Best Alternatives to Google’s Android Operating System (2026), Tested and Reviewed
WIRED • • technology
Key Points:
- Alternatives to Google’s Android OS exist that remove Google services to enhance user privacy, typically by replacing Google components with alternatives like the microG project, though most remain based on Android’s open-source core.
- True non-Android mobile OS options are limited; iOS offers more privacy but remains tightly coupled to Apple’s ecosystem, while Linux-based systems like SailfishOS are not yet ready for daily use.
- The Fairphone 6 with /e/OS is recommended for most users seeking a preinstalled de-Googled phone, combining privacy-focused software, repairable hardware, and a locked bootloader, though it currently supports limited carriers in the U.S.
- For Pixel phone users, GrapheneOS offers the best privacy and security experience