Best Modern App Alternatives
The apps you use every day probably aren’t the only options available. Most people stick with what came pre-installed on their phones or whatever everyone else uses.
That works fine until the app gets worse, starts charging money, or just stops doing what you need it to do. Alternatives exist for almost everything.
Some work better than the originals. Others just work differently, which is sometimes all you need.
The trick is knowing they exist and understanding what makes them worth trying.
Brave Instead of Chrome
Chrome dominates web browsing, but it also tracks everything you do and feeds that data back to Google. Brave blocks ads and trackers automatically without requiring extensions or complicated settings.
The browser looks nearly identical to Chrome because it’s built on the same underlying technology. Your muscle memory transfers over instantly.
Bookmarks, passwords, and extensions all work the same way. Brave also pays you cryptocurrency for viewing privacy-respecting ads if you turn that feature on.
Most people ignore that part and just appreciate the faster page loads and better privacy.
Signal Instead of WhatsApp
WhatsApp encrypts your messages, but Meta still collects metadata about who you talk to, when, and how often. Signal encrypts everything and doesn’t collect that information.
The app handles texts, voice calls, video calls, and group chats just like WhatsApp. Your grandmother can figure it out. The interface is clean and straightforward.
Signal runs on donations and doesn’t sell your data or show ads. The nonprofit behind it exists solely to maintain private communication tools.
When you’re discussing anything sensitive, Signal is the obvious choice.
Notion Instead of Microsoft OneNote
OneNote organizes notes into notebooks, sections, and pages. Notion throws out that structure and lets you build whatever system makes sense to you.
Databases, workboards, calendars, task lists—everything exists as modular blocks you arrange however you want. The learning curve is steeper, but the flexibility pays off.
You can create a personal wiki, project management system, or knowledge base that actually matches how you think instead of forcing you into someone else’s organizational structure. Notion works across all your devices and syncs instantly.
The free version handles most personal use cases without hitting any meaningful limits.
DuckDuckGo Instead of Google
Google Search knows everything about you and uses that information to decide what results you see. DuckDuckGo doesn’t track you at all and shows everyone the same results for the same searches.
The search quality isn’t quite as refined as Google’s, but it’s close enough for most purposes. You lose the personalization that makes Google predict what you want, but you also lose the filter bubble that hides information Google thinks you won’t like.
DuckDuckGo also includes instant answers, image search, and map results. For everyday searches, it handles everything you need without building a profile of your interests and habits.
Obsidian Instead of Evernote
Evernote became bloated and expensive while the core note-taking experience got worse. Obsidian stores everything as plain text files on your device instead of locking your notes in a proprietary format on someone else’s servers.
The app uses markdown formatting and creates links between notes automatically. Over time, your notes become an interconnected web of information that you can navigate in different ways.
The graph view shows how everything connects, revealing patterns you wouldn’t notice otherwise. Obsidian works offline by default.
Your notes live on your computer, and you control whether they sync anywhere else. The base app is free, with optional paid features for syncing and publishing.
ProtonMail Instead of Gmail
Gmail scans your emails to serve targeted ads and build your advertising profile. ProtonMail encrypts everything end-to-end and can’t read your messages even if someone demands access.
The interface feels similar enough to Gmail that switching doesn’t require relearning how email works. You get folders, labels, search, and all the standard features.
The main difference is your emails stay private. ProtonMail offers a free tier with limited storage and paid plans for more space and custom domains.
The company is based in Switzerland and operates under strict privacy laws that protect user data.
Bitwarden Instead of LastPass
LastPass had multiple security breaches and keeps adding restrictions to the free version. Bitwarden does everything a password manager should do and keeps the free tier actually useful.
The app generates strong passwords, stores them securely, and fills them in automatically across all your devices. You can also store secure notes, credit card information, and other sensitive data.
Bitwarden’s code is open source, which means security researchers can verify it actually works as promised. The premium version costs less than ten dollars per year and adds features like encrypted file storage and advanced two-factor authentication.
VLC Instead of Windows Media Player
VLC plays every video and audio format without asking you to install codec packs or additional software. The interface looks dated, but the functionality is unmatched.
