TL;DR: In 2026, a Pixel running GrapheneOS remains the best privacy-to-usability choice. HIROH and Punkt MC03 offer compelling de-Googled alternatives with modern hardware. Cape adds carrier-level privacy to any phone. Murena Fairphone 6 pairs ethics with /e/OS. Light Phone III is the best minimalist option. Librem 5 and Jolla serve Linux enthusiasts. CalyxOS and DivestOS are dead — don’t use them.

Best Privacy Phones in 2026: Complete Buyer’s Guide

The privacy phone market has grown up. What was once a handful of laggy Linux experiments and sketchy “secure” rebrands is now a real product category with legitimate contenders, clear trade-offs, and actual shipping dates.

But it’s also a minefield. Some options are excellent. Some are overpriced. Some are dead projects that people still recommend on Reddit. This guide cuts through all of it — verified prices, checked shipping timelines, honest assessments.

The State of Privacy Phones in 2026

Three things have changed since our last guide:

CalyxOS is effectively dead. The project paused updates in August 2025 after key developers departed. As of February 2026, CalyxOS is stuck on the June 2025 Android security patch level. The Calyx Institute itself recommended that users uninstall CalyxOS due to the lack of security updates. If you’re still running it, switch to GrapheneOS immediately.
DivestOS is officially discontinued. The privacy-hardened LineageOS fork ended in December 2024 after a decade of development. There are no further updates or maintenance releases. Non-mobile Divest projects continue, but the phone OS is gone.
GrapheneOS is breaking Pixel exclusivity. In October 2025, the GrapheneOS project confirmed a partnership with a “major” Android OEM targeting Qualcomm Snapdragon flagship devices. The OEM partnership announcement is expected in 2026, with actual devices arriving in 2027. For now, GrapheneOS still requires a Google Pixel — but that’s about to change.

Quick Comparison Table

Device	OS	Price (USD)	Processor	RAM / Storage	Hardware Kill Switches	App Ecosystem	Available Now?
Pixel 9 + GrapheneOS	GrapheneOS (AOSP)	~$499–$999	Google Tensor G4	12–16 GB / 128–512 GB	No	Full Android (sandboxed Google Play optional)	✅ Yes
HIROH Phone	/e/OS (Murena)	$999	MediaTek Dimensity 8300	16 GB / 512 GB	✅ Yes (camera, mic, connectivity)	Android (de-Googled)	🟡 Pre-order (March 2026)
Punkt MC03	AphyOS (GrapheneOS-based)	$699 + $9.99/mo after year 1	MediaTek Dimensity 7300	8 GB / 256 GB	No	Curated store + Play Store access	🟡 EU now; US Spring 2026
Murena Fairphone 6	/e/OS	$749 (€599)	Snapdragon 7s Gen 3	8 GB / 256 GB	No	Android (de-Googled)	✅ Yes
Light Phone III	LightOS (custom Android)	$799	Snapdragon 4450	—	No	Intentionally limited (no app store)	✅ Yes
Unplugged UP Phone	LibertOS / UnpluggedOS (AOSP)	$989 + $12.99/mo after year 1	MediaTek Dimensity 1200 (2021)	8 GB / 256 GB	Partial (power circuit)	Android (de-Googled)	✅ Yes
Purism Librem 5	PureOS (Linux)	$999 (USA: $1,999)	NXP i.MX 8M Quad	3 GB / 32 GB	✅ Yes (mic, camera, WiFi/BT, cellular)	Linux apps, limited	✅ Yes (with caveats)
Jolla Phone (2026)	Sailfish OS 5 (Linux)	~$639 (€579)	MediaTek 5G (unspecified)	12 GB / 256 GB	✅ Yes (mic, camera, sensors)	Sailfish + Android app layer	🟡 Pre-order (H1 2026)

1. GrapheneOS on Google Pixel — The Gold Standard

Best for: Anyone who wants the strongest security and privacy without giving up a functional smartphone.

