While LineageOS is far from perfect, it’s a superior choice in many areas compared to any stock Android experience. It’s leaner, runs better, comes with zero bloatware, and lets you use your Android phone with exactly zero Google apps installed.
Now, when I say “stock Android,” I mean vendor-based Android flavors, such as Pixel UI, One UI, Hello UI (Motorola devices), Nothing OS (Nothing phones), and so on, which stand in contrast to custom Android ROMs such as LineageOS or GrapheneOS.
So with that out of the way, let’s see what LineageOS does better than all those “stock” Android experiences.
Much better support for older devices
You can run the latest version of Android on your phone even if it stopped receiving official updates years ago
If you own an older phone that’s stuck on an old version of Android, installing LineageOS will let you use the latest, or nearly the latest, version of Android all while continuing to receive regular system updates.
As long as your device is supported by LineageOS, you can expect Android 15 at worst, with a good chunk of supported devices being able to run LineageOS 23, which is based on Android 16. In a nutshell, if your phone no longer gets Android updates, it’s better off running LineageOS.
This is especially true for older phones supported by LineageOS. For instance, my old Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 from 2017 is stuck on Android 9 with the manufacturer’s firmware, but the latest LineageOS version available for it (LineageOS 22.2) is based on Android 15.
LineageOS isn’t reliant on Google apps and services
Use your phone without Google apps
Lucas Gouveia/How-To Geek
Google requires its apps and services to be present on every official OEM Android build. The only exception here is Huawei, since its Android-based HarmonyOS doesn’t include Google apps, but that’s pretty much it. When it comes to “stock” Android, Google is a must.
On the other hand, LineageOS gives you an option to use it without even a single Google app present. You can de-googlify your phone right from the get-go and use alternatives such as the F-Droid app store, the Chromium-based browser that comes with LineageOS, or your favorite email client that isn’t Gmail.
The best part is that you can install Google apps and services during LineageOS setup if you so desire, giving you the best of both worlds. Not a fan of Google? No problem! Want to keep using your favorite Google apps and the Play Store on LineageOS? No problem there either!
Superior privacy control
Your data is for your eyes only, unless you decide otherwise
The fact that you can use LineageOS without Google apps—meaning your data never reaches Google’s servers—makes it a more privacy-friendly choice than any vendor-specific Android distribution.
Even with Google apps installed, LineageOS gives you an impressive level of control over your privacy thanks to its Trust feature. Trust functions as a kind of privacy and security dashboard within the Settings app, where you can control which apps have access to your data, review app permissions, choose what information and activity Google can access (if you decide to install Google apps), review ad-related privacy options, and much more.
Superior security
Monthly security updates for every supported device
Aside from improved privacy, LineageOS also offers superior security compared to most other Android flavors. For starters, it’s open source, so you can extract the entire ROM, dissect it, and see for yourself whether it has security flaws and exploits. If you don’t have the know-how, the fact that it’s open source means anyone with the necessary knowledge can do the same and share their findings with the community.
Furthermore, every supported LineageOS build receives regular monthly security updates, unlike phones that are no longer supported by their manufacturers and no longer receive security updates. There’s also the aforementioned Trust platform, which runs constantly in the background, ensuring that apps you install and sites you visit are secure.
While installing LineageOS means you have to unlock your phone’s bootloader, which can leave your phone vulnerable to attacks, attackers need to have physical access to your phone to exploit this specific vulnerability. Besides, you can disable USB access while the phone’s locked from inside the Trust menu in Settings with a single tap.
LineageOS is much leaner than any “stock” Android option
Zero bloatware
If you decide to skip installing Google apps during the initial LineageOS setup, the ROM includes fewer than 20 apps that take up next to no space on your phone. LineageOS comes with zero bloatware, vendor or carrier, it won’t install apps and games without your permission, and is much leaner than any stock Android version.
Even if you choose to install Google apps, the storage the apps take up is much lower than on any stock Android skin. Aside from a few preinstalled Google apps and built-in features that require Google services to work (Quick Share, Battery Manager, and so on), LineageOS retains its lightweight frame, using as little storage as possible.
It performs better than any stock Android distribution
Snappy as heck even on old phones
No Google apps or services, coupled with zero bloatware, equals an extremely snappy user experience, even on older devices. LineageOS runs smoothly on phones that would struggle with newer Android versions weighed down by vendor skins, bloatware, Google services, and unnecessary features.
Not having to ping Google and vendor servers also has a positive effect on battery life. You can expect noticeably longer battery life than on official Android flavors, especially on older phones whose batteries have degraded to some extent.
It’s not perfect, but LineageOS does a good chunk of things much better
Whether we’re talking about a near-stock flavor like Pixel UI or a heavily modified one like One UI, LineageOS can be an improvement. With all that said, I recommend doing your due diligence and learning about LineageOS’s strengths and weaknesses before deciding to install it on your phone.
For instance, if you’ve gotten used to built-in features on your Pixel or Samsung Galaxy phone, switching to LineageOS might be a painful endeavor, considering you’ll have to say goodbye to said features if you decide to jump aboard the LineageOS train. Another pain point for many people is that many banking apps and services, such as Google Pay, don’t work on LineageOS by default. You can make them work, but in some cases, it may require more than a bit of tinkering.
My best advice is to test LineageOS on your spare phone, if you have one, or to get a cheap used phone supported by LineageOS and test the ROM for a few weeks before deciding to take the plunge and install it on your main device.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
