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Although the 21st Century still has plenty of time left, one of the key concerns of our era seems to be the question of our right to privacy. From smartphones to surveillance cameras, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to remain anonymous, leading many to wonder if we are heading toward a futuristic, authoritarian “cancel-culture” dystopia. With privacy and security on the minds of many, here are some services that offer peace of mind to the discerning consumer and help preserve free speech—at least for now. None of the brands listed have paid for inclusion, nor were they informed before publication. That said, all of these services are excellent, and some are even part of Mytour’s operations.
10. DuckDuckGo—Alternative to Google
Give DuckDuckGo a try
Google's dominance in the search engine market has raised several concerns, including its tendency to prioritize its own products, but the biggest issue is the massive amount of data it collects. From your search history to your location at the time of the search, and even the duration of each search, Google stores all of this information. While they have introduced some features to help users control their data, the truth is, most users won’t bother using them.
If you're concerned that the searches you make today could resurface in the future, or if you're simply against the widespread collection of personal data, DuckDuckGo might be the perfect alternative for you. Unlike Google, DuckDuckGo doesn't retain any information about your searches. Beyond giving you the freedom to search without worrying about future embarrassment, DuckDuckGo also brings back several helpful features that Google has removed over time. The interface is similar to Google’s, so the biggest changes you'll notice are the absence of ads and the prominent duck icon in the corner.
9. Epic Privacy Browser—An Alternative to Safari, Chrome, and Firefox
Take a look at Epic Privacy Browser
It goes without saying that Google’s influence extends far beyond its search engine. After launching its browser in 2008, Google Chrome quickly became a go-to choice for many internet users. While it hasn't quite reached the legendary 96% market share once held by Internet Explorer in the early days of the web, Chrome now commands 49.3% of the market—18% more than its closest competitor, Safari.
By encouraging users to adopt a browser instead of just a search engine, Google has been able to collect much more data on its users, allowing them to create a far more detailed profile of each individual. However, the tech industry’s relentless drive for data has sparked public backlash, with many turning to open-source alternatives to combat this growing privacy invasion.
Ironically, many of these browsers are based on Chromium, Google's open-source browser project. However, this only provides the foundational code, which can then be customized to create new browsers, like Epic. Epic does everything you'd expect from a privacy-focused browser, blocking ads, trackers, referral data, and IP transfers. It essentially functions in a permanent 'Incognito Mode,' clearing your history, cookies, and other data every time it's closed. But there is a trade-off: most Google Chrome extensions won't work in the Epic browser due to its privacy-first approach.
Explore Mastodon | Explore Gab
One of the major debates surrounding the internet today is the role of social media: who should be allowed to join, at what age, what they can post, and how much responsibility the platform has for its users. As the big social media companies have failed to make meaningful progress on these issues, smaller platforms like Mastodon have emerged as alternatives.
Mastodon, however, ran into an identity challenge when Gab, another social media platform, migrated to its servers. Both platforms support free speech, but Mastodon uses decentralized moderation, while Gab adheres to a principle of minimal censorship, attracting a significant number of users with more extreme views. Mastodon has expressed its disapproval of Gab, but can't prevent its use of the service. Nonetheless, it's arguable that Mastodon’s moderation strategy is working as intended—users who don’t wish to engage with Gab or its followers can simply block them.
Explore Minds
Minds doesn’t rely on AI to monitor prohibited content, instead depending on a small group of human moderators. Like many alternative social media platforms, it has drawn far-right users, though the site seems committed to removing extremist content while allowing genuine political debates to flourish. The CEO strongly insists that Minds aims to remain non-partisan, unlike Gab, which was created to combat anti-conservative bias and, as a result, has a user base that skews heavily to the right.
