In our last article about Android alternatives, we’ve highlighted some of the most popular alternative operating systems for Android. While there are many different use cases for operating systems, from phones to smart home devices, there are even different flavors of the Android operating system itself.
See, Android in it’s purest form is an Open Source project, the AOSP. That project is being forked by developer communities, phone manufacturers, hobbyists and unique features or design changes are added on top of the “original” Android.
Needless to say, there are so many that we won’t try to cover them all here.
We’re listing the most robust custom roms here, highlighting their pro’s and con’s and provide you with a recommendation for which use cases they are best suited. Everyone has different needs, so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Let’s dive right in:
Disclaimer: all information listed here might change in the future when new versions of these custom roms are being released. Make sure to double check in the developer’s documentation before making a decision to download and install a custom rom.
If you want a comparison table of Android distributions, take a look at the list on Wikipedia. For a well-maintained(at the time of this writing) comparison table that covers the technical details of privacy-focussed custom roms, see here. A great article series to read is this one by Mike Kuketz, a German Computer Scientist who extensively tested privacy-focussed Custom ROMs and analyzed their behavior and data transmissions. It’s worth reading if you want to take a look behind the scenes of what’s going in an operating system.
Privacy focused ROMs (alphabetically ordered)
For the majority of our readers, the aspects privacy, data protection, longer hardware support and hardware security will be the biggest concern.That’s why in the first part of this article, we will focus on the best custom roms for Android in regards to these four pillars. In the second part, we’ll list even more Custom ROMs that have a different focus, such as UI improvements or unique features.
CalyxOS
CalyxOS is an AOSP based project that aims to enhance the privacy and security of users. CalyxOS comes with an option to install MicroG services as a replacement for Google Play Services.
Best for: Users who want an up-to-date and customizable environment.
Limitations: Many connections, such as the Captive-Portal-Check, Key-Provisioning-Server, and SUPL-Server (including the personally identifiable IMSI number) are being made to Google Servers so a complete de-googled privacy experience cannot be achieved with Calyx.
Open Source: Yes.
Available for: Google Pixel, Shift, Motorola and Fairphones.
Website: https://calyxos.org/
DivestOS
DivestOS was founded in 2014 and is solely maintained by Tavi. It’s goals are prolonging the life-span of discontinued devices, enhancing user privacy, and providing a modest increase of security where/when possible.
Best for: Users who want to try a fork of LineageOS with a focus on privacy, who value monthly security patches
Limitations: DivestOS does not support Google Play services, microG or Sandboxed Play Services (as with GrapheneOS). The system contacts a few Google services by default, but users can achieve a full de-googled experience if they adjust accordingly.
Maintained by a single developer.
Open Source: Yes.
Available for: Smartphones and Tablets.
Website: https://divestos.org
GrapheneOS
Formerly known as CopperheadOS, GrapheneOS was founded in 2014 and is a mobile operating system that focuses on privacy and security. It is a non-profit open source project.
Best for: Users who absolutely need the highest security standards on their phone, with fast and secure updates delivered.
Limitations: Not all microG functionalities are compatible. Per definition, the system is not fully “Google-free” if you choose to use the “Sandboxed Play Services”. It is a decent compromise, however, since apps and Google Play Services can be installed in a sandbox and thus have no access to the phone number, SIM card number, unique device number (IMEI) or location.
Open Source: Yes.
Available for: Google Pixel Smartphones only.
Website: https://grapheneos.org/
iodéOS
iodéOS is a a LineageOS based Operating System that focuses on privacy and security. It removes default connections to Google and comes with a built-in adblocker.
You can also buy an iodé smartphone (refurbished or new) with iodéOS preinstalled.
Best for: Users who want customizable privacy settings for the whole family and advanced adblocker features.
Limitations: has same limitations as LineageOS regarding older devices and monthly updates that are delayed from a week or two.
Connections to Google servers are being made if microG is used (optional).
Open Source: Yes.
Available for: Smartphones and Tablets
Website: https://iode.tech
LineageOS
LineageOS is a free and open-source operating system that extends the lifespan of devices from more than 20 manufacturers. It lives because of the open-source community of contributors from all around the world.
Best for: Users who want to keep using older devices that would otherwise not get updates anymore by manufacturers.
Limitations: Focuses on sustainability more than security and privacy. IT-Security expert Mike Kuketz points out that “[…] despite not using Google Play Services, LineageOS is closely linked to Google services, delays the delivery of (security) updates, older devices do not receive complete security updates of proprietary components such as bootloader or firmware and there’s no support for Verified Boot. The quality of LineageOS on a particular device is significantly influenced by the skills and commitment of the maintainer.”
Open Source: Yes.
Available for: Smartphones, Tablets and TVs. Click here for a full list of supported devices.
Website: https://lineageos.org/
/e/OS
/e/OS is a LineageOS based Operating System that aims to put user’s privacy first. They also provide an ecosystem around the operating system with cloud storage, E-Mail and other features.
Best for: Users who want an Apple-like User Interface and Ecosystem with Cloud storage.
Limitations: Same limitations as LineageOS regarding older devices. Regarding updates, /e/OS severely delays the delivery of security updates and the WebView components. Cloud storage doesn’t support e2e encryption which can be a security issue.
