• General
  • "I just installed GrapheneOS, where do I get good apps?"

Here is my short list of the essentials.

1. App stores

The GrapheneOS appstore only contains apps from the OS itself and a few more.

It also includes the Accrescent store, a minimal and very secure, but not yet fully released Appstore. Install Accrescent from here.

Be aware that Accrescent doesn't filter out apps with trackers or ads in them. Research them online before installing.

Obtainium

This is not a store, but the best way to get apps from various sources.

Here is the website, on modern phones you want the armv8a or higher APK. After downloading the APK, you need to allow "install apps from this source" for Vanadium.

When using Obtainium, Accrescent or AuroraStore you of course also need to allow app installs for those.

2. Basic apps

You can either search for these apps on the Obtainium app list or copy-paste the URL in the "add new" field.

Clock

Keyboard:

Gallery

Video Player: "Just Video Player" from Accrescent

Calculator

Mail

  • Thunderbird Android
  • Fair-Email (more complex and feature-rich)
  • ltt.rs (if your mail server supports the JMAP protocol)

VPN

  • MullvadVPN is currently (Nov. 2024) the only app passing code quality tests (memory tagging) on recent pixels
  • RethinkDNS may not work perfectly yet, but can use multiple Wireguard VPNs, Orbot and encrypted DNS
  • Orbot and InviziblePro offer Tor routing
  • i2pd and InviziblePro are likely the best for i2p routing.

Calendar

DAVx5 (if you fully trust your provider, often your mail provider)

Fossify Calendar

Or the Proton Suite

System tricks

Auto-Autorotate (only autorotate on selected apps)

Caffeinate (keep screen on for longer)

Clear Clipboard

Find SMS Code

LinkSheet to use the browser or app you want for every link.

SaveLocally comes in really handy when using the "Private Space" or work profile

SaverTuner if you want more extreme battery saving.

SD Contacts to backup your contacts to your storage. Warning, delete old backups after time!

Image editing

ImageToolbox

Snapseed from Aurorastore, APKPure or Aptoide. Use without network access.

Navigation

Convert Google Maps Links to Geo coordinates

OrganicMaps from Accrescent

OSMAnd~ or OSMAnd+ from F-Droid or the Playstore.

NeoStumbler to improve the non-GPS location service that GrapheneOS can use in the future!

StreetComplete for improving OpenStreetMaps easily

For speech navigation

  • sherpa onnx tts engines (there is a ton, filter by armv8a and your language. For english I like danny-low, for german I like thorsten-medium
  • RHVoice or eSpeak if you dont like the models

You need to enable the TTS engine in the settings.

Public Transport

  • Öffi
  • Transportr
  • webapps of your local service
  • often proprietary apps of them, you may want to avoid them.

find more apps

Add F-Droid Basic in Obtainium, install it. Search here for additional F-Droid repos that you can add within the app.

You may not want to use F-Droid to install the apps, but you can find them, copy the source URL into Obtainium.

    missing-root MullvadVPN is currently (Nov. 2024) the only app passing code quality tests (memory tagging) on recent pixels

    On my Pixel 8, the Bitmask / Riseup VPN client also passing code quality tests with memory tagging and all other hardeners activated.

      missing-root How do you see this? Is it a security setting you can enable?

      Well, Bitmask / Riseup VPN clients work with hardened_malloc (enabled), memory tagging (enabled), native code debugging (blocked), webview JIT (disabled), dynamic code loading via memory (restricted) and dynamic code loading via storage (restricted) and I haven't had a single error message in over 1 month of use, Now, I'm not claiming this is proof that everything's fine, I've never analyzed the code but they're extremely transparent from what I've seen, that said, I'd say Mullvad VPN is still the best choice.

      missing-root Could you test RethinkDNS and this Wireguard Client?

      I tried RethinkDNS and the Wireguard client with Mullvad servers and never got any error messages either, take it with a grain of salt because at that time the restrictions for dynamic code loading via memory and storage were not yet available. I've tested both clients now and I still don't get any error messages, but I only tested for a few minutes.

      I can't test all VPN clients, I know from my experience that IVPN, ProtonVPN, Cloudflare WARP and Orbot all have bugs when Memory tagging is enabled.

        Xtreix I know from my experience that IVPN, ProtonVPN, Cloudflare WARP and Orbot all have bugs when Memory tagging is enabled

        FWIW, ProtonVPN (5.6.38.0) seems to be working OK here, Hardened Malloc, Memory Tagging on, debugging, JIT, code loading disabled/restricted.

          orydeatemi

          EDIT: Ah, spoke too soon. Sorry. Might be linked to the killswitch, but crash-a-delic with memory tagging on.

          @admin I would love to get rights to edit my posts for longer. Would like to add that info to the post