6. Signal—Alternative to WhatsApp
Take a look at Signal
5. ProtonMail—Alternative to Gmail
Explore ProtonMail
ProtonMail is an email service that prioritizes privacy, offering both free and paid plans. It operates similarly to most email services but uses end-to-end encryption for messages exchanged between ProtonMail users, and zero-access encryption for all other emails, ensuring that no one else can view your messages. For extra security, images are not loaded automatically, and users are prompted with a pop-up asking for confirmation before opening any links. ProtonMail also lets you set a password for messages sent to non-ProtonMail users and can assign an expiration date for your emails.
Located in Switzerland, known for its strong privacy protections, ProtonMail has earned high regard among those who prioritize security. It's worth noting that free users are limited to sending 150 emails per day, and even the most basic subscription plan caps at 1,000 emails. However, ProtonMail offers various plans and even allows for custom domains, making it a solid choice for both personal and professional email needs.
4. Wickr—Alternative to Snapchat
Discover Wickr
Known as the 'alternative to Snapchat,' Wickr is an instant messaging and video conferencing app available on both Android and iOS, with fully functional desktop versions. You can probably guess some of its core features, such as end-to-end encryption and messages that expire after a set period or self-destruct once read. But as the 'most secure video-conferencing and collaboration platform,' Wickr offers additional security features, including the removal of all metadata from files sent and multiple ways to verify the identity of your conversation partner, using keys that are supposedly virtually impossible to crack within a human lifetime.
Originally created with high-profile business professionals in mind, Wickr has gained significant popularity among those who prefer to remain more discreet. Unfortunately, the app has also attracted some unsavory users, including drug dealers around the world who have found it an anonymous way to connect with customers. While some users argue that the app's privacy features are so robust that they can allow these dealers to simply take your money and disappear, Wickr's primary focus remains on security and anonymity.
3. Librem—An Alternative to Android and iPhone
Explore Librem 5
When it comes to privacy, there's no point in using alternative services if the device you're using is still happily sending all your personal data. For example, using DuckDuckGo on your Pixel phone won’t really help if your phone itself is sharing your information.
If you ask a privacy-conscious expert what phone they’d recommend to someone concerned with security, 'Librem' is likely to be their answer. Designed to be the most secure phone available, this Linux-based device offers all the expected encryption features, with the added bonus of not collecting your data. It also includes unique security features like killswitches to give users total control over their privacy.
Despite its promising design and security features, the Librem 5 comes with a significant downside: its hefty price tag of $1,999 for the 'Made in the USA' edition. Reviews have been somewhat underwhelming, particularly regarding its battery life. While most praise its commitment to privacy and security, they point out that as a functional phone, it still needs improvement. However, for users like journalists who might use the phone selectively, it could be a solid choice. Many reviews remain optimistic that future updates will improve the device and make a significant impact on the market.
It’s also worth mentioning that the same team behind Librem 5 produces highly secure laptops (Librem 13) and desktop computers (Librem 15). Feel free to explore those as well.
2. PixelFed—Instagram Alternative
Check out PixelFed
To counter this, the creators of Mastodon have introduced an open-source alternative known as PixelFed. Much like Mastodon, PixelFed mirrors Instagram's core features, focusing on strong security without the trade-off of selling your data to advertisers. It's also federated and decentralized through different instances, which means it operates as a network of smaller, independent sites. While this offers the advantage of avoiding a profit-driven central authority, it does come with the risk that an instance might be poorly managed or disappear altogether depending on its administrators.
1. IDrive—An Alternative to Cloud Storage
Explore IDrive
As artificial intelligence and machine learning evolve at a rapid pace, privacy-conscious individuals are becoming more aware of what this means for their data. Uploading a simple photo to cloud storage today carries far more implications than it did just a few years ago. For example, you're likely already aware that Google scans your photos for metadata, grouping them by date and location, and even analyzing the content to facilitate searches like 'dog' or targeting you with ads for dog food.
For those seeking a more private option, IDrive offers an excellent alternative. It provides all the typical features of cloud storage—backup, archiving, encryption, and security—without the intrusive data mining. While Google may offer 15GB of free storage, IDrive gives you just 5GB before charging about $50 per year for 5TB. For those who prioritize privacy over cost, IDrive is a solid choice.
