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).
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].