You can adjust playback speed, sync audio to video, take screenshots, convert files between formats, and stream content from the internet. The app handles corrupted files better than most alternatives and rarely crashes.
VLC is completely free and doesn’t include ads, tracking, or any monetization scheme. The developers just wanted a media player that works, and they succeeded.
Tutanota Instead of Outlook
Outlook integrates with Microsoft’s ecosystem and scans your emails to surface information for features like suggested replies and meeting scheduling. Tutanota encrypts your emails and calendar, making that kind of scanning impossible.
The email experience is straightforward—compose, send, receive, organize. The calendar syncs across devices and handles scheduling without exposing your data.
Everything stays encrypted, even the subject lines. Tutanota offers a free version with limited storage and paid options for more space and custom domains.
The company operates in Germany under European privacy regulations.
GIMP Instead of Photoshop
Photoshop requires a subscription and costs hundreds of dollars per year. GIMP is free and handles most photo editing tasks that don’t require professional-level color management or advanced features.
The interface takes getting used to. GIMP doesn’t try to copy Photoshop’s layout, which means experienced Photoshop users need to relearn where tools live.
But once you adjust, the functionality is there. GIMP supports layers, masks, filters, color correction, retouching, and most editing techniques you’d use regularly.
For casual users and even semi-professional work, it removes the need to pay for Adobe’s subscription.
Thunderbird Instead of Apple Mail
Apple Mail works fine if you’re deep in the Apple ecosystem. Thunderbird works everywhere and gives you more control over how your email client behaves.
The app handles multiple email accounts from different providers, includes a calendar, manages contacts, and supports extensive customization through add-ons. You can tweak nearly every aspect of the interface and functionality.
Thunderbird is open source and maintained by the Mozilla Foundation. Development slowed for years but picked up recently with new features and interface improvements.
Affinity Photo Instead of Photoshop
If GIMP feels too different and you still don’t want to pay for Photoshop’s subscription, Affinity Photo sits in the middle. It’s a one-time purchase that costs a fraction of what you’d pay Adobe annually.
The interface mirrors Photoshop closely enough that most skills transfer directly. Layers, adjustment layers, masks, selection tools—everything works similarly.
Professional photographers use Affinity Photo for actual client work. The app runs fast, handles large files well, and supports all the major file formats including PSD.
You lose some of Photoshop’s most advanced features, but for most users those features sit unused anyway.
Standard Notes Instead of Apple Notes
Locked inside Apple? That changes with Standard Notes. Works everywhere, unlike Apple’s version.
Your words stay yours – scrambled beyond reach. Even they cannot peek.
Length stays put. Writing lives here – simple notes tucked into folders, tagged however suits.
A spare design means no clutter crowds the screen. Skip the extra tools, skip distractions, skip anything pretending to improve your words.
Type something, put it away, know it moves across devices. Privacy holds firm through every step.
Even without paying, your notes stay locked down by automatic encryption. A basic plan gives you what’s essential at no cost.
Paying unlocks extras – backup routines, bigger files, visual styles. Money doesn’t change how secrets are kept under lock and key.
LibreOffice Instead of Microsoft Office
Spending on Microsoft Office means paying regularly or a big sum upfront. Instead, LibreOffice handles documents, calculations, and slides at zero cost.
Outdated visuals stand out next to today’s Office versions, while certain tools either behave oddly or are missing altogether. Still, when it comes to drafting texts, building simple sheets, or putting together slides, this software covers every need.
When it launches, the program handles files from Microsoft Office. Because of this, sharing papers with users of Word, Excel, or PowerPoint works smoothly.
Layout may change a little when moving between apps. Still, what you wrote stays intact.
Choosing What Works for You
What matters most? The app you stick with. Other options count when they fix what’s bugging you or bring something useful to the table.
Not everyone sticks with the usual app – some leave because they worry about their data being tracked. A different group walks away when payments start piling up each month.
Over time, certain tools lose quality, pushing users toward fresher options. It turns out, niche picks can handle particular tasks more smoothly than popular ones.
What works for many does not always fit every need. Start by testing ideas that catch your attention.
Stick with whatever makes sense in practice. Return to old ways when new ones fall short.
Your tools exist to help you, never let them run things instead.
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