How to select a mobile OS🔗

Perhaps Android was a great idea back in the old days, but since Google transformed it into a spyware platform, Google Android devices are effectively working against their owners. That's why I started to look for alternatives, and perhaps you have the same reason for reading this article now.

I started drafting this post on 20 November 2025. It took a while to get it into its final shape. I'll summarize all the things I've learned and experienced about alternative smartphone OSes. Most of the credit isn't mine as I've read tons of helpful posts and discussions on this topic on Mastodon and on various sites. I hope I can spare you some time with this, so you don't have to spend as much time as I did collecting this info.

If you find mistakes, misinterpretations, or anything outdated, feel free to reach out through the comment section (click the 💬 button at the bottom of the screen). I'll be happy to fix, improve, and update this article.

I tried these OSes on Fairphone 5. It's no longer available to buy, but most things written here are true for other devices running the same OSes. I will mark those parts that are Fairphone 5-specific.

Grouping OSes🔗

First, there are the customized, degoogled Android versions that are built on top of the AOSP (Android Open Source Project), a free and open-source base for all Androids. Commercial stock Android versions are built on top of the same foundation. Most degoogled variants are forked from LineageOS, as it is popular, has a large supporting community, and has a long history. Back in 2014, I, too, flashed its predecessor on my very first Android device, and I loved it.

Examples: CalyxOS, /e/OS, GrapheneOS, iodéOS

Second, there are the mobile Linux distributions. These are closer to traditional Linux OSes than Android and emphasize openness. They are mostly community-driven and open-source, even if they have some closed-source components. (Note: Some components of SailfishOS are proprietary and closed-source, but otherwise it belongs here.)

Examples: Mobian, postmarketOS, SailfishOS, Ubuntu Touch

This article will discuss the ones written in bold.

As a last comment here: yes, Android is built on top of the Linux kernel, but the whole stack is different otherwise. Commercial Androids are closed, vendor-locked ecosystems where proprietary software dominates the system. The mentality behind the system is very different from that of Linux.

Trade-offs🔗

It's important to clarify beforehand that replacing Android with a different OS comes with compromises. This list helps to avoid any disappointment that would come later in the process. These aren't Fairphone 5-specific but are true for all Android devices that can run alternative OSes. Things usually lost are:

• You can't pay with your phone. This works almost exclusively with Google's software. Neither can degoogled Androids make it available, nor can mobile Linux distributions. I won't repeat it for every alternative.

  Explanation: Google pretends to be a gatekeeper of security. Funny, isn't it, after they turned out to be one of the largest spyware companies in the world. The real reason is to lock users and developers into their ecosystem. There are some rare banking applications that work without Google's API and are perfectly secure, but that's less than 1%. Some degoogled Android variants provide a collection of services called microG to make most applications work. Unfortunately, microG also doesn't support any API for NFC payments.

• The main camera will not work. Although secondary cameras (like ultra-wide) and selfie cameras might work to a certain degree, for many devices, there is no solution so far to make the main camera work properly.

  On these devices, the images taken are noisier, blurrier, and more discolored than the camera would be capable of under stock Android. The reason is the chipset manufacturer's decision to force you to use Google's product. Monopoly men scratch each other's backs. There is also the lack of proprietary post-processing software that is included in stock Androids by the manufacturers. Both are hard to replicate.

  On other devices, where it was solved, the full camera module works perfectly. Thanks for the correction, Ancient Sounds. These are great news.

• Say goodbye to the fingerprint sensor. Degoogled Androids usually support them, but mobile Linux distributions don't. The usual explanation is to maintain security, but I have my doubts about it. I don't think Lenovo notebooks' fingerprint sensors are less secure just because they work out of the box under Linux.

• Different app selection. Leaving Google behind is saying goodbye to the Play Store. It means you might not be able to run all applications.

  • Degoogled Androids: Some offer a store like Aurora, which allows you to install and run most apps from the Play Store. Even from other regions. Others are shipped with F-Droid (which can install Aurora, by the way). Although these two are usually enough in most cases, it can still happen that your favorite app (or a necessary one, like your banking app) does not work without Google. To avoid surprises, check it before you migrate. For example, you can check if your banking app is available for /e/OS here and the same for SailfishOS here

  • Mobile Linux OSes: They can't run Android apps natively, but they can run an app called Waydroid. This can run a full Android environment (usually a version of the degoogled LineageOS) and you can install applications inside. Apps run inside have the same restrictions as I wrote about the degoogled Androids above. Also, virtualizing a second OS on your phone can take its toll on your phone's battery life. In some cases, Android apps installed on Waydroid can be launched directly from the menu. This is a great convenience feature, but Waydroid will run silently in the background, so even if you don't have to launch it manually, it will drain the battery.

