This is a list of services I need to replace as I leave the Google ecosystem and broader big tech. For each one, I’ll explain what I’m currently using, what I’m switching to, and why I made that choice.
Consider this a roadmap. I’ll dive deeper into each service migration in dedicated posts down the road—detailed setup guides, configuration files, pitfalls to avoid, and honest assessments of what works and what doesn’t. For now, this is the overview: where I’m starting, where I’m heading, and the reasoning behind each decision.
Web Browser
Current: Google Chrome and Brave
Switching to: LibreWolf
I started this project using Brave, but I’ve since switched to LibreWolf and it’s working well so far. LibreWolf is a privacy-hardened fork of Firefox with tracking protection built in and no telemetry. The main open issue is bookmark syncing between devices, but that’s solvable.
For specific web apps that need Chromium compatibility, I can always use browser wrappers or a dedicated Chromium instance without a Google account.
Search Engine
Current: Google Search
Switched to: DuckDuckGo
I’ve admittedly gotten used to Google’s AI summaries in search results, but DuckDuckGo has improved significantly since I last tried it. After a quick test, it’s now my default search engine and working fine. Not as polished as Google, but good enough for daily use without the tracking.
Current: Gmail and Google Workspace (multiple domains)
Switching to: Proton Mail
This is the big one. I have years of email history in Gmail—a massive archive I still search through regularly. Google’s search function is legitimately excellent, which makes this migration harder.
Proton Mail is my choice because it offers end-to-end encryption, a solid feature set, and bundles well with calendar and drive options. I’ve already synced my Gmail to Proton along with contacts and calendar.
Alternative considerations: Tuta, Fastmail
Work Email & Microsoft Services
Current: Microsoft Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint
Solution: Isolated browser environment
I can’t leave Microsoft for work—it’s mandated by my organization. We use Outlook with third-party plugins for shared mailboxes, plus OneDrive and SharePoint folders. I also need access to various web services requiring Azure login.
I can’t leave Microsoft for work—it’s mandated by my organization. We use Outlook with third-party plugins for shared mailboxes, plus OneDrive and SharePoint folders. I also need access to various web services requiring Azure login.
For now, I will be using a dedicated Chromium browser (no Google account) exclusively for Microsoft services—completely isolated from my personal browsing. Alternatively, Microsoft Edge could serve the same purpose, keeping work contained in its own ecosystem while the rest of my digital life remains separate.
Calendar
Current: Google Calendar (personal), Microsoft Outlook (work)
Switching to: Proton Calendar
Since I’m going with Proton for email, Proton Calendar is the logical choice. I can’t change my work Microsoft calendar—that’s staying in Outlook—but for personal use, Proton integrates cleanly with the rest of my setup.
Already migrated and working.
PDF Software
Current: PDF Exchange (Windows only)
Switching to: Linux toolkit approach
PDF Exchange isn’t available on Linux, so I need multiple tools to cover editing, signing, splitting, merging, and annotating PDFs:
- Okular for daily viewing, annotation, and basic signing
- PDF Arranger for visual page manipulation
- LibreOffice Draw for simple edits
- Inkscape or Scribus for complex work
Signing remains a gap—informal stamps work in Okular, but legally binding signatures may require browser-based services or a fallback Windows machine. Master PDF Editor (~€50) exists as a commercial all-in-one alternative if the toolkit approach becomes too fragmented.
Office Suite
Current: Microsoft 365 (work), Google Docs (personal)
Switching to: Microsoft 365 Web (work) + LibreOffice (personal)
Work documents stay in Microsoft 365 Web running in a dedicated browser profile for full compatibility. For personal files, LibreOffice becomes my native Linux daily driver, stored in Proton Drive. Also, document and spreadsheet editing in Proton have become significantly better since I last tried that option.
I’ll default to open ODF formats with PDF or MS export as needed. This keeps work and personal completely separated while maintaining functionality on both sides.
Password Manager
Current: NordPass
Switched to: Bitwarden Free
NordPass works fine, but it’s proprietary and more expensive than necessary. I wanted better isolation—consolidating email, drive, and passwords with Proton creates a single point of failure.
Bitwarden Free is open source, supports unlimited devices, has a solid security reputation, and costs nothing. I’ve already exported everything from NordPass and imported it into Bitwarden. If I ever need to migrate again, the data is exportable.
