I recently treated myself to a Pixel 6a with the intention of installing and using GrapheneOS, and I must say, it has been a great experience so far. Coming from a Fairphone 4 running CalyxOS.
One minor hurdle I encountered was the need for Google Play Services with one particular app, Vipps. To address this, I set up a separate user profile exclusively for that app and Sandboxed Google Play. Interestingly, I also took the opportunity to include my four other proprietary local city apps in this profile.
In my primary GrapheneOS user profile (Owner), I opted to keep things simple and focused on essential apps that come pre-installed with GrapheneOS. Other apps I rely on are Aegis for two-factor authentication, AntennaPod for my podcast listening, Auxio for managing my FLAC library, Droid-ify for app updates, Prognoza for accurate local weather updates, and Signal for staying connected with family and friends.
Overall, I'm quite pleased with the setup and functionality of my Pixel 6a running GrapheneOS. It's been a seamless transition from my Fairphone 4, and I'm excited to continue exploring the possibilities and benefits that GrapheneOS has to offer.