this post was submitted on 05 Mar 2026
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What is some Canadian software you use as an alternative? (lemmy.ca)
submitted 1 month ago by sveltecider@lemmy.ca to c/buycanadian@lemmy.ca
27 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I use windscribe VPN and I use sync.com. What other softwares do you have a Canadian alternative for?

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[–] dudesss@piefed.ca 10 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (5 children)

I was considering sync.com, but after seeing Facebook ads for it, I decided to not give them my money if they're going to pay for Facebook ads. I would still use them over Google or Apple Cloud though.

I would like to try Windscribe at some point, and also 1Password, whatbox.ca for seeding.

GrapheneOS is Canadian. I'm hoping to buy a Fairphone 6 at some point, and put Graphene on it

https://www.clove.co.uk/collections/mid-range-smartphones/products/fairphone-gen-6

Wealthsimple Tax (free)

CohereAI instead of MistralAI whenever I can.

Qobuz is partially Quebec invested.

On Bandcamp Fridays, where Bandcamp takes 0℅ of the revenue and gives them to the artist, I include well deserved Canadian artists -- especially since I've been boycotting Ticketmaster and their large quantity of subsidary companies.

Using interac when I can. Will even message Canadian companies if I can pay via interac e-transfer instead. Its been warmly welcomed so far.

https://patrii.cloud/ has been e-transfer by default,

a bike shop in a remote province was willing to do e-transfer.

Some other hosting providers https://colocataires.dev/

Tailscale VPN is Canadian and has a free tier.

voip.ms is Canadian if you wanted a cheap phone number over voip.

[–] ageedizzle@piefed.ca 7 points 1 month ago

GrapheneOS is Canadian.

Oh wow I didnt realize that. That’s awesome

[–] CurbCuts@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 month ago

GrapheneOS only works on a Pixel and Motorola in the future if the rumors are true. With the fairphone you can do some linux OSs but not GrapheneOS.

[–] k0e3@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I went with Sync.com because I needed something affordable quickly, but it is awful. I don't know much about the behind-the-scenes stuff but the everything about the front end feels like it was made by amateurs. You can't even search for files on the browser; you only have the ability to filter within the folder.

[–] Typotyper@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

You can search in the app. Just tried it.

I hadn't searched before. I had the service, I use it for storage (30G of stuff) but I'm not a heavy user. I moved from apple to grapheneOS.

I like them.

[–] k0e3@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 month ago

The app, yes, but not web, which is what I need to use on Linux because they don't even have an API for third-party clients.

The app has its problems too. Like no video thumbnails, can't filter in folder (lol), auto camera backup backs up all images in the DCIM folder and not the DCIM/Camera.

I'm happy that you like the service, but it's definitely not for me.

[–] sveltecider@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

How do you access CohereAI? I don't think they have a commercial LLM like chatgpt or anything. I don't think so.

[–] dudesss@piefed.ca 3 points 1 month ago

Exactly. I would connect FOSS software I have it I ever want an external AI and it was available.

Concerning a Chatbot, I really wish they had one. The best I could do is connect something like AnythingLLM, Open WebUI, Goose, Zed if they support it.

[–] Reannlegge@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I went with sync.com, but do not plan on renewing my subscription I only went with them because they offered a Nextcloud setup. I will be going with a self hosted Nextcloud setup when the time comes, or whenever I get around to getting a working NVMe drive for the pi 5 that does not have one.

I use 1Password, it is great no complaints. I do however plan on moving to Bitwarden in the future.

On Monday I am signing up for the CRA program that does your taxes for you. I do not make lots of money so it is a simple choice for me.

I use etransfer when possible as well.

I use wireguard for my VPN into my LAN so that I can use pihole to block ads. I also use unbound so that my ISP sees less of where my traffic is going.

[–] dudesss@piefed.ca 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I use Bitwarden because it's free and they support FOSS.

I do plan on trying 1Password at some point, but its expensive.

Something like this might help you setup Nextcloud via Docker, and also other services https://github.com/mother-of-all-self-hosting/mash-playbook

[–] Reannlegge@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago

I am leaning towards going to Bitwarden, because it is FOSS as I have discovered that I may lean further left than a socialist. The mash-playbook you are suggesting has Vaultwarden in it, looking at the differences someone says Bitwarden is audited but Vaultwarden is not.

I apologize I did not look to far into the other apps.

[–] frankring@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 month ago

Whenever I can, I use free and open source software.

[–] sirxdaemon@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Connect for Lemmy and Piefed. Started out with Jerboa and then Sync when it came out but have been using Connect ever since I found out it's made in Canada.

[–] sveltecider@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Is this android only?

[–] sirxdaemon@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 month ago

Yeah, Android only. You could try requesting iOS development. I'm not sure how open the dev would be to that though.

[–] dudesss@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I'm only finding it on Google Play Store and not fDroid

[–] sirxdaemon@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 month ago

It's not open source. The dev said they were considering it sometime last year so I guess they changed their mind.

[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Not necessarily software, I mean they have an app, but it is private DNS

https://www.cira.ca/en/canadian-shield/

Scroll down to their setup guide, or go directly to it https://www.cira.ca/en/canadian-shield/configure/home-router/

Private DNS settings For IPv4, enter: 149.112.121.10 and 149.112.122.10

For IPv6, enter: 2620:10A:80BB::10 and 2620:10A:80BC::10

Protected DNS For IPv4, enter: 149.112.121.20 and 149.112.122.20

For IPv6, enter: 2620:10A:80BB::20 and 2620:10A:80BC::20

Family DNS For IPv4, enter: 149.112.121.30 and 149.112.122.30

For IPv6, enter: 2620:10A:80BB::30 and 2620:10A:80BC::30

[–] sveltecider@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago

Oh yeah I already use this too. Obviously way better than an ISP DNS or Google DNS

[–] dudesss@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 month ago

They offer free or low cost .ca domain names as well

[–] cyberpunk007@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 month ago

I did not know of this. Seems like maybe I can use it to replace backblaze as my TrueNAS backup. I'll have to look into this.

[–] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

How is windscribe?

I also use sync.com, but there’s also eazyBackup if you want s3 compatible storage.

[–] dudesss@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 month ago

I've never used them, but I see they have an Android GPL FOSS app on fDroid.

https://f-droid.org/packages/com.windscribe.vpn

[–] Reannlegge@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

I use Wireguard to VPN into my LAN and use pihole to block ads and trackers. I use sync; but I do not plan on continuing my subscription when my renewal is up, I plan on self hosting a Nextcloud instance. I currently use 1Password for my password manager, but again when it is up for renewal I plan on having moved to a self hosted Bitwarden.

I use Jellyfin for media and have canceled all of my subscriptions, except CBC, and use the *arr apps line sonarr to sail the high C’s.

*Edit: I forgot I use hosthero to host my domain, blog, and email addresses. I have close to 200 email addresses because I use a different email address for everything. I just forward them to one of a few email addresses I check. If I start getting spammed I just close the email address, if it is a service I need or find value in I will let them know their has been a leak but more often than not I just close the address. I get next to no spam!

[–] bravemonkey@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I know you're talking about self-hosting everything, but to OP's point at least 1Password is a Canadian company.

[–] Reannlegge@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 month ago

So is sync.com and hosthero

[–] Dtules@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 month ago

I use Nili.ca as a replacement for Gmail