When I started looking for a phone that offers more security and privacy than “regular” Android or iOS phones, I soon ended up in all kinds of online groups that were all very sure that “their” option was the best. I have used stock Android phones from different brands, and phones with custom ROMs such as LineageOS, Pixels with GrapheneOS, and iPhones, all with different settings and options. I realized that security and privacy are very important to me, but not at all costs. I wrote down a number of criteria that I consider important in addition to security and privacy, and these helped me choose the device that suits me best. I hope others will find this useful too, because I think the overview helps to make a balanced choice. I ultimately ended up with an iPhone, but the scores on the various criteria change over time, and so will my preferences, so I may change again in a while. Here are the criteria:
Security: this concerns protection against hacks. Phones with a secure operating system (OS) that receive security updates quickly and have options that make it difficult for hackers who have access to your phone (such as restricting the use of the USB port and resisting repeated password entries) score highest in this category. Examples include recent iPhones and Pixels with the stock OS or Pixels with GrapheneOS. Other custom OSs usually only run with an unlocked bootloader, which poses a security risk. Custom OSs are also often created by a few developers and may suddenly stop releasing updates (such as DivestOS and CalyxOS recently). Alternative operating systems, such as Ubuntu Touch, are less secure than iOS and Android. Downloading apps from the iOS App Store or Google Play is safer than most alternatives. Stock Android phones usually have many apps per-installed, but the fewer apps, the smaller the attack surface.
Privacy: this concerns the unwanted sharing of data on your phone or about your phone usage with other parties. Phones with open source software and a focus on security and privacy, such as GrapheneOS, score best in this regard. Android phones with the manufacturer’s OS, such as Samsung’s OneUI, share your data with both Google (e.g., via Google Play Services and the Play Store) and the manufacturer (e.g., via the browser). iPhones also share data with Apple, but iOS offers more options to prevent data exchange than Android. Privacy-friendly de-Googled operating systems (e.g. /e/OS and LineageOS) also do this to a certain extent, but do not always receive timely or complete security updates, which sometimes calls into question the privacy claims of these options: “without security, there is no privacy.”
Autonomy: this refers to the ability to decide for yourself which apps you can install, disable, or delete, whether you can unlock the bootloader, and whether you can install other operating systems. For example, Pixels and Fairphones offer the option to unlock the bootloader and install a different operating system. Stock Android phones almost always come with apps from Google and the manufacturer, which you cannot remove or disable. Almost all apps that are pre-installed on iPhones can be deleted or replaced with an alternative.
Ecosystem: this refers to sharing settings, apps, data, and images with other devices. Apple and Samsung are particularly good at this, but it is often unclear what happens to your data. With many phones, it is easy to transfer data to another phone, but with GraphenOS, for example, this does not always work well. Switching is easier if you make limited use of the ecosystem: this made it easy for me to switch from a Pixel to an iPhone, also because I use a password manager and authenticator that run on both platforms.
Customizability: this refers to the options for adjusting your settings and home screen. With iOS, the latter is much more limited than with Android. Operating systems from certain manufacturers (Samsung, Xiaomi) and some custom operating systems offer many configuration options, while GrapheneOS offers few.
Ease of use: this concerns functionality, bugs, payment options, use in the car, and the look and feel. In this regard, iOS and stock Android are usually much better than other options. Paying with your phone and some banking apps do not work with custom OSs or GrapheneOS, and neither does Android Auto (or only in a buggy way). The most privacy-friendly mode in GrapheneOS and LineageOS, without Google Play Services, requires quite a bit of knowledge and skills, and comes at the expense of ease of use: think notifications, installing apps, making backups.
Hardware: if you have specific requirements for camera quality, sound, or screen, or for size, weight, battery life, or cost, devices that score high on security and privacy are not always available. For example, a Fairphone is quite large and its cameras are not great.
Price: Mid-range and budget phones often have shorter (full) security updates. Pixels are usually expensive and are made by Google. Second-hand Pixels from the ‘a’ series (8a, 9a) are relatively cheap and score well on security and privacy, provided that you install GrapheneOS on them. New iPhones are expensive, but retain their value longer than Android phones.
Last edited by @M1chiel 2025-09-25T14:22:15Z