Simplewall is an excellent, open source, and straightforward firewall that you can use for Windows. I‘ve been using it for the past few years and will continue to do so. It uses the Windows Filtering Platform (WFP), and is separate from Windows Defender. If you use Defender and are looking for some extra firewall protection, this is a good tool to add.
Archiv: good programs / gute Programme
simplewall
simplewall is a free and open source connection blocker app and firewall, developed by Henry++ for Windows.
The download has been tested by an editor here on a PC and a list of features has been compiled; see below. We‘ve also created some screenshots of simplewall to illustrate the user interface and show the overall usage and features of this connection blocking program.
F-Droid: NetGuard – A simple way to block access to the internet per application
Features:
– Simple to use
– No root required
– 100% open source
– No calling home
– no tracking or analytics
– No advertisements
– Actively developed and supported
– Android 5.1 and later supported
– IPv4/IPv6 TCP/UDP supported
– Tethering supported
– Optionally allow when screen on
– Optionally block when roaming
– Optionally block system applications
– Optionally notify when an application accesses the internet
– Optionally record network usage per application per address
– Material design theme with light and dark theme
F-Droid: InviZible Pro: Tor & Firewall, DNSCrypt & I2P
Core Features:
✔ Tor Network – Achieve full anonymity, bypass censorship, and access .onion sites securely
✔ DNSCrypt – Encrypt DNS queries to prevent ISP monitoring and manipulation
✔ I2P (Invisible Internet Project) – Secure and private decentralized networking
✔ Advanced Firewall – Restrict internet access per app and block unauthorized connections
✔ No Root Access Required – Works seamlessly on all devices without modifications
✔ Maintain complete privacy without a paid VPN – Stay anonymous for free
✔ Stealth Mode – Evade Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) and regional restrictions
✔ Free & Open Source – No ads, no tracking, no compromises
F-Droid: HeliBoard – Customizable open-source keyboard
HeliBoard is a privacy-conscious open-source keyboard, based on AOSP / OpenBoard.
Does not use internet permission, and thus is 100% offline.
F-Droid
F-Droid is an installable catalogue of FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) applications for the Android platform. The client makes it easy to browse, install, and keep track of updates on your device.
5 open-source apps from F-Droid that are better than their Play Store rivals
(December 18, 2025)
F-Droid is a repository that hosts a suite of free, open-source Android apps that prioritize function over profit. Unlike the proprietary „black boxes“ found on the Play Store, these apps are transparent, typically ad-free, and respectful of your digital autonomy. While some open-source alternatives are rough around the edges, others have matured into powerhouses. In fact, finding a polished open-source alternative for every Google app is now entirely possible, offering tools that don‘t just mimic their mainstream rivals but actively outperform them.
F-Droid: Aurora Store
Aurora Store is an unofficial, FOSS client to Google Play with an elegant design. Aurora Store allows users to download, update, and search for apps like the Play Store. It works perfectly fine with or without Google Play Services or microG.
Features:
• FOSS: Has GPLv3 licence
• Beautiful design: Built upon latest Material 3 guidelines
• Account login: You can login with either personal or an anonymous account
• Device & Locale spoofing: Change your device and/or locale to access geo locked apps
F-Droid: InviZible Pro: Tor & Firewall, DNSCrypt & I2P
Core Features:
✔ Tor Network – Achieve full anonymity, bypass censorship, and access .onion sites securely
✔ DNSCrypt – Encrypt DNS queries to prevent ISP monitoring and manipulation
✔ I2P (Invisible Internet Project) – Secure and private decentralized networking
✔ Advanced Firewall – Restrict internet access per app and block unauthorized connections
✔ No Root Access Required – Works seamlessly on all devices without modifications
✔ Maintain complete privacy without a paid VPN – Stay anonymous for free
✔ Stealth Mode – Evade Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) and regional restrictions
✔ Free & Open Source – No ads, no tracking, no compromises
F-Droid: Karma Firewall
Ever wondered why lots of apps that have no need for Internet access require Internet Permissions? Its usually either to display adverts or send your sensitive data back to servers in USA, China or Russia. Karma Firewall can block this traffic and protect your personal data. You do not need any technical skills to use, no complicated IP Addressing, Ports, Packet Filtering etc. Simply select the apps you want to block, and you are protected.
