I'm actually a user of LineageOS and I do not run the Play Store nor the Google Services.
I prefer to install everything with F-Droid failing that I use a Play viewer called Yalp that downloads apk's from the Play Store. The only app I ran into that fails to load is Hangouts (I use that for work). While Facebook Messenger shows an error when loading it doesn't crash when using it. Yalp will ask for your Google credentials, but I also saw that it also has a fake account mechanism.
My only other complaint is that by default the ROM comes with a couple non-free apps like Br0Zip that is quite obnoxious and you can't uninstall. I could re-flash my device and remove the app, but that's just annoying. If anyone from LineageOS is reading this please remove this ridiculous app.
Honestly though I'm just happy that I'm running an OS that's open source at it's core and that I have access to an app store that exclusively hosts open source applications. It even warns when apps promote non-free software (like Yalp).
PS: I'm not saying you're wrong, but that I've had quite a pleasant experience.
I prefer to install everything with F-Droid failing that I use a Play viewer called Yalp that downloads apk's from the Play Store. The only app I ran into that fails to load is Hangouts (I use that for work). While Facebook Messenger shows an error when loading it doesn't crash when using it. Yalp will ask for your Google credentials, but I also saw that it also has a fake account mechanism.
My only other complaint is that by default the ROM comes with a couple non-free apps like Br0Zip that is quite obnoxious and you can't uninstall. I could re-flash my device and remove the app, but that's just annoying. If anyone from LineageOS is reading this please remove this ridiculous app.
Honestly though I'm just happy that I'm running an OS that's open source at it's core and that I have access to an app store that exclusively hosts open source applications. It even warns when apps promote non-free software (like Yalp).
PS: I'm not saying you're wrong, but that I've had quite a pleasant experience.