{"slug": "f-droid", "name": "F-Droid", "category": "other", "category_name": "Other software", "description": "An app store and client for installing free and open-source Android apps.", "recommenders": 26, "commenters": 43, "warners": 5, "score": 22.285, "rising": 7.42, "first": "2025-11-13", "latest": "2026-09-29", "why": "Recommended as the main source of open-source apps on de-Googled Android phones, and trusted for vetted updates, reproducible builds and no proprietary blobs.", "why_is_quote": false, "has_verdict": true, "sentiment": {"recommend": 26, "neutral": 13, "compare": 0, "warn": 7}, "spark": [1, 0, 0, 2, 1, 0, 2, 2, 6, 6, 6, 0], "listed": true, "loved": ["Main app source", "Trust and vetting"], "caveat": "Client UI", "short_quote": "The only truly-trustable option is basically F-Droid's reproducible builds (or similar) with source code availability", "icon": false, "domain": "f-droid.org", "github_repo": null, "official_url": "https://f-droid.org", "pricing": "open source", "aliases": ["F-Droid"], "verdict": [{"text": "Recommended as the main source of open-source apps on de-Googled Android phones,", "cites": [{"id": 752744321, "item_id": 47046520, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47046520", "by": "sandreas", "date": "2026-02-17", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use F-Droid as primary App store", "excerpt": "I personally tend to own two Phones. One all-day carry GrapheneOS device (Pixel 8) and an older WiFi and at home only iPhone for all payment and ensurance stuff. This is inconvenient in some ways, but at least it is sort of privacy as good as it gets while still being able to run official apps when I need them at home. To de-google the phone, I use F-Droid as primary App store, Aurora as fallback for non-f-droid Apps", "context": "", "use_case": "app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "GrapheneOS \u2013 Break Free from Google and Apple"}, {"id": 772299281, "item_id": 48268705, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48268705", "by": "theandrewbailey", "date": "2026-05-25", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I prefer F-Droid (or third party repositories through it) for most things", "excerpt": "I use Aurora on GrapheneOS for a handful of apps, though I prefer F-Droid (or third party repositories through it) for most things.", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "use_case": "installing most apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: Who uses Aurora Store here?"}, {"id": 784737664, "item_id": 49046104, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49046104", "by": "BoxwoodSeed", "date": "2026-07-25", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "most of what I use comes from F-Droid", "excerpt": "I always disable everything Google that comes preinstalled other than maps, including the App store. You can download stuff that you can only get there through Aurora, but really most of what I use comes from F-Droid. Not that I trust a device running Android enough to do banking, mind you.", "context": "disables Google apps on Android", "use_case": "installing apps without Google", "switched_from": "", "story": "Android May Soon Restrict On-Device ADB"}, {"id": 759142688, "item_id": 47446418, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47446418", "by": "bityard", "date": "2026-03-19", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "At least half of the apps I use on a daily basis come from f-droid.", "excerpt": "Welp, I guess my current Android phone will be my last one. At least half of the apps I use on a daily basis come from f-droid. This enforced 24-hour wait is simply not acceptable. Android has always been a far inferior overall user experience compared to iPhone. Android's _only_ saving grace was that I could put my own third-party open-source apps on it. There is nothing left keeping me on Android now. I'll probably", "context": "", "use_case": "installing open-source Android apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "Android: Balancing Openness and Choice with Safety"}]}, {"text": " and trusted for vetted updates, reproducible builds and no proprietary blobs.", "cites": [{"id": 797324096, "item_id": 49832756, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49832756", "by": "yjftsjthsd-h", "date": "2026-09-24", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use F-Droid precisely because I don't want that.", "excerpt": "I use F-Droid precisely because I don't want that. When https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38505229 happened - and when the same thing happens again in the future, because it will - I explicitly want F-Droid doing some basic due diligence on updates before shipping them to me. Cutting out the middleman is the opposite of what I want.", "context": "", "use_case": "Android app store with update vetting", "switched_from": "", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}, {"id": 787054496, "item_id": 49190906, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49190906", "by": "benoau", "date": "2026-08-05", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "The only truly-trustable option is basically F-Droid's reproducible builds (or similar) with source code availability", "excerpt": "The only truly-trustable option is basically F-Droid's reproducible builds (or similar) with source code availability: https://f-droid.org/docs/Reproducible_Builds/ Eg this app: https://verification.f-droid.org/packages/com.inspiredandroid.kai/ and its source code: https://github.com/SimonSchubert/Kai/tree/main You can verify yourself what it is doing, and what was built is guaranteed not to be tampered with. AFAIK t", "context": "", "use_case": "verifiable app builds", "switched_from": "", "story": "For an app claiming end-to-end encryption, what evidence would earn your trust?"}, {"id": 780975442, "item_id": 48810965, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48810965", "by": "Magicrafter13", "date": "2026-07-06", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "That's why I use F-Droid - to guarantee I don't get proprietary blobs.", "excerpt": "This is what I use in my main GrapheneOS profile. I still have a dedicated profile for Google Maps though as I still have not been able to give up their greater datasets (i.e. traffic) in all cases. Decent app though. I saw someone here mention proprietary code but I wouldn't worry about it, just install the F-Droid version. That's why I use F-Droid - to guarantee I don't get proprietary blobs.", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "use_case": "installing open-source apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "CoMaps \u2013 FOSS Offline Maps"}]}, {"text": " The most common complaints are a clunky official client", "cites": [{"id": 797319089, "item_id": 49832443, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49832443", "by": "silverbluep", "date": "2026-09-24", "stance": "warn", "quote": "F-Droid ui is terrible", "excerpt": "I have been using droid-ify on GrapheneOS for a few years now; because F-Droid ui is terrible, and the privilege extention has been such a pain to configure and get working without issues on my previous lineageOS phone. Happy to see this major overhaul; and i'm glad the FPE is being phased out.", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}, {"id": 795647521, "item_id": 49727970, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49727970", "by": "nosioptar", "date": "2026-09-16", "stance": "warn", "quote": "It's unfortunate the official f-droid client is an unusable mess.", "excerpt": "I use Foxy Droid. It's unfortunate the official f-droid client is an unusable mess. (I stopped using it years ago, maybe they fixed it.) There's also f-droid classic, can't remember why I use foxy droid over it.", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "The Google Play app review process now regularly takes longer than a week"}, {"id": 777768322, "item_id": 48610520, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48610520", "by": "bboygravity", "date": "2026-06-20", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I personally prefer managing apps on my phone through a browser on my laptop instead of fiddling with F-Droid on the phone.", "excerpt": "Unfortunately, yes. My own daily driver is Firefox, so I basically only open Brave just for this website. I personally prefer managing apps on my phone through a browser on my laptop instead of fiddling with F-Droid on the phone.", "context": "", "use_case": "installing Android apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "Install F-Droid apps over USB straight from the browser"}]}, {"text": " and missing banking and vendor apps that still require the Play Store.", "cites": [{"id": 787163681, "item_id": 49197730, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49197730", "by": "remuskaos", "date": "2026-08-06", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "F Droid comes close and can even auto update now", "excerpt": "The play store is pretty bad. About half the time I search for an app, BY NAME, without any way to confuse it with another app, the top result is a scam or copy cat, or adware. And always, without fail, they are paid-for ads instead of real search results. How can it still be somehow advantageous to trick your users into installing an app they clearly don't want. I wish there was a real alternative to the play store.", "context": "", "use_case": "app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "Meta Ran Ads That Contained AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Imagery"}, {"id": 797320305, "item_id": 49832519, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49832519", "by": "silverbluep", "date": "2026-09-24", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "it's been fine to use f-droid repos for most of my needs", "excerpt": "I use droid-ify as frontend; and it's been fine to use f-droid repos for most of my needs. I try to install my apps from there in general. Biggest issue for me is android auto capability usually requires the app to be installed from play store (CoMaps) and my music player app (GoneMAD) has a companion unlocker that is from paid app store. I need banking and bunch of vendor related apps. I need play store for them; so", "context": "", "use_case": "installing Android apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}, {"id": 784406256, "item_id": 49025391, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49025391", "by": "Aachen", "date": "2026-07-23", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I also use basically only software from F-Droid and the Debian repositories", "excerpt": "Hah, that's a unique argument. I haven't before been quizzed on how much time I spend with unpopular software. Do you have a minute? xD I think I use more unpopular software than 99% of the world population. Besides that it's part of my job to security test what are usually internal applications (every ~two weeks a new one), I also use basically only software from F-Droid and the Debian repositories, pulling only the", "context": "security tests internal applications", "use_case": "app source", "switched_from": "", "story": "I Regret Migrating to Codeberg"}]}], "praise": [{"label": "Main app source", "summary": "Many commenters get most or all of their Android apps from F-Droid, often on de-Googled phones.", "quotes": [{"id": 759142688, "item_id": 47446418, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47446418", "by": "bityard", "date": "2026-03-19", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "At least half of the apps I use on a daily basis come from f-droid.", "excerpt": "Welp, I guess my current Android phone will be my last one. At least half of the apps I use on a daily basis come from f-droid. This enforced 24-hour wait is simply not acceptable. Android has always been a far inferior overall user experience compared to iPhone. Android's _only_ saving grace was that I could put my own third-party open-source apps on it. There is nothing left keeping me on Android now. I'll probably", "context": "", "use_case": "installing open-source Android apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "Android: Balancing Openness and Choice with Safety"}, {"id": 752744321, "item_id": 47046520, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47046520", "by": "sandreas", "date": "2026-02-17", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use F-Droid as primary App store", "excerpt": "I personally tend to own two Phones. One all-day carry GrapheneOS device (Pixel 8) and an older WiFi and at home only iPhone for all payment and ensurance stuff. This is inconvenient in some ways, but at least it is sort of privacy as good as it gets while still being able to run official apps when I need them at home. To de-google the phone, I use F-Droid as primary App store, Aurora as fallback for non-f-droid Apps", "context": "", "use_case": "app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "GrapheneOS \u2013 Break Free from Google and Apple"}, {"id": 779219584, "item_id": 48701224, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48701224", "by": "dlcarrier", "date": "2026-06-27", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "almost everything I use on it is installed through F-Droid or directly from the author's Git repository", "excerpt": "I have an Android phone, and almost everything I use on it is installed through F-Droid or directly from the author's Git repository. Every time I do something useful on my phone, and iPhone users ask how to do it, there's nothing equivalent available for a their phone. The worst part is the maintenance required just to keep the same unchanged software available to new phones. You have to pay annually to keep your ac", "context": "Android user", "use_case": "Android app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "Like a Bouncer at a Bookstore: Texas' App Store Accountability Act"}]}, {"label": "Trust and vetting", "summary": "Commenters trust its vetting of updates, reproducible builds and guarantee of no proprietary code.", "quotes": [{"id": 797324096, "item_id": 49832756, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49832756", "by": "yjftsjthsd-h", "date": "2026-09-24", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use F-Droid precisely because I don't want that.", "excerpt": "I use F-Droid precisely because I don't want that. When https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38505229 happened - and when the same thing happens again in the future, because it will - I explicitly want F-Droid doing some basic due diligence on updates before shipping them to me. Cutting out the middleman is the opposite of what I want.", "context": "", "use_case": "Android app store with update vetting", "switched_from": "", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}, {"id": 787054496, "item_id": 49190906, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49190906", "by": "benoau", "date": "2026-08-05", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "The only truly-trustable option is basically F-Droid's reproducible builds (or similar) with source code availability", "excerpt": "The only truly-trustable option is basically F-Droid's reproducible builds (or similar) with source code availability: https://f-droid.org/docs/Reproducible_Builds/ Eg this app: https://verification.f-droid.org/packages/com.inspiredandroid.kai/ and its source code: https://github.com/SimonSchubert/Kai/tree/main You can verify yourself what it is doing, and what was built is guaranteed not to be tampered with. AFAIK t", "context": "", "use_case": "verifiable app builds", "switched_from": "", "story": "For an app claiming end-to-end encryption, what evidence would earn your trust?"}, {"id": 780975442, "item_id": 48810965, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48810965", "by": "Magicrafter13", "date": "2026-07-06", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "That's why I use F-Droid - to guarantee I don't get proprietary blobs.", "excerpt": "This is what I use in my main GrapheneOS profile. I still have a dedicated profile for Google Maps though as I still have not been able to give up their greater datasets (i.e. traffic) in all cases. Decent app though. I saw someone here mention proprietary code but I wouldn't worry about it, just install the F-Droid version. That's why I use F-Droid - to guarantee I don't get proprietary blobs.", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "use_case": "installing open-source apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "CoMaps \u2013 FOSS Offline Maps"}]}, {"label": "Play Store alternative", "summary": "Commenters use it to avoid ad-laden, scam or malware apps found on the Play Store.", "quotes": [{"id": 780152176, "item_id": 48759511, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48759511", "by": "Zak", "date": "2026-07-02", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I replaced it with something from F-Droid.", "excerpt": "The only time I've actually seen Android malware in the wild, it was because my mother installed