FOSS means the that the code of the app is public to everyone. This lets anyone in the community to review the code and make sure it isn't doing anything sus in the background. So, sticking to FOSS app you get the peace of mind of using an app with no ads or trackers in most cases.
I would also like to thank all the devs out there for their hard work and community support ❤
Note
This list contains mostly FOSS and a few closed-source apps (if they are unique enough and privacy-respecting). Also, the apps in this list are chosen based on whether I think they are one of the best in their respective categories, so this list will be concise, albeit a little biased. Other really useful lists will be referenced for finding more apps.
| Tag | Meaning |
|---|---|
FOSS |
The app is Free and Open Source. |
FORK |
Apps that use the source code of an other Open Source app as the foundation and add modifications on top of it. |
🔒 |
The app is Close Source, but doesn't have ads and doesn't collect more data than bug reports at most. |
MOD |
Apps that have unofficial mods which may unlock some extra features. |
🪦 |
App whose development is discontinued/paused indefinitely. |