I have not any prior experience with installing custom ROMs, but after trying it out (and getting stuck, and googling and finding answers) I successfully did it. Below is my home screen if anybody is curious:
I use OpenBoard for my keyboard. Unfortunately I am still dependent on Play Store since some of the apps I need can only be found there. Sometimes it feels meaningless committing to this whole thing because I'm not perfectly private; then I think this is better than using a regular iPhone or Android phone.
So far I'm liking it. I am naturally inclined to feel hesitant about using this as my main phone and plugging in a SIM since it's custom, but I'm slowly making the transition.
Feel free to share any beginners advice or your own experience using GOS for the first time. Cheers!
Aurora store has a cleaner interface with no ads and can be used without a google account.
I’m more curious about the privacy aspect of using Aurora over Play, especially considering since I will be logged into my G account.
When starting Aurora, you can choose between an anonymous account or your own. You can still use the anonymous option even if you are logged in to other services with google. If you go logged on anyways, I guess Google will not know your every tap with Aurora? I would think logged in, google play store and aurora would be comparable (not private).
Do you know if it's safe to download banking apps from third party stores (in this case Aurora)?
It does download from google (servers), so it is safe enough
I have heard Aurora is more insecure and you can risk getting your Google account blacklisted or banned using it. Do you have any experience with this or know how common it is?
Thats easy, use the anonymous accounts. Only use your real one to install paid apps you already have (i dont) then logout
Banking apps hate working without google play services btw, mostly they don't work at all. It's really best (for privacy) to just use the mobile site or a laptop, but if you need the app I'd look into setting up a second user profile for google bullshit and installing google services and the banking app there, rather than your main profile. Also check out graphene's matrix rooms for any help you may need, they're quick.
But yes you can get banned, anonymous on aurora always unless you have a paid app like the others have said.
If it's of any help, I (n=1) used one of my personal google accounts with Aurora Store for years because I had one paid app I needed. On my latest phone I now use anon accounts because I no longer need that one app. But for the years I was logged in, I was never banned or anything. What I did, when I needed to purchase the app, I did it on a separate google account to my usual one I use for youtube and gdrive (I know, bad, I don't really use gdrive anymore but I haven't migrated the files I already have on there accumulated for years, and every time I start using a private youtube frontend it never sticks and I forget about it quickly. sorry lol). So if I got banned I would only lose a purchase and not anything else.
I do not know on a technical level.
Just dont use your personal g acc (obviously), and its fine.
Excuse my ignorance, but why not use your own G account?
By not using your own g account I meant not using account that is assigned to your identity or account that you use for official things.
Unless you have some purchases on there and you want to use these, but you shouldnt use your own account for that in the first place.