Table of Contents
1. Overview
Buddha Story is an iOS meditation and sleep stories app that delivers calming Buddhist narratives and ambient sounds to help you relax and sleep better. This Privacy Policy describes the information practices of Buddha Story, operated from the United States.
By using Buddha Story, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the app.
2. Data We Collect
Account Information
When you create an account, we collect your email address through Firebase Authentication. This is used solely to identify your account and sync your preferences across devices.
Usage Data
We collect information about how you interact with the app to improve your experience:
- Stories you listen to and your listening history
- Preferences selected during onboarding (e.g., preferred categories, sleep goals)
- Favorite stories and collections
- App settings and preferences
Analytics and Crash Reports
We use Firebase Analytics to understand app usage patterns and Firebase Crashlytics to identify and fix crashes. This data includes:
- Device type and operating system version
- App version and session duration
- Crash logs and error reports
- General usage statistics (screens visited, features used)
This data is collected in aggregate and is not used to personally identify you.
Subscription Data
Subscription purchases are managed by RevenueCat and processed by Apple through the App Store. We receive information about your subscription status (active, expired, trial) but we do not have access to your payment details such as credit card numbers. Apple handles all payment processing.
3. Data We Do Not Collect
Buddha Story is designed with privacy in mind. We explicitly do not collect:
- Location data — we never access your GPS or location services
- Contact lists — we never access your address book or contacts
- Photos or camera — we never access your camera or photo library
- Health data — we do not integrate with HealthKit or collect health information
- Advertising identifiers — Buddha Story contains no advertisements and does not use ad tracking
- Browsing history — we do not track your activity outside the app
4. How We Use Your Data
The data we collect is used for the following purposes:
- Provide the service — deliver stories, sync your favorites and listening progress
- Personalize your experience — recommend stories based on your preferences and listening history
- Improve the app — understand which features are most valuable and identify areas for improvement
- Fix issues — diagnose crashes and bugs to keep the app running smoothly
- Manage subscriptions — verify your subscription status and provide access to premium content
We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We do not use your data for advertising purposes.
5. Third-Party Services
Buddha Story integrates with the following trusted third-party services:
Firebase (by Google)
We use Firebase for authentication, cloud database (Firestore), file storage, analytics, and crash reporting. Firebase processes data in accordance with Google's privacy policy.
RevenueCat
We use RevenueCat to manage in-app subscriptions across platforms. RevenueCat receives anonymous user identifiers and subscription status. See RevenueCat's privacy policy.
Apple
As an iOS app distributed through the App Store, Apple processes your in-app purchases and payments. Apple's handling of your data is governed by Apple's privacy policy.
6. Local Storage and Caching
Buddha Story stores certain data locally on your device to improve performance and enable offline access:
- Favorites and listening history — stored locally using Hive (an encrypted local database) for instant access
- User preferences — your settings and onboarding selections are saved on-device
- Audio cache — story audio files can be downloaded for offline playback; these are stored in the app's sandboxed storage
All local data is stored within the app's iOS sandbox and is not accessible to other applications. You can clear cached audio and local data from the Settings screen within the app.
7. Children's Privacy
Buddha Story offers a Kids Mode with age-appropriate Buddhist stories for children. We take children's privacy seriously and are committed to compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
- We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under the age of 13
- Kids Mode does not require account creation or login
- No analytics or tracking data is collected during Kids Mode sessions
- Kids Mode content does not include any in-app purchase prompts
If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at privacy@buddhiststories.app and we will promptly delete it.
8. Data Retention
We retain your data only for as long as necessary to provide our services:
- Account data — retained while your account is active; deleted upon request
- Usage and analytics data — retained in aggregate form for up to 14 months, in accordance with Firebase Analytics defaults
- Crash reports — retained for 90 days
- Local cache and data — stored on your device until you clear it from the app's Settings or uninstall the app
To request deletion of your account and all associated data, contact us at privacy@buddhiststories.app or use the "Delete Account" option in the app's Settings.
9. Your Rights
You have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Correction — request correction of any inaccurate data
- Deletion — request deletion of your account and personal data
- Data portability — request your data in a structured, machine-readable format
- Opt out — disable analytics collection from the app's Settings
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@buddhiststories.app. We will respond to your request within 30 days.
If you are a resident of California, you may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). If you are a resident of the European Economic Area, you may have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Contact us for more information.
10. Data Security
We take reasonable measures to protect your personal data, including:
- All data transmitted between the app and our servers is encrypted using TLS/SSL
- Firebase Authentication uses industry-standard security practices
- Local data is stored within iOS's sandboxed app storage
- We regularly review and update our security practices
While we strive to protect your data, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make significant changes, we will notify you through the app or by updating the effective date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
Continued use of Buddha Story after changes to this policy constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.
12. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
- Email: privacy@buddhiststories.app
- Website: buddhiststories.app