A list of applications I use (2023 Edition)

There are many applications I use often, but highlighting them in this post would make the list too big. These apps I have listed below are the more important ones I use on a near daily basis.

Security & privacy related apps:

1Password

For a second year running, 1Password has been my go-to password manager. I continue to use 1Password because of it's simplicity and ease of use. I especially love the password sharing feature 1Password provides. It's just quick and easy to share passwords with friends and family via a secure link.

From June 6th, 1Password will also support passkeys natively, allowing you to sync passkeys between different devices. This is another reason I am sticking with 1Password this year.

TokenVault by Standard Notes

It's no secret that I am heavily invested in Standard Notes' ecosystem. I run a blog from it, I create notes within the app daily, and I try to stay active within the community - usually chatting in the Standard Notes Discord. It's just super convenient for me to store my 2FA tokens in Standard Notes and saves me a few steps in opening a dedicated authenticator app. I have total trust in Standard Notes security in keeping my 2FA tokens are super safe.

Firefox Relay

I once used SimpleLogin for my email aliases, but have since moved to Firefox Relay. Although SimpleLogin is a fantastic email alias service (and I would highly recommend it), Firefox relay was offering the same unlimited email aliases for a fraction of the price. I also tend to use the Firefox browser a lot, so it integrates very well and is slightly more convenient.

Cryptomator

When I have to store sensitive files on my Google Drive, I use Crpytomator. Crpytomator is open-source and essentially adds zero-knowledge encryption to services that don't have it.

Ente Photos

Ente is a privacy focused photos app. I started using this over Google Photos because all photos that I upload to it are end-to-end encrypted. Despite what Google says, I don't want them to see my memories and target me with ads. Ente gives me peace of mind knowing that only I can see my memories. I can also securely share photos with friends and family using a link (which remains end-to-end encrypted).

If you decide to use Ente, please consider using the referral code MEH9SYFC so we both get an extra 10GB of storage for free.

Cloud Storage:

MEGA

I've been using MEGA for the past 10 years. I love the service and despite the justified criticism about MEGA, it offers end-to-end encryption out the box. It's a lot more secure and private compared to Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive.

Filen

I also use Filen to store files. Like MEGA, Filen is end-to-end encrypted out of the box. I have a lifetime storage plan with Filen, so I use it more as a backup service rather than my main cloud storage provider.

If you want to support my blog and are interested in using Filen, please consider signing up using my invite link.

Note taking:

Standard Notes

I use Standard Notes daily to jot down random ideas or thoughts, write blog posts (like the one you're reading now), and to keep a private journal. Standard Notes has been my favourite note taking app for years now. This blog post explains why I love Standard Notes so much.

Social:

Discord

Despite some of it's flaws, I think Discord is one of the best communication platforms on the internet. When I am on my computer, you can guarantee I am online on Discord. It's the place I get to chat, hang out, and play video games with some long distance friends.

Twitter

I have a love-hate relationship with Twitter, but I can honestly say I'm kind of addicted. Twitter is the only place where I get my news. I also love to argue with trolls.

VPN:

Windscribe

I use Windscribe (Pro) as my primary VPN. It's a meme based VPN service, but takes security and privacy very seriously. I have only been using Windscribe for a few months now have no complaints. The applications for mobile and PC work like a charm, and there's very good server selection.

Misc:

Spotify

Out of any product on this list, I definitely use Spotify more than the rest. I've been using this music service for years as I just love listening to music. I've tried other music services like Deezer and Tidal but they didn't quite meet my expectations like Spotify does. I honestly think Spotify knows more about my music tastes than I know myself. (Take that as a good thing or a bad thing)

Horizon Pics

Horizon is privacy focused file hosting service. It's a good alternative to Imgur. You can upload images and videos and share them easily via a link. I have Horizon configured with ShareX so when I capture a screenshot, it's automatically uploaded to Horizon and the shareable link is added to my clipboard.

Overdrop

Overdrop is a weather app for Android that provides live forecasts from different sources, such as Dark Sky Weather, AccuWeather, and WeatherBit. It also offers various widgets, radar maps, severe weather alerts. I have been using this app for sometime. Overdrop is more privacy focused too as all location based weather data never leaves the device. I like it that much that I paid for the pro version.

NewPipe

NewPipe is an open-source YouTube alternative for Android. I use NewPipe because it doesn't use any of Google's framework libraries or the YouTube API itself. It also makes YouTube Premium irrelevant because NewPipe has all of the features from YouTube Premium that's locked behind a paywall, for free. I can listen to videos in background mode and download those videos through the app for the low price of FREE!

Calm

This is the app I use for meditation and relaxation. It has guided sessions, soothing sounds, and stories to help me sleep better. It also tracks my progress and gives me tips on how to improve my mental health.