The tools already exist. The infrastructure doesn’t.
Many of the tools journalists need for safer, more independent work already exist. The challenge is that they are scattered across different projects, difficult to evaluate, and rarely designed to work together as a complete newsroom environment.
This library brings the strongest of them together. Open Newsrooms builds on that foundation by filling the gaps, simplifying setup and making the whole system easier for independent newsrooms to run and move.
These tools are not Open Newsrooms. They are the building blocks Open Newsrooms connects, simplifies and extends. We’re grateful to the people who build and maintain them.
Last checked 27 September 2026 · Know something we missed? Tell us
OSS means open source. Free means no cost, though there may be paid tiers. Paid tools are listed only when they are the standard pick.
Publish and reach readers
Each platform holds its own archive and subscriber list; moving between them means starting again.
Publishing platforms
For an independent outlet, self-hosted Ghost covers the site, newsletter and paid memberships in one tool. Fediverse tools let you reach readers without depending on Big Tech algorithms.
- Ghost Publishing, newsletters and paid subscriptions; Ghost 6 federates posts to Mastodon/Threads
- WordPress The most widely used CMS; huge plugin ecosystem
- Newspack WordPress set up for small newsrooms (Automattic + Google News Initiative)
- WriteFreely Minimalist federated blog; good for a single writer
- Hugo Static site generator: fast, cheap to host, very little to hack
- Codeberg Pages Free hosting for static sites from a non-profit, EU-based Git host
- Listmonk Self-hosted newsletter and mailing-list manager
- Mastodon Decentralized social network; you can run your own newsroom server
- PeerTube Self-hosted, federated video platform (a YouTube alternative)
- Castopod Self-hosted podcast hosting with fediverse integration
Protecting your website
Independent outlets are common targets of DDoS attacks, which knock a site offline by flooding it with traffic. Several programs protect news sites for free.
- Cloudflare Project Galileo Enterprise-level DDoS and security protection for at-risk media and NGOs
- Deflect DDoS protection and hosting for independent media, by eQualitie
- Google Project Shield DDoS protection for news, human rights and election sites
- Qurium Secure hosting and digital forensics for at-risk media (Sweden)
- Let’s Encrypt Free HTTPS certificates; EFF’s Certbot installs them
Research, write and work together
Drafts, sources and archives live in separate tools with separate accounts.
Writing & editing tools
Local Markdown tools keep drafts on your own device, so no cloud service can read them.
- LibreOffice Full office suite; free replacement for Word and Excel
- Obsidian Local Markdown notes with links between them; good for story research
- Joplin Notes and to-dos with end-to-end encrypted sync
- Standard Notes Encrypted notes app, owned by Proton
- Zettlr Markdown editor with citations; good for long investigations
- Ghostwriter Distraction-free Markdown writing
- Manuskript Plan and write long-form pieces or books
- Zotero Collect, tag and cite sources and documents
- LanguageTool Grammar and style checker in 30+ languages; can be self-hosted
- Pandoc Converts between Markdown, Word, HTML, PDF and EPUB
Research, OSINT, verification & archiving
Bellingcat’s toolkit and GIJN’s resource center are the best maps of this space. Archive every source page before you publish, because pages disappear.
- Bellingcat Online Investigations Toolkit Curated, reviewed catalogue of OSINT tools
- GIJN Resource Center Guides and tipsheets from the Global Investigative Journalism Network
- OSINT Framework Clickable map of OSINT sources by category
- OCCRP Aleph Pro Search leaks, company registries and court records; access for journalists on application
- OpenAleph Open-source fork of Aleph to self-host your own document archive
- ICIJ Datashare Search and analyze your own leaked documents, offline on your laptop
- DocumentCloud Analyze, annotate and embed source documents (MuckRock)
- OpenCorporates The largest open database of companies worldwide
- InVID-WeVerify plugin Browser plugin to verify videos and images (reverse search, keyframes)
- Google Fact Check Explorer Search existing fact-checks worldwide
- Wayback Machine Archive pages and view their past versions
- archive.today Snapshot a page, including many paywalled or dynamic ones
- Tabula Extract tables from PDFs into spreadsheets
- OpenRefine Clean and reconcile messy datasets
- Datawrapper Publication-ready charts and maps (German-based)
Collaboration, storage & audio / video / transcription
Transcribe sensitive interviews offline (noScribe, Buzz) so the recordings never go to a cloud service.
