Privacy Devices vs Above Phone

The honest version

Above Phone operates from the United States and has built a genuine content reputation around privacy education. Their devices run GrapheneOS — the same open-source OS we install — and their site includes extensive guides and community resources.

The practical differences for an Australian buyer come down to a few things. Where does it ship from? Above Phone ships internationally from the US; Privacy Devices ships same-day from Australia, meaning faster delivery, no import duties, and an Australian consumer warranty. What’s already configured? We have not seen evidence that Above Phone ships Phantom Protocol (our duress PIN, remote wipe, decoy profile, and rapid lockdown layer) as a standard inclusion. What’s bundled? Mullvad VPN, global eSIM, and a Threema licence are standard in every Privacy Devices order — not add-ons.

We are not going to put specific words in Above Phone’s mouth about their current pricing, review counts, or inclusions. Confirm those directly with them. What we can stand behind is exactly what every Privacy Devices order includes — spelled out in the table below — and the fact that we are an ABN-registered Australian business (ABN 35 942 206 406) shipping from Australia.

The Australian buyer’s checklist — apply to any vendor

For an Australian buyer comparing GrapheneOS vendors, the relevant questions are the same regardless of which two vendors you are evaluating. (1) Does the device ship from Australia, or is it an international order subject to customs delays and duty? (2) Does it include Phantom Protocol or an equivalent configured duress layer, or is that left to the buyer? (3) Are VPN, eSIM, and an encrypted messenger included, or sold separately? (4) What warranty applies, and who handles a fault — an AU entity or a US one? (5) Can you pay with Bitcoin without routing it through a third-party exchange?

Run that checklist against our full vendor comparison to see where each active Australian and international seller lands. If Above Phone’s answers on all five match ours, you have a genuine like-for-like decision. If they differ — particularly on AU shipping, warranty, and bundled configuration — that difference is material for a device whose value depends on being correctly set up and backed by someone you can reach.

Side-by-side

Privacy Devices’ column lists what ships as standard in every order. Cells marked “Confirm · vendor” are things that vary between sellers and that we will not state on Above Phone’s behalf — check their current listing directly. We don’t publish competitor prices, review counts or customer numbers we can’t verify. Phantom Protocol is Privacy Devices’ own software, so it is genuinely exclusive to our devices.

Where Privacy Devices is different

Seven things are standard on every Privacy Devices order — not upsells, not “available on request”.

Which should you choose?

Still weighing it up? Our full vendor comparison lines up every active Australian GrapheneOS seller in one table, or talk to us about your threat model before you buy — no pressure, no upsell.