I would recommend checking out https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm for a third-party comparison of these projects. They're not really similar.
CalyxOS downgrades security compared to the Android Open Source Project, often falls significantly behind on standard Android privacy and security patches as is the case right now (they still haven't ported to Android 16 which is required to have the latest patches) and doesn't provide similar privacy or security features.
Features like Contact Scopes, Storage Scopes and our Sensors permission toggle are some of the privacy features includes in GrapheneOS.
Privacy necessitates security. The security provided by GrapheneOS is in order to be able to protect privacy.
The point of the OP is not that it would be better than your solution anyway; rather, if you have a device unsupported by GrapheneOS, Calyx would be better than nothing.
But there is still no way to reset/spoof android device ids, and the apps can reliably identify the user after reinstalls.
Depends on your threat model. If Google, low-effort scam apps or being profiled by apps are your only adversary, then that's true. If random threats on Internet or APTs pwning your phone, or being forensic-proof are part of your threat model, then Calyx is strictly worse than stock.
The table shows CalyxOS has substantial delays for important privacy and security patches. It currently doesn't provide the 2025-06-05 patch level. It's better than LineageOS and /e/OS in that regard but still reduces privacy and security through significantly delayed patches. CalyxOS also weakens parts of the privacy and security model through the privileged functionality that's added, which simply isn't covered by the comparison table.
> The point of the OP is not that it would be better than your solution anyway; rather, if you have a device unsupported by GrapheneOS, Calyx would be better than nothing.
On Pixels, CalyxOS is missing current Android privacy/security patches. GrapheneOS doesn't support those other devices due to lack of a reasonable level of security. Each of those extra devices has significantly delayed privacy/security patches and lacks important hardware-based security features. Despite all the marketing about long term support, Fairphone 5 uses Linux 5.4 which is end-of-life in December 2025 with no plans on their part to move to a supported kernel branch afterwards. Earlier Fairphones are stuck on older end-of-life kernel branches. Those devices are missing basic updates and security protections. Those don't provide proper long term support, so if someone does have one it won't be long before it's time to buy another device.
I agree that GoS did a lot in order to improve privacy (scoping) and it provides unmatched security, but you shouldn't create false expectations.