contacts) in either one of my two Android phones is immediately seen in the other. For convenience date, I can access Google Contacts in the web browser to make similar changes and save then across my devices.

        I therefore consider that a prime requirement before I can consider moving out of the Google stranglehold.

        You have rightly pointed out several good and probably better Google alternatives, but in IMHO, at least for me, the critical point is the Contacts.

        Could you share your thoughts on that?

        Reply
        • Mike

          February 8, 2022

          @Felix I cannot but can only speak conceptually. If you want the same conveniences with other apps to use on your computerized devices like you have with Google, than one option might be to try to sync them with apps like DAVx5 or Nextcloud Dev.

          Either can be found on F-Droid. Otherwise I do not know. That is also why I suggested checking out AlternativeTo since it might have some other choices there. Good luck!

  17. Mike

    January 21, 2022

    With Germany’s pondering shutting down Telegram, it reminds me how I am never ceased to be amazed when politicians and even police cut their nose off despite their faces. If there is radicalization and illegal activity going on in Telegram, they’re going to force the closure of an app that makes it easier for cops to monitor and take action to stop them.

    I see their point saying that Telegram unevenly applies their rules since app administrators regularly shut down chats used by Islamic terrorists. But 2 weeks ago German police arrested a group of neo-Nazis in Saxony that used the app to plot a series of murders.

    https://www.yahoo.com/now/telegram-could-shut-down-germany-130808421.html

    Reply
  18. a5

    January 19, 2022

    Great article! Just wanted to point out that calling Telegram a “secure messenger” isn’t very accurate. It has “secret chats” which are end-to-end encrypted (although with a dodgy home-grown encryption algorithm), but not enabled by default and frankly not easy to find and enable either. Further more, secret chats are only available between two users, not in groups or channels. So just about everything that people do on Telegram is stored unencrypted on the servers, and could be sold or accessed by law enforcement.

    Reply
    • Mike

      January 25, 2022

      @a5 very good points. What you state is largely why I recommend Signal.

      Reply
  19. Suse

    January 18, 2022

    Hi all,

    I installed Lineagues OS lately on my phone and found a lot of great alternatives. The only thing I’m missing is something replacing Android Auto for communication with my car. If anyone has an idea?

    Regards,
    Suse

    Reply
    • Mike

      January 25, 2022

      @Suse sorry, no idea. Best place to look is AlternativeTo:

      https://alternativeto.net

      Good luck!

      Reply
      • Felix

        February 3, 2022

        Thanks for your response. I’ve been saving and transferring my contacts over the years from Nokia PC Suite to Palm Desktop and finally to Google Contacts, having not lost a single detail over the years.

        Presently, any change I make (reference to contacts) in either one of my two Android phones is immediately seen in the other. For convenience date, I can access Google Contacts in the web browser to make similar changes and save then across my devices.

        I therefore consider that a prime requirement before I can consider moving out of the Google stranglehold.

        You have rightly pointed out several good and probably better Google alternatives, but in IMHO, at least for me, the critical point is the Contacts.

        Could you share your thoughts on that?

        Reply
  20. BugSquash

    January 10, 2022

    For Google Photos, both http://ente.io and http://stingle.org are decent alternatives.
    Cryptee works great but it doesn’t automatically backup your photos and video support is missing. which, in my opinion, are strong requirements for any Google photos alternative.

    Reply
  21. Tammy

    December 29, 2021

    Very useful article. Thank you!

    Reply
  22. Mr. Stephen Alun Catton

    December 27, 2021

    My phone is a Samsung Galaxy S5. What can I do with that one?

    Reply
    • Mike

      December 31, 2021

      I have to ask what do you want to do? Do you have a particular threat model? Do you want to replace apps? Replace the operating system? Please be more specific with your intentions.

      Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

RestorePrivacy Checklist

  1. Secure browser: Modified Firefox or Brave
  2. VPN: NordVPN (68% Off Coupon) or Surfshark
  3. Ad blocker: uBlock Origin or AdGuard
  4. Secure email: Mailfence or Tutanota
  5. Secure Messenger: Signal or Threema
  6. Private search engine: MetaGer or Swisscows
  7. Password manager: NordPass or Bitwarden

Support this Project

RestorePrivacy was created to provide you with honest, useful, and up-to-date information about online privacy and security topics. You can support this project through donations, purchasing items through our links (we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you), and sharing this information with others. See our mission here.

RestorePrivacy is also on Twitter

We’re available for Press and media inquiries here.

COPYRIGHT © 2022 RESTORE PRIVACY, LLC · PRIVACY POLICY · TERMS OF USE · CONTACT · SITEMAP