The main reason I didn’t pick grapheneOS is because unwanted to move away from Google, not pay them more money. (None of non-Pixel phones that can run /e/OS work for my specific use case.)

/e/OS on a Fairphone 6 has been perfectly fine for me once I replaced the default launcher with Lawnchair.

My favourite feature of the Fairphone 6 is the hardware switch. I have it configured to control the torch. I cannot understate how nice it is to turn on a torch using muscle memory and not having to turn on the touch screen first. It’s so quick, easy, and convenient.

The app lounge is effectively the Google Play Store just with privacy, although I always search F-Droid first. My bank’s app requires Google Play Services to run (not just micro-G), so I’m stuck with using a web browser (or getting off my high horse and installing Play Services).

Push notifications are a little less reliable without Google Play Services. It’s frustrating, but a price I’m willing to pay to degoogle.

Everything else just feels like regular Android, and doesn’t get in the way.

Kill 2 birds in the bush.

Can you provide a source for them collecting data? I’ve never heard of it happening, and can’t see how it’s even possible.