2015
Running since
Active community since March 2015
Report
Should I Use PrivacyTools.io?
The most reliable website for privacy tools since 2015. Find private alternatives to the apps you use every day.
Depends
DependsWorks as a free starting point for personal privacy picks, but the original maintainers left in 2022 and community trust is openly disputed.
Free privacy-tool directory, but the trusted original team left in 2022; community now points to PrivacyGuides.org instead.
Confidence: Medium
3.2/5
Trustpilot rating
From a single review
Yes
Free to use
Site and listed tools mostly free/open-source
2022
Original team exit
Left for PrivacyGuides.org
Value for money
5
Free site recommending mostly free, open-source tools
Ease of use
4
Rebuilt app-first navigation for finding alternatives
Feature depth
4
Covers VPNs, browsers, email, hosting, guides
Support quality
3
Trustpilot 3.2/5 from a single review
Security posture
2
No public security page found
Pros
Cons
Gotchas
- highOriginal maintainers left Sept 2022; current picks may not match the site's pre-split reputation⁷
- highActive community dispute over operator credibility; several forums now steer readers to⁵
- lowFunding is transparently listed, but verify affiliate relationships behind paid VPN and hosting picks⁹
- lowOne Trustpilot review exists — near-zero user feedback to validate quality⁴
Best for
- Privacy beginners replacing Google, Chrome, LastPass
- Open-source users vetting VPNs and browsers
- Individuals, not enterprise buyers
Not for
- Enterprise compliance teams needing audited vendor vetting
- Anyone following the original maintainers' recommendations
- Buyers wanting uncontested, dispute-free curation
- Anyone needing support or accountability — it is just a website
Pricing
Website
Free
- All guides and tool lists
- Recommended tools often free or open-source
Security
No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.
What users say
Community trust is divided since the 2022 split, with several forums redirecting readers to PrivacyGuides.org.
“Who to trust: Privacytools or Privacyguides?”
“Remove mentions of privacytools”
“What happened to privacytools.io?”
Alternatives
Compare PrivacyTools.io with each alternative.
PrivacyGuides.org
Run by the original maintainers who split in 2022
AlternativeTo
General alternative-finding directory with community voting
PrivacyTools.io vs AlternativeToThat One Privacy Site
Detailed VPN comparison tables, cited alongside PrivacyTools on HN
Full analysis
Based on 22 public sources; user review data is thin (one Trustpilot review), so trust signals come mainly from community discussions.
Sources
- Best Privacy Tools & Software Guide in 2026privacytools.ioofficial
- Privacy Tools Criteria: How We List Softwareprivacytools.ioofficial
- Security pageprivacytools.ioofficial
- Read Customer Service Reviews of privacytools.iotrustpilot.comreview
review
- What is the deal with PrivacyTools?jonaharagon.comnews
- PrivacyTools FAQprivacyguides.orgnews
- Remove mentions of privacytools - Website - Whonix Forumforums.whonix.orgnews
- The Future of PrivacyToolsnews.ycombinator.comnews
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