Best Privacy-Friendly Tools in 2025

Big Tech keeps promising “privacy features,” but most of them are half-measures at best. If you really want to protect your data, you need tools designed with privacy at their core. The good news? In 2025, there are more options than ever — from private search engines to encrypted messengers.

This article will give you a simple list of tools that respect your privacy without making your online life harder.

Privacy-Friendly Tools That Actually Work in 2025

1. Browsers

Most mainstream browsers track you—even in “private” mode. Privacy-focused browsers block trackers by default and don’t gather or sell your data.

• Brave – blocks ads and trackers automatically.

• Firefox – open-source, customizable, with strong privacy extensions.

• Tor Browser – best for anonymity, routes traffic through the Tor network.

  
  

2. Search Engines

Google logs every query, but there are engines that don’t.

• DuckDuckGo – no tracking, decent results.

• Startpage – gives Google results without exposing you to Google.

• Mojeek – independent index, UK-based, no profiling.

3. Email

Your email address is often a tracker itself, scanning messages you receive and send. Secure providers encrypt messages and don’t scan your inbox.

• Proton Mail – end-to-end encryption, Swiss-based.

• Tutanota – encrypted by default, open-source.

• SimpleLogin / AnonAddy – email aliases to hide your real address.

4. Messaging

Big tech messengers read metadata (and sometimes more). Private messengers keep conversations secure.

• Signal – open-source, end-to-end encrypted.

• Threema – anonymous signup, no phone number required.

• Session – decentralized, metadata-resistant.

5. Cloud Storage

Google Drive can scan files. Privacy-first options encrypt everything.

• Proton Drive – encrypted cloud storage.

• NordLocker - secures files locally before syncing them to the cloud—so no one else can access your data.

6. VPNs

Hide browsing activity from ISPs and advertisers. Avoid free ones, as those usually log your queries.

• Mullvad – no logs, anonymous account system.

• Proton VPN – strong privacy policies, good free plan.

• IVPN – transparent, privacy-first.

-----> If you want to learn more about VPNs, check out this article.

Together, these tools can replace almost every major service you use daily — so you can finally use the product, not be a product.