Karma Firewall is the safest, most trusted Android Firewall. Karma FW is completely different from all other VPN Firewalls. We intercept no allowed traffic. Karma FW requires NO Internet permissions. Without Internet permissions Karma FW CANNOT steal your data and send it anywhere.
F-Droid
F-Droid is an installable catalogue of FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) applications for the Android platform. The client makes it easy to browse, install, and keep track of updates on your device.
F-Droid: Aurora Store
Aurora Store is an unofficial, FOSS client to Google Play with an elegant design. Aurora Store allows users to download, update, and search for apps like the Play Store. It works perfectly fine with or without Google Play Services or microG.
Features:
• FOSS: Has GPLv3 licence
• Beautiful design: Built upon latest Material 3 guidelines
• Account login: You can login with either personal or an anonymous account
• Device & Locale spoofing: Change your device and/or locale to access geo locked apps
F-Droid: InviZible Pro: Tor & Firewall, DNSCrypt & I2P
Core Features:
✔ Tor Network – Achieve full anonymity, bypass censorship, and access .onion sites securely
✔ DNSCrypt – Encrypt DNS queries to prevent ISP monitoring and manipulation
✔ I2P (Invisible Internet Project) – Secure and private decentralized networking
✔ Advanced Firewall – Restrict internet access per app and block unauthorized connections
✔ No Root Access Required – Works seamlessly on all devices without modifications
✔ Maintain complete privacy without a paid VPN – Stay anonymous for free
✔ Stealth Mode – Evade Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) and regional restrictions
✔ Free & Open Source – No ads, no tracking, no compromises
F-Droid: Karma Firewall
Ever wondered why lots of apps that have no need for Internet access require Internet Permissions? Its usually either to display adverts or send your sensitive data back to servers in USA, China or Russia. Karma Firewall can block this traffic and protect your personal data. You do not need any technical skills to use, no complicated IP Addressing, Ports, Packet Filtering etc. Simply select the apps you want to block, and you are protected.
Karma Firewall is the safest, most trusted Android Firewall. Karma FW is completely different from all other VPN Firewalls. We intercept no allowed traffic. Karma FW requires NO Internet permissions. Without Internet permissions Karma FW CANNOT steal your data and send it anywhere.
F-Droid
F-Droid is an installable catalogue of FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) applications for the Android platform. The client makes it easy to browse, install, and keep track of updates on your device.
SmallTechnology Foundation
Hello!
We’re a tiny and independent two-person not-for-profit based in Ireland.
We are building the Small Web.
No, it’s not web3, it’s web0.
Learn more about us.
UNBOUND
Unbound is a validating, recursive, caching DNS resolver. It is designed to be fast and lean and incorporates modern features based on open standards.
To help increase online privacy, Unbound supports DNS-over-TLS and DNS-over-HTTPS which allows clients to encrypt their communication. In addition, it supports various modern standards that limit the amount of data exchanged with authoritative servers. These standards do not only improve privacy but also help making the DNS more robust. The most important are Query Name Minimisation, the Aggressive Use of DNSSEC-Validated Cache and support for authority zones, which can be used to load a copy of the root zone.
SmallTechnology Foundation: About
We’re Laura Kalbag and Aral Balkan (and Oskar the huskamute). We live and work in Bray, Ireland.
Since 2014, we’ve been advocating for regulation of surveillance capitalism, investment in ethical alternatives, and carrying out research and development on ethical alternatives.
After leaving the UK and moving to Ireland, we set up the Small Technology Foundation with the mission to evolve the Internet so each one of us can own and control our own place on it.
We strive to follow the principles of Small Technology in our work.
We don’t take money from surveillance capitalists and we exist thanks to the support of individuals like you.
UNBOUND
Unbound is a validating, recursive, caching DNS resolver. It is designed to be fast and lean and incorporates modern features based on open standards.
