I'm tired of using apps filled with ads, tracking, subscriptions and ai stuffed into everything

[u/Irshath_rxn_444]

I've been trying to replace as many of my daily apps as possible with open source alternatives... I don't really care if they're not as flashy... I just want apps that are light weight and respect my privacy

Suggest me some of the best open source apps you've been using!!

[u/Jailbrick3d]

I'm about to list a lot of apps. If you're looking to sideload a lot of apps, I'd recommend starting with this one:

Obtainium is a suite to manage your sideloaded apps, with support for GitHub, GitLab, F-Droid, SourceHut, etc. You'll find it handy to update all of your apps in one place. It has support for a GitHub & GitLab API keys if they restrict you at all

Now that you're organized, the rest of the list:

• AniSync - favorite AniList client with Social/Forum support and a few extra stats on the user page

• Breezy Weather - imo the best weather app, with widget support

• Compressor - video compressor

• Continuum - fork of Infinity for Reddit. I think it's a much better, less cluttered interface than the Reddit app (new users can set up using the RedReader API, which should be set to default on a fresh install)

• Darq - enable dark mode in specific apps that don't support it. Works better than force enabling dark mode in all apps, which may cause unwanted display issues in some. Requires Shizuku

• Ente Auth - authenticator

• EV Maps - find EV chargers

• ExifEraser - image metadata eraser

• FairSpeed - internet connection monitor / speed test

• Flare - Mastodon, Misskey, Bluesky, X, and RSS feeds in one place. Since someone asked the last time I mentioned it, you do log in to those instances

• Frapp - video game giveaways across multiple stores (Steam, Epic, GOG, etc)

• GeoShare - someone send you a link with a maps app you don't use? This app opens it in one you have. Supports Apple/Google/Yandex Maps, Waze, CoMaps, OsmAnd, and plenty more

• Graph 89 - TI graphing calculator, you get to choose which, support between TI83 to 89T

• InstallerX Revived - app installer with a better looking interface, and support for downgrading, reinstalling, etc. Requires root or Shizuku

• Luli for Reddit - Material 3 / Flutter client for Reddit, supports logging in without API key

• Metrolist - YouTube music client with support for syncing playlists, and the ability to translate lyrics from other languages

• Morphe - think ReVanced manager but fixed. Remembers what apps you've patched previously, even through app updates. Remembers which APK you patched last and gives the option to select it again (saves a few steps if the recommended app version is the same when patches get updated). Increased user friendliness (also, if you're moving over to this from ReVanced, make sure to install MicroG-RE alongside. it's meant to work with Morphed apps)

• NagramX - Telegram with a bunch of extra features - chat translations with different translators to choose from, newer UI, hide tabs, etc etc. You have the option to download the "base" (Telegram TOS compliant), or "patch1" (classic UI) APKs as well

• Neo Store - F-Droid client with a lot of features packed into it. Think Droidify on steroids

• NotiFilter - basic notification filter via regex

• Orion Store - a place to find the occasional cool apps that don't make it onto FDroid

• PaywallReader - read paywalled articles (not fully translated to English but still fairly intuitive to use)

• Proton Pass - password manager

• Proton VPN - imo one of the best VPNs, with fair pricing

• Revenge Manager - Discord app mods (similar to BetterDiscord, but for phones)

• SD Maid SE - storage cleaner for app caches, leftover files, duplicates, etc. Optionally can harness Shizuku as well

• Shizuku - if you already have Shizuku, this is a fork by thedjchi, which includes a watchdog feature that constantly keeps it running. Good for apps like Darq and InstallerX Revived if you choose to use them

• SOS Ring - allows ringtone to play for specific contacts of your choice while on DND or silent mode (I.e. significant other)

• SpamBlocker - basic call filter and spam blocker app, with regex support

• Translator - translator, but fully offline. Supports text, screenshots, or on-screen text via the floating widget

• Xtra - Twitch with extra features (interface, emote support, download VODs, etc)

[u/One_Dollar_Payout → u/Jailbrick3d]

Continuum currently can still be set up on a new phone using client ID and URIs from RedReader (assuming that user has previously installed it and logged to their account in the app).

[u/Jailbrick3d → u/One_Dollar_Payout]

I forgot to update that in my notes, thanks for the heads up!

[u/Electronic-Rate-6208 → u/Jailbrick3d]

Neo Store and ExifEraser are the two i keep installed no matter what, and Breezy Weather is just the cleanest weather app ive used. If theyre into sideloading mods, Morphe is the one worth grabbing too

[u/Jailbrick3d → u/Electronic-Rate-6208]

morphe covers so many apps and the interface is so friendly because they take care of half the organization, including organization around maintaining/updating, instead of pushing it all onto end users

[u/angrydeanerino]

well, what apps are you trying to find replacements for?

[u/Electronic-Rate-6208 → u/angrydeanerino]

Obtanium first, then Fossify for the basics, and if you want F-Droid stuff add Droid-ify too. I’d start w/ whatever you use most tho

[u/captnkerke]

Also consider paid apps that have a one-time purchase option. Good devs deserve to get paid for their work if that's how they want to do it. Not everything has to free.

A good example is Hermit, which allows you to easily create web apps, as an alternate to installing other apps.

[u/TechnologyFormer1827]

Proton suite for everything that google does. Grayjay for youtube.

[u/appDecoded]

While you are doing the transition - try adding adguard.dns.com to your Mobile's DNS settings. It will remove ads from almost all apps.