Recommended device: Google Pixel 9 Pro ($999 MSRP; regularly discounted to ~$699–799)
Budget option: Google Pixel 9 ($799 MSRP; often found at ~$499 on sale)
Where to buy: store.google.com, Amazon, Best Buy — then install GrapheneOS via grapheneos.org/install
Security updates: 7 years from Pixel 9 launch (through 2031)

GrapheneOS is, by virtually every security researcher’s assessment, the most hardened mobile operating system available to consumers. It runs on AOSP (Android Open Source Project) with substantial security improvements: hardened memory allocator, exploit mitigations, sandboxed Google Play (optional), per-app network permission toggles, MAC randomization, sensor permissions, and verified boot.

The Pixel 9 series supports hardware memory tagging (MTE), which is a genuine differentiator against memory corruption exploits — the most common class of vulnerability in mobile software.

What makes it special:

Sandboxed Google Play Services — you can run banking apps, Uber, and other Google-dependent apps in a restricted sandbox, without giving Google system-level access
Per-app network and sensor permissions
Profiles for compartmentalization (work, personal, burner)
Web installer — setup takes under 10 minutes
Regular, rapid security patches (often same-day as Google)
Free and open source

Trade-offs:

Requires a Google Pixel phone (for now)
No hardware kill switches
You’re still buying a Google-manufactured device, even if GrapheneOS strips out Google’s software
Some carrier-locked Pixels can’t be bootloader unlocked — buy direct from Google Store or unlocked

The OEM expansion: GrapheneOS confirmed in late 2025 that it’s working with a major Android OEM on Qualcomm Snapdragon flagship devices. The partnership is expected to be announced formally in 2026, with devices shipping in 2027. This is the biggest development in the privacy phone space in years — it could mean GrapheneOS on non-Pixel hardware with proper verified boot support.

2. HIROH Phone — The Privacy Flagship

Best for: Users who want flagship-grade hardware with built-in privacy features and no DIY setup.

Price: $999 (early bird with $99 deposit; eventual MSRP $1,199)
Ships: March 2026 (delayed from February 2026)
Where to buy: hiroh.io

The HIROH Phone is the most ambitious new entrant in the privacy phone space. It’s a Texas-based company partnering with Murena to ship a genuinely premium device running /e/OS — the same de-Googled Android fork used in Murena’s own Fairphone devices.

Hardware highlights:

MediaTek Dimensity 8300 octa-core processor
16 GB RAM, 512 GB storage + 2 TB encrypted microSD
6.67” 2712×1220 120Hz AMOLED display
108MP Samsung main camera + 13MP ultrawide + 2MP macro + 32MP front
5,000 mAh replaceable battery, 33W fast charging
Dual hardware kill switches (camera/mic and GPS/WiFi/Bluetooth)

What makes it special:

Arguably the first privacy phone with genuinely flagship-tier specs
Dual hardware kill switches that physically disable sensors
/e/OS with zero on-device data collection
Designed to compete with Galaxy S25 and Pixel 9 Pro on specs

Trade-offs:

Not yet shipping — pre-order only as of February 2026
/e/OS is functional but not as security-hardened as GrapheneOS (no verified boot re-locking, less aggressive sandboxing)
$999 is a lot for a phone running /e/OS on MediaTek — comparable Pixels offer better per-dollar security
New company with no track record of long-term software support
The “world’s most user friendly secure phone” marketing is aggressive; the reality will need to be tested

3. Punkt MC03 — The Swiss De-Googled Phone

Best for: Users who want a curated, intentional smartphone experience with strong privacy defaults.

Price: $699 (includes 12 months of AphyOS services; then $9.99/month)
Ships: Available in Europe now; US launch Spring 2026
Where to buy: punkt.ch

The Punkt MC03 is the successor to the troubled MC02, and it’s a dramatically improved product. Made in Germany at the Gigaset facility, it runs AphyOS — a heavily modified Android 15 build that strips out Google services, background tracking, and data monetization.

