GrapheneOS
Privacy- and security-hardened Android-based mobile operating system, primarily for Google Pixel phones.
Liked for privacy, security and user control,123 with banking apps often working and an easy web installer.4567 The most common complaint is missing contactless payments8910 and some banking apps not fully trusting it.111213
Why people recommend it
Privacy and security · 3
Commenters pick it for better security and privacy defaults than stock Android or LineageOS.
“I use GrapheneOS because it provides better security and privacy out of the box than LineageOS”
“I moved to GrapheneOS after that, because I get the security and updates I want.”
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“I love GrapheneOS and see it as a cornerstone of digital privacy software. I have supported the project financially for years.”
App compatibility · 3
Several long-term users report their banking and other apps work, some without Play Services.
“my banking apps have worked with no issues and have worked continuously since I migrated to GrapheneOS”
“I have not had any issues using banking apps on Graphene without Play Services.”
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“I've been using GrapheneOS for years and that hasn't been my experience. There are two financial apps that don't work for me, and that's it.”
Daily driver · 3
Users report running it as their only phone OS for years.
“As someone who has used it exclusively as their mobile OS for three years, it is absolutely ready.”
“I'll never go back to stock or worse than stock (Samsung) as long as GrapheneOS is around”
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“Graphene has been my daily driver for the past year or so.”
Easy install · 3
The web installer needs only a browser and a USB cable.
“I used the web based installer and it was so easy”
“All you need to install graphene is a web browser and USB cable.”
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“I love it. I can confidently go through customs knowing”
User control · 3
Users value control over apps and the option to de-Google.
“I use Graphene for the sake of user control.”
“I'll never go back to stock or worse than stock (Samsung) as long as GrapheneOS is around”
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“I use Aurora on GOS.”
Smooth experience · 2
Described as tidier, less distracting and more responsive than other Android setups.
“a much tidier, less distracting, smoother and more responsive experience than any other Android setup I've used before.”
“I use the project, I think it's excellent usability-wise and I appreciate the technical work you have done.”
Caveats and dissent
No tap-to-pay · 3
Google Wallet contactless payments do not work.
“Graphene has been my daily driver for the past year or so.”
“I can keep extremely tight control on the NFC stack by toggling NFC with a quick access icon.”
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“Even on grapheneos you got to install the play store and play services to get most app to work”
Banking attestation · 3
Some banking apps restrict or refuse it, and attestation remains a hurdle.
“I switched to GrapheneOS this week, and it looks like I lucked out with my country in that regard.”
“I'll never go back to stock or worse than stock (Samsung) as long as GrapheneOS is around”
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“GrapheneOS (or any other custom Android distro) is unlikely to be able to ever pass hardware attestation”
Google dependency · 2
Many apps need Play Services, and it runs on Google's Pixel hardware.
“except you're supposed to run it on Google hardware, and apparently with a Google account and connecting to Google's services.”
“Even on grapheneos you got to install the play store and play services to get most app to work”
Not for novices · 2
Some say typical end users will struggle with setup choices like Play Services.
“I love GrapheneOS, but it isn't ready for typical end-users.”
“Even on grapheneos you got to install the play store and play services to get most app to work”
Group messaging · 2
Group texts can fail when using a secondary user profile.
“my banking apps have worked with no issues and have worked continuously since I migrated to GrapheneOS”
“I love it. I can confidently go through customs knowing”
Camera and backup · 2
The stock camera produces drab shots, and backup and restore are described as messy.
“I switched to GrapheneOS and it's been mostly great.”
“Its such a shame Android's backup/restore is such a mess, even more so in GrapheneOS.”
Often compared with
10 moved from iOS to GrapheneOS
6 moved from LineageOS to GrapheneOS
4 moved from Android to GrapheneOS
2 moved from /e/OS to GrapheneOSF-Droid10 comments mention bothAurora Store9 comments mention both
2 moved from Sailfish OS to GrapheneOS
Who recommends it in their own words
From the makers not counted in the ranking
“Banking app compatibility has greatly improved, mainly due to GrapheneOS working around bugs in the apps”
“Our linked reply says most banking apps work on GrapheneOS”
“GrapheneOS doesn't have app accessible root and has it limited to a tiny set of processes where it's still largely contained via SELinux.”