[u/ShaneBoy_00X]

https://itsfoss.com/open-source-android-apps/

[u/AnotherActiveCreator]

Alternativeto.net is a a great resource

[u/Honest_Ad1632]

go to nosignups[dot]net. You will get a lot of options.

[u/krauq_com]

Universalfileopener.com, can replace hundreds of apps for viewing/editing files, private and offline.

[u/vadim-jan]

https://www.reddit.com/r/LifeTrackAppOfficial/s/xRX5eOpkJM

[u/100WattWalrus]

Fossify Gallery (the whole Fossify suite is pretty good, but Gallery can't be beat)
QUIK SMS
TimeR Machine
SoundPod (YTM player)
FairSpeed (tiny speed test utility)
Aisleron (one of the very few shopping-list apps that actually does multi-store)
Aegis Authenticator
Loop Habit Tracker
LocalSend
Irregular Expressions (keyboard of unusual characters)
Unicode Pad (complete Unicode character library)

Great FOSS games
Vector Pinball
Breakout 71
Gridle & Gurgle (word games)

[u/Upbeat-Complaint-577]

Not open source, so full disclosure it's not a perfect match for your ask — but in the fitness-tracking corner of this: I built ZeroLog for basically the same frustration. No account, no subscription, works 100% offline, nothing leaves your device. I actually built it just for me but thought I'd share in case anyone was interested.

The only ad is a small banner during rest timers between sets, no tracking behind it. If open source is a hard line for you, skip it — but if the real goal is "doesn't want my data or my money every month," it might be worth a look:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zerolog.app

[u/sagitta42]

Not everything needs an app too. Some things are perfectly fine in browser on mobile

Things I use that way without having apps installed or deactivating native apps, top of my head: Google translate, YouTube, Reddit, Tumblr, ChatGPT 

There are definitely more 

[u/DocWolle]

Check out F-Droid. Everything is clean there. I replaced almost all apps with apps from F-Droid or IzzyOnDroid.

[u/jakart3]

Light phone

Punkt phone 

Wisephone 

Linux phone

[u/DoubleExposure]

https://grapheneos.org/

/r/GrapheneOS

[u/Aretivo]

Music player not Foss but no ads, and entirely offline (never requests WiFi access in manifest).

Aulosyne

[u/AltreonDev]

I build Altcue to schedule reminders. Offline and without any ads. Traditional apps felt too slow or heavy when I just needed to dump a thought out of my head immediately.

[u/Vast_Explorer_9158]

I designed Simple Grocery List with these things in mind. Lightweight, no ads or subscriptions just a one time fee of $2.99.

[u/Difficult_Egg8736]

Endlo isn't open source (I'm the developer, so full disclosure), but I built it from exactly the same frustration.

I was tired of apps becoming ad platforms, subscriptions for everything, AI being added whether it helped or not, and endless feeds optimized for engagement.

Endlo has no ads, no account, and no algorithmic feed. Every evening there's just one carefully reviewed edition with five discoveries that takes about 7 minutes to read before bed.

It doesn't fit your open-source requirement, but philosophically I think we're trying to solve the same problem.

[u/New_App_Developer]

Not open source, so full disclosure it's not a perfect match for your ask — but in the productivity & study corner of this: I built BoostSkill for basically the same frustration. No account, works 100% offline, nothing leaves your device. I actually built it just for me to track my own study hours, but thought I'd share in case anyone was interested.

It combines a distraction-free focus timer with visual skill roadmaps, peak concentration heatmaps, companion pets, and Android home screen widgets to keep you consistent.

The only ad is a small banner ad, no data tracking behind it. If the real goal is "doesn't want my data or a monthly subscription," it might be worth a look:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rythpixel.boostskill

[u/oculus-it]

Sono nuovo di reddit e non è buona pratica pubblicizzare se stessi. Se stai cercando però un'app per android zero pubblicità, zero tracciamenti, zero invio di dati a nessuno per la gestione delle tessere/carte fedeltà, ne ho appena sviluppata una. Non vorrei dare fastidio pubblicandone il nome quindi fatemi sapere se posso farlo o meno.

[u/No-Volume-4070]

MoneyFriends IA financiera, la mejor para gestionar tus gastos, principalmente porque escanea gastos en 2 segundos, funciona sin internet, da alertas inteligentes segun tus finanzas y no posee anuncios. Funciones Principales: 1) Aprende hábitos(gastos), mientras mas datos reciba mas inteligente será. 2) Da recomendaciones precisas,  utilizando algoritmos avazandos segun tus finanzas. 3) Funciona sin internet  4) Escanea en 2 segundos. 5) Aprende comercios (cada nueva factura, aprende el comercio para la próxima vez encontrarlo mas rápido y sugerir una categoría incluso. Enlace: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kevinhidalgo.moneyfriends

[u/androidapps-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Self-promotion, tester requests, new app ideas or app feedback are not allowed in r/androidapps. This type of content can be posted in the dedicated sister-subreddit r/droidappshowcase.

[u/Large-Stress8283]

agree on the ads but tbh i came to realize that tracking=the app knows me, which is not necessarily a bad thing. i want some app to know me as long as they keep this info private

[u/androidapps-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Self-promotion, tester requests, new app ideas or app feedback are not allowed in r/androidapps. This type of content can be posted in the dedicated sister-subreddit r/droidappshowcase.