Hardware highlights:

MediaTek Dimensity 7300, 8 GB RAM
6.67” 120Hz OLED display
64MP main camera, 32MP selfie camera
5,200 mAh removable battery
Made in Germany

What makes it special:

Two-zone architecture: “The Vault” for vetted privacy apps (Threema, Wire, Proton suite) and “Wild Web” for unrestricted apps including Google Play Store
Built-in VPN (“Digital Nomad”)
Privacy Ledger showing what data each app accesses
Massively improved onboarding compared to the MC02
Play Store available as an opt-in, solving the MC02’s biggest usability complaint

Trade-offs:

Subscription model is controversial. After 12 months, AphyOS costs $9.99/month. Without an active subscription, key privacy features are limited. This is a phone that effectively locks core functionality behind a recurring fee.
Mid-range specs at a premium price
AphyOS is not open source — you’re trusting Punkt’s proprietary layer
No independent security audit publicly available
Brand new OS version with limited real-world track record

4. Murena Fairphone 6 — Privacy Meets Sustainability

Best for: European buyers who want de-Googled Android on ethically produced, modular hardware.

Price: €599 / $749 (recently reduced from €649 / $899)
Ships: Available now
Where to buy: murena.com, shop.fairphone.com

The Murena Fairphone 6 is the product of a partnership between Murena (the /e/OS company) and Fairphone (the Dutch sustainable phone maker). It ships with /e/OS pre-installed and is the most “normal” de-Googled phone you can buy today.

Hardware highlights:

Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB storage
6.3” 120Hz OLED display
Expandable storage (microSD up to 2 TB)
Modular, user-repairable design
8 years of software support from Fairphone

What makes it special:

/e/OS 3.0 pre-installed — no flashing required
Modular and repairable with swappable accessories
Ethical supply chain and fair-trade materials
8-year support commitment is class-leading
Available in the US since October 2025

Trade-offs:

Mid-range performance at a flagship price
/e/OS lacks the security hardening of GrapheneOS
Camera quality is adequate, not exceptional
No hardware kill switches
US availability is still newer; service and support may be less robust than in Europe

5. Light Phone III — The Anti-Smartphone

Best for: People who want to dramatically reduce screen time while keeping essential communication tools.

Price: $799
Ships: Available now
Where to buy: thelightphone.com

The Light Phone III is not a privacy phone in the traditional sense — it’s a minimalist phone. But minimalism is itself a powerful privacy strategy. You can’t leak data to apps you don’t have.

Hardware highlights:

3.92” black-and-white AMOLED display
Qualcomm Snapdragon 4450
Physical keypad and scroll wheel
50MP camera (basic, no frills)
1,800 mAh battery
3.5mm headphone jack
USB-C, fingerprint sensor

What makes it special:

Intentionally limited: calls, texts, directions, music, podcasts, a simple camera, notes, and an alarm clock
No social media, no web browser (by design), no app store
Black-and-white display reduces addictive pull
Beautiful industrial design

Trade-offs:

$799 is expensive for a phone that intentionally does less
Not a full privacy solution — it runs a custom Android fork, not a hardened OS
No end-to-end encrypted messaging (no Signal, no WhatsApp)
Tiny 1,800 mAh battery
This is a lifestyle device, not a security device

6. Unplugged UP Phone — Proceed with Caution

Best for: We’re not sure we can recommend this to anyone in good conscience.

Price: $989 (includes 1 year of privacy services; then $12.99/month or $129.99/year)
Ships: Available now at unplugged.com and Best Buy
Where to buy: unplugged.com

The UP Phone, backed by Erik Prince (founder of Blackwater/Academi), relaunched in August 2025 with refreshed software but the same aging hardware. It runs LibertOS (recently rebranded to UnpluggedOS), an AOSP-based system stripped of Google services.