COLLABORATION & STORAGE
- CryptPad End-to-end encrypted docs, sheets, forms and kanban; free public instance
- Etherpad Real-time co-editing of text; easy to self-host
- Nextcloud Self-hosted Google Drive/Office alternative for a newsroom
- Syncthing Syncs folders directly between your devices, no cloud in between
- Proton Drive End-to-end encrypted cloud storage
AUDIO, VIDEO & TRANSCRIPTION
- noScribe Offline AI transcription of interviews, with speaker detection
- Buzz Offline Whisper transcription and translation app
- oTranscribe Browser helper for manual transcription
- Audacity Audio recording and editing for interviews and podcasts
- OBS Studio Screen recording and live streaming
- Kdenlive Full video editor
- Shotcut Simpler cross-platform video editor
- GIMP Photo editing and image prep
Talk to sources safely
Strong tools, but set up one reporter at a time.
Secure communication: messaging, email, calls
Signal is the default for talking to sources. Turn on disappearing messages and use a username so your phone number stays hidden.
- Signal End-to-end encrypted chat and calls; usernames, disappearing messages
- SimpleX Chat Messenger with no phone number or user ID at all
- Session No phone number; messages routed through an onion network
- Briar Works without internet (Bluetooth/Wi-Fi mesh) or over Tor; for protests and blackouts. Android
- Element (Matrix) Encrypted team chat you can self-host; a Slack alternative for newsrooms
- Delta Chat Encrypted chat that runs over ordinary email
- Proton Mail Encrypted email, Swiss-based
- Tuta Encrypted email and calendar, German-based
- Thunderbird Desktop email client with built-in OpenPGP encryption
- Jitsi Meet Video calls with no account; can be self-hosted
Source protection & whistleblowing
A public tip line lets sources reach you without revealing themselves. Open leaked files only in Dangerzone or Tails.
- SecureDrop Anonymous document drop over Tor; the standard at major newsrooms (Freedom of the Press Foundation)
- GlobaLeaks Whistleblowing platform, easier to set up; widely used in the EU
- Hush Line Simple anonymous tip line for individual journalists
- OnionShare Send, receive or host files and chat anonymously over Tor
- Dangerzone Turns risky PDFs and Office files into safe PDFs before you open them
- Tella Capture and encrypt photos, audio and notes on a phone; can hide itself
- ProofMode Adds verifiable proof to photos and video to back up authenticity
Secure devices and connections
Requires specialist knowledge to choose and configure.
4.1 Operating systems 4.2 Anonymity 4.3 VPNs 4.4 Encryption 4.5 Hardware
The starter kit for most journalists: Signal for sources, Tor Browser for sensitive browsing, KeePassXC or Bitwarden for passwords, VeraCrypt or Cryptomator for files, and EFF’s Surveillance Self-Defense to plan your own threat model.
- High-risk work (whistleblowers, hostile states): start with the guides and the secure operating systems before picking tools.
Secure operating systems & Linux distributions
For sensitive work, Tails (boot from USB, leaves no trace) is the journalist default. Qubes OS is the strongest desktop setup. Everything below is free and open source.
- Tails Amnesic live USB: all traffic via Tor, wipes on shutdown. Now maintained by the Tor Project
- Qubes OS Isolates tasks in separate VMs; basis of the SecureDrop Workstation
- Whonix Tor-only VM pair that stops IP leaks; runs in VirtualBox, KVM or Qubes
- Kicksecure Hardened Debian from the Whonix team for daily use
- Debian Stable, community-run base for servers and laptops
- Linux Mint Easiest switch from Windows for everyday newsroom laptops
- Fedora Up-to-date, SELinux on by default
- Ubuntu Widely supported, good for servers (e.g. self-hosted Ghost)
- GrapheneOS Hardened Android for Google Pixel phones
- CalyxOS Privacy Android with built-in Tor/VPN; back in full maintenance since July 2026
- iPhone Lockdown Mode Built-in iOS mode that blocks common spyware attack paths
Anonymity & censorship circumvention (Tor and friends)
Tor hides who you are and what you visit; a VPN only moves your trust to the VPN provider. Use Tor when anonymity matters.
