Open Source Android Apps

Hey,

I’ve recently decided to try and run as much open source software on my phone as possible. I’ve installed Lineage OS and now use F-droid as my main source for apps. So far it’s going great and my phone is much less of a cesspool of advertisements and tracking.

I still use the Play store for limited things such as banking apps, Hue lights, and a good version of Tetris which I decided I couldn’t live without.

My main question is, what open source apps do you guys use along with any plug-ins.

Here is a list of the ones I am using

  • Amaze - File browser
  • andOTP - 2 Two-factor auth client
  • AntennaPod - Podcast client
  • Blokada - adblocker
  • ConnectBot - SSH client
  • DuckDuckGo - search engine
  • Forcastie - Weather
  • K-9 Mail - Mail client
  • Keepass DX - Password manager
  • Newpipe - Youtube frontend
  • Nextcloud - Cloud storage and synchronisation
  • OpenVPN for Android - VPN client
  • OsmAnd~ - Maps and navigation
  • OpenTasks - Task manager
4 Likes

I love the Lineage OS + F-Droid combo. I don’t have much to add but here are few apps:

  • LibreOffice Viewer
  • MuPDF
  • Termux

Here are some of the open source apps I use on my Lineage OS phone:

1 Like
  • Silence - SMS/MMS app (no internet servers needed, like Signal, and offers encryption if both users use the app)
  • Call Recorder - Records all phone calls, and stores them internally on the phone.
  • K9 Material - Unofficial K9 mail app, but with material design
  • OpenAPK - Allows you to send APK files to other devices, via BlueTooth and Email (such as apps), along with download the .apk file of apps
  • Red Moon - Open source Twilight (f.lux for android, basically) alternative. Not as good as Twilight, but works well enough for me
  • Vanilla Music - Standard old music app, with no dumb internet permissions, and has tons of customization.
  • Yalp Store - For whatever you can’t find on F-Droid, use the Yalp Store app to access all the apps on the Google Play Store, without needing Google Play Store, services, etc, installed.
2 Likes

Good to see other people are embracing the open source approach as well :smiley: Will be sure to check out those apps :+1: Starting with Red Moon as this feature was built in to my previous ROM and I am missing it.

I have yet to decide on a web browser. At the moment I am toggling between Fennec F-droid and the stock Lineage browser.

I’ve tried GNU IceCat but it’s really slow loading pages for me. Are there any other good alternatives?

Well there IS Firefox Focus (or Firefox Klar in German) although that deletes all the history and cookies and whatnot. Which is by design and not accident.

There is, of course, the mobile Firefox version, which one can get on the mozilla website. It seems that they just mail you the .apk.

Why not chromium?

This list rocks, so much good stuff. Thank you.
Have only one to add:

Memento - Very basic little notes app

Do I have to compile Chromium? Can’t find it on F-droid or as an apk.

Firefox Klar is great as a privacy browser, I just don’t like the tab system on it for general use. Might try Firefox, Fennec F-droid is based off Firefox so will be interesting to see if there is much difference.

If this had the function to sync with DAVdroid it would be perfect.

WiFiAnalyzer - Optimize your WiFi network using WiFi Analyzer by examining surrounding WiFi networks, measuring their signal strength as well as identifying crowded channels.

  • OpenKeychain
  • Mastalab - mastodon client
  • Material Notes

Excellent list and I use many of those myself… If you want to really ditch Google services including Gmail, DAVDroid is a must for syncing up your contacts, calendar, and todo list (if you’re using OpenTasks) with a Nextcloud instance.

(Edit: I see you mentioned it later in the thread but didn’t have it on the initial list. Apologies for the redundancy.)

NetGuard is worth looking into, to block internet access of all apps that doesn’t need it or to limit IP destinations.
Worked fine for a couple of years on my old Huawei but on a Samsung S8+ the phone just froze after a while so I ditched the app (and not long after the phone too).

https://www.netguard.me/

1 Like

Sorry for the late reply. I tried out NewPipe and wow it is wonderful. Thank you so much, playing in the background is amazing! The only thing I am not sure of and will check is ChromeCast capabilities with NewPipe, maybe you have run into it before me.

There is some stuff in here I need to look at closer later on: https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/issues/668
https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/711pki/newpipe_the_opensource_youtube_client_with/

1 Like