Introduction
Welcome to Penny ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your data when you use our mobile application.
Our Commitment: We believe in transparency and giving you control over your data. You can export or delete your data at any time from within the app.
Information We Collect
Account Information
- Email Address: Used for account creation, authentication, and password recovery
- Display Name: The name you choose to identify yourself within groups
- Account Creation Date: When you registered with Penny
Expense Data
- Expense Details: Amount, description, category, and date of expenses you record
- Group Information: Names and descriptions of groups you create or join
- Category Data: Custom categories and budgets you set up
Technical Information
- Device Information: Device type and operating system (for app compatibility)
- Usage Data: App interaction patterns to improve user experience
How We Use Your Information
We use your information solely to provide and improve the Penny app:
- Service Delivery: To enable expense tracking and group collaboration features
- Authentication: To secure your account and verify your identity
- Communication: To send password reset emails and important account notifications
- Improvement: To analyze usage patterns and enhance app functionality
We do NOT: Sell your data to third parties, use your data for advertising, or share your financial information with anyone outside of your groups.
Data Storage and Security
Your data is stored securely using Google Firebase services:
- Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit using TLS/SSL
- Secure Infrastructure: Data is stored on Google Cloud Platform with enterprise-grade security
- Access Controls: Strict security rules ensure users can only access their own data and data from groups they belong to
- Authentication: Firebase Authentication secures your account with industry-standard protocols
Data Sharing
Within Groups
When you join a group, other group members can see:
- Your display name
- Expenses you add to the group
- Your contributions to shared expenses
Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services to operate Penny:
- Google Firebase: Authentication, database, and hosting services
These services are bound by their own privacy policies and data protection agreements.
Developer Access
As the app developer and administrator, we have the technical ability to access data stored in our database. This access may be used for:
- Technical Support: Investigating and resolving issues reported by users
- Bug Fixes: Debugging and troubleshooting app problems
- Service Metrics: Monitoring aggregate statistics such as total number of users and groups (not individual data)
- Security: Detecting and preventing abuse or fraudulent activity
Our Commitment: We do not routinely access, review, or analyze individual user data. Access is limited to situations where it is necessary for the purposes listed above. We will never sell, share, or use your personal data for marketing purposes.
Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required by law, legal process, or government request.
Your Rights and Choices
You have full control over your data:
- Access: View all your data within the app
- Export: Download your expense data as a CSV file from the Profile screen
- Update: Modify your display name and password at any time
- Delete: Permanently delete your account and all associated data from the Profile screen
Data Deletion: When you delete your account, we permanently remove your user profile and personal data. Note that expenses you added to shared groups may be retained for other group members' records.
Data Retention
We retain your data for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account:
- Your user profile is immediately deleted
- Your authentication data is removed from Firebase
- Group data you created may be retained for other members
Children's Privacy
Penny is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.
International Data Transfers
Your data may be processed and stored on servers located outside your country of residence. By using Penny, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries that may have different data protection laws than your jurisdiction.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any significant changes by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.