“GrapheneOS provides both standalone reimplementations of Google service features not tied to their closed source apps and libraries along with a compatibility layer”
“GrapheneOS users can update to the latest OS release to resolve it.”
“GrapheneOS is often around 4 to 6 months ahead on merging Linux kernel LTS releases.”
Threads where it came up
- GrapheneOS has been ported to Android 17 and official releases are coming soon 15 mentions
- A new Android malware from Google 12 mentions
- GrapheneOS recommended for domestic abuse victims 11 mentions
- GrapheneOS – Break Free from Google and Apple 11 mentions
- Play Store blocks AuroraStore, hurting GrapheneOS users 8 mentions
- Around a dozen banking apps began specifically permitting GrapheneOS 7 mentions
Data: grapheneos.json. Quotes are verbatim; the verdict and theme labels are written by a model from these comments, and every clause links to its sources.
All comments 47
“I use GrapheneOS on my Pixel and it gets very dim.”
“I use the project, I think it's excellent usability-wise and I appreciate the technical work you have done.”
“even if you built and self signed every release yourself, which I used to do”
“what's the definition of works?”
“This is a completely open source linux distro getting official support from banks”
“I use GrapheneOS”
“I switched to GrapheneOS this week, and it looks like I lucked out with my country in that regard.”
“clients like GrapheneOS, iPhones, and Macs are a lot harder to hack than a server”
“I recommend reading https://grapheneos.org/usage and https://grapheneos.org/faq”
“The best chance is an AOSP-based system like GrapheneOS.”
“Does GrapheneOS have this option at the android level?”
“before I got a Pixel and put GrapheneOS on it”
“I have installed GOS several times, and currently have a Pixel 11, so I am definitely invested in the outcome of this.”
“I use GrapheneOS on my personal phone”
“GrapheneOS is exactly an alternative to Google Android.”
“I love to see new people using the OS”
“Idem with GrapheneOS vs Pixel OS.”
“I have been using droid-ify on GrapheneOS for a few years now”
“APP providers actively preventing their apps to work on graphene OS”
“graphene is the worst possible response”
“GrapheneOS is Pixel-only”
“their whole operating system is FOSS”
“my banking apps have worked with no issues and have worked continuously since I migrated to GrapheneOS”
“as much as I love GOS”
“I use GrapheneOS for my own phone”
“I have not had any issues using banking apps on Graphene without Play Services.”
“I use Graphene for the sake of user control.”
“GrapheneOS has the bootable AOSP and will have Google-alternative device support.”
“Graphene has been my daily driver for the past year or so.”
“as a GrapheneOS user if I couldn't use it for any reason I'll go to iOS”
“Graphene is reaching that status for me every day and i'm looking forward to switching to it as my daily driver.”
“I'd love to try Graphene.”
“I plan on getting a Pixel and putting GrapheneOS on it.”
“I love it, I hope they succeed beyond just us geeks here.”
“I've replaced batteries on Pixel 3 XL and Pixel 6 Pro, both having run GrapheneOS.”
“Ive had MTE enabled on GrapheneOS for the past 3 years for pretty much all apps I use without any issues.”
“except you're supposed to run it on Google hardware, and apparently with a Google account and connecting to Google's services.”
“I used to use it before I switched to GrapheneOS.”
“I am not using graphene, find it too paranoid for my taste”
“I use GrapheneOS because it provides better security and privacy out of the box than LineageOS”
“I used the web based installer and it was so easy”
“If it wasn't for GrapheneOS and the desire for a private and secure OS”
“I can keep extremely tight control on the NFC stack by toggling NFC with a quick access icon.”
“All you need to install graphene is a web browser and USB cable.”
“I'll never go back to stock or worse than stock (Samsung) as long as GrapheneOS is around”
“I've been using GrapheneOS for years and that hasn't been my experience. There are two financial apps that don't work for me, and that's it.”
“Even on grapheneos you got to install the play store and play services to get most app to work”