a homescreen flashlight toggle widget from the Play Store that also displayed ads on the lockscreen. That was forbidden under Play Store rules, but there it was. I replaced it with something from F-Droid. The Play Store still has a problem with shady apps years later. If Google wants to be more like Apple, they should sta", "context": "", "use_case": "Android app store", "switched_from": "Google Play Store", "story": "A new Android malware from Google"}, {"id": 785954512, "item_id": 49122157, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49122157", "by": "PennRobotics", "date": "2026-07-31", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I mostly stopped using these types of apps and switched to F-Droid alternatives.", "excerpt": "I had the goal to eliminate annoying ads in some apps that I use. I deleted the user data for those apps and also applied restrictions so they could no longer access internet. Ads still showed up. I mostly stopped using these types of apps and switched to F-Droid alternatives.", "context": "", "use_case": "ad-free Android apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "Show HN: Gander, an Android file viewer that asks for no permissions at all"}, {"id": 787163681, "item_id": 49197730, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49197730", "by": "remuskaos", "date": "2026-08-06", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "F Droid comes close and can even auto update now", "excerpt": "The play store is pretty bad. About half the time I search for an app, BY NAME, without any way to confuse it with another app, the top result is a scam or copy cat, or adware. And always, without fail, they are paid-for ads instead of real search results. How can it still be somehow advantageous to trick your users into installing an app they clearly don't want. I wish there was a real alternative to the play store.", "context": "", "use_case": "app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "Meta Ran Ads That Contained AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Imagery"}]}, {"label": "Good apps, no account", "summary": "Commenters say it has lots of good apps and needs no account.", "quotes": [{"id": 790293808, "item_id": 49393363, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49393363", "by": "yjftsjthsd-h", "date": "2026-08-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I'd also very strongly recommend F-Droid.", "excerpt": "I'd also very strongly recommend F-Droid. TBH I can't really speak to the quality of music apps on it - I just use VLC - but it doesn't require an account and it has lots of good apps.", "context": "", "use_case": "app store without account", "switched_from": "", "story": "Using an old Android phone as a music player"}, {"id": 790316914, "item_id": 49394807, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49394807", "by": "UncleSlacky", "date": "2026-08-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use the F-Droid apps", "excerpt": "I use the F-Droid apps Transistor to listen to streaming radio and Antennapod for podcasts on an old phone: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.y20k.transistor/ https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.danoeh.antennapod/", "context": "", "use_case": "Android app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "Using an old Android phone as a music player"}, {"id": 752757735, "item_id": 47047358, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47047358", "by": "Gormo", "date": "2026-02-17", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "it's the most popular repository of FOSS software for Android", "excerpt": "Some others that I use: * NextCloud -- client for personal NextCloud server; this app is used primarily for file sync, with other features accessed with other apps. (https://nextcloud.com/features/?filter=Clients#android-client) * KeePassDX -- password manager, shares DB with KeePassXC on desktop, which is synced via NextCloud. Also functions as a TOTP authenticator. (https://www.keepassdx.com/) * DAVx5 -- CalDAV and", "context": "", "use_case": "FOSS app repository", "switched_from": "", "story": "GrapheneOS \u2013 Break Free from Google and Apple"}]}, {"label": "Redesigned client", "summary": "The new visual and usability redesign drew some users back from third-party clients.", "quotes": [{"id": 797316929, "item_id": 49832308, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49832308", "by": "outadoc", "date": "2026-09-24", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Very cool, the visual redesign was very much needed", "excerpt": "Very cool, the visual redesign was very much needed and I had been using Droid-ify for a while because of this. I'll switch back to the official app, congrats to the contributors!", "context": "", "use_case": "Android app store", "switched_from": "Droid-ify", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}, {"id": 797462128, "item_id": 49841383, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49841383", "by": "hikashop-nicola", "date": "2026-09-25", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "The new version should be better for normal users", "excerpt": "I agree. The new version should be better for normal users which should help make F-droid more popular and maybe a real alternative to the Play store for people in general, not just power users.", "context": "", "use_case": "Android app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}, {"id": 797335249, "item_id": 49833453, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49833453", "by": "kmarc", "date": "2026-09-24", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "maybe time to try f-Droid again", "excerpt": "Great visual and usability update. Even greater HN conversation about all the to-me-unknown alternatives. I used neostore as a replacement, but maybe time to try f-Droid again", "context": "", "use_case": "Android app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}]}, {"label": "Developer publishing", "summary": "A developer who couldn't get onto Google Play was able to publish through F-Droid instead.", "quotes": [{"id": 798120737, "item_id": 49882546, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49882546", "by": "renegat0x0", "date": "2026-09-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I was able to share it on f-droid though, and I am starting to think that it may be good just to publish app only through it.", "excerpt": "Agree. Tried to publish my app through Google, and still no luck. Link below. I was able to share it on f-droid though, and I am starting to think that it may be good just to publish app only through it. https://github.com/rumca-js/OfflineWebSearch", "context": "app developer", "use_case": "publishing Android apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "So long Google, and thanks for all the nudes"}]}], "caveats": [{"label": "Client UI", "summary": "Some commenters called the official client's UI terrible and used alternative frontends instead.", "quotes": [{"id": 797319089, "item_id": 49832443, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49832443", "by": "silverbluep", "date": "2026-09-24", "stance": "warn", "quote": "F-Droid ui is terrible", "excerpt": "I have been using droid-ify on GrapheneOS for a few years now; because F-Droid ui is terrible, and the privilege extention has been such a pain to configure and get working without issues on my previous lineageOS phone. Happy to see this major overhaul; and i'm glad the FPE is being phased out.", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}, {"id": 795647521, "item_id": 49727970, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49727970", "by": "nosioptar", "date": "2026-09-16", "stance": "warn", "quote": "It's unfortunate the official f-droid client is an unusable mess.", "excerpt": "I use Foxy Droid. It's unfortunate the official f-droid client is an unusable mess. (I stopped using it years ago, maybe they fixed it.) There's also f-droid classic, can't remember why I use foxy droid over it.", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "The Google Play app review process now regularly takes longer than a week"}, {"id": 777768322, "item_id": 48610520, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48610520", "by": "bboygravity", "date": "2026-06-20", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I personally prefer managing apps on my phone through a browser on my laptop instead of fiddling with F-Droid on the phone.", "excerpt": "Unfortunately, yes. My own daily driver is Firefox, so I basically only