Is GrapheneOS right for me?

Udasi

Hi,
I'm someone who has become more and more privacy conscious in the last couple of years. I swapped away from Windows to Linux in January and have been trying to minimize data collection as much as possible the last few months. I've become quite interested in GrapheneOS and I've read the FAQ and watched a few videos, but I have some lingering questions.

Is there a way to check app compatibility before making the switch? I use Bank of America and while there is a list of banking apps that work on Graphene, I haven't found anyone who has tested BofA specifically.

Second, I have to use WhatsApp for family chats and communicating with people overseas. I also use Snapchat to stay in touch with college friends and I don't think it's practical to badger them into switching to another more privacy conscious group chatting app. I understand that those closed source apps have telemetry baked in that cannot be removed. If I am going to be using Snapchat and Whatsapp anyway, is it still worth it to jump to GrapheneOS? I know in a sense this is subjective but I can't help but feel I'm installing a steel plated ship and drilling hole into it.

Please forgive me if these are silly questions, I'm not super technical and trying my best to make sure I'm making the right decision.

unwat

Udasi If I am going to be using Snapchat and Whatsapp anyway, is it still worth it to jump to GrapheneOS?

Yes

Best to keep it short. GrapheneOS with Google Play installed works almost exactly the same as stock Android, but you get all of these things too. You're right, it is a subjective answer, but I think it makes no sense not to install GrapheneOS if you can.

It's not an all or nothing kind of thing. You can use evil apps and still benefit.

Shendai

Udasi It's only a suggestion, and I realize there's some work involved, but why not try it out and see? Look for solutions if something does not work, and if its a deal breaker, flash back to stock pixel software. Sorry can't be more helpful about BofA, I just don't know. The top items which might be deal breakers for some people are:

No android auto
No NFC payments using google pay. NFC works, its just the attestation level needed for google pay to function with it is unavailable on non-stock firmware. Apparently there's a work-around by using a linked android watch, but I've not personally tried that.
Apps that require full attestation will not work. I've not ran into any of those myself, but its something to be aware of.

Good luck, and with your increased interest in privacy & security, I think you'll appreciate the difference.