- Tor Browser Anonymous browsing over the Tor network; desktop and Android
- Onion Browser Tor-powered browser for iPhone/iPad
- Orbot Routes any phone app through Tor (Android and iOS)
- Tor bridges Unlisted entry points for countries that block Tor
- Snowflake Censorship workaround; you can also run it to help others connect
- Onion services Publish your site as a .onion address readers can reach under censorship
- Mullvad Browser Tor Browser’s anti-tracking, without the Tor network (pair with a VPN)
- Psiphon Easy censorship circumvention for readers and sources in blocked regions
- Lantern Peer-to-peer circumvention app with a free tier
Free VPNs & self-hosted VPN options
Avoid unknown "free VPN" apps, since many sell your data. The picks below are trusted, or you run them yourself.
FREE SERVICES
- Proton VPN Free No data cap, no ads, no-logs, Swiss; open-source apps. Limited server choice
- RiseupVPN Run by an activist collective; no account needed
- Calyx VPN Non-profit, no account needed; same tech as RiseupVPN
- Mullvad paid pick No email needed, pay cash; flat €5/month. The trust benchmark
SELF-HOSTED (YOU CONTROL THE SERVER)
- Outline VPN One-click personal VPN server by Google’s Jigsaw; built to resist blocking. Easy to share keys with a team
- Amnezia VPN Self-hosted VPN with protocols that hide from censorship firewalls
- WireGuard Fast, modern VPN protocol for your own server
- Algo VPN Scripts that set up a hardened personal WireGuard/IPsec server
- Oracle Cloud Free Tier Always-free small servers that can host Outline or WireGuard
Encryption, passwords & metadata
Most breaches start with a reused password. Use a password manager with 2FA on every account, and strip metadata from files before you publish.
- KeePassXC Offline password manager; the database stays on your device
- Bitwarden Password manager that syncs across devices; can be self-hosted
- Ente Auth 2FA codes with encrypted backup, all platforms
- YubiKey hardware Physical security key; the strongest protection against phishing
- VeraCrypt Encrypted drives and containers, including hidden volumes
- Cryptomator Encrypts files before they reach Dropbox, Drive or any cloud
- GnuPG PGP encryption and signing for email and files
- mat2 Removes hidden metadata from documents and images (built into Tails)
- ExifTool Reads and edits photo and file metadata; also useful for verification
- Mobile Verification Toolkit Checks phones for traces of spyware like Pegasus (Amnesty Tech)
- Have I Been Pwned Shows whether your email was in a data breach
Hardware & physical security
Full-disk encryption only protects a device that is powered off or locked. These tools lock, shut down or wipe it the moment it’s grabbed, and keep your keys on hardware that can’t be copied.