open Brave just for this website. I personally prefer managing apps on my phone through a browser on my laptop instead of fiddling with F-Droid on the phone.", "context": "", "use_case": "installing Android apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "Install F-Droid apps over USB straight from the browser"}]}, {"label": "Missing apps", "summary": "Banking, insurance and vendor apps are usually unavailable, so the Play Store or Aurora is still needed.", "quotes": [{"id": 787163681, "item_id": 49197730, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49197730", "by": "remuskaos", "date": "2026-08-06", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "F Droid comes close and can even auto update now", "excerpt": "The play store is pretty bad. About half the time I search for an app, BY NAME, without any way to confuse it with another app, the top result is a scam or copy cat, or adware. And always, without fail, they are paid-for ads instead of real search results. How can it still be somehow advantageous to trick your users into installing an app they clearly don't want. I wish there was a real alternative to the play store.", "context": "", "use_case": "app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "Meta Ran Ads That Contained AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Imagery"}, {"id": 797320305, "item_id": 49832519, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49832519", "by": "silverbluep", "date": "2026-09-24", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "it's been fine to use f-droid repos for most of my needs", "excerpt": "I use droid-ify as frontend; and it's been fine to use f-droid repos for most of my needs. I try to install my apps from there in general. Biggest issue for me is android auto capability usually requires the app to be installed from play store (CoMaps) and my music player app (GoneMAD) has a companion unlocker that is from paid app store. I need banking and bunch of vendor related apps. I need play store for them; so", "context": "", "use_case": "installing Android apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}, {"id": 784406256, "item_id": 49025391, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49025391", "by": "Aachen", "date": "2026-07-23", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I also use basically only software from F-Droid and the Debian repositories", "excerpt": "Hah, that's a unique argument. I haven't before been quizzed on how much time I spend with unpopular software. Do you have a minute? xD I think I use more unpopular software than 99% of the world population. Besides that it's part of my job to security test what are usually internal applications (every ~two weeks a new one), I also use basically only software from F-Droid and the Debian repositories, pulling only the", "context": "security tests internal applications", "use_case": "app source", "switched_from": "", "story": "I Regret Migrating to Codeberg"}]}, {"label": "Security criticism", "summary": "GrapheneOS developers recommend against F-Droid, citing security deficiencies.", "quotes": [{"id": 752828706, "item_id": 47051794, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47051794", "by": "strcat", "date": "2026-02-17", "stance": "warn", "quote": "Recommending against using Firefox and F-Droid due to major security deficiencies", "excerpt": "Firefox 147 doesn't provide site sandboxing or even basic content sandboxing on Android. They enabled multi-process support by default but still don't provide any form of sandbox for the separate processes. They enabled the separation part of site isolation which is partially implemented for Firefox desktop and now mobile but do not have content sandboxing and partial site sandboxing as they do for the desktop browse", "context": "GrapheneOS developer/team", "use_case": "app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "GrapheneOS \u2013 Break Free from Google and Apple"}, {"id": 796896341, "item_id": 49806021, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49806021", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-09-22", "stance": "warn", "quote": "The claims about problems with F-Droid are true.", "excerpt": "> Graphene OS devs themselves recommend that you install apps on Graphene OS via Google Play Store for security reasons. Can you provide a source that they've said this recently? This seems to be a bit of a misrepresentation. They say: >The Play Store app is also the most secure way to install and update apps from the Play Store. on /usage, but this does not indicate it's the most private way or that it's the recomme", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "use_case": "app repository", "switched_from": "", "story": "There's a high chance of devices being sold with GrapheneOS preinstalled in 2027"}, {"id": 792393537, "item_id": 49524596, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49524596", "by": "DaSHacka", "date": "2026-09-01", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "they don't recommend using FireFox Mobile and F-Droid, both of which I use regardless", "excerpt": "I actually think there's already a lot of us in the 'community' as-is. I personally describe it as 'Valuing Privacy/Freedom over Security'. One pretty clear example of this is how they don't recommend using FireFox Mobile and F-Droid, both of which I use regardless because I'm not willing to put up with worse privacy/usability tradeoffs in the name of (imo 'hyper-')security. I think it's fine the mission of the proje", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "use_case": "app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "Play Store blocks AuroraStore, hurting GrapheneOS users"}]}, {"label": "Strict rules", "summary": "One commenter says its strict inclusion rules keep it a niche store.", "quotes": [{"id": 798289744, "item_id": 49893109, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49893109", "by": "Brian_K_White", "date": "2026-09-29", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I like that a special place like fdroid exists", "excerpt": "Fdroid can never replace the main default because their strict rules rule out too much. I approve BTW, I like that a special place like fdroid exists, but it can only ever be this special niche thing. But as time goes on and software tools become more powerful, there is just not much moat. I don't even mean AI, I just mean the ordinary power annordinary computer and the gobs of highblevel languages and frameworks and", "context": "", "use_case": "Android app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "So long Google, and thanks for all the nudes"}]}, {"label": "Maintainer judgment", "summary": "A former user lost trust after maintainers flagged religious apps as NSFW.", "quotes": [{"id": 754915282, "item_id": 47182205, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47182205", "by": "bentley", "date": "2026-02-27", "stance": "warn", "quote": "it really soured me on the judgment of the F-Droid maintainers", "excerpt": "Were any of the current directors or new nominees involved in the incident where F-Droid marked Bible and Quran apps as NSFW, hid them from search by default, and expressed the intent to remove them completely (https://gitlab.com/fdroid/admin/-/issues/252#note_2578531026)? (Discussed on HN: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45638096) If I\u2019m charitable, I could assume they intended to make a controversial move to d", "context": "former F-Droid user of many years", "use_case": "Android app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "F-Droid Board of Directors nominations 2026"}]}], "who": [{"by": "renegat0x0", "context": "app developer", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49882546", "date": "2026-09-28"}, {"by": "AdityaK_9999", "context": "Android 10 user", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49730003", "date": "2026-09-16"}, {"by": "DaSHacka", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49524596", "date": "2026-09-01"}, {"by": "collabs", "context": "runs phone without a Google account", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49143659", "date": "2026-08-02"}, {"by": "BoxwoodSeed", "context": "disables Google apps on Android", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49046104", "date": "2026-07-25"}, {"by": "Aachen", "context": "security tests internal applications", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49025391", "date": "2026-07-23"}, {"by": "wolvoleo", "context": "de-Googles Android