4 Privacy-Focused Apps You Should Switch To

Tech companies track, collect, and sell information. After realizing how much information they give away every day, many people have abandoned some of the services they use and replaced them with privacy-focused alternatives that truly respect their users' digital footprint.

4. SimpleLogin keeps user email addresses private

We leave our email addresses everywhere online. After signing up for countless services over the years, your primary email address is probably floating around in hundreds of databases. That's where SimpleLogin , a service that changes the way you approach online signups, comes in handy.

SimpleLogin is Proton's email alias service that acts as a security shield between you and the services you use. Instead of providing your real email address, you create unique aliases that forward messages to your inbox. This way, you can also disable any aliases that start receiving spam or become compromised.

The free plan gives you 10 email aliases to start with, which is great for testing. However, you can upgrade to the premium plan for $36/year or $4/month to get unlimited aliases.

1. How to create anonymous email alias using SimpleLogin

3. Replace Google Password with Proton Pass to manage passwords

Many people have been using Google Password Manager for years without giving it much thought. It's convenient, integrates with Chrome, and is free—what's not to like? While Chrome can now automatically change weak passwords for users , that convenience comes with privacy trade-offs that you may not want to make anymore.

Google 's password solution lacks advanced security features, has limited compatibility outside of its own ecosystem, and most importantly, doesn't use zero-knowledge encryption.

Proton Pass is a popular password manager because it uses end-to-end encryption as a core feature, not an afterthought. Every password, secure note, and credit card detail is encrypted before it leaves your device. Not even Proton can access this information.

2. Joplin is an alternative to the Notes app

Taking notes is something many people do all day long. But if you need a private alternative to Google Keep and the default Notes app, Joplin has become the go-to note-taking app.

Unlike other apps, Joplin is open source. Its code is publicly available for anyone to review. With this transparency, you don't have to blindly trust the developers - the community can verify that the app isn't collecting data or adding questionable features.

The functionality of this app is on par with any mainstream note-taking tool you've ever used. You can create everything from simple text notes to complex multimedia documents with embedded images, mathematical formulas, and diagrams. The markup support is especially useful for someone who writes web content regularly.

1. Download Joplin for Android | iPhone (Free, subscription required)

1. Private browsing made easier with Proton VPN

One evening you're researching kitchen appliances and the next day your social media feed is flooded with ads for air fryers. The intrusion into your browsing habits is the last straw that makes you take your web privacy seriously. After researching various VPN options, many people decide to go with Proton VPN .

Let's start with the free plan for private browsing. Proton gives you access to servers in five countries (chosen at random). This basic level of protection should be enough to convince users of its value, especially since many free VPNs are unreliable at best and downright dangerous at worst.

A Proton VPN Plus subscription gives you access to over 12,000 servers in 110 countries, ensuring you're never limited by slow connections or regional restrictions. Many people particularly appreciate the Split Tunneling feature , which lets you route only certain apps through the VPN while others use a regular connection. That means you can keep your banking app on a direct connection for security while keeping everything else protected.

1. Download Proton VPN (Free, with subscription)

Micah Soto

Update 03 June 2025