The Ultimate Open Source & Free Privacy Stack (2026 Edition)

Privacy is expensive. Tools like Incogni cost $150/year. DeleteMe costs $129. A good VPN costs $100.

If you are just starting out, you shouldn't have to pay a "privacy tax" to be safe online.

We have curated the ultimate Open Source & Free Privacy Stack for 2026. These are tools we use, trust, and verify. No affiliate links. No sponsors. Just good code.

1. Data Removal (The Clean Slate)

Before you lock the doors, you need to clean the house.

• **Offlist.me (Free Tier):** That's us. We are the only account-free tool that generates GDPR/CCPA removal emails for Whitepages, Spokeo, and 100+ brokers.

• *Cost:* $0 (Basic Verified Removals)

• *Why:* No data storage. No subscriptions.

• **Google "Results About You":** Google's own tool to de-index search results containing your phone/address.

• *Cost:* Free (Requires Google Account)

2. Browser & Tracking Protection

Chrome is an ad company. Stop using it.

• **Brave Browser:** Chromium-based (so all your extensions work) but strips ads and trackers by default.

• *Open Source:* Yes

• **uBlock Origin:** The gold standard ad blocker. Do not use "AdBlock Plus" (they sell whitelisting). Use uBlock Origin.

• *Cost:* Free & Open Source

3. Email Privacy (The Shield)

Stop giving your real email to random newsletters.

• **Proton Mail:** Encrypted email based in Switzerland.

• *Free Tier:* 500MB storage.

• **SimpleLogin:** Creates "alias" emails (e.g., `newsletter.random@slmail.com`) that forward to your real inbox. If one gets spammed, you just delete the alias.

• *Cost:* Free tier available (owned by Proton).

4. Password Management

If you know your password, it's not secure.

• **Bitwarden:** The best open-source password manager. Syncs across phone/desktop.

• *Cost:* Free for unlimited passwords/devices.

• *Why:* Unlike LastPass, it hasn't had massive trust-shattering breaches, and the code is auditable.

5. File Sharing & Storage

• **Signal:** For messaging. Don't use WhatsApp (Meta owns it).

• **Wormhole.app:** Send files with end-to-end encryption. The link expires automatically. Better than WeTransfer.

6. The "Burner" Phone

• **Google Voice:** Free US phone number. Use this for *everything* (delivery apps, loyalty cards, forms). Keep your real SIM card number for family only.

Summary: The $0 Privacy Stack

You can achieve 90% of the security of a billionaire for $0 if you choose the right tools.

1. Browser: Brave + uBlock Origin

2. Passwords: Bitwarden

3. Email: Proton + SimpleLogin

4. Data Removal: Offlist.me

5. Messaging: Signal

Security is a habit, not a product.