• GPS: GPS might position slower under mobile Linux or not work at all.

• 4G/5G voice calls (also known as LTE calls, Voice over LTE, or VoLTE): It doesn't work on all mobile Linux distributions and all devices alike. Your geographical region (provider and country) can also influence it. Search for your device, OS, mobile operator combo to avoid unpleasant surprises.

  Tech background (contains jargon, feel free to skip): 4G was data-only initially. To simplify: your phone used 4G for browsing, but when it made a call, it executed a so-called CSFB or 'circuit-switched fallback' and used the 3G or even the 2G networks to make the call. A new technological advancement called IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) was required to enable voice calls that are 'packet-switched', meaning they are digitized, compressed, and transmitted as IP packets like everything on the internet from emails to streaming. 4G and 5G voice can be problematic if the OS can't register the device to the IMS or can't communicate with it properly.

• File system access: Whether it is good or bad depends on one factor: the intention behind locking it.

  Android's file system is locked for security reasons and to prevent users or apps from damaging it. Its consistency is also important to ensure over-the-air upgrades won’t break. In my opinion, the most important reason is to make consumers forget that they hold a universal, Turing-complete computer in their hands. This allows the manufacturer to be the one who decides what the people who paid for the device can do with it. Absurd, if you ask me.

  Opinion: although I don't like locked file systems on my personal device, this can be important for others. Also, generally, it might be better to have it locked, but what I feel is important is to have a choice.

• No eSIM support: It's handy if available, but not important for everyone. It's a generic issue, I won't mention it again for all OSes. It's not possible to make it work yet due to missing drivers.

• Work profile: In order to have a work profile, managed by your employer, you must have a Google Android. Neither degoogled Androids nor mobile Linux OSes support it. There can be some solutions to have multiple instances of the same software on your device, but that is not the same as what companies need. If your job requires a work profile, you must remain on Google Android or keep a secondary phone. I kept my Nokia X10 for this purpose. It's a generic issue, I won't mention it again for all OSes.

Mobile OSes🔗

Ubuntu Touch🔗

Links: official site | for Fairphone 5

I had high hopes for Ubuntu Touch and was also informed about its drawbacks. I didn't want to have unrealistic expectations.

The installation was about 95% smooth. Impressive! Still, my opinion is that Ubuntu Touch has a long way to go before it can be a daily driver. For me, at least.

The plus side:

• It's Linux!
• You have terminal access!
• It was simple to install Waydroid and easy to use.
• The UI is great: if you use Waydroid, it's easy to switch back and forth.
• The task manager is easy to use.
• Device speed is perfect.
• Plugging my Fairphone 5 into my docking station with USB-C attached my two daisy-chained displays, keyboard, and mouse. Zero configuration or installation was required. I can't emphasize enough how awesome it was! But remember, that's a device-dependent feature. Ubuntu Touch is capable of this, but it needs the device to support it too. For example, neither the Fairphone 4 nor the Fairphone 6 support external devices under Ubuntu Touch.
• Syncing contacts was fairly straightforward. (On the other OSes too, but I didn't know what to expect here.)

Issues I expected (it's a short list because the Fairphone 5 is one of the best-supported devices):

• Main camera doesn't work, but it is device-specific. On OnePlus 6T, for example, the camera works without issues.
• VoLTE can have issues.
• GPS is slow at first.

Things that surprised me:

• Ubuntu Touch's own app store, Open Store, is almost empty. As of now (2026-05-12), it has 583 apps. Just to compare: F-Droid has 4-5000 and the Play Store has 2-4 million. And even from this less than 600 apps, about 60% of the ones I tried were broken. Many are outdated and abandoned by their developers.
• I was prepared for the fact that you can't use native Debian, Flatpak, Snap, or Alpine packages. It uses its own packaging format: Click. I tried to tinker with Libertine, which is a compatibility layer to make application installation possible. The guides are great, actually, the installation worked well too, but the installed apps didn't. I tried three different apps before giving up.
• There is no integrated password manager. UTPass is recommended, but it didn't work.
• Morph browser, which is the default one on Ubuntu Touch, is not up to the challenge. One-third of the commonly visited websites didn't work with it. It also failed Cloudflare verification. While using it, I was treated as a bot or an AI scraper and locked out from many sites.
• I tried out uWolf, which is a Ubuntu Touch port of LibreWolf (a Firefox variant). To access the tabs, I had to hide the keyboard. Once hidden, it never came back. I was almost screaming.
• When I used Waydroid, there was no shared clipboard between Android apps and Linux apps. At least, I haven't found it.

