When I talk about “privacy,” I’m not just referring to the classic mantra of “back up my data three times, store it offline, and keep strangers out.” That approach covers only a tiny slice of what true privacy really means. Genuine privacy begins with the everyday applications we rely on, and it hinges on the choices we make about where our data lives.
There are a handful of tools you can switch to right now, and I recommend making those changes as soon as possible. Each migration guide keeps your existing data active while you move away from services that don’t respect privacy—or, if you need to, lets you fall back on them only in emergency “break‑glass” scenarios (for example, when an un‑rooted Android device must have Google services enabled to reach the Play Store).
Email migration – the easiest place to start
Swapping out Google, Microsoft, or Yahoo for privacy‑focused providers is the quickest way to “de‑Google” or “de‑Microsoft” your personal communications. Both Proton Mail and Tuta Privacy publish clear step‑by‑step tutorials for importing messages from Google Mail service or even others ie. Microsoft, Yahoo and others not mentioned but supported. Google Workspace itself typically costs €6 – €10 per mailbox and separates personal from business mail. By contrast, Proton Mail or Tuta charge roughly €5 per month for a single custom domain with unlimited (limited depending on plan) aliases, delivering far tighter privacy controls for a comparable price.
Extending the migration beyond email
Proton Drive lets you move Google Drive files and Google Photos into a single encrypted storage service that shares the same security model as Proton Mail.
Tuta Privacy already offers tools for transferring contacts and calendars, and it plans to add file and photo‑migration capabilities soon to their new product Tuta Drive.
What’s coming next
In upcoming posts I’ll explore privacy‑first browsers (Chrome/Edge alternatives), password managers, and other tools like Notes or Analytics. For self‑hosted sites, look at EU‑based VPS providers such as Hetzner, Contabo, OVHcloud, or Leaseweb—all of which operate under EU/EEA regulations. Domain registration can stay within GDPR‑compliant registrars like Contabo, Leaseweb, or OVHcloud, keeping the entire stack under a privacy‑respecting umbrella.
Bottom line – Switching to privacy‑centric services isn’t a massive overhaul; it’s a series of incremental moves that together safeguard your data. Begin with email, extend to cloud storage, and then broaden your toolkit with privacy‑first browsers, password managers, and hosting solutions. The sooner you act, the better protected you’ll be as privacy continues to dominate public interest.
Proofread and co‑written with Proton Lumo (I’m paid Proton user for the past two years on various plans). Image created using Google Gemini Nano Banana Pro. Additional disclosure: This article contains some affiliate links to various services which I can stand behind. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.