Hardware highlights:

MediaTek Dimensity 1200 (a 2021-era chipset)
8 GB RAM, 256 GB storage
6.67” AMOLED display
108MP main camera, 8MP ultrawide, 5MP macro
4,300 mAh battery
Hardware switch to physically cut power circuits

What makes it special:

System-wide firewall
Built-in no-logs VPN
Hardware kill switch for power circuit
Available at Best Buy (rare for privacy phones)
Recently open-sourced kernel and antivirus

Trade-offs:

Outdated hardware at a premium price. A four-year-old chipset in a $989 phone is hard to justify when a Pixel 9 with GrapheneOS offers vastly superior hardware and security for the same money.
LibertOS is proprietary and not independently audited
The founder’s background raises trust concerns for many privacy-conscious buyers — this is a phone sold by a military contractor
Subscription model locks ongoing privacy features behind a paywall
Multiple outlets (How-To Geek, The Verge) have published critical assessments
HowToGeek literally titled their review “Please Don’t Buy This Phone”

7. Purism Librem 5 — The Idealist’s Phone

Best for: Free-software purists who prioritize open hardware and don’t mind rough edges.

Price: $999 (Librem 5) / $1,999 (Librem 5 USA, assembled in the US)
Ships: Available now (check current lead times; Purism has a history of shipping delays)
Where to buy: puri.sm

The Librem 5 is the only phone on this list running a full GNU/Linux stack — not Android, not a modified Android. It runs PureOS, a Debian-based distribution, and uses hardware kill switches for the microphone, camera, WiFi/Bluetooth, and cellular modem.

Hardware highlights:

NXP i.MX 8M Quad-core ARM Cortex-A53
3 GB RAM, 32 GB eMMC (expandable via microSD)
5.7” IPS display (720p)
13MP rear camera, 8MP front camera
Removable battery
Smart card reader (OpenPGP)
3 hardware kill switches

What makes it special:

Full GNU/Linux, no Android anything
Hardware kill switches for mic, camera, WiFi/BT, and cellular (separate switches)
OpenPGP smart card reader — unique among all phones
Lifetime software updates promised
Made in the USA option

Trade-offs:

Performance is genuinely poor. The i.MX 8M is a 2018-era SoC with 3 GB RAM and 32 GB storage. Web browsing is slow. Multitasking is limited. The camera is barely functional.
The phone has been plagued by delays since its 2017 crowdfunding campaign
Battery life is mediocre
App ecosystem is tiny — no Android apps, limited Linux mobile apps
Purism’s communication and business practices have faced criticism from the open-source community
$999 for 2018-era specs is hard to justify on hardware merits alone

8. Jolla Phone (2026) — European Independence

Best for: European users interested in a Linux-based alternative with Android app compatibility.

Price: €579 (~$639); pre-order deposit €99
Ships: H1 2026
Where to buy: jolla.com (EU, UK, Norway, Switzerland)

The Finnish company Jolla — born from the ashes of Nokia’s MeeGo team — has launched its most complete device yet. Running Sailfish OS 5, the new Jolla Phone is a genuine attempt at a European-sovereign smartphone platform.

Hardware highlights:

MediaTek 5G chipset (unspecified model)
12 GB RAM, 256 GB storage
6.36” FHD+ OLED display
5,500 mAh removable battery
microSD card slot
50MP main camera, 13MP ultrawide
Physical privacy switch (mic, camera, sensors)
Notification LED

What makes it special:

Sailfish OS 5 with upgraded Android app support (Android 13 compatibility layer)
Hardware privacy switch
Removable battery and microSD slot
European-made, independent of US and Chinese tech ecosystems
Community-driven development (“Do It Together” model)

Trade-offs:

Sailfish OS has a tiny market share and limited app ecosystem
Android app compatibility is functional but imperfect
Only available in Europe (no US availability)
Required 2,000 pre-orders to enter production (met, but shows the scale)
The unspecified chipset is a red flag for spec-conscious buyers
Long-term viability of Jolla as a company remains uncertain

Bonus: Cape — Privacy at the Carrier Level

Not a phone, but possibly the most important entry on this list.