devices", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48958466", "date": "2026-07-18"}, {"by": "Magicrafter13", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48810965", "date": "2026-07-06"}, {"by": "dlcarrier", "context": "Android user", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48701224", "date": "2026-06-27"}, {"by": "meristohm", "context": "Long-time de-Googled Pixel user", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48663044", "date": "2026-06-24"}, {"by": "codedokode", "context": "privacy-conscious Linux user", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48596713", "date": "2026-06-19"}, {"by": "theandrewbailey", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48268705", "date": "2026-05-25"}], "tags": ["for de-Googled Android", "for GrapheneOS users", "for FOSS-only users", "for app developers"], "use_cases": ["android app store", "app store", "installing android apps", "installing apps without google", "installing open-source android apps", "publishing android apps"], "compared": [{"slug": "obtainium", "name": "Obtainium", "co": 9, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 2}, {"slug": "droid-ify", "name": "Droid-ify", "co": 5, "switched_from": 1, "switched_to": 2}, {"slug": "grapheneos", "name": "GrapheneOS", "co": 10, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "google-play-store", "name": "Google Play Store", "co": 8, "switched_from": 1, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "aurora-store", "name": "Aurora Store", "co": 8, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "lineageos", "name": "LineageOS", "co": 6, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "accrescent", "name": "Accrescent", "co": 3, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 1}, {"slug": "neo-store", "name": "Neo Store", "co": 2, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 1}], "makers": [], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49831968", "title": "F-Droid 2.0", "mentions": 9}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47045612", "title": "GrapheneOS \u2013 Break Free from Google and Apple", "mentions": 3}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49881951", "title": "So long Google, and thanks for all the nudes", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49724927", "title": "The Google Play app review process now regularly takes longer than a week", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49523754", "title": "Play Store blocks AuroraStore, hurting GrapheneOS users", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49332812", "title": "Using an old Android phone as a music player", "mentions": 2}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {"recommend": 1}, "2025-12": {"neutral": 1}, "2026-01": {"neutral": 1}, "2026-02": {"recommend": 2, "warn": 2}, "2026-03": {"recommend": 1, "neutral": 1}, "2026-04": {"neutral": 1}, "2026-05": {"recommend": 2}, "2026-06": {"neutral": 2, "recommend": 2}, "2026-07": {"recommend": 6, "warn": 1, "neutral": 1}, "2026-08": {"recommend": 6, "warn": 1}, "2026-09": {"neutral": 6, "recommend": 6, "warn": 3}, "2026-10": {}}, "quotes": [{"id": 798289744, "item_id": 49893109, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49893109", "by": "Brian_K_White", "date": "2026-09-29", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I like that a special place like fdroid exists", "excerpt": "Fdroid can never replace the main default because their strict rules rule out too much. I approve BTW, I like that a special place like fdroid exists, but it can only ever be this special niche thing. But as time goes on and software tools become more powerful, there is just not much moat. I don't even mean AI, I just mean the ordinary power annordinary computer and the gobs of highblevel languages and frameworks and", "context": "", "use_case": "Android app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "So long Google, and thanks for all the nudes"}, {"id": 798120737, "item_id": 49882546, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49882546", "by": "renegat0x0", "date": "2026-09-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I was able to share it on f-droid though, and I am starting to think that it may be good just to publish app only through it.", "excerpt": "Agree. Tried to publish my app through Google, and still no luck. Link below. I was able to share it on f-droid though, and I am starting to think that it may be good just to publish app only through it. https://github.com/rumca-js/OfflineWebSearch", "context": "app developer", "use_case": "publishing Android apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "So long Google, and thanks for all the nudes"}, {"id": 797618144, "item_id": 49851134, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49851134", "by": "mzajc", "date": "2026-09-25", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I see no reason to put up with subpar installation UX just because Google doesn't endorse the store I use.", "excerpt": "No, but the issue linked by eighthave sums up my thoughts about the session installer nicely: > Android provides two APIs for installing apps: a \u201cprivileged\u201d API for things built in, and a \u201csession\u201d API for third-party apps. The built-in API provides key UX improvements, but is quite restricted due to the security architecture. The third-party API is not used by Google at all, and therefore it is buggy and receives s", "context": "", "use_case": "installing Android apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}, {"id": 797462128, "item_id": 49841383, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49841383", "by": "hikashop-nicola", "date": "2026-09-25", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "The new version should be better for normal users", "excerpt": "I agree. The new version should be better for normal users which should help make F-droid more popular and maybe a real alternative to the Play store for people in general, not just power users.", "context": "", "use_case": "Android app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}, {"id": 797335249, "item_id": 49833453, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49833453", "by": "kmarc", "date": "2026-09-24", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "maybe time to try f-Droid again", "excerpt": "Great visual and usability update. Even greater HN conversation about all the to-me-unknown alternatives. I used neostore as a replacement, but maybe time to try f-Droid again", "context": "", "use_case": "Android app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}, {"id": 797324096, "item_id": 49832756, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49832756", "by": "yjftsjthsd-h", "date": "2026-09-24", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use F-Droid precisely because I don't want that.", "excerpt": "I use F-Droid precisely because I don't want that. When https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38505229 happened - and when the same thing happens again in the future, because it will - I explicitly want F-Droid doing some basic due diligence on updates before shipping them to me. Cutting out the middleman is the opposite of what I want.", "context": "", "use_case": "Android app store with update vetting", "switched_from": "", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}, {"id": 797320305, "item_id": 49832519, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49832519", "by": "silverbluep", "date": "2026-09-24", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "it's been fine to use f-droid repos for most of my needs", "excerpt": "I use droid-ify as frontend; and it's been fine to use f-droid repos for most of my needs. I try to install my apps from there in general. Biggest issue for me is android auto capability usually requires the app to be installed from play store (CoMaps) and my music player app (GoneMAD) has a companion unlocker that is from paid app store. I need banking and bunch of vendor related apps. I need play store for them; so", "context": "", "use_case": "installing Android apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}, {"id": 797319936, "item_id": 49832496, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49832496", "by": "QuantumNomad_", "date": "2026-09-24", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "the other apps I have installed on it myself are all from F-Droid", "excerpt": "I have a slow, crappy tablet I bought on Temu. It is not my main device, nor even my secondary device. It\u2019s basically just a device I bought for cheap hoping