I ended up using Waydroid for everything, and I wasn't too happy about it. I felt that I could have simply installed /e/OS instead.

After removing Ubuntu Touch from my device, I received the advice that I could have unlocked the filesystem and used apt. It may have its quirks but should be doable, although standard Debian apps are usually not optimized for mobile screens, so even this would not solve everything magically. Unlocking the filesystem can mess up future updates, on the other hand.

I know there are people using Ubuntu Touch as a daily driver. It's not impossible, but it's also not convenient for everyone.

SailfishOS by Jolla🔗

Links: official site | for Fairphone 5

ℹ️ Disclaimer: I might be a bit positively biased toward Jolla. I've never met the team, but the founders once worked for the same company I do. It feels like they would be my distant relatives. I do my best to put it aside and write without bias, but it felt fair to disclose this.

The next OS I tried was SailfishOS. Considering the fact that Jolla was involved in the development of a Russian SailfishOS fork, at first, I wasn't sure if I could trust it. Competitors are eager to generate a mist of uncertainty about Russian governmental infiltration of Jolla, and to imply that users might be exposed to spying by the FSB.

This is absolute nonsense, in my opinion. Doing business with Russia wasn't rare in Finland before the war in Ukraine, as Russia is a neighboring country. I doubt that any Finn would take part in such a scheme. But you don't have to trust my opinion on this. You can check it yourself by running this open-source Wireshark app for SailfishOS and inspecting all the packets. Users would have noticed any suspicious activity already, or if SailShark selectively ignored some packets.

That said, I was totally amazed by SailfishOS. Its user interface works differently than Android's, but it took me about 5 minutes to master it. Not because I'm that special, but because it's so intuitive.

The plus side:

• Installation was well documented and worked just like it was written.
• It's Linux!
• You have terminal access!
• You can unlock the filesystem (it can mess up updates here too).
• It was fast, smooth, and had nice aesthetics.
• Applications worked well, both stock ones and the ones from the Jolla store (~300 apps).
• You can also install apps from OpenRepos (~1000-2000 apps).
• If you use an officially supported device, you can run a native compatibility layer (Android AppSupport) that lets you run most (but not all) Android apps.
• VoLTE calls work.
• If I remember correctly, it also supported an external screen. I should have documented it at the time, but I think the second screen did not work through the daisy-chain, while the first display did. It's also a device-dependent feature, but the OS support is there.

Issues I expected (source) (These are only true for community-supported phones; Jolla's own phones do not struggle with these.):

• The main camera doesn't work.
• Video playback isn't perfect (uses software rendering).
• Not all kinds of Wi-Fi networks are supported.
• Fairphone 5 is not an officially supported device, so I couldn't use the Android AppSupport.

Kudos to the community for creating and maintaining this version. There were no unpleasant surprises. I loved it. And actually, that was the problem why I abandoned it. The whole experience was so perfect, I couldn't cope with the blurry photos and the missing AAS (Android AppSupport).

Since then, I received the hint that Waydroid is also working on Fairphone 5 with SailfishOS, even if it's less convenient than the official AAS.

This is a great OS, and honestly, I would buy a new Jolla phone just to enjoy the experience and support the team. However, I chose Fairphone 5 to lessen my consumer footprint, so buying a new phone would be quite hypocritical. I hope I can still buy a Jolla device once my Fairphone is retired 5-10 years from now.

iodéOS by iodé🔗

Links: official site | for Fairphone 5

My next stop was iodéOS. It's maintained by a French company and is based on LineageOS, and features microG.

The plus side:

• Installation was smooth.
• It has nice privacy tools: tracker blocking and connection analysis. I loved them.
• Nice stuff preinstalled: Aurora Store and F-Droid.
• MicroG, an open-source module, is there to solve most application compatibility issues for Android apps relying on Google services.
• Banking worked well.
• It has Thunderbird and a secure Firefox variant (I don't like them, but you might).
• Fingerprint sensor, GPS, and VoLTE worked.
• For Fairphone 5, external screen works with a USB-C cable, but only one display worked, mirroring the phone's screen instead of extending it as a desktop. It was pretty useless.
• Updating it was smooth.

