Resources

A curated list of the tools I recommend to readers of franklinetech.com. Every tool here I've either used myself or researched thoroughly enough to recommend with confidence. Affiliate links are marked — see the Affiliate Disclosure for full details.

This page is updated when products change meaningfully: new audits, ownership changes, pricing shifts, or security incidents.

VPNs

The most-asked-about category. The short answer: jurisdiction, audit history, and ownership matter more than marketing claims. Full breakdown on the VPN Comparison page.

Mullvad — The most private option on this list. No email required at signup — just a generated account number. Accepts cash and Monero. Swedish police raided their servers in 2023 and left empty-handed because there was nothing to find. €5/month flat. No affiliate program — I recommend it anyway because it's the right call for anyone with a serious threat model.

ProtonVPN (affiliate) — Swiss jurisdiction. Four consecutive independent no-logs audits. Denied 59 out of 59 legal data requests in 2025. Free tier with no speed cap. The best balance of privacy and usability on this list.

NordVPN (affiliate) — Six consecutive Deloitte audits. Large server network, good speeds, post-quantum encryption. Fine for general use — not the choice for high-stakes anonymity. Parent company also owns Surfshark, though infrastructure is separate.

Surfshark (affiliate) — Cheapest audited VPN on this list. Good for budget-conscious users who want baseline privacy without paying €5/month for Mullvad.

Password Managers

Using your browser's built-in password manager is better than reusing passwords. Using a dedicated password manager is better than that. Full comparison on the Password Managers page.

Bitwarden — Open source, independently audited, zero-knowledge architecture. Free tier covers everything most people need. Self-hostable if you want full control. No affiliate program — I recommend it because it's the best free option.

1Password (affiliate) — The best option if you want a polished, no-friction experience and are happy to pay for it. Strong audit history, excellent cross-platform apps, Travel Mode for border crossings.

Email Providers

Proton Mail (affiliate) — End-to-end encrypted email based in Switzerland. The standard recommendation for anyone moving away from Gmail or Outlook. Pairs with Proton Drive and Proton VPN under a single subscription if you want the full suite.

Email Aliases

Email aliases let you create unique addresses for every service you sign up to — so you can identify exactly who leaked your address, and kill it instantly without changing your real email. Essential for spam control and identity compartmentalization.

SimpleLogin (affiliate) — The best option. Acquired by Proton in 2022 but operates independently. Open source. Integrates directly with Proton Mail. Free tier includes 10 aliases. Setup guide: How to Set Up Email Aliases with SimpleLogin and Addy.io.

Addy.io — Open source alternative. More generous free tier (unlimited aliases, 10MB bandwidth). No affiliate program.

Data Broker Removal

Data brokers collect and sell your personal information — name, address, phone number, relatives, income estimates. Opting out manually takes 20–40 hours. These services automate it.

Incogni (affiliate) — Surfshark's data broker removal service. Contacts 180+ brokers on your behalf and re-submits opt-outs automatically as brokers re-list your data. The most cost-effective option on this list.

DeleteMe (affiliate) — More established, covers slightly different broker lists, sends detailed quarterly reports. Good if you want visibility into what's being removed. Pricier than Incogni.

For a manual approach: Data Broker Opt-Out Checklist — free, covers the highest-traffic brokers.

Hardware Security Keys

A hardware key is the strongest form of two-factor authentication. Phishing-resistant by design — unlike TOTP codes, a hardware key won't authenticate on a fake site.

YubiKey (affiliate) — The standard. Works with Google, GitHub, Proton, 1Password, Bitwarden, and hundreds of other services. Buy at least two — one primary, one backup stored somewhere safe. Setup guide: How to Set Up and Use a YubiKey.

Cloud Storage

Proton Drive (affiliate) — End-to-end encrypted cloud storage from Proton. If you're already using Proton Mail, this is the obvious addition. Free tier includes 1GB.

Tresorit (affiliate) — Swiss-based, end-to-end encrypted, zero-knowledge architecture. Better fit for teams and business use. More expensive than Proton Drive but strong compliance credentials (GDPR, HIPAA). If you are securing Microsoft 365 files specifically, here is how to do it with Tresorit.

Browsers

No affiliate programs here — just the right recommendations.

Firefox — The best general-purpose private browser. Open source, strong extension ecosystem, highly configurable. Start with uBlock Origin installed. Setup guide: How to Configure uBlock Origin.

Brave — Chromium-based with built-in ad and tracker blocking. Good default choice if you want something that works without configuration. Built-in Tor window for occasional anonymity needs.

Tor Browser — For when you need actual anonymity, not just privacy. Slow by design. Not for everyday use. See: Should You Use a VPN With Tor?

Security Tools

CrowdSec — Free, open-source intrusion prevention system for servers. Community-shared IP blocklist. Setup guide: How to Set Up CrowdSec.

Fail2ban — Blocks IPs after repeated failed login attempts. Complements CrowdSec. Setup guide: How to Set Up Fail2ban.

Pi-hole — Network-level ad and tracker blocking. Runs on a Raspberry Pi or any Linux machine. Blocks tracking for every device on your network. Setup guide: How to Set Up Pi-hole.

Interactive Tools

Server Hardening Checklist — Interactive checklist covering 29 hardening steps across SSH, firewall, authentication, monitoring, and more. Tracks your progress and gives you a hardening score.

Data Broker Opt-Out Checklist — Step-by-step manual opt-out guide covering the highest-traffic data brokers. Free alternative to paid removal services.

Prices and product details change. If you spot something outdated, email [email protected].