that maybe I was lucky and it was actually pretty snappy. It\u2019s not snappy :( I occasionally watch a couple of YouTube videos on it and read a couple of HN posts on it, when my phone is out of battery or when I\u2019m doing a backup of my phone and have left the phone", "context": "", "use_case": "app store on a tablet", "switched_from": "", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}, {"id": 797319089, "item_id": 49832443, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49832443", "by": "silverbluep", "date": "2026-09-24", "stance": "warn", "quote": "F-Droid ui is terrible", "excerpt": "I have been using droid-ify on GrapheneOS for a few years now; because F-Droid ui is terrible, and the privilege extention has been such a pain to configure and get working without issues on my previous lineageOS phone. Happy to see this major overhaul; and i'm glad the FPE is being phased out.", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}, {"id": 797318979, "item_id": 49832436, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49832436", "by": "sandreas", "date": "2026-09-24", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I use a combination of Aurora, Obtainium and F-Droid.", "excerpt": "No... I use a combination of Aurora, Obtainium and F-Droid. Unfortunately there are APP providers actively preventing their apps to work on graphene OS, so i own an extra use@home cheap broken glass iphone for these mandatory but non-graphene apps. It is a pain and it is getting worse... I'm really tempted to get back to the Apple ecosystem for less shens but currently i cannot do this yet... It just feels wrong but ", "context": "", "use_case": "installing Android apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}, {"id": 797316929, "item_id": 49832308, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49832308", "by": "outadoc", "date": "2026-09-24", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Very cool, the visual redesign was very much needed", "excerpt": "Very cool, the visual redesign was very much needed and I had been using Droid-ify for a while because of this. I'll switch back to the official app, congrats to the contributors!", "context": "", "use_case": "Android app store", "switched_from": "Droid-ify", "story": "F-Droid 2.0"}, {"id": 796896341, "item_id": 49806021, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49806021", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-09-22", "stance": "warn", "quote": "The claims about problems with F-Droid are true.", "excerpt": "> Graphene OS devs themselves recommend that you install apps on Graphene OS via Google Play Store for security reasons. Can you provide a source that they've said this recently? This seems to be a bit of a misrepresentation. They say: >The Play Store app is also the most secure way to install and update apps from the Play Store. on /usage, but this does not indicate it's the most private way or that it's the recomme", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "use_case": "app repository", "switched_from": "", "story": "There's a high chance of devices being sold with GrapheneOS preinstalled in 2027"}, {"id": 795680048, "item_id": 49730003, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49730003", "by": "AdityaK_9999", "date": "2026-09-16", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "i fairly use software stores like f-droid", "excerpt": "I am on an Android 10 system... gate keeping wasn't this bad during the Android 10 times...so i fairly use software stores like f-droid... simpmusic is one app I use frequently from f droid....no application so far has been deleted automatically. I guess Google has been upping the gatekeeping with newer systems as they come out", "context": "Android 10 user", "use_case": "installing Android apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "The Google Play app review process now regularly takes longer than a week"}, {"id": 795647521, "item_id": 49727970, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49727970", "by": "nosioptar", "date": "2026-09-16", "stance": "warn", "quote": "It's unfortunate the official f-droid client is an unusable mess.", "excerpt": "I use Foxy Droid. It's unfortunate the official f-droid client is an unusable mess. (I stopped using it years ago, maybe they fixed it.) There's also f-droid classic, can't remember why I use foxy droid over it.", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "The Google Play app review process now regularly takes longer than a week"}, {"id": 792430177, "item_id": 49526886, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49526886", "by": "ravenstine", "date": "2026-09-01", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I'm also not so paranoid that I'm going to just blindly listen to advice against using F-Droid.", "excerpt": "GrapheneOS (the project) might recommend for or against certain things in relation to their specific objectives, but that doesn't mean all GrapheneOS users have the same objectives or need to comply with the opinions of GrapheneOS. For instance, I use GrapheneOS because it provides better security and privacy out of the box than LineageOS, but I'm also not so paranoid that I'm going to just blindly listen to advice a", "context": "", "use_case": "app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "Play Store blocks AuroraStore, hurting GrapheneOS users"}, {"id": 792393537, "item_id": 49524596, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49524596", "by": "DaSHacka", "date": "2026-09-01", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "they don't recommend using FireFox Mobile and F-Droid, both of which I use regardless", "excerpt": "I actually think there's already a lot of us in the 'community' as-is. I personally describe it as 'Valuing Privacy/Freedom over Security'. One pretty clear example of this is how they don't recommend using FireFox Mobile and F-Droid, both of which I use regardless because I'm not willing to put up with worse privacy/usability tradeoffs in the name of (imo 'hyper-')security. I think it's fine the mission of the proje", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "use_case": "app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "Play Store blocks AuroraStore, hurting GrapheneOS users"}, {"id": 791661091, "item_id": 49478818, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49478818", "by": "nazgulsenpai", "date": "2026-08-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "grab whatever other utilities I might need from Obtanium or F-Droid", "excerpt": "I use LineageOS with MicroG and decided probably 5 years ago to just use PWAs instead of apps for any online service and grab whatever other utilities I might need from Obtanium or F-Droid. Also the experience on my Thinkphone is the exact same as it was on my Pixel XL 2. I know not everyone can do this, and some PWAs are downright terrible if they work at all, but for my usecase it has been great.", "context": "", "use_case": "installing apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "\u201cIt works better in the app\u201d"}, {"id": 790316914, "item_id": 49394807, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49394807", "by": "UncleSlacky", "date": "2026-08-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use the F-Droid apps", "excerpt": "I use the F-Droid apps Transistor to listen to streaming radio and Antennapod for podcasts on an old phone: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.y20k.transistor/ https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.danoeh.antennapod/", "context": "", "use_case": "Android app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "Using an old Android phone as a music player"}, {"id": 790293808, "item_id": 49393363, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49393363", "by": "yjftsjthsd-h", "date": "2026-08-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I'd also very strongly recommend F-Droid.", "excerpt": "I'd also very strongly recommend F-Droid. TBH I can't really speak to the quality of music apps on it - I just use VLC - but it doesn't require an account and it has lots of good apps.", "context": "", "use_case": "app store without account", "switched_from": "", "story": "Using an old Android phone as a music player"}, {"id": 789132416, "item_id": 49320776, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49320776", "by": "confusedbucket", "date": "2026-08-16", "stance": "warn", "quote": "F-Droid homepage is also concerning.", "excerpt": "Where do I buy this device that does let me run any software I