Issues I expected:

• It's an Android with a non-unlockable file system.
• The main camera doesn't work.
• It has freemium security. The basic package is free, but you can pay a couple of euros for advanced privacy options. Well, I don't like freemium things by default. And also, making advanced privacy available for money tastes a bit like protection money. Privacy should not be monetized. It is a fundamental human right. And yes, I know it's not expensive, but not all people can afford to throw a couple of euros in every direction. But to be fair, even their free security tier is great and perhaps the others are even better, and the work the iodé team does deserves support.

It was nice and convenient, but it was lacking the wow factor of SailfishOS. And soon I realized that if I use a LineageOS fork anyway, I could use one with a working camera.

/e/OS by Murena🔗

Links: official site | for Fairphone 5

This part is more Fairphone-specific than the previous ones, although /e/OS supports a wide range of devices.

For Fairphone 5, /e/OS has two variants: an official version for those who bought the device from Murena and a community edition for those who bought a compatible device from other vendors and installed Murena's software on it. There aren't many differences between the two, but the camera software is different in the official version.

Both versions seem to contain the low-level driver and the image-processing logic for the main camera. At least my phone takes decent pictures with the community edition. Significantly better ones than with Ubuntu Touch, SailfishOS, or even with iodéOS.

Although the community version doesn't have Fairphone's own camera app, which should squeeze all the juice out of the device, it's not far behind. With some tinkering, you can put the official camera app on the community edition, but it's complicated, and the gain is said to be insignificant. (You can read more about it here.)

The plus side:

• Main camera*, fingerprint sensor, GPS, and VoLTE work.
• It has great privacy options, like geolocation faking, IP address hiding, and ad and tracker blocking.
• It has its own app store that shows the content of Aurora and F-Droid. It also shows you a privacy analysis of the apps based on external services. So you don't have to install it to see if it's spying for Google, Facebook, or anyone else. You are also notified if an already installed application introduces something new and fishy.
• MicroG, an open-source module, is there to solve most application compatibility issues for Android apps relying on Google services.
• Updates come regularly and smoothly.

*Note: It is Fairphone 5-specific, the main camera might not function perfectly on all devices running /e/OS!

Expected issues:

• It's Android with a locked file system.

There were no unexpected issues with this OS, but it was full of apps wanting me to lock into Murena's freemium services. They might be good, I haven't tried them. I considered them bloatware, trashed them, and replaced them with ones I liked more. You can do the same by running the following commands from a PC:

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 foundation.e.mail
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 foundation.e.calendar
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 foundation.e.notes
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 foundation.e.browser
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 foundation.e.tasks
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 org.sufficientlysecure.keychain  # password storage I didn't trust
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.generalmagic.magicearth      # maps app I didn't like
adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 org.lineageos.twelve             # music player I didn't need

postmarketOS🔗

Links: official site | for Fairphone 5

I haven't installed it, but I am preparing for it. PostmarketOS, which is based on the minimalist Alpine Linux distribution, is famous for giving a second chance to devices abandoned by their manufacturers. However, it can also be a great choice for currently supported devices.

The plus side: - You can have Alpine packages, Flatpaks, and perhaps some AppImages too (rare). (Good to know that Alpine packages are sometimes called 'apk's, but they are not the same as Android packages, which are also called 'apk's. Alpine and Android can't install each other's apps.) Also, an app is useful only if it is optimized for mobile screens too. Snap packages don't work. - You can run Waydroid and run Android apps there (at the cost of extra battery power). - GPS works, though it might position slower at first. - The filesystem is not locked.

Known issues: - The main camera doesn't work. - VoLTE can have issues. - The fingerprint sensor doesn't work (in some rare cases it might work, but not on FP5). - Fairphone 5 has some audio issues affecting calls too. This is device-specific and has been solved, but the fix is not yet available in the stable release.

Selecting a device🔗

About my Fairphone 5🔗

I installed Ubuntu Touch the day after I received my Fairphone 5. It was a Christmas present from my wife and family. But I couldn't wait with it until then. I mean, I tried different OSes to find the right one for me, then put the phone away and inserted the SIM card only on Christmas Eve. The phone is definitely awesome. Its size is perfect for me, it's comfortable to hold, and the screen is beautiful. I'm also satisfied.