If microG is activated, connections to Google servers are being made. Each device gets a OTA-ID (Unique-Device-Identifier) which is transmitted with every update check, although it wouldn’t be necessary for updates. This would be due to the fact that /e/ wants to know how many devices are running this or that build of /e/OS.
Open Source: Yes.
Available for: Smartphones and Tablets.
Website: https://e.foundation/
More ROMs (alphabetically ordered)
More Custom ROMs that aren’t necessarily privacy-focussed, but that bring some cool features to the table:
BlissROM
This Custom ROM rethinks some of the Android User Interface decisions, shaping them into a new visual experience for the curious user. What’s interesting, is that it’s not only developed for smartphones, but also for tablets and Windows devices, to create a whole new path of compatibility starting from the Android world.
Best for: Users who are into new UI design and that may want to have the same visual experience on several devices.
Limitations: Security problems due to weakened SELinux, no verified boot, and root access by default.
Open Source: Yes.
Available for: Smartphones
Website: https://blissroms.org/
crDroid
This custom ROM is a fork of LineageOS and is like stock Android on steroids. If you dig the stock Android experience but want some more things to tweak and customize, you may like crDroid a lot.
Best for: Users who want a clean, stock Android experience that is a bit more customizable.
Limitations: Stability issues on some devices. Failure of SafetyNet leads to some apps not working.
Open Source: Yes.
Available for: Smartphones
Website: https://crdroid.net/
Evolution X
This custom ROM has an incredible amount of customization features. Some users love that, for others, it’s way too many details you can fiddle around with. The project is maintained and offers security updates a little slower than other projects.
Best for: Users who love to customize each and every setting.
Limitations: Reported bugs after each new update. OTA updates sometimes don’t work properly.
Open Source: Not clear.
Available for: Smartphones
Website: https://discord.com/invite/evolution-x
HavocOS
HavocOS implements a lot of unique customization features, such as in the status bar, buttons or gestures. It currently supports over 150 devices and is frequently updated.
Best for: Users looking for new UI designs and customization options.
Limitations: Stability issues on some devices. Some reported Issues with Bluetooth, WiFi or Fingerprint sensors.
Open Source: Yes.
Available for: Smartphones
Website: https://havoc-os.com/
OmniROM
OmniROM was started in 2013 and has been continuously releasing new versions since then. It’s based on the Android Open Source Project. Users value it’s stability and it’s support for many devices.
Best for: Users who appreciate the stability and continuity of the project.
Limitations: Similar to LineageOS, the focus is not strictly on security, which can be a risk for users.
Open Source: Yes.
Available for: Smartphones
Website: https://omnirom.org/
Paranoid Android
Not to be confused with the song by Radiohead, Paranoid Android has been a popular Custom ROM that shined with innovations such as the Bubble and the Pie, which made navigation efficient for users, as well as the ambient display mode “peek”. Unfortunately for users, support for most phones has not been updated since 2023.
Best for: Users who wanted to try out new ways to navigate their Android and innovative features.
Limitations: Some reported bugs and app compatibility issues.
Open Source: Yes.
Available for: Smartphones
Website: https://paranoidandroid.co/
Pixel Experience (discontinued as of April 2024)
Pixel Experience was a Custom ROM that brought the UI features of Google’s Pixel phones to other smartphones as well as it’s launcher, wallpapers, icons, fonts and more). Users appreciated the support of many devices and the stability.
Best for: Users who wanted to appreciate the UI of Pixel phones.
Limitations: Discontinued. Limited device support.
Open Source: No.
Available for: Smartphones
Website: https://get.pixelexperience.org/
Project Elixir
This custom ROM offers a unique lock screen with “Essence” and has features that resemble stock Android with additional Pixel features. It offers a wide range of supported devices and comes with frequent updates
Best for: Users who appreciate shiny UI design and Pixel features.
Limitations: Reported bugs with the “Essence” lock screen buttons.
Open Source: Not clear.
Available for: Smartphones
Website: https://projectelixiros.com/
PixelOS
Similar to Pixel Experience, PixelOS brings you an Android flavor that is close to the Google Pixel UI. Users value it’s design choices and stability and it support other non-Pixel phones such as Samsung, OnePlus, Realme and more. It’s active and maintained, releasing stable versions and security patches regularly.
Best for: Users who want to have the Google Pixel experience on a non-Pixel smartphone.
Limitations: Limited features and customization options, device support dependent on single developers.
Open Source: Not clear.
Available for: Smartphones
Website: https://pixelos.net/
Xiaomi.eu
If you own a smartphone by Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi, but you find that the operating system MIUI is full of bloatware, ads and stuff you never decided to have on your phone in the first place, maybe Xiamoi.eu is for you. It’s removed all the bloatware and offers new stable releases on a regular basis.
Best for: Users with a Xiaomi smartphone that want to get rid of the bloatware.
Limitations: Slightly worse battery life, missing translations, delayed system apps updates
Open Source: No.
Available for: Smartphones
Website: https://sourceforge.net/projects/xiaomi-eu-multilang-miui-roms/files/xiaomi.eu/