want? Most Android phones don't even let users unlock the bootloader anymore. And if you do unlock the bootloader, now Google Pay doesn't work, among other things. I don't really feel like being in control of what software I use when the software I actually want refuses to run. F-Droid homepage is also concerning. Linux phones barely handle the basic func", "context": "", "use_case": "Android app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "Firefox for iOS now has a native adblocker"}, {"id": 787163681, "item_id": 49197730, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49197730", "by": "remuskaos", "date": "2026-08-06", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "F Droid comes close and can even auto update now", "excerpt": "The play store is pretty bad. About half the time I search for an app, BY NAME, without any way to confuse it with another app, the top result is a scam or copy cat, or adware. And always, without fail, they are paid-for ads instead of real search results. How can it still be somehow advantageous to trick your users into installing an app they clearly don't want. I wish there was a real alternative to the play store.", "context": "", "use_case": "app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "Meta Ran Ads That Contained AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Imagery"}, {"id": 787054496, "item_id": 49190906, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49190906", "by": "benoau", "date": "2026-08-05", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "The only truly-trustable option is basically F-Droid's reproducible builds (or similar) with source code availability", "excerpt": "The only truly-trustable option is basically F-Droid's reproducible builds (or similar) with source code availability: https://f-droid.org/docs/Reproducible_Builds/ Eg this app: https://verification.f-droid.org/packages/com.inspiredandroid.kai/ and its source code: https://github.com/SimonSchubert/Kai/tree/main You can verify yourself what it is doing, and what was built is guaranteed not to be tampered with. AFAIK t", "context": "", "use_case": "verifiable app builds", "switched_from": "", "story": "For an app claiming end-to-end encryption, what evidence would earn your trust?"}, {"id": 786298544, "item_id": 49143659, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49143659", "by": "collabs", "date": "2026-08-02", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Fdroid and obtainium work flawlessly.", "excerpt": "Without Google doesn't mean the same thing for everyone. I got a Motorola g moto stylus 2025 and have been running an experiment for almost a year now in which I use this device without ever logging into the device with a Google account. Fdroid and obtainium work flawlessly. Aurora Store works for the most part but some apps won't even let me open them without a play store signed in account which is sad.", "context": "runs phone without a Google account", "use_case": "installing apps without Google", "switched_from": "", "story": "A big win for Android interoperability"}, {"id": 785954512, "item_id": 49122157, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49122157", "by": "PennRobotics", "date": "2026-07-31", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I mostly stopped using these types of apps and switched to F-Droid alternatives.", "excerpt": "I had the goal to eliminate annoying ads in some apps that I use. I deleted the user data for those apps and also applied restrictions so they could no longer access internet. Ads still showed up. I mostly stopped using these types of apps and switched to F-Droid alternatives.", "context": "", "use_case": "ad-free Android apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "Show HN: Gander, an Android file viewer that asks for no permissions at all"}, {"id": 784737664, "item_id": 49046104, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49046104", "by": "BoxwoodSeed", "date": "2026-07-25", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "most of what I use comes from F-Droid", "excerpt": "I always disable everything Google that comes preinstalled other than maps, including the App store. You can download stuff that you can only get there through Aurora, but really most of what I use comes from F-Droid. Not that I trust a device running Android enough to do banking, mind you.", "context": "disables Google apps on Android", "use_case": "installing apps without Google", "switched_from": "", "story": "Android May Soon Restrict On-Device ADB"}, {"id": 784406256, "item_id": 49025391, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49025391", "by": "Aachen", "date": "2026-07-23", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I also use basically only software from F-Droid and the Debian repositories", "excerpt": "Hah, that's a unique argument. I haven't before been quizzed on how much time I spend with unpopular software. Do you have a minute? xD I think I use more unpopular software than 99% of the world population. Besides that it's part of my job to security test what are usually internal applications (every ~two weeks a new one), I also use basically only software from F-Droid and the Debian repositories, pulling only the", "context": "security tests internal applications", "use_case": "app source", "switched_from": "", "story": "I Regret Migrating to Codeberg"}, {"id": 783335457, "item_id": 48958466, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48958466", "by": "wolvoleo", "date": "2026-07-18", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I install my apps using Aurora and F-Droid.", "excerpt": "It's similar to what I do yes. I buy normal Android devices but I use ADB to get rid of most of the google stuff. In Google Play Services I just don't sign in and I disable all the data collection. It's not ideal but the problem is I really need the push service for work. And my devices are not supported by AOSP distros. I install my apps using Aurora and F-Droid.", "context": "de-Googles Android devices", "use_case": "installing Android apps without Google", "switched_from": "", "story": "Reynard: A real Firefox web browser for iOS 13 or later"}, {"id": 781269187, "item_id": 48829324, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48829324", "by": "bentley", "date": "2026-07-08", "stance": "warn", "quote": "Both Google Play and F\u2010Droid are just enough of a hassle (and I mildly dislike both of them)", "excerpt": "To be honest, I use Organic Maps over CoMaps simply because Organic Maps is available in Accrescent (which is in turn provided by the GrapheneOS App Store), and CoMaps is not. Both Google Play and F\u2010Droid are just enough of a hassle (and I mildly dislike both of them) to keep me on the map app that doesn\u2019t require either one.", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "CoMaps \u2013 FOSS Offline Maps"}, {"id": 780975442, "item_id": 48810965, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48810965", "by": "Magicrafter13", "date": "2026-07-06", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "That's why I use F-Droid - to guarantee I don't get proprietary blobs.", "excerpt": "This is what I use in my main GrapheneOS profile. I still have a dedicated profile for Google Maps though as I still have not been able to give up their greater datasets (i.e. traffic) in all cases. Decent app though. I saw someone here mention proprietary code but I wouldn't worry about it, just install the F-Droid version. That's why I use F-Droid - to guarantee I don't get proprietary blobs.", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "use_case": "installing open-source apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "CoMaps \u2013 FOSS Offline Maps"}, {"id": 780152176, "item_id": 48759511, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48759511", "by": "Zak", "date": "2026-07-02", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I replaced it with something from F-Droid.", "excerpt": "The only time I've actually seen Android malware in the wild, it was because my mother installed a homescreen flashlight toggle widget from the Play Store that also displayed ads on the lockscreen. That was forbidden under Play Store rules, but there it was. I replaced it with something from F-Droid. The Play Store still has a problem with shady apps years later. If Google wants to be more like Apple, they should sta", "context": "", "use_case": "Android app store", "switched_from": "Google Play Store", "story": "A new Android malware from Google"}, {"id": 780137009, "item_id": 