Privacy Policy

Data that stays on your device

Location: used only on your device to find nearby tide stations and to tag a catch when you ask it to. It is never sent to our servers.

Catches, spots, notes and photos: stored on your device. GPS metadata is removed from photos when they are saved. If you buy Pro and turn on iCloud sync, this data is stored in your own private iCloud database, which is operated by Apple and which we cannot access.

Backups and exports are files you create and share yourself.

Diagnostic logs are kept only on your device and are sent to us only if you choose to share them from Settings.

Anonymous usage statistics

On by default; you can turn it off during onboarding or at any time in Settings. When it is on, the app sends: a random installation ID (it changes if you reinstall the app), usage events such as “catch saved” or “widget added” with coarse properties (for example a count range), app version, OS version, device model, language and region setting, and time zone.

Events never contain coordinates, spot names, species you typed, notes or photos. We do not link this data to your identity, and we do not use it for advertising or tracking.

Detailed events are deleted after 90 days. Daily totals per event name (which contain no device information) are kept for 400 days.

Crash reports

We use Firebase Crashlytics (Google) to receive crash reports: the stack trace, device model, OS and app version, and an installation identifier generated by Crashlytics. They are used only to fix bugs and are retained by Google for about 90 days.

Reports of inaccurate tides

When you report an inaccurate tide, the app sends the station number, the date, the type of problem, your optional note, the app and tide-data versions and your language. Your location is never included.

To prevent abuse we store only a one-way hash of the installation ID that changes every month, never the ID itself. Reports are kept for 2 years. Please do not write personal information in the note.

Server requests and IP addresses

Our server runs on Cloudflare. Your IP address is used only to protect the service from abuse: it is stored only as a salted hash inside rate-limit counters, which are deleted within 2 days. We do not log request contents.

Purchases

TideCatch Pro is a one-time purchase handled by Apple. We never receive your payment details or Apple ID. Purchases are verified on your device. If anonymous statistics are on, they record that a purchase or restore happened, with the product ID.

Legal basis and your rights

For users in the EU/EEA, the UK and similar jurisdictions: we process usage statistics, crash reports and abuse-protection data on the basis of our legitimate interest in running and improving the app (GDPR Art. 6(1)(f)); you can object at any time by turning statistics off. Tide reports are processed because you ask us to review a prediction.

You have the right to access, correct and delete your data, to object to processing and to complain to your data protection authority. Because there is no account, deleting the app deletes everything on your device. To delete server-side statistics, copy your installation ID from Settings and send it to candy66861@gmail.com; we delete all detailed events for that ID.

Our service providers (Cloudflare, Google) may process data outside your country under standard contractual clauses.

Japan and Korea

Japan: we do not acquire information that identifies you by name, address or contact details; the pseudonymous data described above is handled in line with the Act on the Protection of Personal Information.

Korea: TideCatch does not collect, store or transmit location information to any server; location is processed only on your device.

Children

TideCatch is rated 4+ and is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

Changes and contact

If this policy changes, we will update this page and the date above. Questions or requests: candy66861@gmail.com. Service provider: Eric Z.