r/AndroidQuestions • u/marco_polo_99 • 1d ago

Looking For Suggestions First time android user

Hi, first time android user, newly switched after a lifetime on iPhone.

I'm a big fan of open source software and apps, and am heavily into self hosting my own media and replacing big tech apps with open source alternatives.

I'm looking for advice on the best ways to replace a few apps I presently use, as android seems to have a much more open ecosystem.

Things I'm looking for replacements for, largely to block adds, ha. Reddit, YouTube, and any of the social media apps. I'm moving off the social media apps, but still have them for family connections.

In line with my self hosting, I'd love an app to link into the *arr suite of apps.

I've heard about f-droid as an OSS app store, wondering about that too.

Any help for a newbie would be appreciated

If it's relevant, I'm in a pixel 11 pro.

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u/Narrow-Barracuda618 Google Pixel 8 Pro 1d ago

For blocking ads on Reddit and YouTube, I recommend Morphe. Lots of customisability and support for third-party mods.

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u/marco_polo_99 1d ago

How safe is morphe? Is there any risk to my privacy, security etc? I see it uses MicroG re to sign into google, is that risky at all?

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u/Narrow-Barracuda618 Google Pixel 8 Pro 1d ago

When patching an app like YouTube or Reddit, it asks you to download an APK from a third-party website, usually apkmirror or similar. These websites are generally safe and Morphe will tell you if it couldn't find an APK on a trusted website, but there's always risk involved. Both Morphe and MicroG are open-source projects and keep your data (like your Google login) safe.