SECURITY KEYS & ENCRYPTED HARDWARE
- YubiKey Phishing-proof 2FA; also stores PGP and SSH keys so they never touch the laptop
- Nitrokey German, open-source alternative to YubiKey: 2FA, PGP and SSH keys, HSM
- Token2 Low-cost Swiss FIDO2 keys; a good budget option for a whole team
- OnlyKey PIN-protected key with password storage and a self-destruct PIN
- Kingston IronKey / Apricorn Aegis Hardware-encrypted USB drives with a keypad; wipe after too many wrong PINs
- PortaPow data blocker USB adapter that allows charging but blocks data (for public chargers)
- Faraday bag (Mission Darkness) Blocks all signals to a phone or laptop: no tracking, no remote wipe
ENCRYPTION KEY TOOLS
- Gpg4win / Kleopatra Create and manage PGP keys on Windows
- GPG Suite PGP keys and Apple Mail encryption on macOS
- Mailvelope PGP encryption inside Gmail and other webmail in the browser
- age Simple modern file encryption with small keys; easier than PGP
- Keyoxide Publicly prove which accounts and keys belong to you, so sources can verify you
KILL SWITCHES, AUTO-LOCK & PANIC WIPE
- BusKill Magnetic USB kill cord: pull it and the laptop locks, shuts down or wipes (USB-C version out in 2026)
- Tails USB-removal shutdown Pull the Tails USB stick and it shuts down at once and wipes RAM
- LUKS nuke password (Kali) A second disk password that destroys the encryption keys instead of unlocking
- BLEUnlock Locks your Mac when your phone moves away
- Windows Dynamic Lock Built-in lock when your paired phone leaves Bluetooth range
- GrapheneOS duress PIN A second PIN that wipes the phone instantly; USB-C port lockdown; auto-reboot after inactivity
- Android Advanced Protection Android 16 mode: blocks USB data while locked, reboots after inactivity, anti-theft locks
- iPhone Stolen Device Protection Requires Face ID and a delay for sensitive changes away from home; pair with Lockdown Mode
SECURE LAPTOPS & FIRMWARE
- NitroPad (Nitrokey) Laptop with Heads firmware that detects tampering at boot; Qubes-ready
- NovaCustom EU-made laptops with open Dasharo firmware; Qubes-certified, sells BusKill
- Purism Librem Laptops with hardware kill switches for camera, mic and Wi-Fi
- Heads firmware Open firmware that shows if someone tampered with your laptop while it was away
- Auditor app Checks that a phone’s OS hasn’t been tampered with (GrapheneOS team)
Cheap physical habits help too: a webcam cover, a privacy screen filter for travel, and glitter nail polish on laptop screws to show tampering.
Safety guides & support organizations
Start here: these teach threat modeling and many run free emergency helplines.
- EFF — Surveillance Self-Defense Plain-language guides, threat modeling, journalist playbook
- Electronic Frontier Foundation Digital rights advocacy, legal help, privacy tools (Privacy Badger, Certbot)
- Freedom of the Press Foundation Digital security guides and trainings made for newsrooms
- CPJ Safety Kit Physical, digital and psychological safety for reporters
- Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Press freedom advocacy, assistance desk, safety guides
- Access Now Digital Security Helpline 24/7 emergency help for hacked accounts, spyware, attacks
- Security in a Box Step-by-step tool guides for at-risk people (Front Line Defenders)
- Digital First Aid Kit Self-diagnosis when something goes wrong, links to helpers
- Totem Project Free online courses on digital security for journalists
- Citizen Lab Research on spyware (Pegasus, Predator) targeting journalists
- Rory Peck Trust Support and safety resources for freelance journalists
Legal & physical safety support
If you’re threatened or sued (including SLAPPs, lawsuits meant to silence reporting), report it on Mapping Media Freedom and contact MFRR or Media Defence. Both help for free.
- Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) Monitoring, legal and practical support for threatened journalists
- Mapping Media Freedom Report and track attacks on journalists
- ECPMF Legal support, Journalists-in-Residence relocation program
- CASE — Coalition Against SLAPPs in Europe Help and resources against abusive lawsuits
- Council of Europe Safety of Journalists Platform Official alerts on threats to press freedom
- European Federation of Journalists Journalist unions, rights and advocacy
- AEJ-Bulgaria Association of European Journalists, Bulgarian chapter
- Media Defence Free legal defense for journalists
- Free Press Unlimited — Reporters Respond Emergency funds for journalists in danger
- IWMF Safety training and emergency support for women journalists
- ACOS Alliance Safety principles and resources for freelancers
- Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Free legal hotline for journalists
Links go to each tool’s official site. Recent changes were checked against: CalyxOS return to full maintenance · Tor Project & Tails join forces · OCCRP Aleph Pro announcement · Ghost 6.0 changelog · Proton VPN Free