Alternative considered: KeePassXC with Syncthing (more secure but less convenient)
CAD Software
Current: LibreCAD
Staying with: LibreCAD
No change needed. LibreCAD is already open source, available on basically all operating systems.
AI Assistant
Current: ChatGPT Plus
Switching to: Stay on ChatGPT Plus? Kimi AI? Claude?
I’m keeping ChatGPT for my established workflow, custom agents, and chat history. The problem? I created my ChatGPT account using my Google Workspace email, and there’s no way to add a password or alternative sign-in without deleting the account and starting over.
That means I’ll lose all my custom agents and chat history if I want to fully de-Google. This is a painful compromise I’m still figuring out.
Alternative being tested: Kimi (for long-context work), Claude AI and Protons Lumo
Graphic Design & Image Editing
Current: GIMP and Inkscape
Staying with: GIMP and Inkscape
Both are fully native in basically all operating systems. No need to switch!
YouTube
Current: YouTube (heavy consumption)
Switching to: FreeTube + direct creator support
I consume a lot of YouTube content—more than traditional TV. It’s my primary source for entertainment, education, and information. The challenge is that most creators I follow are only on YouTube, and leaving the platform entirely isn’t realistic.
FreeTube lets me watch content without feeding Google my viewing data or sitting through ads. But let’s be honest about what this is: it’s effectively piracy. I’m consuming content without contributing to the ad revenue that supports creators.
Since I don’t click ads anyway, my current viewing generates negligible revenue for creators—perhaps a few cents per month at best. But that doesn’t make ad-blocking morally neutral. To address this, I’ve budgeted monthly funds for Patreon, Buy Me a Coffee, merch purchases, and direct donations.
This approach bypasses Google’s 45% platform cut and delivers 10-50x more value per dollar directly to creators than passive ad-supported viewing ever did. It’s not perfect, but it’s more honest about the transaction: I’m choosing to pay creators directly rather than letting Google monetize my attention and data.
Messaging Apps
Current: WhatsApp (primary), Messenger (rarely)
Strategy: Signal (preferred) + isolated WhatsApp
WhatsApp is where everyone I know communicates. I can’t unilaterally leave without cutting off important relationships. My preferred choice is Signal, but network effects make a full switch impractical.
The plan: install Signal as default for new contacts and inner circle, contain WhatsApp with disabled cloud backup and minimal permissions, phase out Messenger over time, and gradually nudge contacts toward Signal where possible.
Some relationships will remain permanently WhatsApp-bound. I just have to accept that.
Two-Factor Authentication
Current: Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator
Switching to: Aegis (personal) + Microsoft Authenticator (work only)
Aegis supports standard TOTP and HOTP protocols, so compatibility isn’t the issue—it’s the same open standard as Google and Microsoft Authenticator. The constraint is organizational policy: my work Microsoft 365 account may mandate Microsoft Authenticator, which I can’t override.
Personal accounts transfer cleanly to Aegis by scanning QR codes or entering setup keys during migration. I’ll maintain Microsoft Authenticator isolated for work only and run everything else through Aegis.
Social Networking
Current: LinkedIn (work), Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook
Strategy: Abandon mobile apps, isolate browser usage
I’m exploring Mastodon and other federated alternatives, but some platforms remain professionally or culturally necessary. The shift involves abandoning mobile apps entirely and confining remaining usage to isolated browser instances, will that work, that remains to be seen. But challenging, there is no way out of that fact.
- LinkedIn: Contained for work necessity
- Twitter/X: Evaluated for Mastodon migration
- Instagram/Facebook: Relegated to occasional desktop sessions without apps
- News consumption: Redirected to RSS feeds and intentional sources instead of algorithmic feeds
This reduces surveillance and doom-scrolling while maintaining access where network effects make departure impractical.
Podcasts
Current: YouTube Music
Alternative needed: TBD
This is still an open question. I use YouTube Music for podcasts, but I need a solid alternative that doesn’t tie me back into Google or another big tech ecosystem.
Still researching options.
The Pattern
Looking at this list, a pattern emerges: some migrations are straightforward (browser, search, 2FA), some require bundled solutions (Proton ecosystem), some demand accepting inferior alternatives (PDF workflow, office suite collaboration), and some simply aren’t solvable yet (WhatsApp, work Microsoft).
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s progress. Every service replaced is one less dependency on big tech surveillance. Every service isolated is one less data stream feeding their algorithms.