Browsers
FREE
Brave Browser
— Free browser that doesn't spy on you. Blocks ads and trackers by default.
FREE
Firefox
— Free, open-source browser that respects your privacy. More configurable than Chrome and doesn't funnel data to Google.
FREE
TOR Browser
— Highly secure browser that anonymizes your traffic, but with significant performance loss. For highly sensitive work.
Operating Systems
FREE
Linux Mint
— Free operating system that doesn't spy on you. Good for those switching from Windows — one of the easiest Linux distros to learn.
FREE
Ubuntu Linux
— Free operating system that doesn't spy on you. Good for those switching from Mac — familiar layout and strong community support.
FREE
GrapheneOS
— Secure phone operating system. Significantly more private than stock Android. Only runs on Google Pixel phones.
FREE
Tails OS
— Most secure operating system — runs all traffic through the TOR network. Best for highly sensitive work, but not as a daily OS.
Messaging
FREE
Signal
— End-to-end encrypted messaging and calls. The gold standard for secure private communication.
FREE
SimpleX
— Decentralized encrypted messenger with no user IDs — not even a phone number. Extremely private.
Email
VPNs
Mullvad VPN
— Strong privacy VPN with no account required — pay with cash or crypto. ~$5/month.
Password Tools
FREE
Diceware Password Generator
— Generates secure, memorable passwords. Useful for password managers and encryption keys.
Browser Extensions for Research
Search by Image
— Reverse image search to find copies of an image on other sites.