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Sidestep

Intercept URLs, remove tracking, and redirect to privacy-friendly frontends.
Android app that intercepts social media URLs and redirects them to alternative frontends while removing tracking parameters. No apps or accounts needed to access the content shared with you.

Alternative Frontends
Bypass closed ecosystems and access a more open internet - with a less cluttered web experience. Sidestep supports several major platforms with configurable alternatives:

  • Twitter/X → Nitter

  • Reddit → Redlib

  • YouTube → Invidious, Piped

  • Google Maps → OpenStreetMap

  • IMDb → LibreMDB

  • Medium → Scribe

  • Wikipedia → Wikiless

  • Goodreads → BiblioReads

  • Genius → Dumb, Intellectual

  • Tumblr → Priviblur

  • UrbanDictionary → RuralDictionary

  • Imgur → Rimgo

  • GitHub → GotHub

  • StackOverflow → AnonymousOverflow



Flexible Configuration & Smart URL Cleaning
Automatically removes tracking parameters from all URLs:

  • UTM parameters (utm_source, utm_medium, etc.)

  • Platform-specific trackers (Twitter s/t, YouTube si, Instagram igsh)

  • E-commerce tracking (Amazon, affiliate links)

  • Analytics parameters



Granular control over how URLs are processed:

  • Unshorten URLs: Automatically resolves shortened links (bit.ly, t.co, etc.)

  • Remove Tracking: Strip analytics and tracking parameters

  • Immediate Navigation: Automatically open the processed URL in your browser

  • Clean Only Mode: Remove tracking without redirecting

  • Clean & Sidestep Mode: Remove tracking AND redirect to alternative frontend

  • Custom Redirects: Add your own domain mappings

  • Instance Picker: Fetch live, healthy instances sorted by uptime



Tracking-proof

  • Previews fetched via DuckDuckGo (optional)

  • No Data Collection: Zero analytics, zero tracking

  • Local Processing: All URL cleaning happens on-device


  • app screenshot
  • app screenshot
  • app screenshot

Versions

Although APK downloads are available below to give you the choice, you should be aware that by installing that way you will not receive update notifications and it's a less secure way to download. We recommend that you install the F-Droid client and use that.

Download F-Droid
  • Version 1.2.5 (17) suggested Added on Mar 29, 2026

    This version requires Android 7.0 or newer.

    It is built and signed by the original developer, and guaranteed to correspond to this source tarball.

    Permissions
    • have full network access
      Allows the app to create network sockets and use custom network protocols. The browser and other applications provide means to send data to the internet, so this permission is not required to send data to the internet.
    • com.blankdev.sidestep.DYNAMIC_RECEIVER_NOT_EXPORTED_PERMISSION

    Download APK 2.4 MiB PGP Signature | Build Log

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