48758563, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48758563", "by": "mpfect", "date": "2026-07-02", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "they remove the single biggest differentiator between the two platforms", "excerpt": "This is exactly why I use Android over iOS, for software freedom. If Google forces ADV and locks out F-Droid, they remove the single biggest differentiator between the two platforms. Making Play Protect into a forced gatekeeper instead of an opt-in security scanner is a massive bait-and-switch for users who care about digital sovereignty.", "context": "", "use_case": "app store for Android", "switched_from": "", "story": "A new Android malware from Google"}, {"id": 779219584, "item_id": 48701224, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48701224", "by": "dlcarrier", "date": "2026-06-27", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "almost everything I use on it is installed through F-Droid or directly from the author's Git repository", "excerpt": "I have an Android phone, and almost everything I use on it is installed through F-Droid or directly from the author's Git repository. Every time I do something useful on my phone, and iPhone users ask how to do it, there's nothing equivalent available for a their phone. The worst part is the maintenance required just to keep the same unchanged software available to new phones. You have to pay annually to keep your ac", "context": "Android user", "use_case": "Android app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "Like a Bouncer at a Bookstore: Texas' App Store Accountability Act"}, {"id": 778608704, "item_id": 48663044, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48663044", "by": "meristohm", "date": "2026-06-24", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I also appreciate F-Droid and the contributions of so many people making useful software.", "excerpt": "Long-time de-Googled Pixel user here: while it's not for most of the people I know, for whom the barrier to install LineageOS / GrapheneOS / etc on their Android pocket computer is as yet too high, advertisement-company Google's nonsense can be uninstalled. It helps that I use my less-smart phone much less than back when these things were a novelty. Nice to be able to call and text, snap photos, take notes, visit som", "context": "Long-time de-Googled Pixel user", "use_case": "installing open-source Android apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "White House app auto-downloads to government phones, can't be uninstalled"}, {"id": 777768322, "item_id": 48610520, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48610520", "by": "bboygravity", "date": "2026-06-20", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I personally prefer managing apps on my phone through a browser on my laptop instead of fiddling with F-Droid on the phone.", "excerpt": "Unfortunately, yes. My own daily driver is Firefox, so I basically only open Brave just for this website. I personally prefer managing apps on my phone through a browser on my laptop instead of fiddling with F-Droid on the phone.", "context": "", "use_case": "installing Android apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "Install F-Droid apps over USB straight from the browser"}, {"id": 777547409, "item_id": 48596713, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48596713", "by": "codedokode", "date": "2026-06-19", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "mostly open-source apps from F-Droid", "excerpt": "It doesn't matter how bad is Windows or Mac because I do not use them. Apple might have something made for the government. They are very cooperative and routinely remove VPN apps from the repository at the request of Russian government, probably they will happily cooperate with US government as well. > how do you defend from Microsoft/Google/Apple deciding to spy on you My smartphone is in airplane mode since purchas", "context": "privacy-conscious Linux user", "use_case": "open-source app source", "switched_from": "", "story": "I found 10k GitHub repositories distributing Trojan malware"}, {"id": 773417728, "item_id": 48338608, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48338608", "by": "tetris11", "date": "2026-05-30", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "better vetted app stores like F-Droid might win out", "excerpt": "Will the complex apps be discoverable though, and if not, will the devs bother at all? I feel like this would be a win for old-school open source, where people would do it for the love of the aim, and better vetted app stores like F-Droid might win out", "context": "", "use_case": "vetted app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: What Is the State of App Development in 2026?"}, {"id": 772299281, "item_id": 48268705, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48268705", "by": "theandrewbailey", "date": "2026-05-25", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I prefer F-Droid (or third party repositories through it) for most things", "excerpt": "I use Aurora on GrapheneOS for a handful of apps, though I prefer F-Droid (or third party repositories through it) for most things.", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "use_case": "installing most apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: Who uses Aurora Store here?"}, {"id": 767166562, "item_id": 47947910, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47947910", "by": "palata", "date": "2026-04-29", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "people who care about using F-Droid would probably be happy to use an alternative OS", "excerpt": "Respectfully, I think this is the wrong fight. And I fear it may be counter-productive, because all the effort put into asking Google to make it a little less painful to install an unverified app is not put into the real fight. IMHO, it should be fine for Google or Apple to do whatever they want with their OS. What should be forbidden is to prevent people from installing an alternative OS on their hardware. But this ", "context": "", "use_case": "app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "Phone is about to stop being yours"}, {"id": 759277456, "item_id": 47454841, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47454841", "by": "glenstein", "date": "2026-03-20", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "F-Droid lives.", "excerpt": "I feel like there's a big thing being missed in all of this, which is that F-Droid lives. I scrolled through hundreds of comments so far and not seen anyone make this observation. Do I love it? Absolutely not. But F-Droid was facing an existential threat from the early early versions of the proposal and now will continue to live. Again, I don't love it but this is a huge change to the fate of F-Droid.", "context": "", "use_case": "Android app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "Android: Balancing Openness and Choice with Safety"}, {"id": 759142688, "item_id": 47446418, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47446418", "by": "bityard", "date": "2026-03-19", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "At least half of the apps I use on a daily basis come from f-droid.", "excerpt": "Welp, I guess my current Android phone will be my last one. At least half of the apps I use on a daily basis come from f-droid. This enforced 24-hour wait is simply not acceptable. Android has always been a far inferior overall user experience compared to iPhone. Android's _only_ saving grace was that I could put my own third-party open-source apps on it. There is nothing left keeping me on Android now. I'll probably", "context": "", "use_case": "installing open-source Android apps", "switched_from": "", "story": "Android: Balancing Openness and Choice with Safety"}, {"id": 752744321, "item_id": 47046520, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47046520", "by": "sandreas", "date": "2026-02-17", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use F-Droid as primary App store", "excerpt": "I personally tend to own two Phones. One all-day carry GrapheneOS device (Pixel 8) and an older WiFi and at home only iPhone for all payment and ensurance stuff. This is inconvenient in some ways, but at least it is sort of privacy as good as it gets while still being able to run official apps when I need them at home. To de-google the phone, I use F-Droid as primary App store, Aurora as fallback for non-f-droid Apps", "context": "", "use_case": "app store", "switched_from": "", "story": "GrapheneOS \u2013 Break Free from Google and Apple"}]}