Tools & Resources
As awareness of the societal influence and capture by big technology companies grows, more people want to leave tone-deaf, distrusted providers of browsers, search, mail, maps, video, books, cloud storage, and otherproductivity tools. This compendium names common incumbents and vetted alternatives - with some notes (TBD) on setup and migration. Our vision is to help people have enough knowledge, resources, and other tools to it is migrate quicker and seamlessly, and get started faster. We welcome suggestions and discussions to improve this resource.
- Browsers
Instead of
Google Chrome
4 alternatives
Firefox · Vivaldi Browser · Waterfox · Ecosia Browser
- Search Engines
Instead of
Google Search
4 alternatives
DuckDuckGo · Ecosia Search · Ecosia Extension · Startpage
- Email
Instead of
Gmail
1 alternative
Proton Mail
- Maps
Instead of
Google Maps
5 alternatives
MapQuest · Apple Maps · HERE WeGo · Sygic Maps · OpenStreetMap
- Video
Instead of
YouTube
2 alternatives
PeerTube · Nebula
- Publishing
Instead of
Medium
2 alternatives
Ghost · Write.as
- Publishing
Instead of
Substack
2 alternatives
Ghost · Write.as
How we choose entries
- The incumbent is widely used and has lost trust - through policy, lock-in, or surveillance incentives.
- Alternatives are maintained and usable without being a super-technical hobby.
- We note how each alternative is funded so you can judge whether it might repeat the same pattern.
- No affiliate links, ranking fees, or pay-to-list placements.
What we hear from people switching
- Search and browser defaults can change in minutes; email and account sprawl take longer.
- The hard part of leaving Gmail is not importing messages - it is updating every login that uses your old address.
- Some people want a service that automates the whole switch; others want a checklist that turns a week of tasks into an evening.
- A fair question: will the alternative become the next Google? We surface business models so you can decide.
Coming next: Books · Music & Audiobooks · Cloud Storage · Productivity.
Building or migrating tooling? Reach out →