Frequently Asked Questions

• What is your return policy?

  We test every phone before shipping to make sure it works. Obviously if it doesn’t work, we can’t install a custom operating system. However if you decide a de-googled lifestyle isn’t for you, you may return any of our phones within 30 days of delivery for a refund. Please note that returns for any reason other than a physical defect or shipping damage are subject to a 15% restocking fee. All phones must be returned in original condition, with any included box, manual, charger, etc. Please use our returns portal if you need to return a phone. 

• Do you ship outside the US?

  Unfortunately we do not. We can not guarantee that our phones will work with carriers outside the US, and the legality of importing and exporting electronic equipment can be very complicated depending on the country. There are also VAT/GST issues to deal with. Therefore our sales are limited to the US.

• Do you accept cryptocurrency as payment?

  Of course! All crypto payments receive a 3% discount. Currently we take Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Dash (DASH), and Monero (XMR). Unfortunately we can not accept ETH due to high transaction fees. If you would like to pay with another coin, please contact us and we may be able to accommodate you.

• Can you de-google my current phone? Or can I buy a new phone and have you de-google it?

  Unfortunately not. Only certain phones are relatively easy to de-google, and even within those models there are various sub-models which are best. We cannot guarantee that we would be able to de-google a phone that you send us. Additionally, we do not want the liability of potentially damaging your phone or rendering it unusable. 

• Do you keep inventory in stock?

  Yes, the phones you see listed for sale are in stock and de-googled, ready to ship. 

• When can I expect my order?

  We ship all orders within 1-2 days via USPS (90% of orders ship the next business day). Thus you should receive your order within 5 business days.

  You will receive a tracking email when your order is ready for shipment.

• Do you provide technical support for your phones?

  Every phone ships with a startup guide that walks you through your new device and the apps we’ve pre-installed. We’re also happy to help with setup questions and getting you up and running. For deeper technical issues, we do our best to help where we can, but as a small shop we can’t offer unlimited ongoing support. Most customers find the startup guide and our online resources cover everything they need.

• How much do you charge for shipping?

  Shipping is always free for all orders.

• What sort of warranty do your phones come with?

  Unlocking the bootloader will void the warranty on any phone. Thus our phones come with no warranty for the device. However less than 1% of phones have issues, and we will do our best to make it right should you encounter an issue.  We have a 30 day refund policy as well.

• Will my favorite app work on a de-googled phone?

  We can not guarantee that your favorite app will work. Most of the apps we have tried work flawlessly. However due to removing google play services, any paid apps (or apps that allow you to purchase content in the app) will not work. Apps which allow you to purchase a membership or premium content via the web, and then log in using the app are ok. Many banking apps also will not work. There are also some apps whose notifications require google, and won’t work even with MicroG. Many apps such as Lyft, Doordash, etc. can be used through a website interface with a bookmark placed on your home screen. You can always check on this site whether your favorite app will work.

• Are your phones encrypted? Can they make encrypted calls?

  All Android phones have been encrypted for quite some time.  Any site pushing “military-grade” encryption is just using a meaningless buzzword.

  Phone calls made with a de-googled phone are the same as any other phone call, unencrypted over the public telephone networks.  If you want to make an encrypted call to someone, we recommend Signal or Jabber.  Note that both parties must be using encryption, otherwise there is no point.

• Why should I trust you? How do I know you aren't installing back doors and spyware on your phones?

  There are a number of responses to this question. First off, we have neither the time, knowledge, or the desire to do that sort of thing. This is not our full time job, and we run this site mainly to help friends and others with the process of de-googling, and to raise awareness about privacy. We have zero knowledge of building a custom operating system.

  You can also consider the financial incentives involved. Let’s say that (hypothetically) we wanted to make as much money as possible, by any means possible. Selling de-googled phones yields a small but steady stream of income, which will hopefully grow as people realize the benefits of having a de-googled phone. Now let’s say that instead we install backdoors to steal your information and either sell it or hack your accounts. Word would very quickly spread and we would lose all of our business, plus we would probably go to jail.

  Since opening this site, we have sold hundreds of phones to many satisfied customers. We have no desire to view or steal any of your personal information.

• Will your phones help me hide from law enforcement?

  We do not endorse breaking any laws. If you are counting on a de-googled phone to keep you safe from the government, you will be disappointed. Government agencies have virtually unlimited computing resources and money, along with the cooperation of phone manufacturers and software companies. Hiding from law enforcement is significantly more challenging than maintaining your privacy with big tech companies. Do not expect our phones to provide any degree of protection for illegal activities.

• Can't I just install LineageOS or another operating system on my phone by myself?

   Sure, there are many custom ROMs available today for a large number of phones. However we choose the most stable and feature-rich ROMs and new phones which support them fully. Some phones are much more challenging to de-google than others. Installing a custom ROM also requires a good amount of technical knowledge, plus time. Thus we provide our service for those who either don’t have the time to de-google their phone, or just want it to work without knowing how it was done.