Privacy tools for everyday life

Tools that keep your messages, email, browsing, passwords and files private. Every one publishes its source code. Claims about logging and audits are the vendors' own; we link to their pages so you can check them.

1. 1

   Signal

   A free messaging app from a nonprofit for texts, voice and video calls, using the Signal Protocol for encryption.

   Free texts and voice and video calls from a nonprofit, encrypted with the Signal Protocol. You need a phone number to sign up.

   • Free
   • Open source
   Try Signal (opens the Signal website in a new tab)Read our take
2. 2

   Proton Mail

   An encrypted email service from Proton with a free plan, web and desktop and mobile apps, and a Bridge add-on.

   Encrypted email with a free plan of 1 address and up to 1 GB of storage. Mail Plus adds 15 GB and a custom domain for $3.99 a month, billed yearly.

   • Freemium
   • Open source
   Try Proton Mail (opens the Proton Mail website in a new tab)Read our take
3. 3

   Bitwarden

   An open source password manager with a free plan and low-cost paid plans for individuals, families and teams.

   A password manager whose free plan stores unlimited passwords on unlimited devices. Premium extras such as the built-in authenticator are $19.80 a year.

   • Freemium
   • Open source
   Try Bitwarden (opens the Bitwarden website in a new tab)Read our take
4. 4

   KeePassXC

   A free, open source password manager that keeps your passwords in an offline encrypted file.

   Keeps your passwords in an encrypted file on your own computer instead of a company's servers. There's no sync or official phone app; you move the file yourself.

   • Free
   • Open source
   Try KeePassXC (opens the KeePassXC website in a new tab)Read our take
5. 5

   Proton VPN

   A Swiss VPN service with a free plan, paid plans, and open-source apps on desktop and mobile.

   A VPN with a free plan and no data limit, for one device. Paid plans cover 10 devices, from $3.49 a month on a 24-month plan.

   • Freemium
   • Open source
   Try Proton VPN (opens the Proton VPN website in a new tab)Read our take
6. 6

   Mullvad VPN

   A Swedish VPN with one flat price, no email needed to sign up, and an open-source app.

   One flat price of €5 a month, no email needed to sign up, and you can pay in cash. There's no free plan, and up to 5 devices per account.

   • Paid
   • Open source
   Try Mullvad VPN (opens the Mullvad VPN website in a new tab)Read our take
7. 7

   Firefox

   Mozilla's web browser for desktop and mobile, with tracker and fingerprint blocking built in.

   A free, open source browser from Mozilla that has ad tracker and fingerprinting blocking built in.

   • Free
   • Open source
   Try Firefox (opens the Firefox website in a new tab)Read our take
8. 8

   VeraCrypt

   Free disk encryption software for Windows, macOS and Linux, based on TrueCrypt 7.1a.

   Encrypts a whole drive, a partition or a file container on Windows, macOS and Linux. Free on any number of computers.

   • Free
   • Open source
   Try VeraCrypt (opens the VeraCrypt website in a new tab)Read our take
9. 9

   Cryptomator

   Open-source client-side encryption for files you keep in cloud storage, with vaults you unlock locally.

   Encrypts files and file names before they go to your cloud storage. The desktop app is free; the phone apps are read-only until you buy full access.

   • Freemium
   • Open source
   Try Cryptomator (opens the Cryptomator website in a new tab)Read our take