The short version: Ember does not collect, store, transmit, or sell any personal data. All your health information stays on your device. We do not operate servers that handle user data. We do not require an account. We do not use analytics or advertising SDKs.
1. Our Core Privacy Commitment
Ember ("we," "our," or "us") was built from the ground up with a single guiding principle: your most intimate health data belongs to you and only you. This is not a marketing claim -- it is an architectural decision. Ember stores all user data locally on your device using encrypted storage. We have no infrastructure to receive, process, or store your health information.
2. Data We Do Not Collect
We want to be explicit about what we do not collect:
- Health data: Period dates, cycle information, symptoms, mood, temperature, fertility data, and any other health information you log in Ember.
- Personal information: Name, email address, phone number, date of birth, or any other identifying information. Ember does not have an account system.
- Device identifiers: We do not collect your device ID, advertising identifier, or any unique device fingerprint.
- Usage analytics: We do not track which screens you visit, which features you use, how long you spend in the app, or how often you open it.
- Location data: We never access or request your location.
3. Data Storage
All data you enter into Ember is stored locally on your device using iOS encrypted storage (the Keychain and application sandbox). This data is protected by your device's passcode and biometric security (Face ID / Touch ID).
If you use the iCloud sync feature (available with Premium), your data is synchronized through your personal Apple iCloud account. This data travels directly between your devices via iCloud and is subject to Apple's Privacy Policy. We never have access to your iCloud data.
4. Data Export
Ember Premium includes the ability to export your health data as PDF or CSV files. These exports are generated locally on your device. When you export, the file is handed to the iOS share sheet -- you decide where to send it. We are not involved in this process and have no visibility into your exports.
5. Third-Party Services
Ember does not include any third-party analytics SDKs, advertising frameworks, crash reporting services, or social media integrations. The app contains no tracking pixels, no embedded web views that load remote content, and no network calls to third-party servers.
The only network communication Ember makes is:
- Apple App Store: For in-app purchase validation (handled by Apple's StoreKit framework, subject to Apple's Privacy Policy).
- Apple iCloud: If you enable iCloud sync (Premium feature), data is synchronized through your iCloud account.
6. In-App Purchases
Premium subscriptions and the lifetime purchase are processed entirely by Apple through the App Store. We do not receive or store your payment information, credit card details, or Apple ID. Apple handles all billing.
7. Children's Privacy
Ember does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Since we do not collect any personal information from any user, there is no data collection mechanism that could affect children.
8. Data Deletion
Since all data is stored locally on your device:
- Deleting the Ember app removes all locally stored data.
- If you have iCloud sync enabled, you can delete synced data from your iCloud account through iOS Settings.
- There is nothing for us to delete on our end, because we do not have your data.
9. Law Enforcement
We cannot provide your health data to law enforcement, governments, or any third party because we do not possess it. Your data exists only on your device (and optionally in your personal iCloud account). We have nothing to hand over in response to a subpoena, warrant, or court order regarding your health information.
10. Changes to This Policy
If we make changes to this privacy policy, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Significant changes will be communicated through an in-app notification. Our commitment to not collecting your data will not change.
11. Open Source Transparency
We believe in transparency. If you have technical concerns about our privacy practices, we encourage you to examine the app's network traffic using tools like Charles Proxy or mitmproxy. You will find that Ember makes no network requests beyond Apple's StoreKit and (optionally) iCloud.
12. Contact
If you have questions about this privacy policy, please contact us:
- Email: privacy@ember.cycle
- Support: ember.cycle/support