🇪🇸 Para español, ver README-es.md
🇳🇱 Voor Nederlands, zie README-nl.md
Selection of FOSS Android apps on F-Droid
Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. — Benjamin Franklin (1706 – 1790) American inventor, journalist, printer, diplomat and statesman, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759
Safe mobile apps that respect your privacy and keep unwanted advertisements and trackers at bay, deserve extra attention. Hence, the use of free and open source software (FOSS) is advised, also for mobile devices such ass smartphones and tablets.
Below is an overview of free Android apps which can be installed from F-Droid. This is a safe app store that respects your privacy. Many app can also be installed from Google Play, but the versions on F-Droid have tracking software removed. This minimizes the digital trail your online activity leaves behind.
Some of the apps listed here cost money in Google Play but are gratis on F-Droid. Good to know is that many of these apps sometimes surpass their commercial counterparts, can offer practical widgets and notification also land on connected WearOS devices.
Basic | |
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F-Droid install apps from the F-Droid app store |
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Fossify Phone manage phone calls |
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Fossify Contacts manage contacts, also from CardDAV |
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CAPod use in-ear devices such as AirPods and Beats |
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AnySoftKeyboard type with autocompletion keyboard |
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Gadgetbridge connect with heart rate monitors, ear buds and more |
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FindMyDevice find your mistplaced, lost or stolen device |
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Finder find your mistplaced, lost or stolen device |
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Keep Alive send sms with location after period of inactivity |
Web browsers | |
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Fennec browse with Firefox Mobile including QR scanner and Firefox Sync for password management |
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FreeOTP+ use two-factor authentication (2FA) with import and export |
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KeePassDX manage passwords |
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NextcloudPasswords manage and synchronize passwords with Nextcloud |
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Nextcloud Bookmarks manage and synchronize bookmarks with Nextcloud |
Messaging and Communication | |
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Fossify SMS Messenger manage SMS/MMS messages |
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Nextcloud Talk video conference with Nextcloud |
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Telegram instant messaging, voice and video calling |
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Element instant messaging with Matrix |
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Conversations instant messaging with XMPP |
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nfty receive push notifications |
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Gotify receive push notifications |
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Linphone calling with VOIP |
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Remote Video Camera stream audio and/or video between two devices |
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Jitsi Meet video conference |
Files | |
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Fossify File Manager manage files, also viewing PDF files |
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Nextcloud synchronize files with Nextcloud |
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Yaga manage and synchronize picture albums with Nextcloud |
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Syncthing synchronize and backup files |
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Syncthing-Fork synchronize and backup files with extra features |
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DiskUsage manage disk usage |
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LibreOffice document reader view LibreOffice files |
Video and Images | |
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Fossify Gallery manage images and videos |
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Libre Camera make photographs and videos |
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NewPipe play YouTube, SoundCloud, Bandcamp, etc. content as video or audio, also in the background |
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WebTube play YouTube content as video or audio, also in the background and login is possible |
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IPCam Demo view IP camera streamss |
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MPV play video or audio from files or streams |
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Kodi play video or audio from files or streams |
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Kore remote control for Kodi |
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K-9 Mail send and receive emails |
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OpenKeychain encrypt and decrypt texts and files for K-9 Mail, etc. |
Calendars and Tasks | |
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Fossify Calendar manage calendars, also showing holidays and birthdays |
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ICSx⁵ add network calendars in ICS format |
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DAVx⁵ synchronize calendars, tasks and contacts in CalDAV and CardDav |
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Shopping List manage tasks in files |
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Fossify Notes manage tasks, only locally |
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Tasks.org manage tasks in CalDAV |
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AnkiDroid study and synchronize flashcards in Anki |
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Notes manage and synchronize notes with Nextcloud |
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Nextcloud Deck manage and synchronize kanban cards with Nextcloud |
Audio | |
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Fossify Voice Recorder make audio recordings |
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Fossify Music Player play music files |
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Vanilla Music play music files |
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Transistor play audio streams |
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MPD remote control for MPD |
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M.A.L.P. remote control for MPD |
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AntennaPod podcasts |
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Escapepod podcasts |
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SpotiFlyer download from e.g. Spotify, SoundCloud, YouTube |
Route Planning, Navigation and Travel | |
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PhoneTrack log and synchronisize geolocations in Nextcloud |
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Organic Maps plan routes and navigate with OpenStreetMap for walking, cycling and driving, online and offline |
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OsmAnd plan routes and navigate with OpenStreetMap for walking, cycling, driving and sailing, online and offline |
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Transportr plan public transport with NS, 9292, etc. |
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EVMap find electric vehicle chargers on OpenStreetMap |
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Sky Map explore stars, planets en meer in the sky |
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AF Weather Widget view weather graphs in widgets |
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PassAndroid view Passbook files for events and travel tickets |
Social Media | |
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Tusky Mastodon |
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Shitter Mastodon |
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Twidere X Mastodon, etc. |
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SlimSocial for Facebook |
Financial | |
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BTC Map find where to spend bitcoins |
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Altcoin Prices prices and portfolio cryptocurrencies |
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Crypto Prices prices and portfolio cryptocurrencies |
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Dash Wallet wallet cryptocurrency Dash |
Network | |
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ProtonVPN use free VPN |
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Calyx VPN use free VPN without manual settings |
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Port Authority scan LAN and ports |
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WiFiAnalyzer optimize wifi networks |
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ConnectBot SSH and Telnet |
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Raspi Check manage Raspberry Pis |
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openHAB remote control home automation |
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Home Assistant remote control home automation |
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Website Monitor monitor if websites are online |
Health | |
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openScale track weight and body metrics |
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RunnerUp track sport activities |
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Brethap control your breathing during meditation |
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Periodical track days of fertility with Knaus-Ogino method |
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Seasonal Foods Calendar find regional seasonal foods from nearby produce |
Netherlands | |
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AnySoftKeyboard Dutch Dutch support for AnySoftKeyboard |
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NLWeer Dutch weather and precipitation from KNMI and Buienrader |
If you want to go one step further, please consider installing LineageOS on your device. This is Android without preinstalled apps from Google, without preinstalled apps from the manufacturor of your device and without preinstalled apps from your provider. By also installing Open GApps pico, you have the possibility to install apps from Google Play, but only the one you choose, such as Signal Private Messenger.
See also:
This overview was started in 2013 by Hellebaard and predates those of PRISM Break and Droid-Break.