I’ve just started using PlainApp, and I am extremely impressed!

Corporate software (like Google or Apple) provides nice usability by integrating your phone into your desktop and other devices. That convenience comes at the price of real privacy and freedom. Android users can access their phones using an app like Microsoft’s Phone Link or Google’s Messages, while iPhone users can use Apple’s iMessage or a 3rd party app. All of these apps require accounts and share your phone’s private data over the Internet.

Linux users also have options like KDE Connect, Zorin Connect, GS Connect, etc. Most of these are environment specific, and often not well optimized for battery life, or have limited features.

Part of the reason that I removed Google from my phone and my life is to protect my privacy and secure my data. The process is not without growing pains. Since deGoogling, can’t say the number of times that I get a link, file, etc. sent to my phone that I wish to access on the desktop. There are workarounds of course, but they can be tedious and sometimes complicated. Now it’s easy!

PlainApp is an open source app that allows you to access your messages, files, calls, and has a ton of other features and capabilities. It works over your local network and uses strong encryption (according to their website it’s TLS + AES-GCM-256, while the readme says it’s TLS + XChaCha20-Poly1305). Since your data is encrypted and never leaves your network, you can trust that it is safe.

The interface is beautiful and so easy to navigate. Setup was a breeze, and leaves you with a local web app that does everything. Because it’s a web interface, it works on any device with a browser.

Now I can send and receive SMS messages, share contacts, mirror my phone screen, easily view and share media, without touching my phone (or copying a message into an email, sending it to myself, then opening the email on the computer or some such nonsense.

I’d recommend it!

Get it on F-Droid

Source code