But it is good to remember that all of us have different tastes in device size, different expectations about device capabilities, and also different priorities. For those who care less about the camera, SailfishOS might be better on FP5 than it is for me, but if they care more about taking pictures, even the Fairphone line might be out of the question.

So before choosing the device and OS for yourself, lay out your priorities. Also, check the list of missing functionalities to see if any of them is a dealbreaker.

I'll explain how I selected mine. I don't think that my choice is the best for everyone, but even if you do not make the same decisions I did, the aspects could be useful for you.

My selection process🔗

When I started to degoogle, replacing Android was a challenge. I enjoyed paying with my phone, navigating with it, accessing my data in the cloud, and so on. But I had other priorities too:

1. No Google, Meta, or Microsoft should be on board.
2. The device should be sustainably created and easy to repair.
3. The manufacturer should have as few imperialist ties as possible. I don't need any autocrats having a hidden ear on board or even having economic gain from my purchase.

I gave a lot of thought to Shiftphone. Some of their devices are shipped with ShiftOS, their own LineageOS-based Android variant, but they have devices capable of running /e/OS too. I like the company's attitude and views on sustainability, and I think they create decent devices. But Fairphone relies less on Chinese suppliers, and I decided in their favor.

I almost chose GrapheneOS. It is privacy-focused and highly secure with great reviews. On the other hand, I didn't like the idea of degoogling by buying a Google device, not even secondhand. I couldn’t imagine myself advocating degoogling while carrying a Google-branded phone. While I was trying to cope with the idea, I came across their posts on Mastodon and also checked their articles. I was quite shocked by their attitude.

⚠️ This paragraph is not about facts, but my own impressions. I felt they approached things defensively. Treating others, potential customers and competitors alike, like that is rare in Mastodon and more common on X and Facebook. The "my way or the highway" attitude I perceived in their posts reminded me of the self-entitled culture of today's tech bros. Many of their arguments are perfectly valid, yet something still feels off.

Putting aside their communication, I would like to emphasize that they create serious value, and their current releases serve their users excellently. Google Pixel phones with a highly secure, degoogled OS are truly a premium solution.

But there was one more reason I didn't choose them, but looked for something else. Just like the other tech-bro-led companies, due to its vast wealth, Google stopped being reliable, both as a business partner and as a service provider. It seems they have no moral reservations about doing whatever comes to mind. This has not been about profit or market share for a long time. Many of their actions, which violate norms and threaten both individuals and society, bring them only marginal benefits. It is as if their only goal is to show that they can get away with doing these.

I asked myself: what if Google managed to kill off other Android variants, either legally or by introducing such a change that throws them under the bus. Since I wanted a long-serving device, I wanted a plan B for this case. So the device I was about to choose had to be able to run non-Android mobile OSes.

Fairphone was the logical choice. Their devices have a history of supporting many OSes. I chose the Fairphone 5 over the 6 because it gave me a wider selection of compatible OSes to choose from.

Now, half a year later, I'm sure I made the right choice.

For a long time, Google has preferred to put important business logic into proprietary code instead of AOSP, forcing other Android version developers to work harder. It's not about blocking them, but about making their work unfeasible.

Google also penalizes people for using other Androids.

They also work to make it harder to develop Android apps and want to collect data about developers. It's said to be for the users' security. But is it? They don't care about users' security when they collect and sell insane amounts of user data, which sometimes ends up helping kidnappers, criminals, and scammers, or even oppressive regimes. They also don't care about security, when they let the Play Store be flooded with fishy scammer applications or ones that explicitly aim to create addiction to exploit users later. But when they want to obstruct competition, user security suddenly becomes important.

I respect the enthusiastic professionals behind the alternative Android versions, but I doubt Google can be fought with its own software. Call me paranoid, but I wanted a device that would still give me options if Android alternatives became less viable in the future. Now, I eagerly follow how postmarketOS progresses.

And what would be even better for me than my current device? Of course, a sustainable, repairable phone developed and manufactured in the EU. It should run important apps under mobile Linux while offering full camera support, without relying on Android at all. I hope there will be such devices available in 5-10 years. (Governments and financial institutions should stop forcing you to use devices compromised by tech bros.)

As usual in life, there is no perfect option. Sacrificing some comfort is not too much for freedom and privacy.

I'd like to read about your journey or your plans. What are your priorities, and how did or will you decide?