Price: $99/month (all-inclusive, no hidden fees)
Available: Nationwide (US), launched January 27, 2026
Where to sign up: cape.co

Cape is a privacy-first mobile carrier that owns and operates its own mobile core and SIM infrastructure. It launched nationwide consumer service in January 2026 after a beta period and a $30M funding round.

What makes it special:

IMSI rotation: Cape automatically rotates your subscriber identifier every 24 hours, making you look like a new subscriber daily. This defeats IMSI catcher surveillance and long-term carrier-level tracking.
No data collection: Cape doesn’t collect location data, browsing history, or usage metadata
Own mobile core: Unlike MVNOs that lease infrastructure, Cape operates its own core network
Proton partnership: Integration with the Proton privacy ecosystem
Works with any unlocked phone — pairs especially well with GrapheneOS Pixels

Trade-offs:

$99/month is significantly more expensive than mainstream carriers
New company with a new network — coverage gaps are possible
US-only as of early 2026
Carrier-level privacy is one layer; it doesn’t protect you from app-level tracking

Our take: If you’re serious about privacy, pairing a GrapheneOS Pixel with Cape service is the most comprehensive privacy stack available to a consumer today. Cape handles the carrier layer (IMSI, location, metadata), GrapheneOS handles the device layer (OS, apps, sensors), and together they address the two biggest surveillance vectors.

Dead Projects: Don’t Use These

CalyxOS — Paused, Uninstall Recommended

CalyxOS paused all development and security updates in August 2025 following the departure of key team members. The project is stuck on the June 1, 2025 Android security patch. The Calyx Institute itself issued a final OTA update recommending that users consider uninstalling CalyxOS, and removed the installation option from its tools. If you’re still running CalyxOS, you are running a phone with months of unpatched security vulnerabilities. Switch to GrapheneOS.

DivestOS — Discontinued December 2024

DivestOS, the privacy-hardened LineageOS fork, officially ended in December 2024 after a decade of development. The maintainer announced no further updates. Non-mobile Divest projects (like the Mull browser) continue separately, but the mobile OS is gone.

Who Should Buy What: Decision Tree

Start here: What do you actually need?

”I want the best privacy and security, and I still need a functional smartphone.”

→ Google Pixel 9 (or 9 Pro) + GrapheneOS Add Cape for carrier-level privacy if budget allows. This is the consensus recommendation from the privacy and security community, and it’s the one we agree with. Total cost: $499–999 for the phone + $0 for GrapheneOS.

”I want a privacy phone out of the box — no flashing, no setup.”

→ HIROH Phone (if you can wait until March 2026 and want flagship specs) → Murena Fairphone 6 (if you want something available now with ethical manufacturing) → Punkt MC03 (if you value the curated Vault/Wild Web architecture and accept the subscription)

“I want to reduce my screen time and digital footprint, not just change operating systems.”

→ Light Phone III. It’s not a security device, but radical minimalism is itself a privacy strategy.

”I’m a free-software idealist and want full Linux on my phone.”

→ Purism Librem 5 (if you accept glacial performance and limited apps) → Jolla Phone (if you’re in Europe and want better hardware with Sailfish OS)

“I want carrier-level privacy on my existing phone.”

→ Cape ($99/month, US nationwide, works with any unlocked phone)

“I want the absolute maximum privacy and I don’t care about cost.”

→ Pixel 9 Pro + GrapheneOS + Cape — device-level and carrier-level privacy combined. Budget ~$1,100 for the phone + $99/month for Cape.

