So far, I’m only using cost-free alternatives:
Gmail -> web.de
Android/Google Play -> LineageOS/FDroid
Google Search -> DDG/Qwant/Ecosia
Google Maps -> Openstreetmap/Organic Maps
Windows/Office -> Linux/LibreOffice
Netflix -> 🏴☠️streaming sites
Spotify -> internet radio/digitizing CDs bought directly from the band at concerts
The only service I haven’t replaced is YouTube (AdBlocked without account), which I use a lot, also for music. And I don’t see an alternative for it either.
I have a domain. I want to self host my email. Idk how to do that. So that cost.
But also $1ish for sync.com, proton mail free for rn, qwant is free obviously, and my domain costs like $15 a year.
- Spotify -> Bandcamp. ~80% of the proceeds go to the artists, last I’ve heard. Also, FLAC downloads, and a streaming app.
- Gmail -> mailbox.org. It’s a bit pricey at 2,50€/month, but that gets you 4(IIRC) family accounts at no additional costs and servers hosted in Germany. Email is the one service I’m gladly paying for. Tried hosting email myself once; it’s horseshit.
- Whatsapp -> Signal (and Whatsapp, sigh). I donate 5€/month. This is money I consider well spent to keep Signal running.
- I once paid a hundred bucks for the big ol’ Osmand+ update, back when I still had Google Play. Money well spent for a good project.
- Some Github sponsoring here and there, mostly for Android bread ‘n’ butter apps, such as a PDF reader, a good music player with Opus support, a FOSS email app, and – last but not least – Öffi.
- Some irregular donations to the KeePassXC and Paperless-NGX developers.
I would like everyone who has ever donated to FOSS software developers to consider that ‘money spent to avoid Big Tech’. You’re doing a good thing.
It seems like web.de is still tracking me, I was getting round to hosting my own email server but I’m to broke to buy a hard drive for my banana pi.
