Guides & Comparisons
In-depth recommendations for the decisions journalists face most.
Guides
Start Here: 5 Essential Tools
The absolute beginner starting point. Signal, a password manager, uBlock Origin, Proton Mail, and a note-taking app. Install these today.
Digital Security Checklist
Baseline, sensitive, and high-risk security practices — organized by threat level.
Security by Threat Level
Three complete toolkits: baseline for every journalist, sensitive for source protection, high-risk for authoritarian contexts.
Best Password Manager
1Password vs Bitwarden vs KeePassXC — which one fits your threat model.
Encrypted Messaging
Signal, Element, Briar — and why WhatsApp and Telegram fall short.
Free Investigative Tools
From OSINT databases to document analysis — the $0 investigative toolkit.
Best VPN
Mullvad, Outline, Tor — what VPNs do and don't protect.
AI Tools for Journalists
ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity — what they do well, where they fail, and what they do with your data.
OSINT Tools for Investigations
Trace companies, verify identities, track ships — the open-source intelligence stack.
Best Newsletter Platform
Ghost vs Substack vs Beehiiv vs Buttondown — revenue, ownership, and privacy compared.
Portfolio & Personal Brand
Muck Rack, Authory, Journo Portfolio, Squarespace — which portfolio tool fits your career stage.
Tools for Data Journalism
The full pipeline: acquire, clean, analyze, visualize, publish. OpenRefine, QGIS, Datawrapper, and more.
Podcast Tools
Record, edit, transcribe, publish — Hindenburg, Descript, Riverside, Whisper, and hosting options.
Tools for Election Coverage
Follow the money, track legislation, map districts. OpenSecrets, BillTrack50, Census Reporter, FOIA tools.
Tools for Climate Reporting
Satellite monitoring, environmental data, mapping deforestation and fishing. Global Forest Watch, QGIS, and more.
Tools for International Reporting
Translation, encrypted communication, source verification, cross-border data, and security for reporting abroad.