Pricing Summary

Device	Base Price	Ongoing Costs	Total First-Year Cost
Pixel 9 + GrapheneOS	$499–799	None	$499–799
Pixel 9 Pro + GrapheneOS	$699–999	None	$699–999
Pixel 9 Pro + GrapheneOS + Cape	$699–999	$99/mo carrier	$1,887–2,187
HIROH Phone	$999	None	$999
Punkt MC03	$699	$9.99/mo after year 1	$699
Murena Fairphone 6	$749	None	$749
Light Phone III	$799	None	$799
Unplugged UP Phone	$989	$12.99/mo after year 1	$989
Purism Librem 5	$999	None	$999
Purism Librem 5 USA	$1,999	None	$1,999
Jolla Phone	~$639	None	~$639

What We’d Actually Buy

If we were spending our own money and wanted a privacy phone today, here’s what we’d do:

For most people: Buy a Pixel 9 ($499 on sale) or Pixel 9 Pro ($699–799 discounted) and install GrapheneOS. If you’re new, start with our GrapheneOS beginner’s guide and then follow the step-by-step setup guide. Use sandboxed Google Play for the apps that need it. This gives you the best security, the best app compatibility, the best camera, and the most mature privacy OS, all for less money than most “privacy phones.”

For those with higher threat models: Add Cape as your carrier ($99/month). This combination — GrapheneOS + Cape — is the gold standard of consumer privacy in 2026.

For hardware privacy enthusiasts: The HIROH Phone is the most interesting new device, but we’d wait for independent reviews before committing $999 to a v1 product from a new company. The Punkt MC03 has genuinely good ideas (the Vault/Wild Web split is clever), but the subscription model is a dealbreaker for us.

For the ethically minded: The Murena Fairphone 6 at €599/$749 is a solid, working phone with /e/OS pre-installed, repairable design, and an 8-year support commitment. It’s the most balanced choice if you care about sustainability alongside privacy.

We’d skip: The Unplugged UP Phone (2021 hardware at 2026 prices, questionable provenance), and the Librem 5 (unless you’re a developer or ideological purist who can tolerate truly underpowered hardware).

Looking Ahead: 2026–2027

The biggest story in this space isn’t a phone — it’s GrapheneOS’s OEM expansion. If the project successfully launches on non-Pixel hardware with Qualcomm Snapdragon chips in 2027, it could fundamentally change the market. Privacy phones would no longer be niche devices; they’d be a configuration option on mainstream hardware.

Until then, the Pixel + GrapheneOS combination remains the recommendation we keep coming back to. It’s not because it’s perfect — it’s because it offers the best security, the best usability, and the best value of anything available. Everything else on this list is making trade-offs that most people don’t need to make.

Privacy is a right, not a luxury. But in 2026, you don’t have to sacrifice your daily experience to exercise it.

This guide was last updated on February 17, 2026. Prices and availability are subject to change. The PrivacyPhones Team accepts no advertising or affiliate revenue from any manufacturer listed in this guide.

Best Privacy Phones in 2026: Complete Buyer’s Guide

The State of Privacy Phones in 2026

Quick Comparison Table

1. GrapheneOS on Google Pixel — The Gold Standard

2. HIROH Phone — The Privacy Flagship

3. Punkt MC03 — The Swiss De-Googled Phone

4. Murena Fairphone 6 — Privacy Meets Sustainability

5. Light Phone III — The Anti-Smartphone

6. Unplugged UP Phone — Proceed with Caution

7. Purism Librem 5 — The Idealist’s Phone

8. Jolla Phone (2026) — European Independence

Bonus: Cape — Privacy at the Carrier Level

Dead Projects: Don’t Use These

CalyxOS — Paused, Uninstall Recommended

DivestOS — Discontinued December 2024

Who Should Buy What: Decision Tree

”I want the best privacy and security, and I still need a functional smartphone.”

”I want a privacy phone out of the box — no flashing, no setup.”

“I want to reduce my screen time and digital footprint, not just change operating systems.”

”I’m a free-software idealist and want full Linux on my phone.”

“I want carrier-level privacy on my existing phone.”

“I want the absolute maximum privacy and I don’t care about cost.”

Pricing Summary

What We’d Actually Buy

Looking Ahead: 2026–2027

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