To help increase online privacy, Unbound supports DNS-over-TLS and DNS-over-HTTPS which allows clients to encrypt their communication. In addition, it supports various modern standards that limit the amount of data exchanged with authoritative servers. These standards do not only improve privacy but also help making the DNS more robust. The most important are Query Name Minimisation, the Aggressive Use of DNSSEC-Validated Cache and support for authority zones, which can be used to load a copy of the root zone.
Libervia – The Universal Communication Ecosystem
Libervia is a all-in-one tool to manage all your communications needs: instant messaging, (micro)blogging, file sharing, photo albums, events, forums, tasks, etc.
SmallTechnology Foundation: About
We’re Laura Kalbag and Aral Balkan (and Oskar the huskamute). We live and work in Bray, Ireland.
Since 2014, we’ve been advocating for regulation of surveillance capitalism, investment in ethical alternatives, and carrying out research and development on ethical alternatives.
After leaving the UK and moving to Ireland, we set up the Small Technology Foundation with the mission to evolve the Internet so each one of us can own and control our own place on it.
We strive to follow the principles of Small Technology in our work.
We don’t take money from surveillance capitalists and we exist thanks to the support of individuals like you.
What is the Small Web?
The Small Web is for people (not startups, enterprises, or governments). It is also made by people and small, independent organisations (not startups, enterprises, or governments).
On the Small Web, you (and only you) own and control your own home (or homes).
Small Web applications and sites are single tenant. That means that one server hosts one application that serves just one person: you. On the Small Web, we do not have the concept of “users”. When we refer to people, we call them people.
Another fundamental difference between the Big Web and Small Web is that on the Big Web we trust servers and distrust clients whereas on the Small Web, we distrust servers and trust clients. We treat servers as dumb delivery mechanisms. The client – under the control of the person who owns the site or app – is the only trusted environment.
UNBOUND
Unbound is a validating, recursive, caching DNS resolver. It is designed to be fast and lean and incorporates modern features based on open standards.
To help increase online privacy, Unbound supports DNS-over-TLS and DNS-over-HTTPS which allows clients to encrypt their communication. In addition, it supports various modern standards that limit the amount of data exchanged with authoritative servers. These standards do not only improve privacy but also help making the DNS more robust. The most important are Query Name Minimisation, the Aggressive Use of DNSSEC-Validated Cache and support for authority zones, which can be used to load a copy of the root zone.
The OpenDNSSEC project
OpenDNSSEC is a policy-based zone signer that automates the process of keeping track of DNSSEC keys and the signing of zones. The goal of the project is to make DNSSEC easy to deploy. The project is Open Source and intends to drive adoption of Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) to further enhance Internet security.
About: OpenDNSSEC was created as an open-source turn-key solution for DNSSEC. It secures zone data just before it is published in an authoritative name server.
Why DNSSEC?
Many internet protocol hinge on DNS, but the data in DNS caches has become so vulnerable to attack that it cannot be relied upon anymore. The added authenticity in DNSSEC makes sure that such attacks have no effect.
That is, if
– Zones are verified. Easy-to-deploy software for DNSSEC-aware name resolving (and caching) exists, for example Unbound or properly configured Bind9.
– Zones are secured. Easy-to-deploy solutions for DNSSEC did not yet exist, at least not in open source. Hence the OpenDNSSEC project.
More on the problems with DNS and about deploying DNSSEC can be found in this white paper.
UNBOUND
Unbound is a validating, recursive, caching DNS resolver. It is designed to be fast and lean and incorporates modern features based on open standards.
To help increase online privacy, Unbound supports DNS-over-TLS and DNS-over-HTTPS which allows clients to encrypt their communication. In addition, it supports various modern standards that limit the amount of data exchanged with authoritative servers. These standards do not only improve privacy but also help making the DNS more robust. The most important are Query Name Minimisation, the Aggressive Use of DNSSEC-Validated Cache and support for authority zones, which can be used to load a copy of the root zone.
SmallTechnology Foundation
Hello!
We’re a tiny and independent two-person not-for-profit based in Ireland.
We are building the Small Web.
No, it’s not web3, it’s web0.
Learn more about us.