The few FOSS apps that you absolutely need on your Android phone

The #1 reason we love Android is the freedom to install apps from alternative stores, such as F-Droid.

Here are my top picks from F-Droid.

F-Droid

F-Droid is the app distribution ecosystem for Android where user freedom comes first.

Every app on the store is FOSS (Free and Open Source Software). All required permissions are clearly labeled, allowing users to make well-informed decisions about what to install.

This will be our starting point; every app mentioned in this article can be downloaded directly from F-Droid.

Seal

Seal is essentially a wrapper for yt-dlp, the popular and widely loved command-line utility for downloading YouTube videos.

Seal features a clean, intuitive interface that allows you to easily download videos as MP4s, MP3s, and more. It is my go-to choice for a simple utility that just gets the job done.

URLCheck

URLCheck acts as a bridge between tapping a link and actually opening it.

When setting up the app, you will be prompted to set it as your default browser. Once configured, every time you click a link, you can see exactly what the URL is, check if it’s on any blocklists, and then decide whether to open it.

Additionally, URLCheck includes a collection of “modules” that can be applied to links either automatically or manually. For example, the “URL Cleaner” module automatically strips out tracking codes and referral parameters from any link you tap. In my opinion, this is a must-have utility.

Safe Space

Safe Space is an app that creates an isolated environment on your Android device to store valuable files. This storage location is completely hidden from other apps and is encrypted by the system by default.

This is incredibly useful if you have sensitive files (text documents, pictures, etc.) that you want to keep secure. Your files can be easily accessed using a PIN or your fingerprint. The UI is clean and simple—highly recommended!

Tempo

In my opinion, Tempo is the best Subsonic music player available. It is lightweight, fast, beautiful, and handles music playback flawlessly.

If you host a Subsonic server for your music library, this app is the perfect companion for streaming your music on the go.

AirGuard

Are you freaked out by the idea of an AirTag (or a similar tracking device) being planted on you? Just use AirGuard! This lightweight and efficient app will alert you if a tracking device has been following you for a while.

You can also exclude “friendly” devices to lower the chance of false positives.