# Privacy tools we recommend

Our picks for private email, browsers, VPNs, password managers, messaging and more, each rated on public criteria with evidence.

One pick, sometimes two, for each category, chosen by the maintainers and explained on each page. Scores are calculated separately from picks, so you can always see the evidence behind them.

1. [Forward Email](https://privacyratings.com/email-providers/forward-email/) (our pick): A (93/100). Open-source email service with encrypted mailboxes, custom domains, and IMAP, POP3, SMTP, CalDAV and CardDAV on every paid plan.
2. [Betterbird](https://privacyratings.com/email-clients/betterbird/) (our pick): B (89/100). Fork of Mozilla Thunderbird that follows its Extended Support Releases and adds extra fixes and features. Available for Windows, macOS and Linux.
3. [Forward Email Webmail](https://privacyratings.com/webmail/forward-email-webmail/) (our pick): C (74/100). Hosted webmail for Forward Email accounts, with mail, calendar and contacts, built-in OpenPGP and optional encryption of locally cached data. It shares one source-available codebase with the Forward Email desktop and mobile apps.
4. [SpamScanner](https://privacyratings.com/spam-filters/spamscanner/) (our pick): B (80/100). Spam, phishing and malware scanner for email written in Node.js by the Forward Email team, used as a library or a command-line tool on your own server.
5. [Mullvad Browser](https://privacyratings.com/browsers/mullvad-browser/) (our pick): A (90/100). Firefox-based browser developed by the Tor Project and Mullvad for use without the Tor network. Uses Tor Browser's anti-fingerprinting defenses, has no telemetry and includes uBlock Origin.
6. [Ungoogled Chromium](https://privacyratings.com/browsers/ungoogled-chromium/) (our pick): C (63/100). Chromium with all Google web services, background requests and Google-specific code removed, while keeping the familiar Chromium experience.
7. [uBlock Origin](https://privacyratings.com/ad-blockers/ublock-origin/) (our pick): B (88/100). Free, open-source content blocker for ads, trackers and malware sites. Efficient, with no "acceptable ads" program.
8. [uBlock Origin Lite](https://privacyratings.com/ad-blockers/ublock-origin-lite/) (our pick): B (88/100). Manifest V3 content blocker from the uBlock Origin developer that filters ads and trackers through declarative browser rules, with no background process.
9. [DuckDuckGo](https://privacyratings.com/search-engines/duckduckgo/) (our pick): C (73/100). Search engine that does not save search history or tie searches to IP addresses. Ads are based on the search terms instead of a profile.
10. [Browserpass](https://privacyratings.com/password-managers/browserpass/) (our pick): B (88/100). Browser extension for pass, the standard Unix password manager. Passwords stay in GPG-encrypted files on your own computer.
11. [Bitwarden](https://privacyratings.com/password-managers/bitwarden/) (our pick): C (73/100). Open-source, end-to-end encrypted password manager with apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, the web and browsers, and an option to self-host.
12. [Cure53](https://privacyratings.com/security-audit-firms/cure53/) (our pick): A (100/100). Berlin security firm that performs penetration tests and source code audits of web, mobile, browser, VPN and cryptographic software, and publishes many client reports.
13. [Comp AI](https://privacyratings.com/compliance-automation/comp-ai/) (our pick): F (38/100). Open-source compliance automation platform that helps companies prepare for SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA and GDPR audits by collecting evidence, managing policies and tracking controls. It is offered as a hosted service or can be self-hosted.
14. [Mullvad VPN](https://privacyratings.com/vpns/mullvad-vpn/) (our pick): B (79/100). Flat-priced VPN from Sweden. Accounts are a random number with no email, and payment in cash or Monero is accepted.
15. [Cloudflare DNS](https://privacyratings.com/dns-hosting/cloudflare-dns/) (our pick): C (66/100). Authoritative DNS hosting on Cloudflare's anycast network with a free plan, DNSSEC, an API and security-key login.
16. [Cloudflare Registrar](https://privacyratings.com/domain-registrars/cloudflare-registrar/) (our pick): C (66/100). Domain registrar that charges registry cost with no markup, with free WHOIS redaction, transfer lock and one-click DNSSEC.
17. [DataPacket](https://privacyratings.com/server-hosting/datapacket/) (our pick): D (43/100). Dedicated servers, IP transit and bandwidth on its own global network, from DataCamp Limited in London.
18. [Upptime](https://privacyratings.com/status-pages/upptime/) (our pick): B (78/100). Uptime monitor and status page that runs entirely in your own GitHub repository, using GitHub Actions, Issues and Pages.
19. [Tailscale](https://privacyratings.com/mesh-vpns/tailscale/) (our pick): D (50/100). Mesh VPN built on WireGuard that connects devices into a private network using a hosted coordination server for key exchange and access control, with open-source clients.
20. [Headscale](https://privacyratings.com/mesh-vpns/headscale/) (our pick): B (82/100). Self-hosted, open-source implementation of the Tailscale coordination server, letting official Tailscale clients join a private network without using Tailscale's hosted service.
21. [GrapheneOS](https://privacyratings.com/mobile-operating-systems/grapheneos/) (our pick): B (80/100). A privacy and security focused mobile operating system with Android app compatibility, developed as a non-profit open source project for Google Pixel devices.
22. [LineageOS](https://privacyratings.com/mobile-operating-systems/lineageos/) (our pick): C (65/100). A free and open source operating system based on Android that supports many phones and tablets, including ones no longer updated by their manufacturers.
23. [Cal.com](https://privacyratings.com/scheduling/cal-com/) (our pick): F (38/100). Hosted scheduling platform for booking pages, team round-robin, routing forms and workflows, with calendar and video conferencing integrations.
24. [Plane](https://privacyratings.com/task-management/plane/) (our pick): D (45/100). Open source project management tool with issues, cycles, modules, pages and Kanban, list and Gantt views. Available as a hosted cloud service or a self-hosted Community Edition.
25. [Documenso](https://privacyratings.com/e-signatures/documenso/) (our pick): D (56/100). Open-source electronic signature platform for sending and signing documents, available as a hosted service or for self-hosting.
26. [Formbricks](https://privacyratings.com/forms/formbricks/) (our pick): D (53/100). Open-source survey and form platform for link, website and in-app surveys, from Formbricks GmbH in Germany. Available as a hosted cloud service or self-hosted with Docker.
27. [Koa](https://privacyratings.com/node-frameworks/koa/) (our pick): D (50/100). Minimal web framework for Node.js from the team behind Express, built around async middleware functions.
28. [Svelte](https://privacyratings.com/web-frameworks/svelte/) (our pick): B (80/100). Component framework for JavaScript and TypeScript that compiles components into JavaScript at build time instead of using a virtual DOM.
29. [Tauri](https://privacyratings.com/app-frameworks/tauri/) (our pick): B (85/100). Framework for building desktop and mobile applications with a web frontend and a Rust backend, using the operating system's webview.

## How are picks chosen?

Picks are editorial and explained on each page. They never change scores. Anyone can challenge a pick in GitHub Discussions.

Source: https://privacyratings.com/privacy-tools/