This past year I’ve made some great strides in relying more off FOSS (Free and Open Source Software). A few reasons for moving toward an all-foss software stack are:
- Free – Of course we like free! I wanted to avoid monthly subscriptions for simple services.
- Privacy – I’d prefer to not have my data on large company servers – Also why I prefer Self-Hosting.
- Auditable code – I don’t often audit the code, but on occasion I do!
- Contributable code – If i want a feature, I can contribute it – or easily request it on a git repository
To aid my future self (and others) in moving more toward FOSS alternatives, I’ve began compiling a list of FOSS android apps on github.
For the most up to date list see: https://github.com/meichthys/go_foss_android
For reference, here is the list as of 2024-01-16:
My FOSS Andriod Apps
After much search and peril I have compiled this list which I believe to be the best set of FOSS Android apps that support my (and hopefully most people’s) full software requirements.
This list does not try to list ALL foss android apps (see offa/android-foss), but rather the best app in each category that fits <i>my</i> daily use case.
The List
| App | Type | Shields | Permission<sup>1</sup> | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Obtainium |
App Store |    |
 <br /> |
Use this to Install the rest |
 AndBible |
Bible |    |
<br /> |
|
 Firefox |
Browser |    |
   |
Extensions make this browser very powerful – and we need Firefox to survive! |
 SimpleCalendar |
Calendar |    |
  |
Nice compact month view<br />Use with DavX5 |
 OpenCamera |
Camera |   |
|
Currently No FOSS cameras support live/motion photos |
 Nextcloud |
Cloud Storage |    |
|
Requires DAV Server (Nextcloud) |
 FairEmail |
   |
|
So. Many. Features. | |
 DavX<sup>5</sup> |
DAV Sync |    |
|
Requires DAV Server (Nextcloud)<br />Use with Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks |
 |
Desktop Integration |    |
  |
|
 OSSDocumentScanner |
Document Scanner |    |
|
|
 SimpleFileManager |
File Manager |   |
|
|
 Aves |
Gallery |    |
 |
|
 OpenBoard |
Keyboard |    |
|
|
 Kvaesitso |
Launcher |    |
|
Also seethis great comparison of other foss launchers. |
 Signal |
Messaging |    |
|
|
 NextcloudNotes |
Notes |    |
|
Requires Nextcloud Server<br /><br /><br />Non-Server Alternative: OmniNote |
 Bitwarden |
Password Manager |    |
|
Requires Bitwarden Server Instance (SeeVaultwarden) |
 SimpleDialer |
Phone / Dialer |    |
|
|
 AudioBookshelf |
Podcast / AudioBooks |    |
|
RequiresAudiobookshelf Server Instance<br /><br /><br />Non-Server Alternative: Podverse |
 Nextcloud News |
RSS Reader |    |
|
Requires Nextcloud instance<br /><br />Non-Server Alernative: ReadYou |
 QKSMS |
SMS |    |
|
Project may be abandoned(?) |
 Tasks |
Tasks |    |
|
Use with DavX5 to sync CalDav Tasks |
 omWeather |
Weather |    |
|
Extended Forecast & Radar |
- :Calendar :Camera :Contacts :Files :Location :Microphone :Network :Notifications :Phone :Photos/Videos
Acknowledgements
Much of my perilous search was improved by the following resources:
Contributing
Contributions are welcome, but please keep in mind, this list is an ‘opinionated’ list on which I will make the final determination. Suggestions for different apps are highly recommended since I may have missed some apps (or app features) in my perilous search.
License: MIT
~ If you had to guess, what percentage of software that you use is FOSS? My rough estimate is about 80%.