[deleted] Do you guys have a "throwaway google account" just to download apps on the gp store
To download Google Play-only apps, I created a throwaway Google account from GOS using this method from @fid02 that is not tied to my real name or my phone number, and I download apps through the sandboxed Google Play Store.
For FOSS apps (the majority of my apps on my owner profile), I use Obtanium to download them directly from source when available, then revert to downloading them from F-droid Basic if they're not directly available to download from the project's repo.
If you're not using sandboxed Google Play Services, you can use Aurora Store's anonymous account to download apps, which would offer arguably better privacy, but at the risk of decreased security, as others have mentioned.
I personally think using a throwaway Google account to download Play Store-only apps from the sandboxed Google Play Store offers the optimal balance across privacy, security, and convenience.