Plexus
A common concern expressed by users wanting to move to a de-googled Android ROM is: Will my apps work without Google Play Services?
Plexus crowdsources data from custom Android ROM users to display what apps do/don't work without Google Play Services.
Explanation
Google Play Services are an integral part of most Android devices that enable users to utilize their Google account on their phone, as well as enable Google-specific features for applications that rely on them.
When users move to a de-googled ROM like GrapheneOS or LineageOS, they are faced with opening their standard applications hoping they work. Plexus aims to beat the guessing game and allow users to know exactly what will happen once they flash a new ROM. Plexus supports ROMs with no Google Play Services e.g: (GrapheneOS), as well as ROMs with microG, an open source alternative of Google Play Services, e.g: (CalyxOS).
Navigating Plexus
To view app data, visit the Plexus Website
To view the CSV spreadsheet (and contribute) view it here in this repo.
NOTE: Plexus is only for applications directly or indirectly from the Google Play Store. Please do not submit applications from F-Droid as they are all expected to work.
What Do The Ratings Mean?
- Unusable. Mostly apps that fail to open
- Acceptable but with missing or broken functionality
- Almost everything works with minimal caveats
- Perfect or like-perfect experience
How To Add Your Applications & Contribute
This is quickly thrown together so we can start collecting data. It's by no means perfect, and I am aware not everyone uses Github.
Testing Standards
- Test only Google Play Store applications (Regardless of where they came from, including the Aurora Store front end)
- Kindly disable Netguard and other blockers
- No Google Play Services
- Pay extra attention to notifications as some will not properly work
- If you're testing from MicroG, only input data in the last two columns, and utilize two "X"s for the standard sections.
- If you're testing from a fully de-googled ROM (no MicroG, input data in the standard sections and mark the MicroG sections as "X"s
Contribute Method 1 (Recommended)
Start a pull request with your apps to submit. Ensure you're maintaining the proper CSV format in alphabetical order to make merging as simple as possible.
- App Name
- Month Last Tested
- Year Last Tested
- App score. Please refer to the rating section of the readme to help figure out what score a service is. We may change your score if it doesn't match our rating method. Label "X" if you're testing with MicroG.
- Any issues with the application. Explain your problems, or just say "No reported issues" if the app works perfectly. Label "X" if you're testing with MicroG.
- MicroG App Score. This is ONLY for users testing apps on MicroG. Please refer to the rating section of the readme to help figure out what score a service is. We may change your score if it doesn't match our rating method. Label "X" if you're not testing with MicroG.
- MicroG issues. Explain your problems, or just say "No reported issues" if the app works perfectly. Label "X" if you're not testing with MicroG.
Contribute Method 2 (Non-Github Method)
Email me at support@techlore.tech with all your apps you use on your phone that are from the Google Play Store (Directly or Indirectly) with the following information:
- App Name
- Month Last Tested
- Year Last Tested
- App Score. Label "X" if you're testing with MicroG.
- Any issues with the application. Explain your problems, or just say none if the app works perfectly. Label "X" if you're testing with MicroG.
- MicroG App Score. Label "X" if you're not testing with MicroG.
- MicroG issues. Label "X" if you're not testing with MicroG.
I will then update the spreadsheet myself.
Future Plans & Goals
- An ability for users to request an app to be reviewed
- Support for application package names & version numbers
- Support for "recommended alternatives" similar to alternativeto.net
- More thorough data showing what OS & ROM was used for testing
- An app you can download from F-Droid that conveniently scans app on your phone allowing you to submit scores within a centralized location.
